elbow defending of Domitius Pompey and Crassius being become Consuls after this sorte they ordered them selues nothing the more temperately not honestly For first of all the people being about to choose Cato Praetor Pompey being at thassembly of the election perceyuing that they would choose him brake vp the assembly falsely alleaging that he had noted certaine ill signes and afterwardes the tribes of the people being bribed and corrupted with money they chose Antias and Vatinius Praetors Afterthat by Trebonius tribune of the people they published edicts authorising Caesars charge for fiue yeares lenger according to the appointment they had made with Caesar. Vnto Crassus also they had appointed SYRIA and the warre against the PARTHIANS Vnto Pompey in like case all AFRICKE and both SPAYNES with foure Legions besides of the which at Caesars desire he lent him two legions to help him in his warre in GAVLE These thinges done Crassus departed to his Prouince at the going out of his Consulship and Pompey remayned at ROME about the dedicating of his Theater where he caused many goodly playes to be made both for exercise of person as also for learning and musicke and caused wilde beastes also to be baited and hunted and killed a fiue hundred lions But of all thinges there was no such fearefull sight and terrible fight as was betwene the elephantes This great charge and bowntifull expence defrayed by Pompey to shew the people pastime and pleasures made him againe to be very much esteemed of and beloued amongest the people But on thother side he wanne him selfe as much ill will and enuy in committing the gouernment of his Prouinces and Legions into the handes of his Lieutenants whilest he him selfe romed vp and downe the pleasaunt places of ITALY with his wife at his pleasure either by cause he was farre in loue with her or els for that she loued him so dearely that he could not finde in his harte to leaue her companie It was reported of her being knowen of many that this young lady Iulia loued her housband more dearely not for Pompeys florishing age but for his assured continencie knowing no other woman but her besides also he was no solemne man but pleasaunt of conuersation which made women loue him maruelously vnles we will reproue the curtisan Floraes false testimonie It is certaine that at an election of the AEdiles men rising sodainely in hurly burly drew their swordes and many were slaine about Pompey insomuch as his clothes being bloudyed he sent his men home in haste to fetche him other to chaunge him His young wife that was great with child seeing his clothes bloudie tooke such a flight vpon it that she fell downe in a sownde before them and they had much a doe to recouer her and yet she fell straight in labor apon it and was deliuered So that they themselues which blamed him most for his good will he bare vnto Caesar could not reproue the loue he bare vnto his wife An other time after that she was great with child againe whereof she died and the childe liued not many dayes after the mother As Pompey was about to carie her into the contrie to be buried to a house he had there neere vnto the citie of ALBA the people by force tooke her corse caried it into the field of Mars more for the pitie they tooke of the young Ladie then to pleasure either Caesar or Pompeys and yet what the people did for them it appeared rather they did it more for Caesars sake being absent them for Pompey that was present But straight when this alliāce was broken which rather couered then bridled their ambitious desire to rule there rose a new sturre in ROME immediatly and euery mans month was full of prittle prattle and seditious wordes Not longe after that also came newes that Crassus was ouerthrowen and slaine in PARTHIA who was a manifest staye and let to kepe them two from ciuill warres for that they both feared him therefore kept them selues in a reasonable sorte together But when fortune had taken awaie this third champion who could haue withstood the better of them both that had ouercome the other then might haue bene said of these two which remained as the comycall Poet said See hovv these Champions purposing eche others force to trie VVith nointed skin and dusty hands stand vaunting valliantly So litle can fortune preuaile against nature hauing no power to stoppe couetousnes fith so large and great an Empire and such a wide contrie besides could not containe the couetous desire of these two men But though they had often both heard and read Among the gods them selues all things by lot diuided are And none of them intrudes him selfe vvithin his neigbours share Yet they thought not that the Empire of ROME was enough for them which were but two But Pompey spake openly in an oration he made vnto the people that he euer came to office before he looked for it and also left it sooner then they thought he would haue done that he witnessed by discharging his armie so soone Then thinking that Caesar would not discharge his armie he sought to make him selfe strong against him by procuring offices of the citie without any other alteracion Neither would he seeme to mistrust him but he plainely shewed that he did despise and contemne him But when he sawe that he could not obtaine the offices of the citie as he would bicause the citizens that made the elections were bribed with money he then left it without a magistrate so that there was none either to commaund or that the people should obey Hereupon there ranne a brute straight that there must nedes be a Dictator made and the first man that propounded it was Lucilius tribune of the people who perswaded them to choose Pompey But Cato stucke so stowtely against it that the Tribune had like to haue lost his office euen in the market place But then many of Pompeys frendes stepped vp and excused him saying that he neither sought nor would haue the Dictatorship Then Cato commended him much and praying him to see good order kept in the common wealth Pompey being ashamed to denie so reasonable a request was carefull of it Thereupon two Consuls were chosen Domitius and Messala but afterwardes when the state beganne to chaunge againe by the death of one of the Consuls and that diuers were more earnestly bent to haue a Dictator than before Cato fearing it would breake out with furie determined to geue Pompey some office of reasonable authoritie to kepe him from the other more tyrannicall Insomuch Bibulus him selfe being chiefe of the Senate and Pompeys ennemie was the first that moued Pompey might be chosen Consul alone for said he by this meanes either the common wealth shal be ridde of the present trouble or els it shal be in bondage to an honest man This opinion was maruelled at in respect of him that spake it Whereupon
whom this young Prince fansied and the which he forced him selfe to keepe secret to the death thought that to bewray it to the king it would offend him muche but yet trusting to his great affection and fatherly loue he bare to his sonne he ventred one day to tell him that his sonnes sicknesse was no other but loue and withall that his loue was impossible to be inioyed and therefore that he must of necessitie dye for it was incurable Seleucus was cold at the harte to heare these newes so he asked him what is he incurable Yea Sir aunswered the Phisitian bicause he is in loue with my wife Then replied Seleucus againe alas Erasistratus I haue alwayes loued thee as one of my dearest frendes and wouldest thou not now doe me this pleasure to lette my sonne marry thy wife sith thou knowest it well that I haue no moe sonnes but he and that I see he is but cast away if thou helpe me not But your grace would not doe it your selfe sayd Erasistratus if he were in loue with Stratonice O sayd Seleucus to him againe that it were the wil of the gods some god or man could turne his loue that way for mine owne parte I would not only leaue him the thing he loued but I would geue my kingdom also to saue his life Thē Erasistratus seeing that the king spake these words from his hart and with abundance of teares he tooke him by the right hand and told him plainly your grace needeth not Erasistratus helpe in this For being father husbande and king your selfe also may onely be the Phisitian to cure your sonnes disease When Seleucus heard that he called an assemblie of the people and declared before them all that he was determined to crown his sonne Antiochus king of the high prouinces of ASIA Stratonice Queene to marry them together and that he was perswaded that his sonne who had alwayes shewed him selfe obedient to his fathers will would not disobey him in this mariage And as for Stratonice if she misliked this mariage and would not consent vnto it bicause it was no common matter then he prayed that his frendes would perswade her she should thinke all good comely that should please the king and withall that concerned the general benefit of the realme and common wealth Hereuppon Antiochus and Stratonice were married together But now to returne againe to the history of Demetrius Demetrius came by the kingdom of MACEDON and THESSALIE by this meanes as you haue heard and did moreouer possesse the best parte of PELOPONNESVS and on this side the straight the cities of MEGARA and ATHENS Furthermore he led his armie against the BOEOTIANS who were at the first willing to make peace with him But after that Cleonymus king of SPARTA was come into the city of THEBES with his army the BOEOTIANS encouraged by the faire wordes and allurement of one Pisis borne in the citie of THESPIS who at that time bare all the sway chiefe authoritie amongst them they gaue vp their treaty of peace they had begon with Demetrius determined to make warre Therupon Demetrius wēt to besiege the citie of THEBES layed his engines of battery vnto it insomuch as Cleonymus for feare stale secretly out of the citie Thereuppon the THEBANS being also affrayed yeelded them selues vnto Demetrius mercie who putting great garrisons into the cities hauing leauied a great summe of money of the prouince left them Hieronymus the historiographer his Lieutenant Gouernor there So it appeared that he vsed them very curteously did them many pleasures and specially vnto Pisis For when he had taken him prisoner he did him no hurt but receiued him very curteously and vsed him well and furthermore he made him Polemarchus to wit campe maister in the city of THESPIS Shortly after these things were thus brought to passe king Lysimachus by chaunce was taken by an other barbarous Prince called Dromichetes Thereupon Demetrius to take such a noble occasion offred him went with a great army to inuade the contry of THRACIA supposing he should find no man to withstande him but that he might conquer it at his pleasure Howbeit so soone as Demetrius backe was turned the BOEOTIANS reuolted againe from him therwithall newes was brought him that Lysimachus was deliuered out of prison Then he returned backe with all speede maruelously offended with the BOEOTIANS whom he found already discomfited in battell by his sonne Antigonus went againe to lay siege to the citie of THEBES being the chiefe city of al that prouince of BOEOTIA But at that present time Pyrrhus came forraged all THESSALY and entred euen to the straight of THERMOPYLES Therefore Demetrius was constrained to leaue his sonne to continewe the siege at THEBES whilest he him selfe went against Pyrrhus who sodainly returned againe into his realme So Demetrius left ten thowsand footemen and a thowsand horsemen in THESSALY to defend the contry returned with the rest of his army to win THEBES Thereuppon he brought his great engine of batterie called Elepolis against the wall as you haue heard before the which was thrust forward by litle litle with great labor by reason of the weight and heauines of it so that it could scant be driuen forward two furlongs in two months But the BOEOTIANS the THEBANS did valliantly defend them selues and Demetrius of a malicious minde desire of reuenge more oftner then needefull or to any purpose compelled his men to go to the assault to hazard them selues so that there were daily a great number of them slaine Antigonus his sonne perceiuing it alas said he why doe we thus suffer our men to be slaine and cast away to no purpose Wherefore Demetrius angrily aunswered him againe what needest thou to care Is there any corne to be distributed to those that are dead But notwithstanding bicause men should not thinke he still ment to put others in daunger and durst not venter him selfe he fought with them till at length he was shot through the necke with a sharpe arrow head that was shot at him from the wall Wherewithall he fell very sicke but yet raised not his siege nor remoued his campe but tooke the citie of THEBES againe by assault the which being not long before againe replenished with people was in ten yeares space twise won and taken Now he put the THEBANS in a maruelous feare by his cruell threats he gaue them at his cōming into THEBES so that they looked to haue receiued the extreamest punishment the vanquished could haue through the iust wrath and anger of the conqueror Howbeit after Demetrius had put thirtene of them to death and banished some he pardoned all the rest About that time fell out the celebration of the feast called Pythia in the honour of Apollo and bicause the AETOLIANS kept all the high wayes to bring them vnto the city of DELPHES in the which of olde time they
conuenient number of their daughters and young widowes to marie with them they should haue peace as they had before time with the SABYNES vpon the like occasion The ROMAINES hereat were sore troubled thincking that to deliuer their women in such sorte was no better then to yelde and submit them selues to their enemies But as they were thus perplexed a wayting mayde called Philotis or as other call her Tutola gaue them counsell to doe neither the one nor the other but to vse a pollicy with them by meanes whereof they should scape the daunger of the warres and should also not be tyed nor bounde by any pledges The deuise was they should send to the LATINES her selfe and a certaine number of their fayrest bonde maydes trimmed vp like gentlewomen and the best citizens daughters and that in the night she would lifte them vp a burning torche in the ayer at which signe they should come armed and set vpon their enemies as they laye a sleepe This was brought to passe and the LATINES thought verely they had bene the ROMAINES daughters Philotis fayled not in the night to lyft vp her signe and to shewe them a burning torche in the toppe of a wilde figge tree and dyd hange certaine couerlets and clothes behinde it that the enemies might not see the light and the ROMAINES contrariwise might decerne it the better Thereupon so sone as the ROMAINES sawe it they ranne with all spede calling one another by their names and issued out of the gates of the cittie with great haste and so tooke their enemies vpon a sodaine and slewe them In memorie of which victorie they doe yet solemnise the feaste called the Nones of the goates bicause of the wilde figge tree called in Latine Caprificus And they doe feast the women without the cittie vnder shadowes made of the boughe of figge trees The wayting maydes they tonne vp and downe and playe here and there together Afterwards they seeme to fight and throwe stones one at another as then they dyd when they holpe the ROMAINES in their fight But fewe writers doe auowe this tale bicause it is on the daye time that they call so eche other by their names and that they goe to the place which they call the goates marshe as vnto a sacrifice It seemeth this agreeth better with the first historie when they called one another by their names in the night going against the LATINES onles peraduenture these two thinges after many yeres happened vpon one daye Furthermore they saye Romulus was taken out of the worlde when he was foure and fiftie yeres of age and had raigned eight and thirtie yeres by accompt THE COMPARISON OF Theseus vvith Romulus THVS haue we declared all things of Theseus and Romulus worthy memorie But to compare the one with the other it appeareth first that Theseus of his owne voluntarie will without compulsion of any when he might with safety haue reigned in the cittie of TROEZEN and succeeded his grandfather in no small kingdome dyd desire of him selfe and rather sought meanes to aspire to great things and that Romulus on the otherside to deliuer him self from bondage and seruitude that laye sore vpon him and to escape the threatned punishment which still dyd hange ouer his head was certainely compelled as Plato sayeth to shewe him selfe hardie for feare who seeing howe extremely he was like to be handled was of very force constrained to seeke aduenture and hazarde the enterprise of atteining highe and great things Moreouer the chiefest acte that euer he dyd was when he slewe one onely tyranne of the cittie of ALBA called Amulius where Theseus in his iorney only as he trauelled gaue his minde to greater enterprises and slewe Sciron Sinnis Procrustes and Corynetes And by ridding them out of the worlde he deliuered GRECE of all those cruell tyrranes before any of those knewe him whom he had deliuered from them Furthermore he might haue gone to ATHENS by sea and neuer needed to haue trauelled or put him selfe in daunger with these robbers considering he neuer receyued hurte by any of them where as Romulus could not be in safetie whilest Amulius liued Hereupon it maye be alledged that Theseus vnprouoked by any priuate wronge or hurte receyued dyd set vpon these detestable theues and robbers Remus and Romulus contrariwise so longe as the tyranne dyd them to harme dyd suffer him to oppresse and wronge all other And if they alledge these were noble dedes and worthy memorie that Romulus was hurte fighting against the SABYNES and that he slewe kings Acron with his owne handes and that he had ouercome and subdued many of his enemies Then for Theseus on thother side may be obiected the battell of the CENTAVRI the warres of the AMAZONES the tribute due to the king of CRETA and howe he ventered to goe himselfe thither with the other young boyes and wenches of ATHENS as willingly offering him selfe to be deuowred by a cruell beaste or els to be slayne and sacrificed vpon the tumbe of Androgeus or to become bondslaue tyed in captiuitie to the vile seruice of cruell men and enemies if by his corage and manhodde he could not deliuer him self This was such an acte of magnanimitie iustice glorie briefly of so great vertue that it is vnpossible truely to be set out Surely me thinckes the philosophers dyd not ill define loue when they sayd she was a seruitour of the goddes to saue younge folkes whom they thought meete to be preserued For the loue of Ariadne was in mine opinion the worke of some god and a meane purposely prepared for Theseus safety Therefore the woman is not to be reproached nor blamed for the loue she bare Theseus but rather it is muche to be wondred at that euery man and woman in like wise dyd not loue him And if of her selfe she fell in loue with him I saye and not without cause she afterwards deserued to be beloued of a god as one that of her owne nature loued valiantnes and honour and entertained men of singuler value But both Theseus and Romulus being naturally geuen to rule and raigne neither the one nor the other kept the true forme of a King but bothe of them dyd degenerate alike the one chaunging him self into a popular man the other to a very tyranne So that by sundrie humours they both fell into one mischief and errour For a prince aboue all things must keepe his estate which is no lesse preserued by doing nothing vncomely as by doing all things honorably But he that is more seuere or remisse then he should be remaineth now no more a King or a prince but becommeth a people pleaser or a cruell tyrante and so causeth his subiects to despise or hate him Yet me thinckes the one is an errour of to muche pittie and basenes and the other of to muche pryde and crueltie But if we maye not charge fortune with all mischaunces happening vnto men but that
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
that was as nobly borne and of as great authoritie in gouernmēt there as any man of his time whatsoeuer Notwithstanding fortune frowned on him in the ende insomuch as he was driuen out of his contry and went to lye in the city of MEGALOPOLIS only for the loue he bare vnto Crausis Philopoemenes father a rare man and nobly geuen in all thinges and one that loued him also very well Now so longe as Crausis liued Cassander was so well vsed at his handes that he could lacke nothing and when he was departed this worlde Cassander to requite the loue Crausis bare him in his life time tooke his sonne into his charge being an orphane and taught him as Homer sayd Achilles was brought vp by the olde Phoenix So this childe Philopoemen grewe to haue noble conditions and increased alwayes from good to better Afterwardes when he came to grow to mans state Ecdemus and Demophanes both MEGALIPOLITANS tooke him into their gouernment They were two Philosophers that had bene hearers of Arcesilaus in the schoole of Academia and afterwardes employed all the Philosophy they had learned apon the gouerning of the common wealth and dealing in matters of state as much or more then any other men of their time For they deliuered their city from the tyranny of Aristodemus who kept it in subiection by corruptinge those that killed him And they did helpe Aratus also to driue the tyran Niocles out of SICYONE At the request of the CYRENIANS that were troubled with ciuil dissention factions among them they went vnto CYRENA where they did reforme the state of the common wealth and stablished good lawes for them But for them selues they reckened the education and bringing vp of Philopoemen the chiefest acte that euer they did Iudging that they had procured an vniuersall good vnto all GREECE to bring vp a man of so noble a nature in the rules and precepts of Philosophy And to say truely GRECE did loue him passingly well as the last valliant man she brought foorth in her age after so many great and famous auncient Captaines ◠and did alwayes increase his power and authority as his glory did also rise Whereuppon there was a ROMAINE who to praise him the more called him the last of the GREECIANS ◠meaninge that after him GREECE neuer brought foorth any worthy persone deseruinge the name of a GREECIAN And now concerninge his persone he had no ill face as many suppose he had◠for his whole image is yet to be seene in the city of DELPHES excellently well done as if he were aliue And for that they reporte of his hostesse in the city of MEGARA who tooke him for a seruing man that was by reason of his curtesie not standing vppon his reputacion and bicause he went plainely besides For she vnderstanding that the Generall of the ACHAIANS came to Inne there all night she besturred her and was very busie preparinge for his supper her husband paraduenture being from home at that time and in the meane season came Philopoemen into the Inne with a poore cloke on his backe The simple woman seeinge him no better apparelled tooke him for one of his men that came before to prouide his lodging and so prayed him to lende her his hande in the kitchin He straight cast of his cloke and beganne to fall to hewe wodde So as Philopoemen was busie about it in commeth her husbande and findinge him riuinge of wodde ha ha ha sayd he my Lorde Philopoemen why what meaneth this Truely nothing else sayd he in his DORICAN tongue but that I am punished bicause I am neither fayer boy nor goodly man It is true that Titus Quintius Flaminius sayed one day vnto him seeminge to mocke him for his personage O Philopoemen thou hast fayer handes and good legges but thou hast no belly for he was fine in the waste and small bodied Notwithstandinge I take it this ieastinge tended rather to the proportion of his army then of his body bicause he had both good horsemen and footemen but he was often without money to pay them These geastes schollers haue taken vppe in schooles of Philopoemen But now to discend to his nature and conditions it seemeth that the ambition and desire he had to winne honor in his doinges was not without some heate and wilfullnes For bicause he would altogether follow Epaminondas steppes he shewed his hardines to enterprise any thing his wisedome to execute all great matters and his integrity also in that no money could corrupt him but in ciuill matters and controuersies he coulde hardly otherwhiles keepe him selfe within the bondes of modesty pacience and curtesie but woulde often burst out into choller and wilfulnes Wherfore it seemeth that he was a better Captaine for warres then a wise gouernor for peace And in deede euen from his youth he euer loued souldiers and armes and delited maruelously in all martiall exercises as in handling of his weapon well riding of horses gallantly and in vawting nimbly And bicause he seemed to haue a naturall gift in wrestlinge certaine of his frendes and such as were carefull of him did wishe him to geue him selfe most vnto that exercise Then he asked them if their life that made such profession would be no hinderaunce to their martiall exercises Aunswere was made him againe that the disposition of the persone and manner of life that wrestlers vsed and such as followed like exercise was altogether contrary to the life and discipline of a souldier and specially touching life and limme For wrestlers studied altogether to keepe them selues in good plight by much sleeping eating and drinking by laboring and taking their ease at certaine howers by not missinge a iotte of their exercises and besides were in hazard to loose the force and strength of their body if they did surfit neuer so litle or passed their ordinary course rule of diet Where souldiers contrariwise are vsed to all chaunge and diuersitie of life and specially be taught from their youth to away with all hardnesse and scarsity and to watche in the night without sleepe Philopoemen hearing this did not onely forsake those exercises and scorned them but afterwardes beinge Generall of an army he sought by all infamous meanes he coulde to put downe all wrestling and such kinde of exercise which made mennes bodies vnmeete to take paines and to become souldiers for to fight in defence of their contry that otherwise would haue bene very able and handsome for the same When he first left his booke and schoolemasters and beganne to weare armor in inuasions the MANTINEIANS vsed to make vppon the LACEDAEMONIANS to getsome spoyle on a sodaine or to destroy a parte of their contry Philopoemen then would euer be the formost to go out and the hindermost to come in When he had leasure he vsed much hunting in time of peace all to acquainte his body with toyle and trauell or else he would be digging of
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
but rather Philosopher saying that Philosophie was his chiefest profession that for his eloquence he did not vse it but as a necessary instrument to one that pleadeth in the common wealth But glory and opinion hath great power to take mans reason from him euen like a culler from the minds of them that are common pleaders in matters of state and to make them feele the selfe same passions that common people doe by dayly frequenting their companie vnles they take great heede of them and that they come to practise in the common wealth with this resolute minde to haue to doe with the like matters that the common people haue but not to entangle them selues with the like passions and moodes by the which their matters doe rise Nowe Clodius was not contented that he had banished Cicero out of ITALY but further he burnt all his houses in the contry and his house also in ROME standing in the market place of the which he built a temple of libertie and caused his goods to be solde by the cryer so that the cryer was occupied all daye long crying the goods to be sold and no man offered to buye any of them The chiefest men of the citie beginning to be afrayd of these violent parts and hauing the common people at his commaundement whom he had made very bold and insolent he beganne to inuey against Pompey and spake ill of his doings in the time of his warres the which euery man els but him self did commend Pompey then was very angry with him selfe that he had so forsaken Cicero and repented him of it and by his friendes procured all the meanes he could to call him home againe from his banishment Clodius was against it all he could The Senate notwithstanding with one full consent ordeyned that nothing should be established for the common wealth before Ciceroes banishment were first repealed Lentulus was at that tyme Consul and there grewe such an vprore and sturre apon it that some of the Tribunes were hurt in the market place and Quintus Cicero the brother of Cicero was slayne and hidden vnder the deade bodies Then the people beganne to chaunge their mindes And Annius Milo one of the Tribunes was the first man that durst venter vpon Clodius and bringe him by force to be tryed before the Iudges Pompey him selfe also hauing gotten a great number of men about him aswell of the citie of ROME as of other townes adioyning to it beeing strongly garded with them he came out of his house and compelled Clodius to get him out of the market place and then called the people to giue their voyces for the calling home agayne of Cicero It is reported that the people neuer passed thinge with so great good will nor so wholy together as the returne of Cicero And the Senate for their partes also in the behalfe of Cicero ordeyned that the cities which had honored and receiued Cicero in his exile shoulde be greatly commended and that his houses which Clodius had ouerthrowen and rased should be reedified at the charge of the common wealth So Cicero returned the sixtenth moneth after his banishment and the townes and cities he came by shewed them selues so ioyfull of his returne that all manner of men went to meete and honor him with so great loue and affection that Ciceroes reporte thereof afterwardes came in deede short of the very truth as it was For he sayde that ITALY brought him into ROME vpon their shoulders Insomuch as Crassus him selfe who before his banishment was his enemie went then with very good will vnto him and became his friende saying that he did it for the loue of his sonne who loued Cicero with all his hart Nowe Cicero beeing returned he found a tyme when Clodius was out of the citie and went with a good companie of his friendes vnto the Capitoll and there tooke away the tables and brake them in the which Clodius had written all his actes that he had passed and done in the tyme of his Tribuneship Clodius would afterwardes haue accused Cicero for it But Cicero aunswered him that he was not lawfully created Tribune bicause he was of the PATRICIANS and therefore all that he had done in his Tribuneship was voyde and of none effect Therewith Cato was offended and spake against him not for that he liked any of Clodius doings but to the contrary vtterly misliked all that he did but bicause he thought it out of all reason that the Senate shoulde cancell all those thinges which he had done and passed in his Tribuneship and specially bicause amongest the rest that was there which he him selfe had done in the I le of CYPRVS and in the citie of BYZANTIVM Hereuppon there grewe some straungenes betwixt Cicero and Cato the which notwithstanding brake not out to open enmitie but onely to an abstinence of their wonted familiaritie and accesse one to another Shortly after Milo slue Clodius Milo beeing accused of murder prayed Cicero to pleade his cause The Senate fearing that this accusation of Milo who was a hardie man and of qualitie besides woulde moue some sedition and vprore in the citie they gaue commission to Pompey to see iustice executed aswell in this cause as in other offences that the citie might be quiet and iudgement also executed with safetie Thereuppon Pompey the night before tooke the highest places of the market place by his souldiers that were armed whome he placed thereabout Milo fearing that Cicero woulde bee affraied to see suche a number of harnest men about him beeing no vsuall matter and that it might peraduenture hinder him to pleade his cause well he prayed him he woulde come betymes in the morning in his litter into the market place and there to staye the comming of the Iudges till the place were full For Cicero was not onely fearefull in warres but timerous also in pleading For in deede he neuer beganne to speake but it was in feare and when his eloquence was come to the best proofe and perfection he neuer left his trembling and timerousnes Insomuch that pleading a case for Mutius Muraena accused by Cato striuing to excell Hortensius whose pleading was very well thought of he tooke no rest all night and what through watching and the trouble of his minde he was not very well so that he was not so well liked for his pleading as Hortensius So going to defend Miloes cause when he came out of his litter and sawe Pompey set aloft as if he had beene in a campe and the market place compassed about with armed men glistering in euery corner it so amated him that he could scant facion him selfe to speake all the partes of him did so quake and tremble and his voyce could not come to him But Milo on the other side stoode boldly by him him selfe without any feare at all of the iudgement of his cause nether did he let his heere growe as other men
THE LIVES OF THE NOBLE GRECIANS AND ROMANES COMPARED together by that graue learned Philosopher and Historiographer Plutarke of Chaeronea Translated out of Greeke into French by IAMES AMYOT Abbot of Bellozane Bishop of Auxerre one of the Kings priuy counsel and great Amner of Fraunce and out of French into Englishe by Thomas North. Jn repentance remembrance ANCHORA SPEI Imprinted at London by Thomas Vautroullier and Iohn VVight 1579. TO THE MOST HIGH AND MIGHTY PRINCESSE ELIZABETH BY THE GRACE OF GOD OF ENGLAND Fraunce and Ireland Queene defender of the faith c. VNDER hope of your highnes gratious and accustomed fauor I haue presumed to present here vnto your Maiestie Plutarkes lyues translated as a booke fit to be protected by your highnes and meete to be set forth in Englishe For vvho is fitter to giue countenance to so many great states than such an highe and mightie Princesse vvho is fitter to reuiue the dead memorie of their fame than she that beareth the liuely image of their vertues vvho is fitter to authorize a vvorke of so great learning and vvisedome than she vvhome all do honor as the Muse of the vvorld Therefore I humbly beseech your Maiestie to suffer the simplenes of my translation to be couered vnder the amplenes of your highnes protection For most gracious Souereigne though this booke be no booke for your Maiesties selfe vvho are meeter to be the chiefe storie than a student therein and can better vnderstand it in Greeke than any man can make it Englishe yet I hope the common sorte of your subiects shall not onely profit them selues hereby but also be animated to the better seruice of your Maiestie For amonge all the profane bookes that are in reputacion at this day there is none your highnes best knovves that teacheth so much honor loue obedience reuerence zeale and deuocion to Princes as these liues of Plutarke doe Hovve many examples shall your subiects reade here of seuerall persons and vvhole armyes of noble and base of younge and olde that both by sea lande at home and abroad haue strayned their vvits not regarded their states ventured their persons cast avvay their liues not onely for the honor and safetie but also for the pleasure of their Princes Then vvell may the Readers thinke if they haue done this for heathen Kings vvhat should vve doe for Christian Princes If they haue done this for glorye vvhat should vve doe for religion If they haue done this vvithout hope of heauen vvhat should vve doe that looke for immortalitie And so adding the encouragement of these exsamples to the forvvardnes of their ovvne dispositions vvhat seruice is there in vvarre vvhat honor in peace vvhich they vvill not be ready to doe for their vvorthy Queene And therefore that your highnes may giue grace to the booke and the booke may doe his service to your Maiestie I haue translated it out of French and doe here most humbly present the same vnto your highnes beseeching your Maiestie vvith all humilitie not to reiect the good meaning but to pardon the errours of your most humble and obedient subiect and seruaunt vvho prayeth God long to multiplye all graces and blessings vpon your Maiestie VVritten the sixteene day of Ianuary 1579. Your Maiesties most humble and obedient seruaunt Thomas North. To the Reader THE profit of stories and the prayse of the Author are sufficiently declared by Amiot in his Epistle to the Reader So that I shall not neede to make many wordes thereof And in deede if you will supply the defects of this translation with your owne diligence and good vnderstanding you shall not neede to trust him you may proue your selues that there is no prophane studye better then Plutarke All other learning is priuate fitter for Vniuersities then cities fuller of contemplacion than experience more commēdable in the students themselues than profitable vnto others Whereas stories are fit for euery place reache to all persons serue for all tymes teache the liuing reuine the dead so farre excelling all other bookes as it is better to see learning in noble mens liues than to reade it in Philosophers writings Nowe for the Author I will not denye but loue may deceiue me for I must needes loue him with whome I haue taken so much payne but I beleue I might be bold to affirme that he hath written the profitablest story of all Authors For all otherwere sayne to take their matter as the fortune of the contries whereof they wrote fell out But this man being excellent in wit learning and experience hath chosen the speciall actes of the best persons of the famosest nations of the world But I will leaue the judgement to your selues My onely purpose is to desire you to excuse the faults of my translation with your owne gentlenes and with the opinion of my diligence and good entent And so I wishe you all the profit of the booke Fare ye well The foure and twenty day of Ianuary 1579. Thomas North. Amiot to the Readers THe reading of bookes vvhich bring but a vaine and vnprofitable pleasure to the Reader is iustly misliked of vvise and grauemen Againe the reading of such as doe but onely bring profit and make the Reader to be in loue therevvith and doe not ease the payne of the reading by some pleasauntnes in the same doe seeme somevvhat harshe to diuers delicate vvits that can not tary long vpon them But such bookes as yeeld pleasure and profit and doe both delight and teache haue all that a man can desire vvhy they should be vniuersally liked and allovved of all sortes of men according to the common saying of the Poet Horace That he which matcheth profit with delight Doth winne the price in euery poynt aright Eyther of these yeeld his effect the better be reason the one runneth vvith the other profiting the more bicause of the delight and deliting the more bicause of the profit This commendation in my opinion is most proper to the reading of stories to haue pleasure and profit matched together vvhich kind of delight and teaching meeting in this vvise arme in arme hath more allovvance then any other kind of vvriting or inuention of man In respect vvhereof it may be reasonably auovved that men are more beholding to such good vvits as by their graue and vvise vvriting haue deserued the name of Historiographers then they are to any other kind of vvriters bicause an historie is an orderly register of notable things said done or happened in time past to mainteyne the continuall remembrance of them and to serue for the instruction of them to come And like as memorie is as a storehouse of mens conceits and deuises vvithout the vvhich the actions of the other tvvo parts should be vnperfect and vvelneare vnprofitable So may it also be sayd that an historie is the very treasury of mans life vvhereby the notable doings and sayings of men and the vvonderfull aduentures straunge cases vvhich the long
was chosen captaine of the great shippe Argus and had commission to sayle euery where to chase and driue awaye rouers and pyrates and to scoure the seas through out About this time Daedalus being fled from CRETA to ATHENS in a litle barke Minos contrarie to this restraint woulde needes followe him with a fleete of diuers vessels with owers who being by force of weather driuen with the coaste of SICILE fortuned to dye there Afterwardes his sonne Deucalion being marucilously offended with the ATHENIANS sent to summone them to deliuer Daedalus vnto him or els he woulde put the children to death which were deliuered to his father for hostages But Theseus excused him selfe and sayed he coulde not forsake Daedalus considering he was his neere kynseman being his cosin germaine for he was the sonne of Merope the daughter of Erichtheus Howbeit by and by he caused many vessels secretly to be made parte of them within ATTICA selfe in the village of Thymetades farre from any highe wayes and parte of them in the cittie of TROEZEN by the sufferance of Pitheus his grandfather to the ende his purpose shoulde be kept the secretlyer Afterwardes when all his shippes were readye and rygged out he tooke sea before the CRETANS had any knowledge of it in so much as when they sawe them a farre of they dyd take them for the barkes of their friends Theseus landed without resistaunce and tooke the hauen Then hauing Daedalus and other banished CRETANS for guydes he entred the cittie selfe of GNOSVS where he slewe Deucalion in a fight before the gates of the Labyrinthe with all his garde and officers about him By this meanes the kingdome of CRETA fell by inheritance into the handes of his sister Ariadne Theseus made league with her and caryed away the yong children of ATHENS which were kept as hostages and concluded peace and amytie betweene the ATHENIANS and the CRETANS who promised and sware they woulde neuer make warres against them They reporte many other things also touching this matter and specially of Ariadne but there is no trothe nor certeintie in it For some saye that Ariadne honge her selfe for sorowe when she sawe that Theseus had caste her of Other write that she was transported by mariners into the I le of NAXOS were she was maryed vnto O Enarus the priest of Bacchus and they thincke that Theseus lefte her bicause he was in loue with another as by these verses shoulde appeare AEgles the Nymphe vvas loued of Theseus vvhich vvas the daughter of Panopeus Hereas the Megarian sayeth that these two verses in olde time were among the verses of the Poet Hesiodus howbeit Pisistratus tooke them awaye as he dyd in like manner adde these other here in the description of the helles in Homer to gratifie the ATHENIANS Bolde Theseus and Pirithous stovvte descended both from godds immortall race Triumphing still this vvearie vvorlde aboute infeats of armes and many acomly grace Other holde opinion that Ariadne had two children by Theseus the one of them was named O Enopion and the other Staphylus Thus amongest others the Poet Ion writeth it who was borne in the I le of CHIO and speaking of his cittie he sayeth thus O Enopion vvhich vvas the sonne of vvorthy Theseus did cause men buylde this stately tovvne vvhich novve triumpheth thus Nowe what things are founde seemely in Poets fables there is none but dothe in manner synge them But one Paenon borne in the cittie of AMATHVNTA reciteth this cleane after another sorte and contrarie to all other saying that Theseus by tempest was driuen with the I le of CYPRVS hauing with him Ariadne which was great with childe and so sore sea sycke that she was not able to abide it In so muche as he was forced to put her a lande and him selfe afterwards returning abourde hoping to saue his shippe against the storme was forthwith compelled to loose into the sea The women of the countrye dyd curteously receyue and intreate Ariadne and to comforte her againe for she was marucilously oute of harte to see she was thus forsaken they counterfeated letters as if Theseus had wrytten them to her And when her groninge time was come and she to be layed they did their best by all possible meanes to saue her but she dyed notwithstanding in labour and could neuer be deliuered So she was honorably buried by the Ladies of CYPRVS Theseus not long after returned thither againe who tooke her death maruelous heauily and left money with the inhabitantes of the countrie to sacrifice vnto her yearely and for memorie of her he caused two litle images to be molten the one of copper and the other of siluer which he dedicated vnto her This sacrifice is done the seconde day of September on which they doe yet obserue this ceremonie they doe lay a young childe vpon a bed which pitiefully cryeth and lamenteth as women trauellinge with childe They saye also that the AMATHVSIANS doe yet call the groue where her tombe is sette vp the wodde of Venus Adriadne And yet there are of the NAXIANS that reporte this otherwise saying there were two Minoes and two Adriadnees whereof the one was maried to Bacchus in the I le of NAXOS of whome Staphylus was borne and the other the youngest was rauished and caried away by Theseus who afterwardes forsooke her and she came into the I le of NAXOS with her nurce called Corcyna whose graue they doe shewe yet to this day This seconde Adriadne dyed there also but she had no such honour done to her after her death as to the first was geuen For they celebrate the feaste of the first with all ioye and mirthe where the sacrifices done in memorie of the seconde be mingled with mourninge and sorowe Theseus then departing from the I le of CRETA arriued in the I le of DELOS where he did sacrifice in the temple of Apollo and gaue there a litle image of Venus the which he had gotten of Adriadne Then with the other young boyes that he had deliuered he daunced a kinde of daunce which the DELIANS keepe to this day as they say in which there are many turnes and returnes much after the turninges of the Labyrinthe And the DELIANS call this manner of daunce the crane as Dicaorcus sayeth And Theseus daunced it first about the altar which is called Ceraton that is to saye horne-staffe bicause it is made and builded of hornes onely all on the left hande well and curiously sette together without any other bindinge It is sayed also that he made a game in this I le of DELOS in which at the first was geuen to him that ouercame a braunche of palme forreward of victorie But when they drewe neere the coast of ATTICA they were so ioyfull he and his master that they forgate to set vp their white sayle by which they shoulde haue geuen knowledge of their healthe and safetie vnto AEgeus Who
he should haue bene betrayed vntill he fell downe dead in the place where he stoode This is not vncredible by that we see younge boyes doe abide at this daye for we haue seene diuers which haue bidden whipping euen to death vpon the altar of Diana surnamed Orthia Nowe this vnder master who had the charge of euery companie of these boyes vsed after supper sitting yet at the table to byd one of them singe a songe to another he put forth a question who was to be well aduised of his aunswer as for example Who is the honestest man in the cittie or howe thinckest thou by that such a one dyd By this exercise they were cnured from boyes state to iudge of things well or ill done and to vnderstand the life and gouernment of their cittizens For which of them dyd not aunswer quickly and directly to these questions who is a good man who is an honest cittizen and who not they thought it was a signe of a dulle wit and careles nature not geuen to any vertue for desire of honour and estimation Furthermore this vnder master was euer to waite for his aunswer and to see it should be brief and well knyt vp in wordes otherwise his punishement that aunswered crossely or to litle purpose was that his master byt him by the thumbe This he dyd many times in the presence of the olde men and magistrates of the cittie that they might see whether he punished them with reason or not and according to their deserning And though he dyd hurte him they dyd not by and by reproue him but when the children were gone awaye then was he him selfe rebuked and punished if he had corrected them to sore or contrarylie had fauored them to muche Moreouer they dyd ascribe the good or ill opinion conceaued of the children vnto euery of their fauorers and louers which dyd affect and entertaine them in asmuch as they saye a young boye vpon a time fighting with another and a crye scaping out of his mouthe which his fainte cowardly harte dyd yelde his fauorer louer was straight condemned by the officers of the cittie to a fine Albeit this loue was a thing euen incorporated into them that the most honest and vertuousest women loued the young maydes thus also yet was there no iealousie nor suspition that grewe hereof but rather to the contrarie there grewe a maruelous mutuall loue and kyndnes betweene them which loued in one selfe place For either of them by all the meanes they could dyd deuise howe to make the childe they loued in common the wisest the gentlest and the best conditioned aboue all other They taught these children to speake in suche sorte that their speache had euer in it a pleasaunt grace and in fewe wordes comprehended much matter For Lycurgus ordained a great masse and weight of iron money should be but litle worthe and of a small value as we haue tolde you before and contrarilie that speache in fewe wordes without any affectation should holde much deepe and graue matter wherewith the children being acquainted after long silence should be brief and pitthie in their aunswers For as the seede of incontinent men which are to busie with euery ragge and colman hedge can take no roote to bringe forth fruite euen so immoderate speache full of wordes and busie tattle bringeth sorth as litle sense Hereof it commeth that the aunswers of the LACONIANS were so shorte witty As they saye king Agis aunswered on a daye an ATHENIAN who iesting at the swords the LACEDAEMONIANS dyd were sayed they were so shorte that these tumblers and iugglers dyd swallowe them downe in the sight of all the world and yet sayed Agis we hurte our enemies with them for all that For mine owne opinion I like well of the LACONIANS manner of speaking which is not to speake much but when they speake to touch the matter effectually and to make the hearers vnderstand them I thincke also that Lycurgus selfe was shorte and quicke in his talke For so a man maye coniecture by his aunswers which are written as that which he made to one who earnestly prayed him to stablishe a popular state in LACEDAEMON that the basest might haue as great authoritie as the highest Beginne q he to doe it first in thine owne house And as that also which he aunswered another who asked him why he had appointed so small things and so little of value to be offered to the goddes Bicause q he we should neuer cease to honour them And as that which he spake another time touching fightes and frayes which was that he dyd neuer forbid his citizens any of them but those wherein they vse to geue their hande as you would saye to yeld Men finde also suche like aunswers in some of his letters written to his cittizens as when they asked him Howe can we defende our selues against our enemies He aunswered If ye be poore and one doe couet no more then another And in another letter that was sent where he discourseth whether it were requisite to inclose the cittie with walles he sayeth can that cittie be without walles which is enuironned with men thought it be vncompassed with stone Neuertheles it is harde to resolue whether those letters and other suche like that are shewed be to be beleeued or discredited to be his But that long speache was much disliked and reproued among the LACEDAEMONIANS it is manifestly to be seene by the words which somme amōgest them haue heretofore aunswered As king Leonidas sayed one daye to one that discoursed with him many good things but out of season friend thou speakest many good wordes but to litle purpose And Charilaus nephew to Lycurgus being asked why his vncle made so fewe lawes bicause sayed he to men of fewe wordes fewe lawes will serue And Archidamidas sayed thus to somme which reproued Hetataeus the Orator for that being bidden to supper at one of their feasts he spake not a worde all supper time He who can speake well knoweth also when to speake And where I haue tolde before that in their feare and quicke aunswers commonly there was some prety grace it maye be well seene and knowen by these that followe Demaratus aunswered a busie fellowe who troubled him to much with vaine importunate questions asking him still who was the honestest man of LACEDAEMON euen he that is least like thy selfe And Agis sayed to somme which highely praysed the ELIANS for their vpright iudgement iust dealing in the games Olympicall What wonder make ye of it q he if in fiue yeres space the ELIANS one daye doe good iustice And Theopompus likewise to a straunger who as desirous to shew his affection he bare the LACADAEMONIANS told him how euery bodye called him Philolaecon as to saye a louer of LACEDAEMON It were more honestie for thee sayed he to be named Philopolites a louer of her citizens And Plistonax the sonne of Pausanias
not say therefore that in time of this association they were lesse to be reckoned of in any thing than them selues Further they added that in ioyning with them the ROMAINES had doubly increased their might and power and had made a bodie of a people which deserued the honour and title of a cittie These were the causes of their contention But to preuent that of this contention there might growe to confusion in the cittie if it should remaine without an head to commaund the Senatours which were a hundred and fiftieth number gaue counsell that euery one of them by turnes one after another should carie the royall state of the King and all the showes and ornaments of his maiestie and should doe the ordinarie sacrifices of the King and dispatche all causes sixe howers in the daye and sixe howers in the night as the King before had vsed Thus they thought it best to deuide the rule that one might haue asmuch power as the other aswell in respect of them selues as also for regarde of the people For they imagined that the chaunging and remouing thus of this regall dignitie and passing it from man to man would clene take awaye enuie among them and make euery of them to rule temperately and vprightly see that in one and that selfe same daye and night euery of them should be a King and priuate persone also The ROMAINES call this manner of regiment in vacation Interregnum as you would saye rule for the time Nowe albeit their gouernment was very modest and ciuill yet they could not for all that keepe them selues from falling into the suspition and slaunder of the people who gaue it out straight that this was a fine deuise of theirs to chaunge by this meanes the rule of the Realme into a fewe noble mens handes to the ende that the whole authoritie and gouernment of all publicke causes should remaine still in them selues bicause it grieued them to be subiect to a king And in the ende the two partes of the cittie came to this agreement that the one parte should choose one of the bodie of the other to be the king This course they liked very well aswell for the pacification of present sturre and dissention amongest them selues as for procuring equalitie of affection and sturring vp a likenes of goodwill in the King that thus indifferently should be chosen whereby he should loue the one parte for that they had chosen him and likewise the other parte for that he was of their nation The SABYNES were the first which referred the election to the ROMAINES choyse and the ROMAINES thought it better to chuse one of the nation of the SABYNES then to haue a ROMAINE chosen by the SABYNES After they had consulted they determined amongest them selues and did choose Numa Pompilius one of the bodye of the SABYNES to be King who was none of the number of them which came to dwell at ROME howbeit he was a man so famous for his vertue that the SABYNES so soone as they named him did receyue him more willingly then they who had chosen him After they had thus published their election the first and chiefest persones of the one the otherside were chosen out to goe vnto him Now Numa Pompilius was borne in one of the chiefest and best citties which the SABYNES had called Cures whereupon the ROMAINES and their fellowes the SABYNES were called afterwardes Quirites and he was the sonne of Pomponius a noble man the youngest of foure brethern being by the secret worcking of the goddes borne on the very daye on the which ROME was first founded by Romulus which was the one and twenty daye of Aprill This man being naturally geuen and inclined vnto all vertue did yet increase the same by studie and all kynde of good discipline and by the exercise thereof and of true pacience and right philosophie he did maruelously adorne him selfe and his manners For he did not only clere his soule and minde of all passions and vices commonly vsed in the worlde but he conquered in him selfe all heates violence couetousnes And would neither seeke nor vsurpe that which was an other mans a thing at that time honoured among the most barbarous people but thought that to be the true and right victorie in man first to conquer and commaund him selfe by iudgement reason then to subdue all couetousnes greedines Hauing therfore this opinion he would in no wise haue in his house any superfluity or finenes He became to euery man that would employe him aswell straunger as his owne countrie man a wise coūsaillour an vpright iudge He bestowed his leysure not to followe his owne delight or to gather goods together but to serue the goddes to behold their celestiall nature and power as much as mans reason vnderstāding could cōprehend Thereby he got so great a name reputation that Tatius which was king of ROME with Romulus hauing but one onely daughter called Tatia made him his sonne in law Howbeit this mariage put him in no such iolity that he would dwel at ROME with his father in lawe but rather kept at home at his own house in the countrie of the SABYNES there to serue cherishe his olde father with his wife Tatia who for her parte also liked better to liue quietly with her husbād being a priuate mā then to goe to ROME where she might haue liued in much honour and glorie by meanes of the King her father She died as it is reported 13. yeres after she was maried After her deathe Numa leauing to dwell in the cittie was better contēted to liue in the country alone solitarie gaue himself to walke much in the fields woddes consecrated to the godds as one desirous to leade alone life farre from the cōpanie of men Whereupon was raised in my opiniō that which is spoken of him of the goddesse Egeria That it was not for any straungenes or melancholines of nature that Numa withdrew him self from the cōuersation cōpany of men but bicause he had found another more honorable holy society of the Nymphe goddesse Egeria who had done him as they saye that honour as to make him her husbād with whō as his beloued darling it is sayed he enjoyed happy dayes by dayly frequenting of her company he was inspired with the loue knowledge of all celestiall things Surely these deuises are much like vnto certain old fables of the Phrygiās which they hauing learned from the father to the sonne doe loue to tell of one Atis of the Bithynians of one Herodotus of the ARCADIANS of one Endymion and of many other such like men who in their liues were taken for sayntes and beloued of the goddes Notwithstanding it is likely that the goddes loue neither birdes nor horse but men and haue sometimes a liking to be familliar with perfect good men and doe not disdaine
Whereupon the men of Co sent it first to Thales in the cittie of MILETVM as being willing to graunte that vnto a priuate persone for which they had made warres with all the MILESIANS before Thales sayed he thought Bias a wiser man than him selfe and so it was sent vnto him He likewise sent it againe vnto another as to a wiser man And that other sent it also vnto another So that being thus posted from man to man and through diuers handes in the ende it was brought backe againe vnto the cittie of MILETVM and deliuered into the handes of Thales the seconde time and last of all was caried vnto THEBES and offered vp vnto the temple of Apollo Ismenian Howbeit Theophrastus writeth that first it was sent to the cittie of PRIENA vnto Bias and then vnto Thales in the cittie of MILETVM by Bias consent And after that it had passed through all their handes it was brought againe vnto Bias and lastely it was sent to the cittie of DELPHES And thus much haue the best and most auncient writers written sauing that some saye in steade of a three footed stoole it was a cuppe that king Croesus sent vnto the cittie of DELPHES Other saye it was a pece of plate which Bathycles left there They make mention also of another priuate meeting betwext Anacharsis and Solon and of another betweene him and Thales where they recite that they had this talke Anacharsis being arriued at ATHENS went to knocke at Solons gate saying that he was a straunger which came of purpose to see him and to desire his acquaintaunce and friēdshippe Solon aunswered him that it was better to seeke friēdshippe in his owne countrie Anacharsis replied againe thou then that arte at home and in thine owne countrie beginne to shew me friendshippe Then Solon wondering at his bolde ready wit enterteined him very curteously and kept him a certaine time in his house and made him very good cheere at the selfe same time wherein he was most busie in gouerning the common weale making lawes for the state thereof Which when Anacharsis vnderstoode he laughed at it to see that Solon imagined with written lawes to bridell mens couetousnes and iniustice For such lawes sayed he doe rightly resemble the spyders cobwebbes bicause they take holde of litle flies and gnattes which fall into them but the riche and mightie will breake and ronne through them at their will. Solon answered him that men doe iustly keepe all couenants and bargaines which one make with another bicause it is to the hinderāce of either partie to breake them euen so he dyd so temper his lawes that he made his cittizens knowe it was more for their profit to obey lawe iustice then to breake it Neuertheles afterwardes matters proued rather according to Anacharsis comparison then agreable to the hope that Solon had conceyued Anacharsis being by happe one daye in a common assembly of the people at ATHENS sayed that he maruelled much why in the consultations meetings of the GRECIANS wise men propounded matters and fooles dyd decide them It is sayed moreouer that Solon was somtime in the cittie of MILETVM at Thales house where he sayed that he could not but maruell at Thales that he would neuer marie to haue children Thales gaue him neuer a worde at that present but within fewe dayes after he suborned a straunger which sayed that he came but newly home from ATHENS departing from thence but tenne dayes before Solon asked him immediately What newes there This straunger whom Thales had schooled before aunswered none other there sauing that they caried a young man to buriall whom all the cittie followed for that he was one of the greatest mens sonnes of the cittie and the honestest man withall who at that present was out of the countrie and had bene a long time as they sayed abroade O poore vnfortunate father then sayed Solon and what was his name I haue heard him named sayed the straunger but I haue forgotten him nowe sauing that they all sayed he was a worthy wise man So Solon still trembling more and more for feare at euery aunswer of this straunger in the ende he could holde no longer being full of trouble but tolde his name himselfe vnto the straunger and asked him againe if he were not the sonne of Solon which was buried The very same sayed the straunger Solon with that like a mad man straight beganne to beat his head and to saye and doe like men impacient in affliction and ouercome with sorowe But Thales laughing to see this pageant stayed him and sayed Loe Solon this is it that keepeth me from marying and getting of children which is of such a violence that thou seest it hath nowe ouercome thee although otherwise thou arte stronge and able to wrestle with any Howbeit for any thing he hath saied vnto thee be of good cheere man for it is but a tale and nothing so Hermippus writeth that Patacus he which sayed he had Esops sowle reciteth this story thus Neuertheles it lacketh iudgement and the corage of a man also to be afrayed to get things necessarie fearing the losse of them for by this reckoning he should neither esteeme honour goodes nor knowledge when he hath them for feare to lose them For we see that vertue it selfe which is the greatest and sweetest riches a man can haue decayeth oftimes through sicknes or els by phisicke and potions Furthermore Thales selfe although he was not maried was not therefore free from this feare onles he would confesse that he neither loued friends kynsemen nor countrie howbeit Thales had an adopted sonne called Cybistus which was his sisters sonne For our soule hauing in it a naturall inclination to loue and being borne aswell to loue as to feele to reason or vnderstand and to remember hauing nothing of her owne whereupon she might bestowe that naturall loue boroweth of other As where there is a house or inheritaunce without lawfull heires many times straungers and base borne children doe creepe into the kinde affection of the owner and when they haue once wonne possessed his loue they make him euer after to be kynde and tender ouer them So that ye shall see many times men of such a hard and rough nature that they like not of them that moue them to marie and get lawfull children and yet afterwardes are ready to dye for feare sorowe when they see their bastardes that they haue gotten of their slaues or concubines fall sicke or dye and doe vtter wordes farre vnmeete for men of noble corage And some such there be that for the death of a dogge or their horse are so out of harte and take such thought that they are ready to goe into the grounde they looke so pittiefully Other some are cleane contrarie who though they haue lost their children forgone their friendes or some gentleman deare vnto them yet no sorowfull worde hath commen from
them neither haue they done any vnseemely thing but haue passed the rest of their life like wise constant and vertuous men For it is not loue but weaknes which breedeth these extreme sorowes and exceeding feare in men that are not exercised nor acquainted to fight against fortune with reason And this is the cause that plucketh from them the pleasure of that they loue and desire by reason of the continuall trouble feare and griefe they feele by thincking howe in time they maye be depriued of it Nowe we must not arme our selues with pouertie against the griefe of losse of goodes neither with lacke of affeâ—tion against the losse of our friendes neither with wante of mariage against the death of children but we must be armed with reason against misfortunes Thus haue we sufficiently enlarged this matter The ATHENIANS hauing nowe susteined a long and troublesome warre against the MEGARIANS for the possession of the I le of SALAMINA were in the ende wearie of it and made proclamation straightly commaunding vpon payne of death that no man should presume to preferre any more to the counsaill of the cittie the title or question of the possession of the I le of SALAMINA Solon could not beare this open shame and seeing the most parte of the lustiest youthes desirous still of warre though their tongues were tyed for feare of the proclamation he fayned him selfe to be out of his wittes and caused it to be geuen out that Solon was become a foole and secretly he had made certaine lamentable verses which he had cunned without booke to singe abroade the cittie So one daye he ranne sodainly out of his house with a garland on his head and gotte him to the market place where the people straight swarmed like bees about him and getting him vp vpon the stone where all proclamations are vsually made out he singeth these Elegies he had made which beganne after this sorte I here present my selfe an Heraulde in this case vvhich come from Salamina lande that noble vvorthy place My minde in pelting prose shall neuer be exprest But songe in verse Heroycall for so I thincke it best This Elegie is intituled SALAMINA and conteineth a hundred verses which are excellently well written And these being songe openly by Solon at that time his friendes incontinently praysed them beyond measure and specially Pisistratus and they went about persuading the people that were present to credit that he spake Hereupon the matter was so handled amongest them that by and by the proclamation was reuoked and they beganne to followe the warres with greater furie then before appointing Solon to be generall in the same But the common tale and reporte is that he went by sea with Pisistratus vnto the temple of Venus surnamed Coliade where he founde all the women at a solemne feast and sacrifice which they made of custome to the goddesse He taking occasion thereby sent from thence a trusty man of his owne vnto the MEGARIANS which then had SALAMINA whom he instructed to fayne him selfe a reuolted traytour that he came of purpose to tell them that if they would but goe with him they might take all the chief ladyes and gentle women of ATHENS on a sodaine The MEGARIANS easely beleeued him and shipped forthwith certaine souldiers to goe with him But when Solon perceyued the shippe vnder sayle comming from SALAMINA he commaunded the women to departe and in steade of them he put lusty beardles springalles into their apparell and gaue them litle shorte daggers to conuey vnder their clothes commaunding them to playe daunce together vpon the sea side vntill their enemies were landed and their shippe at anker and so it came to passe For the MEGARIANS being deceyued by that they sawe a farre of as sonne as euer they came to the shore side dyd lande in heapes one in anothers necke euen for greedines to take these women but not a man of them escaped for they were slayne euery mothers sonne This stratageame being finely handled to good effect the ATHENIANS tooke sea straight and costed ouer to the I le of SALAMINA which they tooke vpon the sodaine and wanne it without much resistaunce Other saye that it was not taken after this sorte but that Apollo Delphicus gaue Solon first such an oracle Thou shalt first vvinne by vovves and sacrifice the helpe of lordes an demy goddes full bright of vvhose dead bones the dust engraued lies in vvesterne soyle Asopia that hight By order of this oracle he one night passed ouer to SALAMINA dyd sacrifice to Periphemus to Cichris demy goddes of the countrie Which done the ATHENIANS deliuered him fiue hundred men who willingly offered them selues the cittie made an accorde with them that if they tooke the I le of SALAMINA they should beare greatest authoritie in the common weale Solon imbarked his souldiers into diuers fisher botes and appointed a galliot of thirtie owers to come after him he ankred hard by the cittie of SALAMINA vnder the pointe which looketh towards the I le of NEGREPONT The MEGARIANS which were within SALAMINA hauing by chaunce heard some inckling of it but yet knew nothing of certaintie ranne presently in hurly burley to arme them and manned out a shippe to descrie what it was But they fondly comming within daunger were taken by Solon who clapped the MEGARIANS vnder hatches fast bounde and in their roomes put aborde in their shippe the choycest souldiers he had of the ATHENIANS commaunding them to set their course direct vpon the cittie and to keepe them selues as close out of sight as could be And he him self with all the rest of his souldiers landed presently and marched to encounter with the MEGARIANS which were come out into the fielde Now whilest they were fighting together Solons men whom he had sent in the MEGARIANS shippe entred the hauen wanne the towne This is certainly true testified by that which is shewed yet at this daye For to keepe a memoriall hereof a shippe of ATHENS arriueth quietly at the first by by those that are in the shippe make a great showte and a man armed leaping out of the shippe ronneth showting towardes the rocke called Sciradion which is as they come from the firme lande and hard by the same is the temple of Mars which Solon built there after he had ouercome the MEGARIANS in battell from whence he sent backe againe those prisoners that he had taken which were saued from the slaughter of the battell without any ransome paying Neuertheles the MEGARIANS were sharpely bent still to recouer SALAMINA again Much hurte being done suffered on both sides both parts in the ende made the LACEDAEMONIANS iudges of the quarrell But vpon iudgement geuen common reporte is that Homers authoritie dyd Solon good seruice bicause he did adde these verses to the number of shippes which are in the Iliades of Homer which he rehearsed before the iudges as if they
yet but a young man and was ruled altogether by Cleandrides counsell and direction whom the Ephores had placed about him to counsell direct him he sought priuilie to corrupt Cleandrides When he had wonne him sone with his money he persuaded him to drawe backe the PELOPONNESIANS out of their countrie of ATTICA and so he dyd But when the LACEDAEMONIANS sawe their armie cassed that the people were gone their waye euery man to his owne cittie or towne they were so mad at it that the King was condemned in a great some The King being vnable to aunswer his fine which was so extreme great he was driuen to absent him self from LACEDAEMON Cleandrides on the other side if he had not fled in time euen for spight had bene condemned to death This Cleandrides was Gylippus father that afterwards ouercame the ATHENIANS in SICILIA in whom it seemed nature bred couetousnes as a disease inheritable by succession from father to the sonne For he being shamefully conuicted also for certen vile partes he had played was likewise banished from SPARTA as we haue more amply declared in the life of Lysander And Pericles deliuering vp the accoÌ„pt of his charge and setting downe an article of the expense of renne talentes he had employed or should employe in needefull causes the people allowed them him neuer asking question how nor which waye nor whether it was true that they were bestowed Now there are certen writers amoÌ„g whom the philosopher Theophrastus is one who write that Pericles sent yerely vnto SPARTA tenne taleÌ„ts with the which he entertained those that were in authoritie there bicause they should make no warres with them not to buye peace of them but time that he might in the meane season with better commoditie and that leysure prouide to mainteine the warres After that as the armie of the PELOPONNESIANS were out of the countrie of ATTICA he returned again against the rebels passed into the I le of EVBOEA with fiftie sayle c fiue thousand footemen well armed there he ouercame all the citties that had taken armes against him and draue away the Hyppobates who were the most famous men of all the CHALCIDIANS aswell for their riches as for their valliantnes He draue awaye also all the HESTIAEIANS whom he chased cleane out of all the countrie and placed in their cittie only the citizens of ATHENS And the cause why he delt so rigorously with them was bicause they hauing taken a galley of the ATHENIANS prisoner had put all the men to death that were in her And peace being concluded afterwards betwene the ATHENIANS and LACEDAEMONIANS for thirtie yeres he proclaimed open warres against those of the I le of SAMOS burdening them that they being coÌ„maunded by the ATHENIANS to pacifie the quarrells which they had against the MILLESIANS they would not obaye But bicause some hold opinion that he tooke vpon him this warre against SAMOS for the loue of Aspasia it shall be no great digression of our storie to tell you by the waye what manner of woman she was what a maruelous gifte and power she had that she could entangle with her loue the chiefest rulers and gouernours at that time of the common weale and that the philosophers them selues dyd so largely speake write of her First of all it is certaine that she was borne in the cittie of MILETVM and was the daughter of one Axiochus she following the steppes and example of an olde curtisan of IONIA called Thargelia gaue her selfe only to entertaine the greatest persones chiefest rulers in her time For this Thargelia being passing fayer and carying a comely grace with her hauing a sharpe wit and pleasaunt tongue she had the acquaintaunce and friendshippe of the greatest persones of all GRECE and wanne all those that dyd haunte her company to be at the king of Persiaes commaundement So that she sowed through all the citties of GRECE great beginnings of the faction of the MEDES for they were the greatest men of power authoritie of euerie cittie that were acquainted with her But as for Aspasia some saye that Pericles resorted vnto her bicause she was a wise woman and had great vnderstanding in matters of state and gouernment For Socrates him selfe went to see her somtimes with his friends and those that vsed her company also brought their wiues many times with them to heare her talke though her traine about her were to entertaine such as would warme them by their fire AEschines writeth that Lysicles a grasier being before but a meane man and of a clubbishe nature came to be the chief man of ATHENS by frequenting the companie of Aspasia after the death of Pericles And in Platoes booke intituled Menexenus although the beginning of it be but pleasauntly written yet in that this storie is written truely that this Aspasia was repaired vnto by diuers of the ATHENIANS to learne the arte of rethorike of her Yet notwithstanding it seemeth most likely that the affection Pericles dyd beare her grewe rather of loue then of any other cause For he was maried vnto a kinsewoman of his owne and that before was Hipponicus wife by whom she had Callias surnamed the riche had afterwards by Pericles Xantippus and Paralus But not liking her companie he gaue her with her owne good will and consent vnto another and maried Aspasia whom he dearely loued For euer when he went abroad came home againe he saluted her with a kisse Whereupon in the auncient comedies she is called in many places the newe Omphale and somtimes Deianira and somtimes Iuno But Cratinus plainely calleth her whore in these verses His Iuno she him brought Aspasia by name vvhich vvas in deede an open vvhore and past all 〈…〉 of shame And it seemeth that he had a bastard for Eupotu in a comedie of his called Demosâ— bringeth him in asking Pyronides thus I praye thee is my bastard sonne yet alive And then Pyramides aunswered him A perfect man long sence he surely had bene founde if that this levvde and a naughty vvhore his vertue had not drovvnâ—e To conclude this Aspasia was so famous that Cyrus he that sought against king Artaxerxes his brother for the empire of PERSIA called Aspasia his best beloued of all his concubines which before was called Milto and was borne in PROCIDES being Hermotineus daughter And Cyrus being slayne in the field Aspasia was caried to the King his brother with whom afterwardes she was in great fauour As I was writing this life this storie came in my minde and me thought I should haue delt hardly if I should haue left it vnwritten But to our matter againe Pericles was charged that he made warres against the SAMIANS on the behalfe of the MILESIANS at the request of Aspasia for these two citties were at warres together for the cittie of Pâ—Iâ—NA but the SAMIANS were the stronger Now the ATHENIANS commaunded them
were priuie to the contentes of the same desired no other thing but his repaire thither These letters pretily quickned Fabius insomuch as he was determined one night to haue taken parte of his armie to haue gone to them But bicause the signes of the birdes dyd promise him no good successe he left of his purpose Sone after he vnderstoode they were counterfeate letters made by Hannibals fine deuise to haue drawen him out to haue intrapped him for whom him selfe laye in persone in ambushe neere the cittie looking and waiting for his comming but the goddes who would haue him saued were only to be thāked for his happy scape Furthermore concerning the reuolte of the citties that were subject vnto them and the rising of their allies friends against them Fabius thought it farre better to intreate them curteously making them ashamed without occasion to rebell against them rather then openly to suspect them and to deale straightly with those that were so to be suspected Now for this matter it is reported that Fabius had a souldier in his campe that was a MARSIAN borne by nation a valliant man of his persone also of as noble a house as any that were of all the allies of the ROMAINES who had practised with other his fellowes of the bande he serued in to goe serue the enemie Fabius hearing of this practise he went about gaue him no ill countenaunce for it but calling him to him he sayed I must confesse there is no reckoning made of you as your good seruice doth deserue wherefore for this time sayeth he I blame the pety captaines only which in such sorte doe bestowe their good will and fauour at aduenture and not by deserte But henceforth it shal be your owne faulte if you doe not declare your minde vnto me and betweene you and me make me priuie of your lacke necessitie When he had spoken these wordes to him he gaue him a very good horse for seruice and dyd rewarde him with other honorable giftes as men of good seruice desert haue commonly bestowed on them and this dyd so encorage the souldier thenceforth that he became a very faithfull and seruiceable souldier to the ROMAINES For Fabius thought it more fit that hunters riders of horses such like as take vpon them to tame brute beastes should sonner make them leaue their sauage churlishe nature by gentle vsage and manning of them then by beating and shackling of them And so a gouernour of men should rather correct his souldier by paciēce gentlenes and clemency then by rigour violence or seueritie Otherwise he should handle them more rudely and sharpely then husbandmen doe figge trees oliue trees wilde pomegarnets who by diligent pruning and good handling of them doe alter their harde and wilde nature cause them in the end to bring forth good figges oliues pomegarnets Another time certaine captaines of his brought him worde that there was one of their souldiers which would euer goe out of the cāpe leaue his ensigne He asked them what manner of man he was They aunswered him all together that he was a very good souldier and that they could hardly finde out suche another in all their bandes as he and therewithall they tolde him of some notable seruice they had seene him doe in persone Whereupon Fabius made a diligent enquierie to know what the cause was that made him goe so oft out of the campe in the end he founde he was in loue with a young woman and that to goe see her was the cause he dyd so ofte leaue his ensigne and dyd put his life in so great daunger for that she was so farre of When Fabius vnderstoode this he sent certaine souldiers vnknowing to the souldier to bring the woman awaye he loued and willed them to hyde her in his tente and then called he the souldier to him that was a LVCANIAN borne and taking him a side sayed vnto him thus My friend it hath bene tolde me how thou hast lyen many nightes out of the campe against the lawe of armes and order of the ROMAINES but therewithall I vnderstande also that otherwise thou art an honest man and therefore I pardone thy faultes paste in consideration of thy good seruice but from henceforth I will geue thee in custodie to such a one as shall make me accompt of thee The souldier was blancke when he heard these wordes Fabius with that caused the woman he was in loue with to be brought forth and deliuered her into his hands saying vnto him This woman hereafter shall aunswer me thy bodie to be forth comming in the campe amongest vs and from henceforth thy deedes shall witnesse for the reste that thy loue vnto this woman maye be no cloke of thy departing out of the campe for any wicked practise or intent Thus much we finde written concerning this matter Moreouer Fabius after suche a sorte recouered againe the cittie of TARENTVM and brought it to the obedience of the ROMAINES which they had lost by treason It fortuned there was a young man in his campe a TARENTINE borne that had a sister within TARENTVM which was very faithfull to him and loued him maruelous dearely now there was a captaine a BRVTIAN borne that fell in loue with her and was one of those to whom Hannibal had committed the charge of the cittie of TARENTVM This gaue the young souldier the TARENTINE very good hope and waye to bring his enterprise to good effect whereupon he reuealed his intent to Fabius and with his priuitie fled from his campe and got into the cittie of TARENTVM geuing it out in the cittie that he would altogether dwell with his sister Now for a fewe dayes at his first comming the BRVTIAN captaine laye alone by him selfe at the request of the mayde his sister who thought her brother had not knowen of her loue and shortely after the young fellowe tooke his sister aside and sayed vnto her My good sister there was a great speache in the ROMAINES campe that thou wert kept by one of the chiefest captaines of the garrison I praye thee if it be so let me knowe what he is For so he be a good fellowe and an honest man as they saye he is I care not for warres that turneth all things topsi turuey regardeth not of what place or calling he is of and still maketh vertue of necessitie without respect of shame And it is a speciall good fortune at such time as neither right nor reason rules to happen yet into the handes of a good and gratious lorde His sister hearing him speake these wordes sent for the BRVTIAN captaine to bring him acquainted with her brother who liked well of both their loues and indeuoured him self to frame his sisters loue in better sorte towards him then it was before by reason whereof the captaine also beganne to trust him very muche So this young TARENTINE sawe it was very easie to winne and
a lyon Another time being but a litle boye he played at skayles in the middest of the streete with other of his companions and when his turne came about to throwe there came a carte loden by chaunce that waye Alcibiades prayed the carter to staye a while vntill he had played out his game bicause the skailes were set right in the high way where the carte should passe ouer The carter was a stubborne knaue and would not staye for any request the boye could make but draue his horse on still in so much as other boyes gaue backe to let him goe on but Alcibiades fell flat to the grounde before the carte and bad the carter driue ouer and he durste The carter being afeard plucked backe his horse to staye them the neighbours flighted to see the daunger ranne to the boye in all hast crying out Afterwards when he was put to schoole to learne he was very obedient to all his masters that taught him any thing sauing that he disdained to learne to playe of the flute or recorder saying that it was no gentlemanly qualitie For sayed he to playe on the vyoll with a sticke doth not alter mans fauour nor disgraceth any gentleman but otherwise to playe on the flute his countenaunce altereth and chaungeth so ofte that his familliar friends can scant knowe him Moreouer the harpe or vyoll doth not let him that playeth on them from speaking or singing as he playeth where he that playeth on the flute holdeth his mouth so harde to it that it taketh not only his wordes from him but his voyce Therefore sayed he let the children of the THEBANS playe on the flute that cannot tell howe to speake as for vs ATHENIANS we haue as our forefathers tell vs for protect ours and patrones of our countrie and goddesse Pallas and the god Apollo of the which the one in olde time as it is sayed brake the flute and the other pulled his skinne ouer his eares that played vpon the flute Thus Alcibiades alledging these reasons partely in sporte and partely in good earnest dyd not only him selfe leaue to learne to playe on the flute but he turned his companions mindes also quite from it For these wordes of Alcibiades ranne from boye to boye incontinently that Alcibiades had reason to despise playing of the flute and that he mocked all those that learned to play of it So afterwards it fell out at ATHENS that teaching to playe of the flute was put out of the number of honest and liberall exercises and the flute it selfe was thought a vile instrument and of no reputation Furthermore in the accusations Antiphon wrote against Alcibiades it is declared that when he was a boye he fled out of his tutours house into the house of Democrates one of his louers and howe Ariphron one of his tutours thought to haue made a beadle crie him through the cittie But Pericles would not suffer him saying that if he were dead they should knowe it but one daye sooner by crying of him and if he were aliue that it would be such a shame to him while he liued that he had bene better he had neuer bene heard of againe The same Antiphon accuseth him further that he had killed a seruaunt of his that attended on him in the wrestling place of Sibyrtius with a blowe of a staffe But there is no reason to credit his writing who confesseth he speaketh all the ill he can of him for the ill will he dyd beare him Now straight there were many great riche men that made muche of Alcibiades and were glad to get his good will. But Socrates loue vnto him had another ende and cause which witnessed that Alcibiades had a naturall inclination to vertue Who perceyuing that vertue dyd appeare in him and was ioyned with the other beawtie of his face and bodye and fearing the corruption of riches dignitie and authoritie and the great number of his companions aswell of the chiefest of the cittie as of straungers seeking to entise him by flatterie and by many other pleasures he tooke vpon him to protect him from them all and not to suffer so goodly an ympe to lose the hope of the good fruite of his youthe For fortune doth neuer so intangle nor snare a man without with that which they commonly call riches as to let hinder him so that philosophie should not take holde on him with her free severe and quicke reasons So Alcibiades was at the beginning assayed with all delightes and shut vp as it were in their companie that feasted him with all pleasures only to turne him that he should not hearken to Socrates wordes who sought to bring him vp at his charge and to teach him But Alcibiades notwithstanding hauing a good naturall wit knewe that Socrates was and went to him refusing the companie of all his riche friendes and their flatteries and fell in a kinde of familliar friendshippe with Socrates Whom when he had heard speake he noted his wordes very well that they were no persuasions of a man seeking his dishonesty but one that gaue him good counsell went about to reforme his faultes and imperfections and to plucke downe the pride and presumption that was in him then as the common prouerbe sayeth Like to the crauen cocke he drovvped dovvne his vvinges vvhich covvardly doth ronne avvaye or from the pit out flinges And dyd thinke with selfe that all Socrates loue and following of young men was in dede a thing sent from the goddes and ordeined aboue for them whom they would haue preserued put into the pathe waye of honour Therefore be beganne to despise him selfe and greatly to reuerēce Socrates taking pleasure of his good vsing of him much imbraced his vertue so as he had he wist not howe an image of loue grauen in his harte or rather as Plato sayeth a mutuall loue to wit an holy honest affection towards Socrates Insomuch as all the world wondred at Alcibiades to see him commonly at Socrates borde to playe to wrestle to lodge in the warres with Socrates and contrarily to chide his other well willers who could not so much as haue a good looke at his handes and besides became daungerous to some as it is sayed he was vnto Anytus the sonne of Anthemion being one of those that loued him well Anytus making good cheere to certen straungers his friendes that were come to see him went and prayed Alcibiades to come and make merie with them but he refused to goe For he went to make merie with certen of his companions at his own house and after he had well taken in his cuppes he went to Anytus house to counterfeate the foole amongest them and staying at the halle doore and seeing Anytus table and cubberd full of plate of siluer gold he commaunded his seruants to take awaye half of it and carie it home to his house But when he had thus taken his pleasure he would come
handes he stabbed his dagger in them both and slue them outright But after this facte all his seruauntes and friendes refused him and there only taried with him but Euander CRETAN Archedamus AETOLIAN and Neo BOEOTIAN And as for the meane souldiers there were none that followed him but the CRETANS yet it was not for the good will they dyd beare him but for the loue of his golde and siluer as bees that keepe their hiues for loue of the hony For he caried with him a great treasure and gaue them leaue to spoyle certen plate and vessell of golde and siluer to the value of fiftie talents But first of all when he was come into the cittie of AMPHIPOLIS and afterwards into the cittie of ALEPSE and that the feare was well blowen ouer he returned againe to his olde humour which was borne and bred with him and that was auarice and miserie For he made his complainte vnto those that were about him that he had vnwares geuen to the souldiers of CRETA his plate and vessell of gold to be spoyled being those which in olde time belonged vnto Alexander the great prayed them with teares in his eyes that had the plate they would be contented to chaunge it for ready money Now suche as knewe his nature sounde streight this was but a fraude and a CRETAN lye to deceaue the CRETANS with but those that trusted him and dyd restore againe the plate they had dyd loose it euery iotte for he neuer payed them pennie of it So he got of his friendes the value of thirtie talents which his enemies sone after dyd take from him And with that summe he went into the I le of SAMOTHRACIA where he tooke the sanctuarie and priuiledge of the temple of Castor and Pollux They saye that the MACEDONIANS of long continuaunce dyd naturally loue their Kings but then seeing all their hope and expectation broken their hartes failed them and broke withall For they all came and submitted them selues vnto AEmylius and made him lorde of the whole Realme of MACEDON in two dayes and this doth seeme to confirme their wordes who impute all AEmilius doings vnto his good fortune And surely the maruelous fortune he happened on in the cittie of AMPHIPOLIS doth confirme it muche which a man cannot ascribe otherwise but to the speciall grace of the godds For one daye beginning to doe sacrifice lightning fell from heauen and set all the wodde a fire apon the aulter sanctified the sacrifice But yet the miracle of his fame is more to be wondred at For foure dayes after Perseus had lost the battell that the cittie of PELLA was taken as the people of ROME were at the listes or showe place seing horses ronne for games sodainly there rose a rumour at the entring into the listes where the games were how AEmylius had wonne a great battell of king Perseus and had conquered all MACEDON This newes was rise straight in euery mans mouthe and there followed vpon it a maruelous ioye and great cheere in euery corner with showtes and clapping of handes that continued all the daye through the cittie of ROME Afterwards they made diligent enquierie how this rumour first came vp but no certaine authour could be knowen and euery man sayed they heard it spoken so as in the ende it came to nothing and passed awaye in that sorte for a time But shortely after there came letters and certen newes that made them wonder more then before from whence the messenger came that reported the first newes of it which could be deuised by no naturall meanes and yet proued true afterwards We doe reade also of a battell that was fought in ITALIE nere vnto the riuer of SAGRA wherof newes was brought the very same daye vnto PELOPONNESVS And of another also in like manner that was fought in ASIA against the MEDES before the cittie of MYCALA the newes whereof came the same daye vnto the campe of the GRAECIANS lying before the cittie of PLATOEES And in that great iorney where the ROMAINES ouerthrewe the Tarquines and the armie of the LATINES immediatly after the battell was wonne they sawe two goodly young men come newly from the campe who brought newes of the victorie to ROME and they iudge they were Castor and Pollux The first man that spake to them in the market place before the fountaine where they watered their horse being all of a white fome tolde them that he wondred howe they could so quickly bring these newes And they laughing came to him and tooke him softely by the beard with both their handes and euen in the market place his heare being blacke before was presently turned yellowe This miracle made them beleeue the reporte the man made who euer after was called AEnobarbus as you would saye bearded as yellowe as golde Another like matter that happened in our time maketh all suche newes credible For when Antonius rebelled against the emperour Domitian the cittie of ROME was in a maruelous perplexitie bicause they looked for great warres towards GERMANIE But in this feare there grewe a sodaine rumour of victorie and it went currantly through ROME that Antonius him selfe was slaine and all his armie ouerthrowen not a man left a liue This rumour was so rife that many of the chiefest men of ROME beleeued it and dyd sacrifice thereupon vnto the goddes geuing them thankes for the victorie But when the matter came to sifting who was the first authour of the rumour no man could tell For one put it ouer still to another and dyed so in the ende amongest the people as in a bottomles matter for they could neuer boult out any certen grounde of it but euen as it came flying into ROME so went it flying awaye againe no man can tell howe Notwithstanding Domitian holding on his iorney to make this warre met with postes that brought him letters for the certen victorie and remembring the rumour of the victorie that ranne before in ROME he founde it true that it was on the very same daye the victorie was gotten and the distaunce betweene ROME the place where the field was wonne was aboue twenty thousand furlōges of Euery man in our time knoweth this to be true But againe to our historie Cn. Octanius lieutenant of the armie of AEmylius by sea came to ancker vnder the I le of SAMOTHRACIA where he would not take Perseus by force out of the sanctuarie where he was for the reuerence he dyd beare vnto the goddes Castor and Pollux but he dyd besiege him in suche sorte as he could not scape him nor flye by sea out of the Ilande Yet he had secretly practised with one Oroandes a CRETAN that had a brigantine and was at a prise with him for a summe of money to conuey him awaye by night but the CRETAN serued him a right CRETANS tricke For when he had taken a borde by night into his vessell all the Kings
the least if those thinges be to be credited which so many graue and auncient writers haue left in writing to vs touching so great and holy things The THEBANS returning backe from ORCHOMENE and the LACEDAEMONIANS on the other side returning also from LOCRIDE both at one time they fortuned both armies to mete about the citty of TEGYRA Now so sone as the THEBANS had discouered the LACEDAEMONIANS passing the straite one of them ranne sodainely to Pelopidas and tolde him Sir we are fallen into the handes of the LACEDAEMONIANS Nay are not they rather fallen into ours aunswered Pelopidas againe with these wordes he commaunded his horsemen that were in the rereward to come before and sett apon them and him selfe in the meane time put his footemen immediately into a pretie squadron close togeather being in all not aboue three hundred men hoping when he should come to geue charge with his battell he should make a lane through the enemies though they were the greater nomber For the LACEDAEMONIANS deuided them selues in two companies and euery company as Ephoreus writeth had fiue hundred mens and as Callistenes sayed seuen hundred Polybius and diuers other authors saye they were nyne hundred men So Theopompus and Gorgoleon the Captaynes of the LACEDAEMONIANS lustely marched agaynst the THEBANS and it fell out so that the first charge was geuen where the chiefetaynes or generalles were of either side with great furie on eyther parte so as both the generalls of the LACEDAEMONIANS which sett vppon Pelopidas together were slayned They being slayne and all that were about them being either hurt or killed in the fielde the rest of the armie were so amased that they deuided in two and made a lane on either side for the THEBANS to passe through them if they would But when they saw Pelopidas ment not to take the passage they offered him and that he came on still with his men to set apon those that were yet in battel raye and slue all them that stoode before him then they turned tayle and tooke them to their legges Howbeit the THEBANS did not chase them farre fearing the ORCHOMENIANS who were not farre from them and the new garrison besides that were come from LACEDAEMON not long before And this was the cause they were contented that they had ouercomed them by force and had passed through their armie in despite of them and broken and ouerthrowen them So when he had set vp markes of triumphe and spoyled their slayne enemies they returned home againe glad men for their obteyned victorie For in all the warres the LACEDAEMONIANS euer made as well with the GRAECIANS as with the barbarous people also there was neuer chronicle mencioned at any tyme that their enemies being so fewe did ouercome them that were so many nor that they were ouercome also by any number equall in battell Whereuppon they grewe so coragious and terrible that no man durst once abyde them for their onely same did so terrifie their enemies that came to fight agaynst them that they thought with no equall force to be able to performe asmuche as they had done But this battell of TEGYRA was the first that made both them and the other GREECIANS knowe that it was not the ryuer of EVROTAS alone nor the valley that lyeth betweene the tyuers of CNACION and of BABYCE that breedeth the valiant and hardy fighting men but that it is in all places else where they learne young men to be ashamed of dishonest and vyle thinges and to venter their liues for honest causet◠fearing more dishonorable reproche then honorable daunger These are the people most to be feared are most terrible also to their enemies And for the holy bād we mēcioned before it is saide Gorgidas was the first erector of the same They were three hundred chosen men entertained by the state and they alwaies kept within the castell of CADMEA and the bande was called the townes bande for at that time and specially in that part of GREECE they called the castels and great holdes in citties the townes Other say it was a bande of fooremen that were in loue one with another And therefore Pammenes pleasaunt wordes are noted saiying that Nestor coulde no skyll to set an armie in battell raye seeing he gaue the GREECIANS counsell in the ILIADES of HOMER that they should set them in battell raye euery countrie and tribe by them selues That by affections force and lynkes of kyndly loue that one might alvvaise helpe at hande that other to behoue For saide he one frende should rather be set by another that loues togeather bicause in daunger men commonly do litle regarde their contrie men or suche as are of their tribe But men that doo loue one another can neuer be broken nor ouercome for the passion of loue that entertaineth eche others affection for affection sake dothe kepe them from forsaking one another And those that are beloued being ashamed to doo any vyle or dishonest thing before those that loue them for very loue will sticke one by another to the death And sure3 the reason is good if it be true that louers doo in deede more regard them they loue though they be absent then other that be present As appeareth by the example of hym that being striken downe to the ground his enemie lifting vp his swoorde to kyll him he praied him he woulde geue him his deathes wounde before lest his frende that loued him seeing a wounde on his backe shoulde be ashamed of him It is reported also that Iolaus being beloued of Hercules did helpe and accompanie him in all his labors and quarrels Whereupon Aristotle writeth that vnto his time such as loued hartily togeather became sworne brethren one to another apon Iolaus tombe And therefore me thinkes it is likely that this bande was first called the holy bande by the selfe same reason that Plato calleth a louer a diuine frende by goddes appointment It is written also that this bande was neuer broken nor ouerthrowen before the battel of CHAERONEA After that battel Philip taking vewe of the slaine bodies he stayed in that place where the foure hundred men of that bande laye all dead on the grounde one harde by another and all of them slayne and thrust through with pikes on their brestes whereat he wondred muche and being tolde him that it was the louers bande he fel a weeping for pittie saying Wo be to them that thinke these men did or suffered any euyll or dishonest thing And to be short the misfortune of Laius that was slaine by his owne brother Oedipus was not the first originall cause of this custome that the THEBANS beganne to be in loue one with an other as the POETS write but they were their first lawmakers who perceiuing them to be a stout fierce natiō of nature they sought euen frō their youthe to make them gentell and ciuill and therefore in all their actions both of sport and earnest they
house was rich and wealthy he bringeth foorth these proofes First that he was one yeare mayer or prouost of ATHENS whom they called Arcâ—on Eponymos bicause the yeare tooke the name of him that hadde it yearely And they say he came to it by drawing of the beane according to the auncient vse of the ATHENIANS and their wonted manner of makinge their election of the said office In which election none were admitted to drawe the beane but such as were highest set in their subsidie bookes according to the value rate of their goodes whom they called at ATHENS Pentacosiomedimnes as you would say those that might dispend fiue hundred bushels of wheate by the yere and vpwards Secondly he alleageth he was banished by the Ostracismon which banisheth the nobilitie and great rich men onely whom the common people enuie bicause of their greatnesse and neuer dealeth with poore men The third and last reason he makes is that he left of his gift three footed stooles in the temple of Bacchus which those do commonly offer vp as haue won the victory in comedies tragedies or other such like pastimes wherof they them selues had borne the charge And those threefooted stooles remaine there yet which they say were geuen by Aristides and haue this inscription vppon them The tribe of Antiochides wanne the victorie Aristides defrayed the charges of the games and Archestratus the Poet taught them to playe his comedies This last reason though it seeme likeliest of them all yet is it the weakest of the rest For Epaminondas whome euery man knoweth was poore euen from his birth and alwayes liued in great pouertie and Plato the Philosopher tooke apon him to defraye the charges of games that were of no small expence the one hauing borne the charges of flute players at THEBES and the other the dawnce of the children which dawnced in a rounde at ATHENS towards the furnishing of which charges Dion the SYRACVSAN gaue Plato money and Pelopidas also gaue Epaminondas money Now this is not spoken that vertuous men should alwayes refuse the gifts of their frends and that they might not in some sorte accept their frendes curtesie offered them but bicause they should thinke it vncomely and dishonorable for them to take any thing to enrich them selues or to spare and hourde vp Howebeit where there is any honorable act to be done or any publike show to be made not tending to their priuate benefit in such a case they should not refuse their frendes louing offer and goodwill towardes them And where Demetrius saith the three footed stoole was offered vp in the temple of Bacchus Panaetius declareth plainely that Demetrius was deceaued by the semblance of the name For since the time of the warres of the MEDES vnto the beginninge of the warre of PELOPONNESVS in all the registers and recordes kept of the defrayers of the charges of common playes there were founde but two men bearinge name of Aristides that obteined victory neither of them both was sonne vnto Lysimachus whom we wryte of at this present For the one is expresly named the sonne of Xenophilus and the other was long after the same Aristides we now speake of as appeareth easily by the wrytinge and orthographiâ— which is according to the grammer rules we haue vsed in GREECE euer since Euclides time Moreouer it is easie to be knowen by the name of the Poet Archestratus that is adioyned to it For there is no man that maketh mencion of a Poet of this name in all the warres of the MEDES but in the time of the warres of PELOPONNESVS many doe put him in for an author and maker of rymes and songes that were song in common daunces Yet for all Panaetius obiections the matter is to be better looked into and considered of But for the Ostracisinon banishment it is true that such as were great men in estimacion aboue the common people either in fame nobility or eloquence they onely were subiect vnto this banishment For Damon himselfe beinge Pericles schoolemaister was banished onely bicause the common people thought him to wise Moreouer Idomeneus wryteth that Aristides was their prouost for a yeare not by lot of beanes but by voyces of the ATHENIANS that chose him And if he were prouost since the iorney of PLATEES as Demetrius wryteth it is likely enough that they didde him this honor for his great vertue and notable seruice which other were wont to obteine for their riches But his Demetrius doth not only defende Aristides but also Socrates pouerty as if it were a fowle vyce and reproche to be poore For he wryteth that he had not only a house of his owne but also three score and ten Minas at vsery which Criton gaue him interest for But now to our story againe Aristides was Clisthenes very frend he that restored the gouernment at ATHENS after the expulsion of the thirty tyrannes and did reuerence Lycurgus the Lawmaker of the LACEDAEMONIANS for his lawes aboue all the men in his time and therefore he euer fauored the state of Aristocratia that is where the noble men rule and haue the souerainty Howbeit he euer had Themistocles Neocles sonne his continuall aduersary as takinge parte with the contrary and defending the popular state of gouernment Some say that being schollers and brought vp together they were euer contrary one to an other in all their actions and doinges where it in sporte or in matters of earnest and euer after men beganne to see the naturall inclination of them both by their contrary affections For Themistocles was quicke nimble aduenturous and subtill and would venter on any thing apon light occasion Aristides contrariwise was very quiet temperate constant and maruelous well stayed who woulde for no respect be drawen away from equity and iustice neither would lye flatter nor abuse any body though it were but in sporte Notwithstanding Aristus of Câ—â—O wryteth that their malice beganne first of light loue and that it grewe to greatnesse by processe of time betwene them for sayeth he both the one and the other of them fell in loue with Stesileus borne in the I le of CEOS This fond light loue of theirs fell not easily from them not the enuy they conceiued one against an other but continued against eche other in matters of state such was their malice towardes one an other In which calling Themistocles sought the way to winne frendes by whose meanes he came to great preferment in shorte time and had made him selfe very strong by them Therefore when a frende of his tolde him one day he was worthy to gouerne the city of ATHENS and were very fitte for it if he were indifferent and not partiall The goddes forbid quod he I should euer occupie the place of a gouernour where my frendes shoulde not finde more fauor then straungers that doe me no pleasure But Aristides taking an other course by him selfe would not stande apon his frendes
Some saye he didde thus for very miserie and couetousnesse other thinke and tooke it that he liued so sparingely to moue others by his example to cutte of all superfluitie and wast Neuerthelesse to sell slaues in that sorte or to turne them out of dores when you haue hadde the seruice of all their youth and that they are growen olde as you vse brute beastes that haue serued whilest they may for age me thinkes that must needes proceede of to seueare and greedie nature that hath no lenger regarde or consideracion of humanitie then whilest one is able to doe an other good For we see gentlenesse goeth further then iustice For nature teacheth vs to vse iustice onely vnto menne but gentlenesse sometimes is shewed vnto brute beastes and that commeth from the very fountaine and springe of all curtesie and humanitie which shoulde neuer drye vp in any manne liuinge For to saye truely to keepe cast horses spoyled in our seruice and dogges also not onely when they are whelpes but when they be olde be euen tokens of loue and kindenesse As the ATHENIANS made a lawe when they builded their temple called Hecatompedon that they shoulde suffer the moyles and mulettes that did seruice in their cariages about the buildinge of the same to graze euerie where without lette or trouble of any manne And they say there was one of those moyles thus turned at libertie that came of her selfe to the place to labour goinge before all the other draught beastes that drewe vppe cartes loden towardes the castell and kept them companie as though she seemed to encorage the rest to drawe which the people liked so well in the poore beast that they appointed she shoulde be kept whilest she liued at the charge of the towne And yet at this present are the graues of Cimons mares to be seene that wanne him thrise together the game of the horse race at the games Olympian and they are harde by the graue of Cimon him selfe We heare of diuerse also that hadde buried their dogges they brought vppe in their house or that wayted on them as amonge other olde Xanthippus buried his dogge on the toppe of a cliffe which is called the dogges pit till this day For when the people of ATHENS did forsake their citie at the comminge downe of Xerxes the kinge this dogge followed his master swimminge in the sea by his gallies side from the firme lande vnto the I le of SALAMINA And there is no reason to vse liuinge and sencible thinges as we woulde vse an olde shooe or a ragge to cast it out apon the dongehill when we haue worne it and can serue vs no longer For if it were for no respect els but to vse vs alwayes to humanitie we must euer showe our selues kinde and gentle euen in such small poyntes of pitie And as for me I coulde neuer finde in my hart to sell my drawght Oxe that hadde plowed my lande a longe time bicause he coulde plowe no longer for age and much lesse my slaue to sell him for a litle money out of the contrie where he had dwelt a long time to plucke him from his olde trade of life wherewith he was best acquainted and then specially when he shal be as vnprofitable for the buyer as also for the seller But Cato on the other side gloried that he left his horse in SPAYNE he had serued on in the warres duringe his Consulship bicause he would not put the common wealth to the charge of bringing of him home by sea into ITALIE Now a question might be made of this and probable reason of either side whether this was noblenes or a niggardlines in him but otherwise to say truely he was a man of a wonderful abstinence For when he was general of the army he neuer tooke allowance but after three bushells wheat a moneth of the common wealth for him selfe and his whole family and but a bushel and halfe of barley a day to keepe his horse and other beastes for his cariage On a time when he was Praetor the gouernment of the I le of SARDINIA fell to his lot And where the other Praetors before him hadde put the contry to exceeding great charge to furnish them with tents bedding clothes and such like stuffe and burdened them also with a maruelous traine of seruaunts and their frends that waited on them putting them to great expence of feasting and bancketing of them Cato in contrary maner brought downe all that excesse and superfluitie vnto a maruelousneere and vncredible sauinge For when he went to visite the cities he came a foote to them did not put them to a penny charge for him selfe and had onely one officer or bailife of the state that waited on him and caried his gowne and a cuppe with him to offer vp wine to the goddes in his sacrifices But though he came thus simply to the subiects and eased them of their former charges yet he shewed him selfe seuere and bitter to them in matters concerning iustice and spared no man in any commaundement or seruice for the state and common wealth For he was therein so precise that he woulde not beare with any litle fault So by this meanes he brought the SARDINIANS vnder his gouernment both to loue and feare the Empire of ROME more then euer they did before For his grace both in speakinge and wrytinge did rightly shewe him selfe bicause it was pleasaunt and yet graue sweete and fearfull mery and seueare sententious and yet familiar such as is meete to be spoken And he was to be compared as Plato sayed vnto Socrates who at the first sight seemed a plaine simple manne to them that knew him not outwardly or else a pleasant tawnter or mocker but when they did looke into him and found him throughly they sawe he was full of graue sentences goodly examples and wise perswasions that he coulde make men water their plantes that hearde him and leade them as he would by the eare Therefore I can not see any reason that moues men to saye Cato hadde Lysias grace and vtteraunce Notwithstandinge lette vs referre it to their iudgementes that make profession to discerne orators graces and styles for my parte I shall content my selfe to write at this present onely certaine of his notable sayinges and sentences perswadinge my selfe that mennes manners are better discerned by their wordes then by their lookes and so doe many thinke On a time he seeking to disswade the people of ROME which woulde needes make a thankefull distribution of corne vnto euerie citizen to no purpose beganne to make an oration with this preface It is a harde thinge my Lordes of ROME to bringe the bellie by perswasion to reason that hath no eares And an other time reprouinge the ill gouernment of the citie of ROME he sayed it was a hard thinge to keepe vppe that state where a litle fishe was solde dearer then an Oxe He sayed also that
CHALCIDIANS did not alone only honor reuerence Titus but he was generally honored also by the GREECIANS as he deserued was maruelously beloued for his curtesie and good nature which argueth plainely that they did not fainedly honor him or through compulsion but euen from the hart For though there was some iarre betwixt him and Philopoemen at the first about seruice for emulation of honor and after betwixt him and Diophanes also both generalls of the ACHAIANS yet he neuer bare them any malice in his hart neither did his anger moue him at any time to hurt them any way but he euer ended the heate of his wordes in counsell and assemblies where he vttered his minde franckely to them both Therefore none thought him euer a cruell man or eger of reuenge but many haue thought him rashe and hasty of nature Otherwise he was as good a companion in company as possibly could be and would vse as pleasaunt wise mirthe as any man As when he sayed to the ACHAIANS on a time who would needes vniustly vsurpe the I le of the ZACYNTHIANS to disswade them from it my Lordes of ACHAIA if ye once goe out of PELOPONNESVS you put your selues in daunger as the torteyses doe when they thrust their heades out of their shell And the first time he parled with Philip to treate of peace when Philip said vnto him you haue brought many men with you and I am come alone In deede it is true you are alone sayd he bicause you made all your frendes and kinne to be slaine An other time Dinocrates MESSINIAN being in ROME after he had taken in his cuppes in a feast where he was he disguised him selfe in womans apparell and daunced in that manner and the next day followinge he went vnto Titus to pray him to helpe him through with his sute which was to make the citie of MESSINA to rebell and leaue the tribe of the ACHAIANS Titus made him aunswer that he would thinke vpon it but I can but wonder at you sayd he howe you can daunce in womans apparell and singe at a feast hauinge such matters of weight in your head In the counsell of the ACHAIANS king Antiochus ambassadors beinge come thither to moue them to breake their league with the ROMAINES and to make alliance with the king their master they made a maruelous large discourse of the great multitude of souldiers that were in their masters army and did number them by many diuerse names Whereunto Titus aunswered and tolde how a frend of his hauing bidden him one night to supper and hauing serued so many dishes of meate to his bord as he was angry with him for bestowing so great cost apon him as wonderinge howe he could so sodainely get so much store of meate and of so diuerse kindes My frende saved to me againe that all was but porke dressed so many wayes and with so sundry sawces And euen so quod Titus my Lords of ACHAIA esteeme not king Antiochus army the more to heare of so many men of armes numbred with their launces and of such a number of footemen with their pykes for they are all but SYRIANS diuersely armed only with ill fauored litle weapons Furthermore after Titus had done these thinges and that the warre with Antiochus was ended he was chosen Censor at ROME with the sonne of that same Marcellus who had bene fiue times Consull This office is of great dignitie and as a man may say the crowne of all the honors that a citizen of ROME can haue in their common wealth They put of the Senate foure men only but they were not famous They did receiue all into the number of citizens of ROME that would present them selues to be enrolled in their common regester with a prouiso that they were borne free by father and mother They were compelled to doe it by Terentius Culeo Tribune of the people who to despight the nobility perswaded the people of ROME to commaunde it so Nowe at that time two of the noblest and most famous men of ROME were great enemies one against an other Publius Scipio AFRICAN and Marcus Porcius Cato Of these two Titus named Publius Scipio AFRICAN to be prince of the Senate as the chiefest and worthiest persone in the citie and got the displeasure of the other which was Cato by this mishappe Titus had a brother called Lucius Quintius Elaminius nothing like vnto him in condition at all for he was so dissolutely and licentiously giuen ouer to his pleasure that he forgatte all comlinesse and honesty This Lucius loued well a younge boy and caried him alwayes with him when he went to the warres or to the charge and gouernment of any prouince This boy flattering him one day sayd vnto Lucius Quintius that he loued him so well that he did leaue the sight of the Swordplayers at the sharpe which were making ready to the fight although he had neuer seene man killed before to waite vpon him Lucius being very glad of the boyes wordes aunswered him straight thou shalt loose nothing for that my boy for I will by by please thee as well So he commaunded a condemned man to be fetched out of prison and withall called for the hangman whome he willed to strike of his head in the middest of his supper that the boy might see him killed Valerius Antias the historiographer wryteth that it was not for the loue of the boy but of a woman which he loued But Titus Liuius declareth that in an oration which Cato him selfe made it was wrytten that it was one of the GAVLES who beinge a traitor to his contry men was come to Flaminius gate with his wife and children and that Flaminius making him come into his halle killed him with his owne handes to please a boy he loued that was desirous to see a man killed Howebeit it is very likely that Cato wrote in this sorte to aggrauate the offence and to make it more cruell For many haue wrytten it that it is true and that he was no traitor but an offendor condemned to dye and amonge other Cicero the orator doth recite it in a booke he made of age where he made it to be tolde vnto Catoes owne persone Howesoeuer it was Marcus Cato being chosen Censor and clensing the Senate of all vnworthy persones he put of the same Lucius Quintius Flaminius although he had bene Consull which disgrace did seeme to redowne to his brother Titus Quintius Flaminius also Whereupon both the brethren came weping with all humility before the people and made a petition that seemed very reasonable ciuill which was that they would commaunde Cato to come before them to declare the cause openly why he had with such open shame defaced so noble a house as theirs was Cato then without delay or shrinking backe came with his companion into the market place where he asked Titus out alowde if he knew nothing of the supper
bene riche and forsooke them afterwardes for their fathers pouerty when they saw he dyed a good and iust man Thus we see that at SPARTA there was a punishment for them that did not mary or that maryed too late or that maried ill and vnto this punishment were they most subiect that sought great matches for couetousnes of goods This is all we haue to wryte of Lysanders life and actes THE LIFE OF Sylla LVcius Cornelius Sylla was of the race of the PatriciaÌ„s who be the noble men gentlemen of ROME there was one of his auncesters called Rufinus that obtained the dignity of Consul He notwithstanding his Consulshippe wanne more dishonor by defame then he obtained honor by dignity of Consull For they finding in his house aboue ten powndes worth of plate contrary to the lawe at that time expressely forbidding it he was expulsed the Senate and lost his place there after which dishonor once receiued his issue neuer rose nor yet recouered it And Sylla him selfe had very litle left Him by his father so that in his youth he was faine to hyer an other mans house sat at a small rent as afterwards he was twisted in the teeth withall when they saw him richer then they thought he had deserued For when he gloried boasted of the victory at his returne from the warres of AFâ—â—EI there was a noble man that sayd vnto him why how is it possible thou shouldest be an honored man that hauing nothing left thee by thy father thou arte now come to haue so much Now though ROME had left her auncient iustice and purenes of life wherewith she brought vp her people in former times and that their hartes were poysoned with couetous desire of vaine superfluous delites yet notwithstanding it was as fowle a reproche to them that did not maintaine them selues in the pouerty of their fathers as vnto them that did consume their patrimony and bring all to naught which their parentes had left them But afterwardes also when he caried the whole sway in ROME and that he had put so many men to death a free man being borne of the slaues infranchised being ready to be throwen downe the rocke Tarpeian bicause he had saued and hidden one of the outlawes and men proclaimed to be put to death wheresoeuer they were found cast it in Syllaes teeth how that they had liued and dwelt together a long time in one selfe house he hauing payed thowsande Nummos for the rent of the vppermost roomes of the same house Sylla three thowsand for all the neathermost roomes beneath So that betwene both their wealthes there was but onely two thowsande and fiftie Drachmas of ATHENS difference And this is that we finde in wryting of his first wealth As for his stature and persone that appeareth sufficiently by the statues and images that were made for him which yet remaine But for his eyes they were like fire and wonderfull â—edde and the colour of his face withall made them the more fearefull to beholde For he was copper nosed and that was full of white streakes here and there whereuppon they say that the surname of a Sylla was geuen him by reason of his colour And there was a ieaster at ATHENS that finely mocked him in his verse Sylla is like a blacke Bery sprinckled vvith meale It is not amisse to search out the naturalll disposition of this man by such outward markes and tokens It is sayd also that he was so naturally geuen to mocke ieast that being a young man vnknowen he would neuer be out of the company of players fooles and tomblers but still eating and tippling with them in dissolute manner And afterwardes also when he was in his chiefest authoritie he would commonly eate and drinke with the most impudent ieasters and scoffers and all such rakehelles as made profession of counterfeate mirth would shrine with the baddest of them to geue the finest mockes wherin he did not only a thing vncomely for his yeres dishonored the maiestly of his office dignity but therby also grew carelesse negligent in matters of great importance wherunto he should haue taken good regard For after he was once sette at his table he was not to be moued any more in matters of weight Now though from the table he was commonly found both very actiue painefull and seuere yet falling into such coÌ„pany by drinking bowsing making good chere he sodainly became an other maner of man So that without all compasse of modesty and iudgement he was too familiar and conuersaunt with players ieasters tumblers and daunsers who when they had him in that vaine might doe what they would with him Of this ryoting came in mine opinion his vice of letchery whereunto he was greatly geuen and easily drawen after loue and pleasure in such sorte as his gray heares could not restraine his voluptuous life His vnlawfull lusting loue beganne in his young yeares with one Metrobius a common player which stretched on increasing his amorous desire vntill his latter age For at the first he loued Nicopolis a rich curtisan and frequenting her company by oft accesse and besides that he spent the prime of his beawty and youth in feasting her with great delight and passing pleasure she afterwardes became in loue with him so that when she dyed she made Sylla her heire of all she had He was heire also vnto his mother in lawe who loued him as her owne begotten sonne and by these two good happes he was stept vp to pretie wealth Afterwardes beinge chosen Quaestor to say treasorer the first time that Marius was Consull he emabarked with him in his iorney into AFRICKE to warre with kinge Iugurthe When he was arriued at the campe he shewed him selfe a man of great seruice in all other thinges but in this especially that he could wisely vse the benefit of any occasion offered him and thereby wanne Bocchus kinge of the NVMIDIANS to be his fast and faithfull frende whose Ambassadors that scaped from a company of NVMIDIAN theeues he curteously entertained and hauing geuen them goodly presentes sent them backe againe with a safe conuoy Now concerninge kinge Bocchus he had of long time both hated and feared king Iugurthe his sonne in law insomuch that after he was ouercome in battell and came to him for succor Bocchius practised treason against him and for this cause sent secretly for Sylla desiring rather that Iugurthe should be taken by Sylla then by him selfe Sylla brake this matter vnto Marius of whom hauing recieued a small number of souldiers to accompany him without respect of perill or daunger went and committed him selfe to the faith and fidelity of one barbarous king to take an other â— considering also that the king whom he trusted was to vniust of his word euen vnto his neerest frends and consederates Now Bocchus hauing Iugurthe and Sylla both in his power and brought
Lieutenauntes But Adrianus at his returne passed by Mithridates campe with great pompe and maiestie carying a huge number of carts loden with corne and spoyles he had wonne which draue Mithridates selfe into so greate a dispaire all his people into such a feare and trouble that he presently determined to remoue thence Whereupon the nobility and such as had place of credit about him beganne to send before and secretly to conuey their stuffe out of the campe but vtterly prohibiting others to doe the same The rest of the souldiers seing the stowtnes of the kinges minions beganne to set vpon them with open force not suffering them on the other side once to issue out of the campe This mutinie grewe to such a fury that they ouerthrewe their cariages and sumpter moyles and slue them presently downe Amongest others there was slaine Dorylaus one of the chiefest Captaines of all their campe who had nothing about him but a purple gowne for the which they killed him Hermaus the Priest of the sacrifices was troden vnder foote and smoothered at the campe gate by reason of the multitude of those that fled in so great disorder The king him selfe amongest others fled but hauing neuer a one of his garde about him nor any of the quiries of his stable to bring him a horse Ptolomy one of the groomes of his chamber perceiuing him in the company of them that fled lighted of his owne horse and gaue him the king but euen in manner too late For the ROMANES that followed him were then euen hard at his tayle and it was not for lacke of speede they missed the taking of him for they were very neere him but the couetousnes of the souldiers was the losse of the praye they had so long sought for with so great paine and hazard of battells and depriued Lucullus of the honor and reward of all his victories For they were so neere vnto him that if they had but followed Mithridates neuer so litle further they had out of doubt ouertaken him and his horse that caried him away But one of the moyles that caried his gold and siluer whether by chaunce or of pretended policie of Mithridates as a matter purposely habandoned to them that pursued him was found in the middest of the high way betwixt him that fled the ROMANES that followed who stayed there to robbe the gold siluer fighting about it that Mithridates by that meanes wanne ground so farre before them as they could neuer after come neere him againe And this losse was not all which the couetousnes of the souldiers made Lucullus to lose For one of the chiefest secretaries of the king being taken called Callistrates whom Lucullus commaunded to be brought vnto him to his campe they that had the charge of him hearing tell that he had fiue hundred crownes in a girdle about him for greedines of them slue him by the way and yet notwithstanding Lucullus suffered them to spoyle and destroy the whole campe of their enemies After Mithridates flight Lucullus tooke the citie of CABIRA and many other castells and strong places where he founde great treasure and the prisons full of poore prisoners of the GRAECIANS many Princes a kinne vnto the king him selfe which were thought to be dead long before and then seeing them selues deliuered from this miserable bondage by the grace and benefit of Lucullus thought with them selues they were not only taken out of prison but reuiued turned againe vnto a second life There was also taken one of king Mithridates sisters called Nissa whose taking fell out profitable for her bicause all Mithridates other wiues and sisters whome they placed further of as out of all daunger and sent into a contrie of greatest safety neere vnto the citie of PHARMACIA dyed pitiefully and were miserably slaine For Mithridates sent one of the groomes of his priuie chamber vnto them called Bacchides to bring them word that they must all dye Amongest many other noble Ladies there were two of the kinges sisters called Roxane Statira which were forty yeres old a peece yet had neuer bene maried two of his wiues also whom he had maried both of the contrie of IONIA the one called Berenicè borne in the I le of CHIO and the other Monimè in the citie of MILETVM Monimé she was very famous amongest the GRAECIANS for notwithstanding king Mithridates importunate dealing being farre in loue with her insomuch as he sent her fifteene thowsand crownes at one time yet she would neuer geue care vnto his sute vntill such time as the mariage was agreed vpon betwene them and that he had sent her his Diadeame or royall bande and called her by the name and title of Queene This poore Ladie after the mariage of this barbarous king had long liued a woefull life bewailing continually her accursed beauty that in steade of a husband had procured her a master and in steade of the matrimoniall companie which a noble woman should enioy had gotten her a gard and garrison of barbarous men that kept her as a prisoner farre from the sweete contrie of GRAECE in chaunge whereof she had but a dreame and shadow of the hoped goods she looked for hauing vnfortunately left thē within her owne contry she happely enioyed before Now when this Bacchides was come vnto them had commaunded them from the king to choose what maner of death they would which euery one of thē thought most easiest and least painefull Monimé pluckt of the royall bande from her head and tying it on a knot aboue her necke hung her selfe but the band not being strong enough brake incontinently Whereupon she cried out O cursed and wicked tissue wilt thou not yet serue me to end my sorowfull dayes And speaking these wordes cast it on the grounde and spit apon it and held out her throte to Bacchides to be cut a sunder The other Berenicé she tooke a cuppe full of poyson her mother being present who prayed her to let her haue halfe the which she did and they dranke it of betwene them The force of the poyson was stronge enough to kill the old mother weake with age but not so quickely to destroy the daughter bicause she had not taken that proportion which would haue serued her turne but drue out the paines of her death in length vntill such time as Bacchides hasting to dispatch her she in the end did strangle her self As for the kings two sisters Roxane Statyra which were virgines yet vnmaried they say that one of them also dranke poison cursing detesting the cruelty of her brother howbeit Statira gaue neuer an euill word nor was fainte harted or sorowfull to dye but contrarily did commend and thanke her brother highly that seeing him selfe in daunger had not yet forgotten them but was carefull to cause them dye before they shoulde fall as slaues into the handes of their enemies and
the sea side By this meanes both the Captaines his enemies were compelled to seuer theÌ„ selues farre one from the other insomuch as Metellus went to winter in GAVLE Pompey remained in SPAYNE in great scarcetie of all thinges for lacke of money to winter in the territories of the VACCEIANS and wrote to the Senate at ROME that he would returne with his armie into ITALIE if they sent him not money out of hande for that he had spent all his owne dayly fighting for the defense of ITALIE Thus it was certainly thought at ROME that Sertorius would be in ITALIE before Pompey bicause he had through his valliancy and great skill brought two of the most famous Captaines of their time to great extreamitie and distresse Then did Metellus showe howe much he feared Sertorius and how he thought him a great and dreadfull enemie For he proclaimed by sounde of trompet that if any ROMANE could kill him he would geue him an hundred siluer talentes and twentie thowsand Iugera of land and if he were a banished man he promised he should be restored to his contry and goodes againe buying his death by treason whome he could not ouercome by force And furthermore being his chaunce once to winne a battell of Sertorius he was so ioconde and prowde for this victorie that he would needes therefore be called Imperator to say Prince or soueraine Captaine and was contented the people should sette vp aulters and doe sacrifices vnto him in euerie citie where he came And it is furthermore reported of him that he wore garlandes of flowers on his head and would be bidden to dissolute bankets sitting at the table in a triumphing robe and they made images of victory goe vp and downe the hall moued by certaine secret engines carying triumphes of golde and crownes and garlandes of triumphe and daunsers of goodly young boyes and fayer girles following of them with songes of triumphe in his praise Wherein doubtlesse he deserued to be laughed at shewing him selfe so much caried away with ioy and vaine glory for one ouerthrowe geuen vnto him whom him selfe was wont to call Syll 〈…〉 gitiue and the remnant of the banished men of Carbo On thother side Sertorius noble coâ—age was easily discerned first for that he called the banished men which were escaped froÌ„ ROME and comen to him Senators and hauing them about him called them the Senate making some of them Treasorers others Pretors directing and ordering all thinges according to the manner of his contrie And in this also that making warres with the souldiers of the cities of SPAYNE and defraying the same at their owne charges yet he neuer gaue them any authoritie so much as in word but ruled them alwayes with ROMANE officers and Captaines saying still that he fought for the liberty of the people of ROME and not to increase the glorie and power of the SPANYARDS to the hurt and dishonor of the ROMANES For to say truly of him he euer loued his contrie well and longed much to be sent for home againe and yet in his greatest troubles when thinges thwarted him most then was his minde greatest yeelding to maner of shewe or appearance to his enemies of any faint hart or discoragement in him Againe when he was in best prosperitie and had most aduantage of his enemies he sent vnto Metellus and Pompey both letting them vnderstand that for his parte he was contented to lay armes aside and to liue at home like a priuate man so that he might be lawfully restored and called home by edict and that he had rather be counted the meanest citizen in ROME then being a banished man out of his contry to be called Emperor of the world And it is said that one of the chiefest causes which made him desire so much to be called home againe was the tender loue he bare vnto his mother that had brought him vp from the time of his fathers death vpon whom he cast all his loue and delite insomuch as after that his frends in SPAYNE had sent for him to come to be their Captaine and that he had bene a while among them receiuing newes that his mother was departed out of the world it so strake him to the hart that he had almost dyed for sorrowe For he lay seuen dayes together continually on the grounde weeping neuer gaue his souldiers the watch word nor would be seene of any of his frends vntil that the other noble men and Captaines of his owne estate came to him to his tent and were so importunate of him by intreaty and perswasion that they gotte him out of his tent to shew him selfe to his souldiers to speake to them to take order for his affayres which prospered very well By these signes many haue iudged that he was of a curteous and pityfull nature and that naturally he was geuen to be quiet and peaceable howbeit that he was forced of necessity to take charge of men of warre bicause he coulde not otherwise liue quietly nor safely being pursued by his enemies which would neuer let him rest and thereuppon entred into warre for his owne gard and safety The treaty selfe he made with king Mithridates argued his noble minde For when Mithridates whome Sylla had ouercomen was recouerd againe like a wrestler that being ouerthrowen getteth vp on his feete to trye an other fall with his enemy and tooke apon him to inuade ASIA Sertorius fame was then so great that he was spoken of through the world by marchauntes comming from the West who blew abroade the reporte therof al the East partes ouer euen into the realme of PONT like to marchandises which they went to seeke for in straunge contries Whereupon Mithridates being perswaded by the vaine vauntes of his fauored courtiers who compared Sertorius to Hanniball and him selfe vnto king Pyrrus saying that the ROMANES being set apon by them both could not withstand two such excellent natures great powers together when the noblest Captaine of the world should be ioyned with the greatest and most puisant Prince that euer was sent thereupon his Ambassadors into SPAYNE vnto Sertorius with full power and commission to promise him money and shippes towards the maintenaunce and charge of this warre in recompence whereof he desired that Sertorius would redeliuer him the possession of ASIA againe the which he had surrendred vp vnto the ROMANES apon the peace made betwext him and Sylla Sertorius hereupon called his counsell together which he termed the Senate to consult apon this matter And when they were all of opinion that he should accept Mithridates offers and were exceedingly glad of the same considering that they asked them nothing but a tide in the ayer and a name of things which were not in their power offring them therfore things present whereof they had greater neede yet would Sertorius neuer agree therunto Notwithstanding thus much he graunted Mithridates that he should enioy OHPPADOCIA
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 his wit. For hauing better spirite and being more constant in his opinion than any of the other children striuing euer to excell in all things with such a vehemency he tooke all trauells in hande that it was vnpossible to ouercome him much lesse to compell him He was on thother side so milde gentle that euery curteous word wrought in him better obedience than any feare could doe bicause it grieued him more to be reproued then to take upon him any paine or labor And for the deformitie of his legge the one being shorter than the other in the flower of his youth through his pleasaunt wit he vsed the matter so pleasauntly and paciently that he would merily mocke him selfe which maner of mery behauior did greatly hide the blame of the bleamish Yea further his life corage was the more commendable in him for that men sawe that notwithstanding his lamenes he refused no paines nor labor Of his person we haue drawen no counterfeate bicause he woulde not in my wise haue it drawen and did expressely commaund by his will that they should neither draw his picture nor make any mowld or image of his body How beit we finde that he was of small stature wherby his presence promised no great matters to them that beheld him Yet for that he was euer mery and pleasaunt and neuer pensiue nor troublesome in word nor looke euen to the last ende of his life he was better loued then the most fayer creature that liued Notwithstanding the Ephori as Theophrastus writeth did condemne king Archidamus in a summe of money bicause he maried a litle woman saying that he would beget them demy kings no kinges in deede In the time that his eldest sonne Agis raigned king Alcibiades being banished ATHENS fled out of SICILE into LACEDAEMON and had not long remained in SPARTA before they suspected him that he kept king Agis wife called Timea for which cause Agis would not acknowledge the childe she brought to be his sonne saying that Alcibiades had begotten him But Timea cared not much for it as Duris wryteth for otherwhile as she fate amongest her women softly she called him Alcibiades not Leotychides On thother side they reporte that Alcibiades him selfe sayd it was for no hurt he ment to any man that he lay with Queene Timea but only for the desire he had that some of the kinges of LACEDAEMON should be begotten of his seede Neuertheles at the length he was driuen to forsake LACEDAEMON mistrusting king Agis who euer after douted of the childe thought him a bastard vntill such time as being on his death bed Leotychides falling on his knees wept and so behaued him selfe that Agis before many witnesses said he did acknowledge him for his sonne This notwithstanding when king Agis was dead Lysander that had then ouercomen the ATHENIANS by sea was more in credit authority in the city of SPARTA than any other practised to put the crowne apon Agesilaus head saying that Leotychides had no interest vnto it bicause he was a bastard The like did diuers other citizens say of him which loued Agesilaus vertue and liked him passingly for that he had bene brought vp from his childhood among them But on the contrary parte also there was a Soothsayer or wisard in SPARTA called Diopithes that had a number of old prophecies without booke was accounted a very skilfull man touching prophecies and diuinations He maintained that it was not lawfull for any lame man to be king of SPARTA and for proofe thereof he told this auncient oracle before the counsell As stately as thy stomake is o Sparta take good heede And stand vpon thy gard and looke about thee I thee reede For halting one day dovvne vvill cast thine Empire to the ground By meane of vvares and troubles great that shall inclose thee round Lysander replied against it saying that if the SPARTANS were afrayed of this oracle they should rather beware of Leotychides For the goddes cared not if any man lame of a foote aspired to be king but rather if he were a bastard and not lineally descended of the race of Hercules For that sayd he were to make the kingdom halte Agesilaus furthermore alleaged that the god Neptune him selfe had witnessed that Leotychides was a bastard for he draue Agis by an earthquake to runne out of his wiues chamber and that tenne monethes after that and more Leotychides was borne So was Agesilaus apon these allegacions not onely proclaimed king of SPARTA but he had geuen him moreouer as lawful heire all his brother Agis goods and Leotychides reiected as a bastard Notwithstanding considering that his parentes by his mothers side were very poore yet honest men he left them the moyty of all the goodes by which act Agesilaus wanne all their good willes where else they had enuied him for his succession in the kingdom And as Xenophon sayth by obeying his contrie he grew to such power that he might doe whatsoeuer he would The Ephori and Senatours at that time bare all the sway and gouernment of the common wealth the Ephores office chaunging yearely the other being for life the which Ephori were only ordained to bridle the insolency of the kings for that they should not as we haue more amply wrytten in Lycurgus life haue absolute power in their handes Vppon this occasion the kinges that succeeded in the gouernment had as it were by inheritaunce a present grudge and malice against them This notwithstanding Agesilaus tooke a contrary course to all his predecessors For where others presently quarelled with the Ephori and Senatours Agesilaus did honor and reuerence them and would neuer dispatche any matter without their priuity but was alwayes ready to goe when they did send him When he was set in his chaier of state to geue audience if any of the Ephori chaunsed to come in he would rise vp vnto them and at the election of any new Senatour he would for honors sake present him a gowne and an oxe And thus cunningly seeming to honor and increase the dignity of the Senatours winning their good wills he made his power great the realme much greater Furthermore his behauior towards the rest of his contrymen was such as his enmity was lesse faulty thē his frendship For he did neuer hurt his enemies without iust cause but he aided his frends euen in vniust causes And wheras he thought it a shame not to honor enemies when they had done well he could not finde in his hart to rebuke his frendes when they did amisse but rather gloried in succoring helping of them in their euill doings For he thought it no shame to serue his frendes turne howsoeuer it were Againe when any of his aduersaries offended he was as sory for it as any man and as readie to beare with it if he were intreated whereby he allured and wanne the hartes of all men The Ephori seeing that
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
fauor the MEDES no sayd he they do not so but the MEDES doe play the LACEDAEMONIANS Neuertheles threatning warre to all the GRAECIANS which would not agre to the conditions of this peace he compelled them to yeld vnto that the king of PERSIA liked But surely he did this chiefly for respect of the THEBANS to th ende that they being enforced by the capitulations of the peace to set the contry of BOEOTIA at libertie againe should be so much the weaker This plainly appeared soone after by that that followed For Phoebidas hauing committed a fowle acte in open peace to take the castell of the citie of THEBES called Cadmea offending thereby all the other GRAECIANS and the SPARTANS them selues also not being very well pleased withall and those specially which were Agesilaus enemies Phoebidas being asked in great anger at whose commaundement he had done that sodaine enterprise to lay all the suspition of the facte apon him Agesilaus for Phoebidas discharge letted not openly to say that the qualitie of the facte was to be considered of whether it were profitable for the common wealth or not and that it was well done of him the thing fallinge out profitable for his contry to do it of his owne head without commaundement All this notwithstanding he was wont to say in priuate talke that iustice was the chiefest of all vertues and therefore that valiantnes without iustice was of no validity and that if all men were iust valiantnes were of no estimation And to them that tolde him the great king will haue it so Why sayd he and wherein is he better then my selfe if he be not iuster Iudging very wisely therein that they should esteeme a king whether he were of great or small power by his iustice as by the beame of princely ballance When peace was concluded the king of PERSIA hauing sent him a priuate letter desiring his frendshippe Agesilaus refused it saying that common frendshippe was enough betwext them and that they should neede none other so long as that was kept But this notwithstanding when it came to the poynt of performaunce he went from his first good opinion and gaue place to his will ambition specially against the THEBANS at that time when he did not only saue Phoebidas but also procured the citie of SPARTA to take the fault apon them which he had committed and to iustifie it by keeping the castle of Cadmea still and making Archias and Leontidas Gouernours of the citie of THEBES by whom Phoebidas came by the castell of Cadmea and possessed it Thereupon euery man thought straight that Phoebidas was he that had put the matter in execution that Agesilaus gaue the counsell to do it as thinges falling out afterwardes did manifestly proue the suspicion true For after that the THEBANS had driuen the garrison of the LACEDAEMONIANS out of the castell of Cadmea and restored their citie againe to libertie burdening them that they had traiterously slaine Archias and Leontidas who in deede were tyrannes though in name Gouernors he made warre with them and Cleombrotus raigning then king with him after Agesipolis death was sent before into BOEOTIA with an armie Agesilaus was dispensed with by lawe for going any more to the warres by reason of his age for that he was fortie yeare olde from the first growth of heare on his face therefore went not that iorney being ashamed that the THEBANS should now see him fight to reuēge the tyrans deathes who had but a litle before taken armes for the banished men against the PHLIASIANS At that time there was a LACONIAN called Sphodrias of the contrarie faction vnto Agesilaus and was then Gouernour in the citie of THESPIES a valliant and stowt man of his handes but euer fuller of vaine hope than of good iudgement He desiring fame and supposing that Phoebidas came to dignitie and great estimation through his valliant enterprise at THEBES perswaded him selfe that he shoulde winne much more honor if of him selfe he tooke the hauen of Piraea sodainly stealing apon the ATHENIANS by land cutting them of by that meanes from al trade by sea It was thought commonly that this was a practise deuised by Pelopidas and Gelon Gouernours of BOEOTIA who had allured certaine men to faine them selues very deuout and frendly to the LACEDAEMONIANS These men praising and extollinge Sphodrias to his face put him in the head that they knew none so worthie as him selfe alone to take in hand so noble an enterprise Thus by their perswasions they trained him on to this attempt which for vilenes was nothing inferior vnto that tretcherous winning of the castell Cadmea at THEBES although it was attempted with lesse hardines and diligence For day was broken when he was yet in the plaine of Thriasium where he made account to haue bene at the walles of Piraea by night Furthermore it is reported that the men he brought with him seeing certaine fires from the temples of the city of ELEVSIN were all afrayed and amazed yea he him selfe also fainted perceiuing he was discouered and so returned backe with shame and dishonor to the citie of THESPIES without any exployt done sauing only a litle spoyle taken Thereupon accusers were straight sent from ATHENS vnto SPARTA who apon their arriuall found that they needed not to accuse him for that the counsell and Gouernours of the citie had already sent for him to come vnto them to condemne him of hie treason But he durst not returne to SPARTA fearing the furie of his contriemen thinking in deede that they would seeme as though the wronge had bene done to them bicause it should not be thought that they had caused it to be done This Sphodrias had a sonne called Cleonymus a very fayer boy with whome Archidamus Agesilaus sonne was farre in loue who then was maruelous sorie to see this boy he loued in so great daunger to lose his father yet durst not be seene to helpe him bicause Sphodrias was one of Agesilaus aduersaries Notwithstanding Cleonymus making his mone to him with the teares in his eyes and praying him to pacifie his father Agesilaus whome they feared aboue all men else Archidamus followed his father three or foure dayes together and durst not breake the matter to him in fine the day of the next session being at hand when iudgement should be geuen of Sphodrias he boldly ventered to tell him howe that Cleonymus had prayed him to be an humbler suter to him touching his fathers fact Agesilaus vnderstanding that his sonne loued Cleonymus would not withdrawe him from louing of him bicause the boy euen from his childehoode gaue alwayes good hope that one day he would sure make as honest a man as any other whatsoeuer neither made he any countenaunce to his soone as though he would doe any thing at his sute but onely aunswered him for that he would doe as became him in such a case Whereupon Archidamus being bashefull lest comming any more
iesture and behauiour a graue princely maiestie His heare also stoode a litle vpright and the cast and soft mouing of his eyes had a certaine resemblaunce as they sayd of the statues and images of king Alexander And bicause euerie man gaue him that name he did not refuse it him selfe insomuch as there were some which sportingwise did openly call him Alexander Whereupon Lucius Philippus a Consull was not ashamed to say openly in an oration he made in Pompeys fauor that it was no maruell if he being Philip did loue Alexander It is reported also that when Flora the curtisan waxed old she much delighted to talke of the familiaritie which she had with Pompey beinge a younge man telling that after she had layen with him she could not possiblie rise from him but she must needes geue him some sweete quippe or pleasaunt taunte She woulde tell also howe one of Pompeys familiars and companions called Geminius fell in loue with her and was a maruelous earnest suter to obtaine her good will and that she aunswered him statly she would not for the loue she bare to Pompey Geminius thereuppon brake the matter to Pompey him selfe Pompey desirous to pleasure him graunted the request howebeit Geminius after that would not come neere Flora nor speake vnto her albeit it appeared that he yet loued her But Flora tooke this not curtisan like for she was sicke a long time for very griefe of minde and the thought she tooke vppon it All this notwithstanding it is sayd that this Flora had then such same for her passing grace and beautie that Cecilius Metellus seting foorth and beautifying the temple of Castor and Pollux with goodly tables and pictures among the rest he caused her picture to be liuely drawen for her excellent beawtie Furthermore Pompey against his nature delt very hardly and vncurteously with the wife of Demetrius his franchised bondeman who while he liued was in great credit with him and dying left her worth foure thowsand tallentes fearing to be taken with her beautie which was verie singularlie fayer least he should be thought in loue with her Now though herein he seemed to be very circumspect and to cast the worth yet could he not thus scape the detracting tongues of his ill willers for they did accuse him that to please and content his wiues he would let passe and winke at many thinges that was against the profit of the common wealth To proue his sober and temperate dies and howe he was contented with common meates a word they say he spake when he was verie sicke and could tast no meate is specially noted For to bring his stomake to him againe his Phisitian willed him to eate a thrushe So seeking all about to get him one there was no thrushe to be bought for money for they were out of season Notwithstanding one told him that he should not misse of them at Lucullus house for he kept them vp all the yeare through Why what then sayd he If Lucullus ryot were not should not Pompey liue Therewithall letting his Phisitians counsell alone he made them dresse such meate as was euery where common But of that we will speake more hereafter Now Pompey being a young man and in the fielde with his father that was in armes against Cinna there lay with him in his tent a companion of his called Lucius Terentius who being bribed with money had promised Cinna to kill him and other confederators also had promised to set their Captaines tent a fire This conspiracy was reuealed vnto Pompey as he sate at supper which nothing amated him at all but he dranke freely and was merrier with Terentius then of custome So when it was bed time he stale out of his owne tent and went vnto his father to prouide for his safetie Terentius thinkinge the hower come to attempt his enterprise rose with his sword in his hande and went to Pompeys bed where he was wont to lye and gaue many a thrust into the matteresse After he had done that all the campe straight was in an vprore for the malice they bare vnto their Captaine and the souldiers in all hast would needes haue gone and yeelded to their enemie beginning alreadie to ouerthrowe their tentes and to trusse away bagge and baggage The Captaine for feare of this tumult durst not come out of his tent notwithstanding Pompey his sonne ranne amongest the mutinous souldiers and humbly besought them with the teares in his eyes not to doe their Captaine this villanie and in fine threwe him selfe flatling to the grounde ouerthwart the gate of the campe bidding them marche ouer him if they had such a desire to be gone The souldiers being ashamed of their follie returned againe to their lodginge and chaunging minde reconciled them selues with their Captaine eight hundred onely excepted which departed But immediatly after that Strabo Pompeys father was departed out of the worlde Pompey beinge his heire was accused for the father to robbe the common treasure Howebeit he confessed and auowed that it was Alexander one of his fathers infranchised bondemen that had stollen the most parte of it and brought him in before the Iudges Notwithstanding he was accused him selfe for taking away the toyles and arming cordes of hunters nettes and bookes that were taken at Asculum He confessed the hauing of them and that his father gaue him them when the citie was taken howbeit that he had lost them sence when Cinna returned vnto ROME with his souldiers who breaking into his house by force spoyled him of all that he had His matter had many dayes of hearing before definitiue sentence in which time Pompey shewed him selfe of good spirite and vnderstanding more then was looked for in one of his yeares insomuch he wanne such fame and fauor by it that Antistius being Praetor at that time and iudge of his matter fell into such a liking with him that secretly he offered him his daughter in mariage Then that matter being by frends broken to Pompey he liked of the match the parties were secretly assured This was not so closely conueyed but the people perceiued it but the care and paines Antistius tooke to fauor his matter Insomuch when the Iudges gaue iudgement and cleered him all the people together as if they had bene agreed cried out with one voyce Talassio Talassio being the vsuall and common crie they vsed of olde time at mariages in ROME This custome by reporte of auncient folke came vp in this manner At what time the chiefest peeres and Lordes of ROME did rauishe the SABINES daughters which came to ROME to see common sportes played there chaunsed a fewe rascalls as hoggeherdes or neatherdes to carie away a goodly fayen woman They fearing she should be taken from them cried out in the streetes as they went Talassio as if they would haue sayd she is for Talassius This Talassius was a young gentleman well knowen and beloued of most men so that
occasion to returne who desired nothing more then to leaue Sertorius to bend his force against Mithridates whose ouerthrow should be more honorable to him and also lesse daungerous In the meane space Sertorius dyed being betrayed by those whom he thought his frendes among the which Perpenna was the chiefe man that after Sertorius death would needes counterfeate his doinges hauing the same meanes the same furniture and the same power that he had howbeit he lacked his wit and skill to employ them Pompey therefore marching directly towardes him and finding how ignorant Perpenna was in his affayers he layed a bayte for him of ten cohorts which he sent to praye in the fields commaunding them to disperse them selues abroad as farre as they could one from an other Perpenna straight tooke the occasion and gaue them charge and had them in chase But Pompey tarying him at the ford was ready for him with all his army set in order he gaue him battell obtained the victory and ended all this warre bicause the most of the Captaines were slaine in the field and Perpenna the chiefe of all taken prisoner whom he presently put to death But herein Pompey was not to be condemned of ingratitude nor obliuion as some do burden him of Perpennaes frendship shewed him in SICILE but rather deserued praise to haue determined so wisely for benefit of the common wealth For Perpenna hauing in his custody all Sertorius wrytings he shewed letters of the greatest noble men of ROME which were desirous of chaunge of gouernment willing him to returne into ITALIE Pompey vpon sight of these letters fearing least they would breede greater sedition sturre in ROME then that which was already pacified put Perpenna to death as soone as he could and burnt all his papers and wrytinges not reading any letter of them Then Pompey remaining in SPAYNE a certaine time till he had pacified all commocions and tumultes maruelously out of order he brought his army backe againe into ITALIE and arriued there when the warre of the bondmen and fensers led by Spartacus was in greatest furie Vpon his comming therefore Crassus being sent Captaine against these bondmen made hast to geue them battell which he wan and slue twelue thowsand three hundred of these fugitiue slaues Notwithstāding fortune meaning to geue Pompey some parte of this honor fiue thowsand of these bondmen escaping from the battell fell into his hands Whereupon he hauing ouercome them wrote vnto the Senate that Crassus had ouercome the fensers in battell and that he had pluckt vp this warre by the rootes The ROMANES receiuing Pompeys letters were very glad of this newes for the loue they bare him But as for the winning of SPAYNE againe and the ouerthrow of Sertorius there was no man although it were in sporte that euer gaue any man else the honor but vnto Pompey only For all this great honor and loue they bare vnto Pompey yet they did suspect him and were affrayed of him bicause he did not disperse his army that he would follow Syllaes steppes to rule alone by plaine force Hereuppon as many went to meete him for feare as there were that went for good will they bare him But after he had put this suspicion quite out of their heades telling them that he would discharge his armie after he had triumphed then his illwillers could blame him for nothing else but that he was more enclined to the people then to the nobilitie and that he had a desire to restore the Tribuneshippe of the people which Sylla had put downe only to gratifie the common people in all he could the which in deede was true For the common people at ROME neuer longed for thing more than they did to see the office of the Tribune sette vp againe Yea Pompey him selfe thought it the happiest turne that euer came to him to light in such a time to doe such an acte For had any other man preuented him of that he coulde neuer haue founde the like occasion possiblie to haue requited the peoples good willes vnto him so much as in that Nowe therefore his seconde triumphe and first Consullshippe being decreed by the Senate that made him nothinge the greater or better man And yet was it a shewe and signification of his greatnesse the which Crassus the richest man the eloquentest and greatest person of all them that at that time delt in matters of state and made more estimacion of him selfe then of Pompey and all the rest neuer durst once demaunde before he had craued Pompeys goodwill Pompey was very glad of his request and had sought occasion of long time to pleasure him and thereupon made earnest sute vnto the people for him assuringe them he would as much thanke them for making Crassus his colleague and fellowe Consull as he would for making him selfe Consull All this notwithstandinge when they were created Consulls they were in all thinges contrarie one to an other and neuer agreed in any one thing while they were Consulls together Crassus had more authority with the Senate but Pompey had more credit with the people For he restored them the office of the Tribune and passed by edict that the Knightes of ROME should haue full power againe to iudge causes ciuill and criminall It was a pleasaunt sight also to the people when he came vnto the Censors in person to pray that he might be dispenst with for goinge to the warres For it was an auncient custome in ROME that the Knightes of ROME hauinge serued a certaine time in the warres appointed by their order should bring their horse in the middest of the market place before the two Censors declaring euery Captaine vnder whome they had serued in what iorneys and contries they had bene and hauinge also deliuered accompt of their good behauior and seruice they then prayed to be dismissed from the warres Nowe if it appeared that they had done good seruice there were they honorablie rewarded or otherwise openly shamed and punished At that time Gellius and Lentulus the two Censors being honorablie sette in their tribunall or iudgement seate taking viewe of all the ROMANE Knightes that mustered before them to be seene and examined they marueled when they sawe Pompey comminge at the further ende of the market place hauinge all the markes of a Consull borne before him and him selfe leading his horse in his hande by the bridle When Pompey came neerer and that they sawe it was he he commaunded his sergeauntes that caried the axes before him to make roome for him to passe by the barres with his horse where the Censors sate Then the people flocked about him wondering and reioycing being verie silent The Censors them selues also were maruelous glad to see him so obedient to the lawe and did him great reuerence In fine the elder of the Censors did examine him in this sorte Pompey the great I pray thee tell me if thou hast serued so long time in the warres
vnto the late king his predecessor and that when he came into the temple of Belus he sodainely vanished from him By this dreame it plainly appeared that the gods did signifie vnto him that the MACEDONIANS should haue noble successe in their doinges that Alexander should conquer all ASIA euen as king Darius had done when he was but Asgandes vnto the king and that shortly after he should end his life with great honor This furthermore made him bolde also when he saw that Alexander remained a good while in CILICIA supposing it had bene for that he was afraid of him Howbeit it was by reason of a sicknes he had the which some say he got by extreame paines and trauell others also bycause he washed him selfe in the riuer of Cydnus which was cold as Ise. Howsoeuer it came there was none of the other phisitians that durst vndertake to cure him thinking his disease vncurable and no medicines to preuaile that they could giue him and fearing also that the MACEDONIANS would laie it to their charge if Alexander miscaried But Philip ACARNANIAN considering his master was very ill and bearing him selfe of his loue and good will towardes him thought he shoulde not doe that became him if he did not proue seeing him in extremitie and daunger of life the vtmost remedies of phisicke what daunger so euer he put him selfe into and therefore tooke apon him to minister phisicke vnto Alexander and perswaded him to drincke it boldly if he would quickly be whole goe to the warres In the meane time Parmenio wrote him a letter from the campe aduertising him that he should beware of Philip his phisitian for he was bribed and corrupted by Darius with large promises of great riches that he would geue him with his daughter in mariage to kill his master Alexander when he had redde this letter layed it vnder his beddes head and made none of his neerest familliers acquainted therewith When the hower came that he should take his medicine Philip came into his chamber with other of the kings familliers brought a cup in his hand with the pocion he should drinke Alexander then gaue him the letter withall cheerefully tooke the cup of him shewing no maner of feare or mistrust of any thing It was a wonderfull thing and worth the sight how one reading the letter and thother drinking the medicine both at one instant they looked one apon another howbeit not both with like cheerefull countenaunce For Alexander looked merily apon him plainly shewing the trust he had in his phisitian Philip and how much he loued him and the phisitian also beheld Alexander like a man perplexed amazed to be so falsly accused straight lift vp his handes to heauen calling the goddes to witnesse that he was innocent and then came to Alexanders bed side and prayed him to be of good cheere and boldly to doe as if would aduise him The medicine beginning to worke ouercame the disease and draue for the time to the lowest partes of his body all his naturall strength and powers in somuch as his speach failed him and he fell into such a weaknes and almost sooning that his pulse did scant beate and his sences were welneere taken from him But that being past Philip in few days recouered him againe Now when Alexander had gotten some strength he shewed him selfe openly vnto the MACEDONIANS for they would not be pacified nor perswaded of his health vntill they had seene him In king Darius campe there was one Amyntas a MACEDONIAN banisht out of his contrie who knew Alexanders disposition very well He finding that Darius ment to meete with Alexander within the straightes and vallies of the mountaines besoughts him to tarie rather where he was being a plaine open contrie round about him considering that he had a great hoste of men to fight with a few enemies and that it was most for his aduantage to meete with him in the open field Darius aunswered him againe that he was afraid of nothing but that he would flie before he could come to him Amyntas replied for that O king I praie you feare not for I warrant you apon my life he will come to you yea and is now onwards on his way comming towards you All these perswasions of Amyntas could not turne Darius from making his campe to marche towardes CILICIA At the selfe same time also Alexander went towardes SYRIA to meete with him But it chaunced one night that the one of them missed of the other and when day was come they both retorned backe againe Alexander being glad of this happe making hast to meete with his enemy within the straights Darius also seeking to winne Alexanders lodging from whence he came and to bring his army out of the straites beganne then to find the fault error committed for that he had shut him selfe vp in the straights holden in on the one side with the mountaine and on the other with the Sea and the riuer of Pindarus that ranne betwene both and that he was driuen to disperse his armie into diuers companies in a stonie and ill fauored contrie ill for horsemen to trauel being on the contrarie side a great aduantage for his enemies which were excellent good footemen and but few in nomber But now as fortune gaue Alexander the field as he would wishe it to fight for his aduantage so could he tell excellently well how to set his men in battell raye to winne the victorie For albeit that Alexander had the lesse nomber by many then his enemie yet he had such policy and cast with him that he foresaw all and would not be enuironned For he did put out the right winge of his battell a great deale further then he did his left winge and fighting him selfe in the left winge in the foremost ranckes he made all the barbarous people flie that stood before him howbeit he was hurt on his thighe with a blow of a sword Chares writteth that Darius selfe did hurte him and that they fought together man to man Notwithstanding Alexander selfe writing of this battell vnto Antipater sayeth that in deede he was hurte on the thighe with a sword howbeit it did put him in no daunger but he writeth not that Darius did hurte him Thus hauing wonne a famous victory and slaine aboue a hundred and tenne thowsand of his enemies he could not yet take Darius bycause he fled hauing still foure or fiue forlonges vantage before him howbeit he tooke his charriot of battell wherein he fought and his bow also Then he retorned from the chase found the MACEDONIANS sacking spoiling all the rest of the campe of the barbarous people where there was infinite riches although they had left the most parte of their cariage behind them in the citie of DAMAS to come lighter to the battell but yet reserued for him selfe all king Darius tent which was full of a great nomber of officers
had cōmaunded there should be a bill made of all the olde mens names and diseased persones that were in his campe to sende them home againe into their contry there was one Eurylochus AEGEIAN that made his name be billed among the sicke persons it was sound afterwardes that he was not sicke and confessed that he did it only to follow a young woman called Telesippa with whom he was in loue who was returning homewardes towardes the sea side Alexander asked him whether this woman were free or bond he answered him that she was a curtisan free borne Then sayd Alexander vnto Eurylochus I would be glad to further thy loue yet I can not force her to tarie but seeke to winne her by giftes and fayer wordes to be contented to tarie sithence she is a free woman It is a wonderfull thing to see what paines he would take to write for his frendes euen in such trifles as he did As when he wrote into CILICIA for a seruaunt of Seleucus that was fled from his master sending straight commaundement that they should carefully lay for him And by an other letter he commendeth Peucestas for that he had stayed and taken one Nicon a slaue of Craterus And by one other letter also vnto Megabizus touching an other bondman that had taken sanctuarie in a temple he commaunded him also to seeke to intise him out of the sanctuarie to laye hold on him if he could but otherwise not to meddle with him in any case It is sayd also that at the first when he vsed to sit in iudgement to heare criminall causes whilest the accuser went on with his complaint and accusation he alwayes vsed to lay his hande vppon one of his eares to keepe that cleane from the matter of accusation thereby reseruing it to heare the purgacion and iustificacion of the person condemned But afterwardes the number of accusations that were brought before him did so prouoke and alter him that he did beleue the false accusations by the great number of the true that were brought in But nothinge put him more in rage then when be vnderstoode they had spoken ill of him and then he was so fierce as no pardon would be graunted for that he loued his honor more then his kingdome or life Then at that time he went against Darius thinking that he ment to fight againe but vnderstanding that Bessus had taken him then he gaue the THESSALIANS leaue to departe home into their contrie and gaue them two thowsand talentes ouer and aboue their ordinarie pay Alexander had then a maruelous long hard and painefull iorney in following of Darius for in eleuen dayes he rode three thowsande three hundred furlong insomuch as the most parte of his men were euen wearie and done for lacke of water It chaunced him one day to meete with certaine MACEDONIANS that caried vppon moyles goate skinnes full of water which they had fetched from a riuer They seeing Alexander in manner deade for thirst being aboutnoone ranne quickely to him and in a headpeece brought him water Alexander asked them to whom they caried this water They answered him againe that they caried it to their children but yet we would haue your grace to liue for though we lose them we may get more children When they had sayd so Alexander tooke the helmet with water and perceiuing that the men of armes that were about him and had followed him did thrust out their neckes to looke vpon this water he gaue the water backe againe vnto them that had geuen it him and thanked them but dranke none of it For sayd he if I drinke alone all these men here will faint Then they seeing the noble corage and curtesie of Alexander cried out that he should lead them and therewithall beganne to spurre their horses saying that they were not wearie nor a thirst nor did thinke them selues mortall so long as they had such a king Euerie man was a like willing to followe Alexander yet had he but three score only that entred with him into the enemies campe There passinge ouer much golde and siluer which was scattered abroade in the market place and going also by many charriottes full of women and children which they found in the fields flying away at all aduenture they ranne vpon the spurre vntil they had ouertaken the foremost that fled thinking to haue founde Darius amongest them But at the length with much a doe they founde him layed along in a coche hauing many woundes vpon his bodie some of darts and some speares So he being almost at the last cast called for some drinke and dranke colde water which Polystratus gaue him To whom when he had dronke he sayd this is my last mishappe my frend that hauing receiued this pleasure I can not require thee howbeit Alexander will recompence thee and the goddes Alexander for the liberalitie and curtesie which he hath shewed vnto my wife and children whom I pray thee embrace for my sake At these last wordes he tooke Polystratus by the hande and so gaue vp the goast Alexander came immediatly after and plainely shewed that he was sorie for his death and misfortune and vndoing his owne cloke he cast it vpon the body of Darius After that hauing by good happe gotten Bessus into his hands he tare him in peces with two high straight trees which he bowed downewards and tied his legges to eche of them so that when the trees were let goe they gaue a sodaine cruell ierke vp and caried either tree a peece of his bodie with it Then Alexander hauing geuen Darius corse Princely buriall and embalned him he sent it vnto his mother and receiued his brother Exathres for one of his frendes From thence he went into the contrie of HYRCANIA with all the flower of his armie where he sawe the gulfe of the sea Caspium which he thought of no lesse greatnesse then the sea of PONTVS howbeit calmer then the other seas be He could not then certainly finde out what it was nor from whence it came but of likelyhoode he thought it was some breaking out of the lake or marrish of Meotin Yet some auncient naturall Philosophers seemed to know truely what it was For many yeares before Alexanders voyage and conquest they wrote that of the foure chiefest gulfes of the sea that commeth from the Ocean and doe entre within maine land that which is most northerly is the sea Caspium which they call also Hyrcanium As Alexander went through the contrie certaine barbarous people sodainely sette vppon them that led Bucephal his horse and tooke him but with that he was in such a rage that he sent a Heraulde into their contrie to proclaime open warres vppon them and that he would put man woman and childe to the sword if they brought him not his horse againe Whereuppon when his horse was returned home and that they yeelded vp their cities and fortes into his handes he did vse
them all very curteously and moreouer did geue them money for the raunsome of his horse which they restored Departing thence he entred into the contrie of PARTHIA There hauinge leasure enough he beganne to apparell him-selfe after the facion of the barbarous people bicause he thought thereby the better to winne the harts of the contriemen framing him-selfe vnto their owne facions or else to trye the hartes of the MACEDONIANS to see how they would like the maner of the PERSIANS which he ment to bring them vnto in reuerencing of him as they did their king by litle and litle acquainting them to allow the alteracion and chaunge of his life This notwithstanding he would not at the first take vp the apparell of the MEDES which was verie straunge and altogether barbarous For he went not without briches nor did weare a long gowne trailing on the grounde nor a high coptanct hatte but tooke a meane apparell betwext the MEDES the PERSIANS more modest then theirs and more costly than the last and yet at the first he did not weare it but when he would talke with the barbarous people or else priuately amongest his frendes and familliars Afterwards notwithstanding he shewed him selfe openly to the people in that apparel when he gaue them audience This sight grieued the MACEDONIANS much but they had his vertues in such admiration that they thought it meete in some things he should take his owne pleasure sithence he had bene often hurt in the warres and not long before had his legge broken with an arrow and an other time had such a blow with a stone full in his necke that it made him spurre blinde a great while after and yet neuerthelesse he neuer eschewed any bodely daunger For he passed ouer the riuer of Orexartes which he tooke to be Tanais and hauinge in battell ouerthrowen the SCYTHIANS he followed them in chase abouea hundred furlong notwithstanding that at that instant he had a loosenesse of bodie Thither came vnto him as it is reported the Queene of the AMAZONES as many wryters doe testifie among the which are these Clitarchus Polycritus Onesicritus Antigenes and Hister But Chares Ptolomy Anticlides Philon THEBAN Philip the historiographer Hecateus ERBYRIAN Philip CHALCIDIAN and Duris SAMIAN all these doe wryte that it was not true and it seemeth also that Alexander selfe doth confirme it For wryting all things particularly vnto Antipater as they happened vnto him he wrote vnto him that the king of SCYTHIA offered him his daughter in mariage but there he maketh no mencion at all of any AMAZON It is also sayd that Onesicritus long time after that did reade vnto king Lysimachus the fourth booke of his historie where he did speake of the AMAZON Lysimachus smyling sayd vnto him why and where was I then But for that matter to credit or not credit it Alexanders estimacion thereby is neither impayred nor aduaunced Furthermore Alexander fearing that the MACEDONIANS being wearie with this long warre would goe no further he left all the rest of his armie behinde and tooke only twentie thowsande footemen and three thowsand horsemen of the choycest men of his armie and with them inuaded the contrie of HYRCANIA There he made an oration vnto them and told them that the barbarous people of ASIA had but seene them as it were in a dreame and if they should now returne backe into MACEDON hauing but onely sturred them and not altogether subdued ASIA the people offended with them woulde sette vppon them as they went home as if they were no better than women Neuerthelesse he gaue any man leaue to returne that would protesting therewith against them that would goe how they did forsake him his frends and those who had so good harts towards him as to follow him in so noble a iorney to conquer the whole earth vnto the MACEDONIANS This selfe matter is reported thus in a letter which Alexander wrote vnto Antipater and there he wryteth furthermore that hauing made this oration vnto them they all cried out and bad him leade them into what parte of the worlde he would When they had graunted their good wills it was no hard matter afterwards to winne the rest of the common sorte who followed thexample of the chiefest Thereuppon he did frame him selfe the more to liue after the facion of the contrie there and enterchaungeablie also to bring the men of that contrie vnto the manner of the MACEDONIANS being perswaded that by this mixture and enterchaunge of manners one with an other he should by frendshippe more then force make them agree louingly together when that he should be so farre from the contry of PERSIA For this purpose therefore he chose thirty thowsand of their children of that contry and set them to learne the Greke tongue and to be brought vp in the discipline of warres after the MACEDONIANS maner and gaue them schoolemasters and Captaines to traine them in ech facultie And for the marrying of Roxane he fancied her seeing her at a feast where he was which fell out as well for his turne as if he had with better aduise and counsell loued her For the barbarous people were verie prowde of this matche when they sawe him make alliance with them in this sorte insomuch as they loued him better then they did before bicause they saw in those things he was alwayes so chast and continent that notwithstanding he was maruelously in loue with her yet he would not dishonorably touche this young Ladie before he was maried vnto her Furthermore Alexander considering that of the two men which he loued best Hephastion liked well of his matche and went apparelled as him selfe did and that Craterus contrarily did still vse the MACEDONIAN manner he delt in all affayres with the barbarous people by Hephaestion and with the GRAECIANS and MACEDONIANS by Craterus To be short he loued the one and honored the other saying that Hephaestion loued Alexander and Craterus loued the king Hereuppon these two persons bare one an other grudge in their harts and oftentimes brake out in open quarrell insomuch as on a time being in INDIA they drewe their swordes and fought together and diuers of their frendes ranne to take part with either side Thither came Alexander selfe also who openly before them all bitterly tooke vp Hephaestion and called him foole and bedlem saying doest thou not know that whatsoeuer he be that should take Alexander from me he should neuer liue Priuatly also he sharply rebuked Croterus and calling them both before him he made them frendes together swearing by Iupiter Hammon and by all the other gods that he loued them two of all men liuing neuertheles if euer he founde that they fell out together againe they should both dye for it or him at the least that first beganne to quarrell So euer after that they say there was neuer fowle word nor deede betwene them not so much as in sport only There was
also one Philotas the sonne of Parmenio a man of great authority among the MACEDONIANS who next vnto Alexander was the most valliantest man the pacientest to abide paine the liberallest and one that loued his men frends better then any noble man in the campe whatsoeuer Of him it is reported that a frend of his came to him on a time to borrow money and he commaunded straight one of his men to let him haue it His purse bearer aunswered him that he had none Why sayd his master doest thou tell me so Hast thou not plate and apparell to sell or gage to helpe him to some Howbeit otherwise he had such a pride glory to shew his riches to apparell himselfe so sumptuously and to be more fine and princked then became a priuate man that this made him to be hated bicause he tooke vpō him to be a great man to looke bigge on the matter which became him ill fauoredly and therfore euery man through his owne folly fell in misliking with him Insomuch as his owne father said one day vnto him sonne I pray thee be more humble lowly This Philotas had long before bene cōplained vpon vnto Alexander bicause that when the cariage of king Darius armie which was in the citie of DAMAS was taken after the battell of CILICIA among many prisoners that were taken and brought vnto Alexanders campe there was one Antigona a passing fayer young curtisan borne in the citie of PIDNA Philotas founde meanes to gette her and like a young man that was in loue with her making merie with her at the table fondly lette fall braue wordes and boastes of a souldier saying that what notable thinges were done they were done by him selfe and his father and called Alexander at euerie worde young man and sayd that by their meanes he helde his name and kingdome This courtisan tolde one of his frendes what he sayd and that frede tolde an other frende and so went from man to man as commonly it doth till at the length it came to Craterus eares He tooke the courtisan and brought her vnto Alexander vnto whom she told as much as she had sayd before Alexander bad her still make much of Philotas and to tell him euery word what he sayd of him Philotas knowing nothing that he was thus circumuented did euer frequent her companie and would be bold commonly to speake many foolish and vndiscreete words against the king somtime in anger somtime againe in a brauery Alexander this notwithstanding though he had manifest proofe and cause to accuse Philotas yet he dissembled it for that time and would not be knowen of it either for that he knew Parmenio loued him or else for that he was affrayed of their great power and authoritie About that time there was one Limnus Chalaestrian a MACEDONIAN that layed great and secret waite to kill Alexander and being in loue with a young man called Nicomachus entised him to helpe him to doe this deede The young man wisely denied it told the same to his brother called Batinus He went vnto Philotas and prayed him to bring them both before Alexander for they had a matter of great importance to impart vnto him Philotas would not let him speake with the king but why no man could tell telling them that the king had greater matters in hande and was not at leasure Then they went vnto an other and he brought them vnto Alexander vnto whome first they opened the treason of Limnus conspired against him and by the way they tolde also how they had bene twise before with Philotas who would not let them come in nor speake with them That angred Alexander greatly and he was the more offended also when Limnus was slaine by him whome he sent to apprehende him resisting him for that he would not be taken and thought that by his death he had lost a great meanes to come to the light of this treason and conspiracie Then Alexander frowning vppon Philotas brought all his enemies vpon his backe that of long time had hated him For they beganne to speake boldly that it was time for the kinge to looke about him for it was not to be supposed that this Limnus Chalaestrian of him selfe durst haue entred into that treason but rather that he was a minister and a chiefe instrument set on by a greater personage then he and therefore that it stoode Alexander vpon to examine them straightly which had cause to keepe this treason secret After Alexander once gaue eare vnto such wordes and vehement presumptions there was straight brought in a thowsand accusations against Philotas Thereupon he was apprehended and in the presence of diuers Lordes and familliars of the king put to the torter Alexander selfe being behinde a hanginge to heare what he would say It is reported that when he hearde howe faintly and pitiefully he besought Hephaestion to take pitie of him he sayd vnto him selfe alas poore Philotas thou that hast so faint a hart howe durst thou take vppon thee so great matters In fine Philotas was put to death and immediatly after he was executed Alexander sent also with speede vnto the realme of MEDIA to kill Parmenio who was his Lieutenaunt there and one that had serued king Philippe his father in his greatest affayers and who onely of all other the olde seruauntes of his father had procured Alexander to take in hande the conquest of ASIA and who also of three sonnes which he brought out with him had seene two of them dye before him and afterwardes was slaine him selfe with the third This crueltie of Alexander made his frendes affrayed of him and specially Antipater who secretly sent Ambassadors vnto the AETOLIANS to make league with them bicause they them selues also were affrayed of Alexander for that they had put the Orniades to death Alexander hearing that sayd that he him selfe and not the sonnes of the Orniades would be reuenged of the AETOLIANS Not long after that followed the murther of Clitus the which to heare is simplie tolde would seeme much more cruell than the death of Philotas But reportinge the cause and the time together in which it chaunced it will be founde that it was not of sette purpose but by chaunce and vnfortunately that Alexander being ouercome with wine did vnluckely wreake his anger vpon Clitus The manner of his misfortune was this There came certaine men of the lowe contries from the sea side that brought apples of GRAECE 〈…〉 nto Alexander Alexander wondering to see them so greene and fayer sent for Clitus to shewe him them and to geue him some of them Clitus by chaunce did sacrifice at that time vnto the goddes and left his sacrifice to goe vnto Alexander howebeit there were three weathers that followed him on whome the accustomed sprincklinges had bene done alreadie to haue sacrificed them Alexander vnderstandinge that tolde it to his Soothsayers Aristander and Cleomantis LACONIAN who both did aunswere
my will. For Caius Caesar after he had wonne so many famous conquests and ouercome so many great battells had beene vtterly condemned notwithstanding if he had departed from his armie Asinius Pollio writeth that he spake these wordes then in Latyn which he afterwards wrote in Greeke and sayeth furthermore that the moste parte of them which were put to the sworde in the campe were slaues and bondmen and that there were not slayne in all at this battell aboue six thowsand souldiers As for them that were taken prisoners Caesar did put many of them amongest his legions and did pardon also many men of estimation amonge whome Brutus was one that afterwardes slue Caesar him selfe and it is reported that Caesar was very sory for him when he could not immediatly be founde after the battell and that he reioyced againe when he knewe he was alyue and that he came to yeelde him selfe vnto him Caesar had many signes and tokens of victorie before this battell but the notablest of all other that hapned to him was in the citie of TRALLES For in the temple of victorie within the same citie there was an image of Caesar and the earth all about it very hard of it selfe and was paued besides with hard stone and yet some say that there sprange vppe a palme hard by the base of the same image In the citie of PADYA Caius Cornelius an excellent Soothsayer a contry man and friende of Titus Liuins the Historiographer was by chaunce at that time set to beholde the flying of birdes He as Liuie reporteth knewe the very tyme when the battell beganne and tolde them that were present euen now they gaue the onset on both sides and both armies do meete at this instant Then sitting downe againe to consider of the birdes after he had bethought him of the signes he sodainely rose vp on his feete and cryed out as a man possessed with some spirit oh Caesar the victory is thine Euery man wondring to see him he tooke the crowne he had on his heade and made an othe that he would neuer put it on againe till the euent of his prediction had proued his arte true Liuie testifieth that it so came to passe Caesar afterwards giuing freedom vnto the THESSALIANS in respect of the victory which he wanne in their contry he followed after Pompey When he came into ASIA he gaue freedom also vnto the GVIDIANS for Theopompus sake who had gathered the fables together He did release ASIA also the thirde part of the tribute which the inhabitants payd vnto the ROMANES Then he came into ALEXANDRIA after Pompey was slaine and detested Theodotus that presented him Pompeys heade and turned his head at toe side bicause he would not see it Notwithstanding he tooke his seale and beholding it wept Furthermore he curteously vsed all Pompeys friendes and familiers who wandring vp and downe the contry were taken of the king of AEGYPT and wanne them all to be at his commaundement Continuing these curtesies he wrote vnto his friendes at ROME that the greatest pleasure he tooke of his victorie was that he dayly saued the liues of some of his contry men that bare armes against him And for the warre he made in ALEXANDRIA some say he needed not haue done it but that he willingly did it for the loue of Cleopatra Wherein he wanne litle honor and besides did put his person in great daunger Others doe lay the fault vpon the king of AEGYPTS Ministers but specially on Pothinus the Euenuke who bearing the greatest swaye of all the kinges seruaunts after he had caused Pompey to be slaine and driuen Cleopatra from the Court secretly layd waite all the wayes he could how he might likewise kill Caesar. Wherefore Caesar hearing an inckling of it beganne thenceforth to spend all the night long in feasting and bancketing that this person might be in the better safetie But besides all this Pothinus the Euenuke spake many thinges openly not to be borne onely to shame Caesar and to stirre vp the people to enuie him For he made his souldiers haue the worst and oldest wheate that could be gotten then if they did complayne of it he told them they most be contented seeing they eate at anothers mans coste And he would serue them also at the table in treene and earthen dishes saying that Caesar had away all their gold and siluer for a debt that the kings father that then raigned did owe vnto him which was a thowsand seuen hundred and fiftie Miriades whereof Caesar had before forgiuen seuen hundred fiftie thowsand vnto his children Howbeit then he asked a Myllion to paye his souldiours withall Thereto Pothinus aunswered him that at that tyme he should doe better to follow his other causes of greater importance and afterwardes that he should at more leysure recouer his dette with the kinges good will and fauor Caesar replyed vnto him and sayd that he would not aske counsell of the AEGYPTIANS for his affayres but would be payd and thereupon secretly sent for Cleopatra which was in the contry to come vnto him She onely taking Apollodorus SICILIAN of all her friendes tooke a litle bote and went away with him in it in the night and came and landed hard by the foote of the castell Then hauing no other meane to come in to the court without being knowen she laid her selfe downe vpon a mattresse or flockbed which Apollodorus her frend tied bound vp together like a būdel with a great leather thong and so tooke her vp on his backe and brought her thus hamperd in this fardell vnto Caesar in at the castell gate This was the first occasion as it is reported that made Caesar to loue her but afterwards when he sawe her sweete conuersation and pleasaunt entertainment he fell then in further liking with her did reconcile her again vnto her brother the king with condition that they two ioyntly should raigne together Apon this newe reconciliation a great feast being prepared a slaue of Caesars that was his barber the fearefullest wretch that liued stil busily prying and listening abroad in euery corner being mistrustfull by nature found that Pothinus and Achillas did lie in waite to kill his Maister Caesar. This beeing proued vnto Caesar he did sette such sure watch about the hall where the feaste was made that in fine he slue the Euenuke Pothinus him selfe Achillas on thother side saued him selfe and fled vnto the kinges campe where he raysed a maruelous daūgerous difficult warre for Caesar bicause he hauing then but a few men about him as he had he was to fight against a great strong city The first daunger he fell into was for the lacke of water he had for that his enemies had stopped the mouth of the pipes the which conueyed the water vnto the castell The seconde daunger he had was that seeing his enemies came to take his shippes from him he was driuen to repulse that
party accused might haue a keeper or spiall to follow the accuser to see what he would accuse the party with that he might the better be able to defend him selfe knowing what should be obiected against him Muraena hauing one for him to waite vpon Cato to consider throughly what course he tooke when he saw that he went not maliciously to worke but tooke a plaine common way of a iust accuser â—he had so great confidence in Catoes vpright mind and integritie that not regarding the narrow sisting of him otherwise he did one day aske him him selfe in the market place or at home in his owne house if that day he were determined to prosecute any matter against him touching his accusation If Cato aunswered him that he did not then he went his way and simply beleued him When the day came in deed that his cause was to be heard and pleaded vnto Cicero being Consul that yere defending Muraena played so pleasantly with the STOICKE Philosophers and their straunge opinions that he made all the Iudges laughe insomuch as Cato him selfe smiling at him tolde them that were by him see we haue a pleasant Consul that makes men laugh thus So Muraena beeing discharged by this iudgement did neuer after malice Cato for that but so long as he remained Consul he was alwaies ruled by his counsel in all his affaires and continued euer to honor him following his counsell in all thinges touching his office Hereof Cato him selfe was cause who was neuer rough nor terrible but in matters of counsell and in his orations before the people for the maintenance onely of equitie and iustice for otherwse he was very ciuil curteous to al men But before he entred into his Tribuneship Cicero being yet Consul he did helpe him in many things touching his office but specially in bringing Catilins conspiracie to good ende which was a noble act done of him For Catilin did practise a generall commotion and sturre in the common wealth to ouerthrowe the whole state of ROME by ciuill discorde within ROME and open warres abroade who beeing discouered and ouercome by Cicero he was driuen in the ende to flie ROME But Lentulus Cethegus and many other of the accomplices of this conspiracie blamed Catiline for his faynt and cowardly proceeding in it For their partes they had determined to burne the whole citie of ROME and to put all the Empire thereof in vprore by straunge warres and rebellions of forreine nations and prouinces Howbeit this treason being discouered as appeareth more largely in the life of Cicero the matter was referred vnto the iudgement of the Senate to determine what was to bee done therein Syllanus beeing the first who was asked his opinion therein sayde that he thought it good they should suffer cruell paines and after him also all the rest said the like vntill it came to Caesar. Caesar being an excellent spoken man that rather desired to nourish then to quench any such sturres or seditions in the common wealth being fit for his purpose long determined oft made an oration full of sweete pleasant wordes declaring vnto them that to put such men as them to death without lawfull condemnation he thought it altogether vnreasonable and rather that they should doe better to keepe them in prison This oration of Caesar so altered all the rest of the Senators minds for that they were affraid of the people that Syllanus self mended his opinion againe and said that he ment not they should put them to death but keepe theÌ„ fast in prison bicause that to be a prisoner was the greatest paine a ROMANE Citizen could abide Thus the Senators minds being so sodainly chaunged bent to a more fauorable sentence Cato rising vp to say his opinion beganne very angrily with maruelous eloquence grieuously to reproue Syllanus for chaunging his mind sharply to take vp Caesar that vnder a populer semblance maske of sweete sugred words he sought vnder hand to destroy the common wealth and also to terrifie and make the Senate affraid where he him selfe should haue bene affraid and thinke him selfe happy if he could scape from beeing suspected giuing such apparant cause of suspicion as he did going about so openly to take the enemies and traytors of the common wealth out of the hands of iustice seming to haue no pitie nor compassion of his naturall citie of such nobilitie and fame being euen brought in maner to vtter destruction but rather to lament the fortune of these wicked men that it was pity they were euer borne whose death preserued ROME from a thowsand murthers mischiefs Of all the orations that euer Cato made that only was kept for Cicero the Consul that day had dispersed diuers penne men in sundry places of the Senate house which had maruelous swift hands and had further taught them how to make briefe notes and abridgements which in fewe lines shewed many words For vntill that time writers were not knowen that could by figures ciphers expresse a whole sentence and word as afterwards they could being then the first time that euer they were found out So Cato at that time preuailed against Caesar and made them all chaunge their mindes againe that these men were put to death But that we may not leaue out a ior of his maners as the very pattern and impression of his mind It is reported that when Cato that day was so whot and vehement against Caesar that all the Senate could but looke at them to heare them both a letter was deliuered Caesar sent him into the house Cato began presently to suspect it and so earnestly misliked of it that many of the Senators being offended commaunded his letter should be seene red openly Caesar thereupon reached his letter vnto Cato that sate not farre from him When Cato had red it and found that it was a loue letter which his sister Seruilia had written vnto Caesar whom she loued and had knowen he cast it againe to Caesar said there dronkard After that he went on againe with his matter which he had begon before In fine it seemeth that Cato was very vnfortunate in his wiues for this Seruilia as we haue sayd had an ill name by Caesar. And the other Seruilia also which was his sister was worse defamed For she being maried vnto Lucullus one of the greatest men of ROME by whoÌ„ she had a sonne was in the ende put away from him for her naughty life But worst of all his owne wife Attilia also was not altogether cleare without suspicion For though he had two sonnes by her yet he was driuen to be diuorced from her she was so naught and common After that he maried Martia the Daughter of Philip which by report seemed to be a very honest gentlewoman It is she that is so famous amonge the ROMANES For in the life of Cato this place as a fable or comedy is disputable and hard to be iudged
NVMANTINES hearing of it first tooke his campe and then ranne after them that fled and setting vpon the rereward slue them and enuyronned all his armye So that they were driuen into straight and narrowe places where out they could by no meanes escape Thereuppon Mancinus dispayring that he could get out by force he sent a Herauld to the enemyes to treate of peace The NVMANTINES made aunswer that they would trust no man but Tiberius onely and therefore they willed he shoulde bee sent vnto them They desired that partly for the loue they bare vnto the vertues of the younge man bicause there was no talke of any other in all this warre but of him and partly also as remembring his father Tiberius who making warres in SPAYNE and hauing there subdued many nations he graunted the NVMANTINES peace the which he caused the ROMANES afterwardes to confirme and ratifie Hereuppon Tiberius was sent to speake with them and partly obteyning that he desired and partly also graunting them that they required he concluded peace with them whereby assuredly he saued the liues of twenty thowsande ROMANE Citizens besides slaues and other stragglers that willingly followed the campe This notwithstanding the NVMANTINES tooke the spoyle of all the goods they founde in the ROMANES campe amonge the which they founde Tiberius bookes of accompt touching the money disbursed of the treasure in his charge Tiberius beeing maruailous desirous to haue his bookes agayne returned backe to NVMANTIA with two or three of his friendes onely though the armye of the ROMANES were gone farre on their waye So comming to the towne he spake vnto the gouernors of the citie and prayed them to redeliuer him his bookes of accompt bicause his malicious enemies should not acouse him calling him to accompt for his doings The NVMANTINES were very glad of this good happe and prayed them to come into the towne He standing still in doubt with him selfe what to doe whether he should goe into the towne or not the gouernors of the citie came to him and taking him by the hande prayed he would thinke they were not his enemies but good friendes and that he would trust them Whereuppon Tiberius thought best to yeelde to their perswasion beeing desirous also to haue his bookes agayne and the rather for feare of offending the NVMANTINES if he shoulde haue denyed and mistrusted them When he was brought into the citie they prouided his dynner and were very earnest with him intreating him to dyne with them Then they gaue him his bookes againe and offered him moreouer to take what he woulde of all the spoyles they had gotten in the campe of the ROMANES Howebeit of all that he woulde take nothing but frankensence which he vsed when he did any sacrifice for his contry and then taking his leaue of them with thankes he returned When he was returned to ROME all this peace concluded was vtterly misliked as dishonorable to the maiestie of the Empire of ROME Yet the parents and friendes of them that had serued in this warre making the greatest part of the people they gathered about Tiberius saying that what faultes were committed in this seruice they were to impute it vnto the Consul Mancinus and not vnto Tiberius who had saued such a number of ROMANES liues Notwithstanding they that were offended with this dishonorable peace would that therein they should follow the example of their forefathers in the like case For they sent backe their Captaines naked vnto their enemies bicause they were contented the SAMNITS should spoyle them of that they had to escape with life Moreouer they did not onely send them the Captaines and Consuls but all those also that bare any office in the fielde and had consented vnto that condition to the ende they might lay all the periurie and breache of peace apon them Herein therefore did manifestly appeare the loue and good will the people did beare vnto Tiberius For they gaue order that the Consul Mancinus should be sent naked and bound vnto the NVMANTINES and for Tiberius sake they pardoned all the rest I thinke Scipio who bare great sway at the time in ROME and was man of greatest accompt did helpe him at that pinche who notwithstanding was ill thought of bicause he did not also saue the Consul Mancinus and confirme the peace concluded with the NVMANTINES considering it was made by Tiberius his friend kinsman But these mislikings grew chiefly through the ambition of Tiberius friendes certein learned men which stirred him vp against Scipio But yet it fell not out to open malice betwene them neither followed there any hurte apon it And surely I am perswaded that Tiberius had not fallen into those troubles he did afterwards if Scipio AFRICAN had bene present when he passed those thinges he preferred But Scipio was then in warres at the seege of NVMANTIA when Tiberius apon this occasion passed these lawes When the ROMANES in olde tyme had ouercomen any of their neighbours for raunsom they tooke oftentymes a great deale of their land from them parte whereof they solde by the cryer for the benefite of the common wealth and parte also they reserued to their state as demeane which afterwards was let out to farme for a small rent yearely to the poore Citizens that had no lands Howbeit the riche men inhaunsed the rents and so began to thrust out the poore men Thereuppon was an ordinance made that no Citizen of ROME should haue aboue fiue hundred acres lande This lawe for a ryme did bridle the couetousnes of the riche men and did ease the poore also that dwelt in the contry apon the farmes they had taken vp of the common wealth and so liued with their owne or with that their Auncestors had from the beginning But by proces of time their riche neighbours by names of other men got their farmes ouer their heads and in the end the most of them were openly seene in it in their own names Whereuppon the poore people being thus turned out of all went but with saint corage afterwards to the warre nor cared any more for bringing vp of children So that in shortime the free men left ITALY and slaues and barbarous people did replenish it whom the rich men made to plough those landes which they had taken from the ROMANES Caius Laelius one of Scipioes friends gaue an attempt to reforme this abuse but bicause the chiefest of the citie were against him fearing it would breake out to some vprore he desisted from his purpose and therefore he was called Laelius the wise But Tiberius being chosen Tribune he did forthwith preferre the reformation aforesayd being allured vnto it as diuers writers report by Diophanes the Orator and Blossius the Philosopher of the which Diophanes was banished from the citie of MITYLENE and Blossius the ITALIAN from the citie of CVMES who was scholler and famillier vnto Antipater of TARSVS at ROME by whome he was honored by certaine workes
meeting one Voconius with three fowle Daughters of his with him he cryed out alowd This man hath gotten children in despight of Phoebus It was thought in ROME that Marcus Gellius was not borne of free parents by father and mother who reading certaine letters one daye in the Senate very lowde Cicero sayde vnto them that were about him wonder not at it q he for this man hath beene a cryer in his dayes Faustus the sonne of Sylla Dictator of ROME which sette vppe billes outlawing diuers ROMANES making it lawefull for any man to kill them without daunger where they founde them this man after he had spent the moste parte of his fathers goods was so sore in debt that he was driuen to sell his houshold stuffe by billes sette vp on euery poste Cicero when he sawe them yea mary saide he these billes please me better then those which his father sette vppe These tawntes and common quippes without purpose made diuers men to malice him The great ill will that Clodius bare him beganne vppon this occasion Clodius was of a noble house a younge man and very wilde and insolent He being in loue with Pompeia Caesars wife founde the meanes secretly to gette into Caesars house apparelled like a younge singing wenche bicause on that daye the Ladyes of ROME did solemnly celebrate a secret sacrifice in Caesars house which is not lawefull for men to be present at So there was no man there but Clodius who thought he shoulde not haue bene knowen bicause he was but a younge man without any heare on his face and that by this meanes he might come to Pompeia amongest the other women He beeing gotten into this great house by night not knowing the roomes and chambers in it there was one of Caesars mothers maydes of her chamber called Aurelia who seeing him wandring vp and downe the house in this sorte asked him what he was and how they called him So being forced to aunswer he saide he sought for Aura one of Pompeias maides The maide perceiued straight it was no womans voice and therewithal gaue a great shriche and called the other women the which did see the gates fast shut and then sought euery corner vp and downe so that at length they found him in the maides chamber with whom he came in His offence was straight blowen abroad in the citie whereuppon Caesar put his wife away and one of the Tribunes also accused Clodius and burdened him that he had prophaned the holy ceremonies of the sacrifices Cicero at that time was yet his friend beeing one that had very friendly done for him at all times and had euer accompanied him to garde him if any man would haue offered him iniurie in the busie time of the conspiracie of Catiline Clodius stowtly denied the matter he was burdened with and saide that he was not in ROME at that time but farre from thence Howbeit Cicero gaue euidence against him and deposed that the selfe same daye he came home to his house vnto him to speake with him about certaine matters This in deede was true though it seemeth Cicero gaue not this euidence so muche for the truthes sake as to please his wife Terentia for she hated Clodius to the deathe bicause of his sister Clodia that would haue maried Cicero and did secretly practise the mariage by one Tullius who was Ciceroes very friende and bicause he repayred very often to this Clodia that dwelt harde by Cicero Terentia beganne to suspect him Terentia beeing a cruell woman and wearing her husbandes breeches allured Cicero to sette vppon Clodius in his aduersitie and to witnesse agaynst him as many other honest men of the citie also did Some that he was periured others that he committed a thowsande lewde partes that he brybed the people with money that he had intised and deflowred many women Lucullus also brought forthe certayne Maydens which deposed that Clodius had deflowred the youngest of his owne sisters she beeing in house with him and maryed And there went a greate rumor also that he knewe his two other sisters of the which the one was called Terentia and maried vnto king Martius and the other Clodia whome Metellus Celer had maried and whom they commonly called Quadrantaria bicause one of her Paramours sent her a purse ful of quadâ—ynes which are litle peeces of copper money in stead of siluer Clodius was flaundered more by her then with any of the other two Notwithstanding the people were very much offended with them that gaue euidence against him and accused him The Iudges being affrayed of it got a great number of armed men about them at the day of his iudgemeÌ„t for the safetie of their persons and in the tables where they wrote their sentences their letters for the most part were confusedly set downe This notwithstanding it was found that he was quit by the greatest number and it was reported also that some of them were close fisted Catulus therefore meeting with some of them going home after they had giuen their sentence told them sutely ye had good reason to be well garded for your safetie for you were affraid your money should haue bene taken from you which you tooke for bribes And Cicero sayd vnto Clodius who reproued him that his witnes was not true he gaue against him cleane contrary q Cicero for fiue and twenty of the Iudges haue beleued me beeing so many that haue condemned thee and the thirty would not beleeue thee for they would not quit thee before they had fingered money Notwithstanding in this iudgement Caesar neuer gaue euidence against Clodius said moreouer that he did not think his wife had committed any adultery howbeit that he had put her away bicause he would that Caesars wife should not only be clean from any dishonesty but also void of all suspition Clodius being quit of this accusation and trouble hauing also found meanes to be chosen Tribune he beganne straight to persecute Cicero chaunging all thinges and stirring vp all manner of people against him First he wanne the good will of the common people by deuising of newe lawes which he preferred for their benefit and commoditie to both the Consuls he graunted great and large prouinces vnto Piso MACEDON and to Gabinius SYRIA He made also many poore men free Citizens and had alwayes about him a great number of slaues armed At that present tyme there were three notable men in ROME which caried all the swaye Crassus that shewed him selfe an open enemie vnto Cicero Pompey the other made muche both of the one and the other the third was Caesar who was prepared for his iorney into GAVLE with an armie Cicero did leane vnto him though he knewe him no fast friende of his and that he mistrusted him for matters past in Catilines conspiracie and prayed him that he might goe to the warres with him as one of his Lieuetenants Caesar graunted him Thereuppon Clodius perceiuing that
that praised be the goddes he should not now neede his presence to aide him After these words the one began to mistrust the other So it chaunced one day that as Demetrius went to Alexanders lodging where the feast was prepared there came one to him to tell him of an ambush that was layed for him and how they had determined to kill him when he should thinke to be merie at the banker But Demetrius was nothing abashed at the newes and only went a litle softlier not making such hast as he did before and in the meane time sent to commaunde his Captaines to arme their men and to haue them in readines and willed his gentlemen and all the rest of his officers that were about him which were a greater number by many than those of Alexanders side euery man of them to go in with him into the hall and to tarie there till he rose from the table By this meanes the men whome Alexander had appointed to assault him they durst not being affrayed of the great traine he had brought with him Furthermore Demetrius faining that he was not well at ease at that time to make merie he went immediatly out of the hall and the next morning determined to depart making him beleue that he had certaine newes brought him of great importaunce and prayed Alexander to pardon him that he could no lenger keepe him companie for that he was driuen of necessitie to depart from him and that an other time they woulde meete together with better leasure and libertie Alexander was verie glad to see that Demetrius went his way out of MACEDON not offended but of his owne good will whereuppon he brought him into THESSALY and when they were come to the citie of LARISSA they began againe to feast one an other to intrappe eche other the which offered Demetrius occasion to haue Alexander in his hand as he would wish him selfe For Alexander of purpose would not haue his gard about him fearing least thereby he should teach Demetrius also to stand vpon his gard Thus Alexander turned his practise for an other vpon him selfe for he was determined not to suffer Demetrius to scape his handes if he once againe came within daunger So Alexander being bidden to supper to Demetrius he came accordingly Demetrius rising from the borde in the middest of supper Alexander rose also being affrayed of that straunge manner and followed him foote by foote to the verie dore Then Demetrius sayd but to his warders at the gate kill him that followeth me With those wordes he went out of the dores and Alexander that followed him was slaine in the place and certaine of his gentlemen with him which came to rescue him of the which one of them as they killed him sayd that Demetrius had preuented them but one day All that night as it is no other likely was full of vprore and tumult Howbeit the next morning the MACEDONIANS being maruelously troubled affrayed of Demetrius great power when they saw that no man came to assaile them but that Demetrius in contrarie maner sent vnto them to tell them that he would speake with them and deliuer them reason for that he had done then they all began to be bolde againe and willingly gaue him audience Nowe Demetrius needed not to vse many wordes not to make any long Orations to win them vnto him for bicause they hated Antipater as a horrible manqueller and murderer of his mother and bicause they had no better man to preferre they easely chose Demetrius king of MACEDON and thereuppon brought him backe into MACEDON to take possession of the kingdom This chaunge was not misliked of the other MACEDONIANS that remained at home in their contrie for that they yet remembred the traiterous and wicked fact of Cassander against Alexander the great for which cause they vtterly hated detested all his issue posteritie And furthermore if there were any sparke of remembrance in their harts of the bounty goodnes of their grandfather Antipater Demetrius receiued the frute and benefit for his wife Philaes sake by whom he had a sonne that should succeede him in the kingdom and was a proper youth in campe with his father Demetrius hauing this great good happe and fortune comen vnto him he receiued newes also that Ptolomy had not onely raised his siege from the citie of SALAMINA where he kept his mother and children straightly besieged but further that he had done them great honor and bestowed great giftes vpon them On the other side also he was aduertised that his daughter Stratonice who had before bene maried vnto Seleucus was now maried againe vnto Antiochus the sonne of the sayd Seleucus and how that she was crowned Queene of all the barbarous nations inhabiting in the high prouinces of ASIA and that came to passe in this maner It chaunced that this young Prince Antiochus as loue ouercommeth all men became in loue with his mother in law Stratonice who alredie had a sonne by Seleucus his father She being young passing fayer he was so rauished with her that though he proued all the wayes possible to maister his furie and passion that way yet he was still the weaker So that in the end condemning him selfe to death bicause he found his desire abhominable his passion incurable his reason vtterly ouercome he resolued to kill him selfe by litle and litle with abstinence from meate and drinke and made no other reckoning to remedie his griefe faining to haue some secret inward disease in his body Yet could he not so finely cloke it but that Erasistratus the Phisitian easely found his griefe that loue not sicknes was his infirmitie howbeit it was hard for him to imagine with whom he was in loue Erasistratus being earnestly bent to finde out the partie he loued he sate by this young Prince all day long in his chamber and when any sayer young boy or wife came to see him he earnestly looked Antiochus in the face carefully obserued all the partes of the bodie and outward mouings which do commonly bewray the secret passions affections of the mind So hauing marked him diuers times that when others came to see him whatsoeuer they were he still remeined in one selfe state and that when Stratonice his mother in lawe came alone or in companie of her husband Seleucus to visite him he commonly perceiued those signes in him which Sappho wryteth to be in louers to wit that his words and speech did faile him his colour became red his eyes still rowled to and fro and then a sodaine swet would take him his pulse would beate fast and rise high and in the end that after the force and power of his hart had failed him and shewed all these signes he became like a man in an extasie traunse white as a kearcher he then gathering a true coniecture by these so manifest signes and declaracions that it was only Stratonice
breaketh out vnder the ground in that place where it is deuided in the narrowest place from the sea on this side So Antonius was sent before into AEGYPT with his horsemen who did not onely winne that passage but also tooke the citie of PELVSIVM which is a great citie with all the souldiers in it and thereby he cleared the way and made it safe for all the rest of the armie and the hope of the victorie also certaine for his Captaine Nowe did the enemies them selues feele the frutes of Antonius curtesie and the desire he had to winne honor For when Ptolomye after he had entred into the citie of PELVSIVM for the malice he bare vnto the citie would haue put all the AEGYPTIANS in it to the sword Antonius withstoode him by no meanes would suffer him to doe it And in all other great battells and skirmishes which they fought and were many in number Antonius did many noble actes of a valliant and wise Captaine but specially in one battell where he compassed in the enemies behind giuing them the victorie that fought against them whereby he afterwards had such honorable reward as his valliantnes deserued So was his great curtesie also much commended of all the which he shewed vnto Archelaus For hauing bene his very friend he made warre with him against his will while he liued but after his death he sought for his bodye and gaue it honorable buriall For these respects he wanne him selfe great fame of them of ALEXANDRIA and he was also thought a worthy man of all the souldiers in the ROMANES campe But besides all this he had a noble presence and shewed a countenaunce of one of a noble house he had a goodly thicke beard abroad forehead crooke nosed and there appeared such a manly looke in his countenaunce as is commonly seene in Hercules pictures stamped or grauen in mettell Now it had bene a speeche of old time that the familie of the Antonij were discended from one Anton the sonne of Hercules whereof the familie tooke name This opinion did Antonius seeke to confirme in all his doings not onely resembling him in the likenes of his bodye as we haue sayd before but also in the wearing of his garments For when he would openly shewe him selfe abroad before many people he would alwayes weare his cafsocke gyrt downe lowe vpon his hippes with a great sword hanging by his side and vpon that some ill fauored cloke Furthermore things that seeme intollerable in other men as to boast commonly to ieast with one or other to drinke like a good fellow with euery body to sit with the souldiers when they dine and to eate and drinke with them souldierlike it is incredible what wonderfull loue it wanne him amongest them And furthermore being giuen to loue that made him the more desired and by that meanes he brought many to loue him For he would further euery mans loue and also would not be angry that men should merily tell him of those he loued But besides all this that which most procured his rising and aduauncement was his liberalitie who gaue all to the souldiers and kept nothing for him selfe and when he was growen to great credit then was his authoritie and power also very great the which notwithstanding him selfe did ouerthrowe by a thowsand other faults he had In this place I will shewe you one example onely of his wonderful liberalitie He commaunded one day his coferer that kept his money to giue a friend of his 25. Myriades which the ROMANES call in their tongue Decies His coferer marueling at it and being angry withall in his minde brought him all this money in a heape together to shewe him what a maruelous masse of money it was Antonius seeing it as he went by asked what it was his coferer aunswered him it was the money he willed him to giue vnto his friend Then Antonius perceiuing the spight of his man I thought sayd he that Decies had bene a greater summe of money then it is for this is but a trifle and therefore he gaue his friend as much more another tyme but that was afterwardes Nowe the ROMANES mainteyning two factions at ROME at that tyme one against the other of the which they that tooke part with the Senate did ioyne with Pompey being then in ROME and the contrary side taking part with the people sent for Caesar to ayde them who made warres in GAVLE Then Curio Antonius friend that had chaunged his garments and at that tyme tooke parte with Caesar whose enemie he had bene before be wanne Antonius and so handled the matter partly through the great credit and swaye he bare amongest the people by reason of his eloquent tongue and partly also by his exceeding expence of money he made which Caesar gaue him that Antonius was chosen Tribune and afterwards made Augure But this was a great helpe and furtheraunce to Caesars practises For so soone as Antonius became Tribune he did oppose him selfe against those thinges which the Consul Marcellus preferred who ordeyned that certaine legions which had bene already leauied and billed should be giuen vnto Cneus Pompey with further commission and authoritie to leauye others vnto them and set downe an order that the souldiers which were already leauied and assembled should be sent into SYRIA for a newe supplie vnto Marcus Bibulus who made warre at that tyme against the PARTHIANS And furthermore prohibition that Pompey should leauy no more men and also that the souldiers should not obey him Secondly where Pompeys friends and followers would not suffer Caesars letters to be receiued and openly red in the Senate Antonius hauing power and warrant by his person through the holines of his tribuneship did read them openly and made diuers men chaunge their mindes for it appeared to them that Caesar by his letters required no vnreasonable matters At length when they preferred two matters of consideracion vnto the Senate whether they thought good that Pompey or Caesar should leaue their armie there were few of the Senators that thought it meete Pompey should leaue his armie but they all in manner commaunded Caesar to doe it Then Antonius rising vp asked whether they thought it good that Pompey and Caesar both should leaue their armies Thereunto all the Senators ioyntly together gaue their whole consent and with a great crye commending Antonius they prayed him to referre it to the iudgement of the Senate But the Consuls would not allowe of that Therefore Caesars friendes preferred other reasonable demaunds and requests againe but Cato spake against them and Leutulus one of the Consuls draue Antonius by force out of the Senate who at his going out made greuous curses against him After that he tooke a slaues gowne and speedily fled to Caesar with Quintus Cassius in a hyered coch When they came to Caesar they cryed out with open mouth that all went hand ouer head at ROME for the
make matters wrose betwene them but they made them frendes together and diuided the Empire of ROME betwene them making the sea Ionium the bounde of their diuision For they gaue all the prouinces Eastward vnto Antonius and the contries Westward vnto Caesar and left AFRICKE vnto Lepidus and made a law that they three one after an other should make their frendes Consuls when they would not be them selues This seemed to be a sound counsell but yet it was to be confirmed with a straighter bonde which fortune offered thus There was Octauia the eldest sister of Caesar not by one mother for the came of Ancharia Caesar him self afterwards of Accia It is reported that he dearly loued his sister Octauia for in deede she was a noble Ladie and left the widow of her first husband Gaius Mercellus who dyed not long before and it seemed also that Antonius had bene widower euen since the death of his wife Fuluia For he denied not that he kept Cleopatra but so did he not confesse that he had her as his wife so with reason he did defend the loue he bare vnto this AEGYPTIAN Cleopatra Thereuppon euerie man did set forward this mariage hoping thereby that this Ladie Octauia hauing an excellent grace wisedom honestie ioyned vnto so rare a beawtie that when she were with Antonius he louing her as so worthy a Ladie deserueth she should be a good meane to keepe good loue amitie betwext her brother and him So when Caesar he had made the matche betwene them they both went to ROME about this mariage although it was against the law that a widow should be maried within tenne monethes after her husbandes death Howbeit the Senate dispensed with the law and so the mariage proceeded accordingly Sextus Pompeius at that time kept in SICILIA and so made many an inrode into ITALIE with a great number of pynnasies and other pirates shippes of the which were Captaines two notable pirats Menas and Menecrates who so scoored all the sea thereabouts that none durst peepe out with a sayle Furthermore Sextus Pompeius had delt verie frendly with Antonius for he had curteously receiued his mother when she fled out of ITALIA with Fuluia and therefore they thought good to make peace with him So they met all three together by the mount of Misena vpon a hill that runneth farre into the sea Pompey hauing his shippes ryding hard by at ancker and Antonius and Caesar their armies vpon the shoare side directly ouer against him Now after they had agreed that Sextus Pompeius should haue SICILE and SARDINIA with this condicion that he should ridde the sea of all theeues and pirats and make it safe for passengers and withall that he should send a certaine of wheate of ROME one of them did feast an other and drew cuts who should beginne It was Pompeius chaunce to inuite them first Whereupon Antonius asked him where shall we suppe There said Pompey and shewed him his admirall galley which had six bankes of owers that sayd he is my father house they haue left me He spake it to taunt Antonius bicause he had his fathers house that was Pompey the great So he cast ankers enowe into the sea to make his galley fast and then bulls a bridge of wodde to conuey them to his galley from the heade of mount Misena and there he welcomed them and made them great cheere Now in the middest of the feast when they sell to be merie with Antonius loue vnto Cleopatra Manas the pirate came to Pompey and whispering in his care said vnto him shall I cut the gables of the ankers and make thee Lord not only of SICILE and SARDINIA but of the whole Empire of ROME besides Pompey hauing pawsed a while vpon it at length aunswered him thou shouldest haue done it and nether haue told it me but now we must content vs with that we haue As for my selfe I was neuer taught to breake my faith nor to be counted a traitor The other two also did likewise feast him in their campe and then he returned into SICILE Antonius after this agreement made sent Ventidius before into ASIA to stay the PARTHIANS and to keepe them they should come no further and he him selfe in the meane time to gratefie Caesar was contented to be chosen Iulius Caesars priest and sacrificer so they ioyntly together dispatched all great matters concerning the state of the Empire But in all other maner of sportes and exercises wherein they passed the time away the one with the other Antonius was euer inferior vnto Caesar and alway lost which grieued him much With Antonius there was a soothsayer or astronomer of AEGYT that coulde cast a figure and iudge of mens natiuities to tell them what should happen to them He either to please Cleopatra or else for that he founde it so by his art told Antonius plainly that his fortune which of it selfe was excellent good and very great was altogether bleamished and obscured by Caesars fortune and therefore he counselled him vtterly to leaue his company and to get him as farre from him as he could For thy Demon said he that is to say the good angell and spirit that kepeth thee is affraied of his and being coragious high when he is alone becometh fearefull and timerous when he commeth neere vnto the other Howsoeuer it was the euents ensuing proued the AEGYPTIANS words true For it is said that as often as they two drew cuts for pastime who should haue any thing or whether they plaied at dice Antonius alway lost Oftentimes when they were disposed to see cockefight or quailes that were taught to fight one with an other Caesars cockes or quailes did euer ouercome The which spighted Antonius in his mind although he made no outward shew of it and therefore he beleued the AEGYPTIAN the better In fine he recommended the affaires of his house vnto Caesar went out of ITALIE with Octauia his wife whom he caried into GRAECE after he had had a daughter by her So Antonius lying all the winter at ATHENS newes came vnto him of the victories of Ventidius who had ouercome the PARTHIANS in battel in the which also were slaine Labienus and Pharnabates the chiefest Captaine king Orodas had For these good newes be feasted all ATHENS and kept open house for all the GRAECIANS and many games of price were plaied at ATHENS of the which he him selfe would be iudge Wherfore leauing his gard his axes and tokens of his Empire at his house he came into the show place or listes where these games were played in a long gowne and slippers after the GRAECIAN facion and they caried tippestaues before him as marshalls men do cary before the Iudges to make place and he himselfe in person was a stickler to part the young men when they had fought enough After that preparing to go to the warres he made him a
daughter he named his sonne Alexander his daughter Cleopatra and gaue them to their surnames the Sunne to the one the moone to the other This notwithstanding he that could finely cloke his stramefull deedes with fine words said that the greames magnificence of the Empire of ROME appeared most not where the ROMANES tooke but where they gaue much nobility was multiplied amongest men by the posterity of kings when they left of their seede in diuers places and that by this meanes his first auncester was begotten of Hercules who had not left the hope and continuance of his line and posterity in the wombe of one only woman fearing Solons lawes or regarding the ordinaunces of men touching the procreacion of children but that he gaue it vnto nature and established the fundacion of many noble races and families in diuers places Nowe when Phraortes had slaine his father Orodes and possessed the kingdome many gentlemen of PARTHIA forsooke him and fled from him Amongst them was Manaset a noble man and of great authority among his contry men who came vnto Antonius that receiued him compared his fortune vnto Themistocles and his owne riches magnificence vnto the king of PERSIA For he gaue Monases three cities LARISSA ARETHVSA HIERAPOLIS which was called before BOMBYCE Howbeit the king of PARTHIA shortly after called him home againe vpon his faith word Antonius was glad to let him go hoping thereby as steale vpon Phraortes vnprouided For he sent vnto him told him that they would remaine good frends haue peace together so he would but only redeliuer the standerds ensignes of the ROMANES which the PARTHIANS had wonne in the battell where Marcus Crassus was slaine the men also that remained yet prisoners of this ouerthrow In the meane time he sent Cleopatra backe into AEGYPT tooke his way towards ARABIA ARMENIA there tooke a general muster of all his army he had together of the kings his cōsederats that were come by his cōmaundement to aide him being a maruelous number of the which the chiefest was Artauasdes king of ARMENIA who did furnish him with six thowsande horsemen and seuen thowsand footemen There were also of the ROMANES about three score thowsand footmen of horsemen SPANIARDS GAVLES reckoned for ROMANES to the number of ten thousand of other nations thirty thowsand men reckoning together the horsemen and light armed footemen This so great puisant army which made the INDIANS quake for feare dwelling about the country of the BACTRIANS and all ASIA also to tremble serued him to no purpose all for the loue he bare to Cleopatra For the earnest great desire he had to lye all winter with her made him begin his warre out of due time and for hast to put all in hazard being so rauished enchaunted with the sweete poyson of her loue that he had no other thought but of her how he might quickly returne againe more then he how might ouercome his enemies For first of all where he should haue wintered in ARMENIA to refresh his men wearied with the long iorney they had made hauing comen eight thowsand furlongs and then at the beginning of the spring to go and inuade MEDIA before the PARTHIANS should stirre out of their houses garrisons he could tary no lenger but led them forthwith vnto the prouince of ATROFATENE leauing ARMENIA on the left hand forraged al the contry Furthermore making all the hast he coulde he left behinde him engines of battery which were caried with him in three hūdred carts among the which also there was a ramme foure score foote long being things most necessary for him and the which he could not get againe for money if they were once lost or marted For the hie prouinc◠〈…〉 ASIA haue no trees growing of such height and length neither strong nor straight enough to make such like engines of battery This notwithstanding he left them all behind him as a hinderance to bring his matters intent speedily to passe and left a certaine number of men to keepe them and gaue them in charge vnto one Tatianus Then he went to besiege the citie of PHRAATA being the chiefest and greatest citie the king of MEDIA had where his wife and children were Then he straight sounde his owne fault and the want of his artillerie he left behinde him by the worke he had in hande for he was fayne for lacke of a breache where his men might come to the swords with their enemies that defended the walle to force a mount of earth hard to the walles of the citie the which by litle and litle with greate labour rose to some height In the meane time king Phraortes came downe with a great armie who vnderstanding that Antonius had left his engines of batterie behind him he sent a great number of horsemen before which enuironed Tatianus with all his cariage and slue him and ten thowsand men he had with him After this the barbarous people tooke these engines of battery and burnt them and got many prisoners amongst whom they tooke also king Polemon This discomfiture maruelously troubled all Antonius army to receiue so great an ouerthrow beyong their expectacion at the beginning of their iorney insomuche that Artahazus king of the ARMENIANS dispairing of the good successe of the ROMANES departed with his men notwithstanding that he was him selfe the first procurer of this warre and iorney On the other side the PARTHIANS came coragiously vnto Antonius campe who lay at the siege of their chiefest citie and cruelly reuiled and threatned him Antonius therefore fearing that if he lay still and did nothing his mens harts would faile them he tooke ten legions with three cohorts or ensignes of the Praetors which are companies appointed for the gard of the Generall and all his horsemen and caried them out to sorrage hoping therby he should easely allure the PARTHIANS to fight a battell But when he had marched about a dayes iorney form his campe he saw the PARTHIANS wheeling round about him to geue him the onset to skirmish with him when he would thinke to march his way Therefore he set out his signall of battell yet caused his tents and fardells to be trussed vp as though he ment not to fight but only to lead his men back againe Then he marched before the army of the barbarous people the which was marshald like a cressant or halfe moone and commaunded his horsemen that as soone as they thought the legions were nere enough vnto their enemies to set vpon the voward that then they should set spurres to their horses begin the charge The PARTHIANS standing in battell ray beholding the countenaunce of the ROMANES as they marched they appeared to be souldiers in deede to see them marche in so good array as was possible For in their march they kept the rankes a like space one
to geue the goddes thankes for his comming as for some wonderful great good happe chaunced vnto his seigniory Furthermore the wonderfull modestie and temperaunce that was begon to be obserued in feast and bankets the Court cleane chaunged and the great goodnes and clemencie of the tyran in all thinges in ministring iustice to euerie man did put the SYRACVSANS in great good hope of chaunge and euerie man in the Court was verie desirous to geue him selfe to learning and Philosophie So that as men reported the tyrannes pallace was full of sande and dust with the numbers of studentes that drewe plattes and figures of Geometrie Shortlie after Plato was arriued by chaunce the time was comen about to doe a solemne sacrifice within the castell at whiche sacrifice the Heraulde as the manner was proclaimed alowde the solemne prayer accustomed to be done that is woulde please the goddes long to preserue the state of the tyrannie and that Dionysius being harde by him sayd vnto him what wilt thou not leaue to curse me This worde grieued Philistus and his companions to the harte thinkinge that with time by litle and litle Plato would winne suche estimacion and great authoritie with Dionysius that afterwardes they shoulde not be able to resist him considering that in so short a time as he had bene with Dionysius he had so altered his minde and courage And therefore they nowe beganne not one by one nor in hugger mugger but all of them with open mowth together to accuse Dion and sayed that it was easie to be seene howe he charmed and inchaunted Dionysius through Platoes eloquence to make him willing to resigne his gouernment bicause he woulde transferre it to the handes of the children of his sister Aristomaché Others seemed to be offended for that the ATHENIANS hauing comen before into SICILIA with a great armie both by sea and land they were all lost and cast away and could not win the city of SYRACVSA that now by one only Sophister they vtterly destroyed and ouerthrewe the Empire of Dionysius perswading him to discharge the ten thowsand souldiers he had about him for his garde to forsake the foure hundred gallies the ten thowsand horsemen and as many moe footemen to goe to the Academy to seeke an vnknowen happines neuer heard of before and to make him happy by Geometry resigning his present happines and felicitie to be a great Lord to haue money at will and to liue pleasauntlie vnto Dion and his Neuewes By such like accusations and wicked tongues Dionysius began first to mistrust Dion and afterwardes to be openly offended with him and to frowne vpon him In the meane time they brought letters Dion wrote secretlie vnto the Gouernors of the citie of CARTHAGE willing them that when they would make peace with Dionysius they shoulde not talke with him vnlesse he stoode by assuring them that he would helpe them to set things in quietnes that all should be well againe When Dionysius had red these letters with Philistus had taken his aduise counsel what he should do as Timaeus said he deceiued Dion vnder pretence of recoÌ„ciliacioÌ„ making as though he ment him no hurt saying that he would become frends again with him So he brought Dion one day to the sea side vnder his castell and shewed him these letters burdening him to haue practised with the CARTHAGINIANS against him And as Dion went about to make him answere to cleere himself Dionysius would not heare him but caused him to be taken vp as he was and put into a pinnase commaunded the marines to set him a lande vpon the coast of ITALIE After this was done and that it was knowen abroad in the citie euerie man thought it a cruell parte of Dionysius insomuche that the tyrans pallace was in a maruelous pecke of troubles for the great sorowe the women made for the departure of Dion Moreouer the citie selfe of SYRACVSA began to looke about them looking for some sodaine great chaunge innouation for the tumult vprore that would happen by meanes of Dions banishment and for the mistrust also that all men would haue of Dionysius Dionysius considering this and being affrayed of some misfortune he gaue his frendes and the women of his pallace comfortable words telling them that he had not banished him but was contented that he should absent him selfe for a time being affrayed that in his sodaine angry moode he might peraduenture be compelled to do him some worse turne if he remained bicause of his obstinacie and selfewill Furthermore he gaue vnto Dions frends two shippes to carie as much goodes money and as many of Dions seruauntes as they woulde and to conuey them vnto him vnto PELOPONNESVS Dion was a maruelous rich man for the pompe of his seruice and sumptuous moueables of his house they were like vnto the person of a tyran All these riches Dions frendes brought abord vpon those shippes and caried them vnto him besides many other rich gifts which the women and his frends sent vnto him So that by meanes of his great riches Dion was maruelouslie esteemed among the GRAECIANS who by the â—iches of a banished citizen coniectured what the power of a tyranne might be But now concerning Plato when Dion was exiled Dionysius caused him to be lodged in his castell and by this meanes craftilie placed vnder cloke of frendshippe an honorable garde about him bicause he shoulde not returne into GRAECE to seeke Dion to tell him of the iniurie he had done vnto him Howbeit Dionysius often frequenting him companie as a wilde beast is made tame by companie of man he liked his talke so well that he became in loue with him but it was a tyrannicall loue For he woulde haue Plato to loue none but him and that he shoulde esteeme him aboue all men liuing being readie to put the whole realme into his handes And all his forces so that he woulde thinke better of him then of Dion Thus was this passionate affection of Dionysius grieuous vnto Plato For he was so drowned with the loue of him as men extreamelie gealous of the women they loue that in a moment he woulde sodainly fall out with him and straight againe become frendes and pray him to pardon him And to say truelie he had a maruelous desire to heare Platoes Philosophie but on the other side he reuerenced them that did disswade him from it and told him that he woulde spoyle him selfe if he entred ouerdeepelie into it In the meane time fell out warre and thereuppon he sent Plato againe away promising him that the next spring he woulde sende for Dion him But he brake promise therein and yet sent him his reuenues and prayed Plato to pardon him though he had not kept promise at his time appointed For he alleaged the warre was the cause and that so soone as he had ended his warre he woulde sende for Dion whome in the meane
and vprore it was thought then that Brutus woulde take parte with Caesar bicause Pompey not long before had put his father vnto death But Brutus preferring the respect of his contrie and common wealth before priuate affection and perswading himselfe that Pompey had iuster cause to enter into armes then Caesar he then tooke parte with Pompey though oftentimes meting him before he thought scorne to speake to him thinking it a great sinne and offence in him to speake to the murtherer of his father But then submitting him selfe vnto Pompey as vnto the head of the common wealth he sailed into SICILIA Lieutenant vnder Sestius that was Gouernor of that prouince But when he saw that there was no way to rise nor to do any noble exployts and that Caesar Pompey were both camped together and fought for victory he went of him selfe vnsent for into MACEDON to be partaker of the daunger It is reported that Pompey being glad and wondering at his comming when he sawe him come to him he rose out of his chaire and went and imbraced him before them all and vsed him as honorablie as he could haue done the noblest man that tooke his parte Brutus being in Pompeys campe did nothing but studie all day long except he were with Pompey not only the dayes before but the selfe same day also before the great battell was fought in the fieldes of PHARSALIA where Pompey was ouerthrowen It was in the middest of sommer and the sunne was verie hotte besides that the campe was lodged neere vnto marishes and they that caried his tent taried long before they came whereuppon being verie wearie with trauell scant any meate came into his mouth at dinner time Furthermore when others slept or thought what woulde happen the morrowe after he fell to his booke and wrote all day long till night wryting a breuiarie of Polybius It is reported that Caesar did not forgette him and that he gaue his Captaines charge before the battell that they shoulde beware they killed not Brutus in fight and if he yeelded willinglie vnto them that then they shoulde bring him vnto him but if he resisted and woulde not be taken then that they shoulde lette him goe and doe him no hurte Some saye he did this for Seruiliaes sake Brutus mother For when he was a young man he had bene acquainted with Seruilia who was extreamelie in loue with him And bicause Brutus was borne in that time when their loue was hottest he perswaded him selfe that he begat him For proofe hereof the reporte goeth that when the waightiest matters were in hande in the Senate about the conspiracie of Catiline which was likelie to haue vndone the citie of ROME Caesar and Cato sate neere together and were both of contrarie mindes to eache other and then that in the meane time one deliuered Caesar a letter Caesar tooke it and red it softlie to him selfe but Cato cried out vpon Caesar and sayd he did not well to receiue aduertisementes from enemies Whereuppon the whole Senate beganne to murmure at it Then Caesar gaue Cato the letter as it was sent him who red it and founde that it was a loue letter sent from his sister Seruilia thereuppon he cast it againe to Caesar and sayde vnto him holde dronken soppe When he had done so he went on with his tale and maintayned his opinion as he did before so commonlie was the loue of Seruilia knowen which she bare vnto Caesar. So after Pompeys ouerthrowe at the battell of PHARSALIA and that he fledde to the sea when Caesar came to beseege his campe Brutus went out of the campe gates vnseene of any man and lept into a marishe full of water and reedes Then when night was come he crept out and went vnto the citie of LARISSA from whence he wrote vnto Caesar who was verie glad that he had scaped and sent for him to come vnto him When Brutus was come he did not onelie pardon him but also kept him alwayes about him and did as muche honor and esteeme him any man he had in his companie Nowe no man coulde tell whether Pompey was fledde and all were maruelous desirous to knowe it wherefore Caesar walking a good waye alone with Brutus he did aske him which way he thought Pompey tooke Caesar perceiuing by his talke that Brutus gessed certainlie whether Pompey shoulde be fledde he left all other wayes and tooke his iorney directlie towardes AEGYPT Pompey as Brutus had coniectured was in deede fledde into AEGYPT but there he was villanouslie slayne Furthermore Brutus obteyned pardon of Caesar for Cassius and defending also the king of LYBIAES cause he was ouerlayed with a worlde of accusacions against him howebeit intreating for him he saued him the best parte of his realme and kingdome They say also that Caesar sayd when he hearde Brutus pleade I knowe not sayd he what this young man woulde but what he woulde he willeth it vehementlie For as Brutus grauetie and constant minde woulde not graunt all men their requests that sued vnto him but being moued with reason and discretion did alwayes encline to that which was good and honest euen so when it was moued to followe any matter he vsed a kinde of forcible and vehement perswasion that calmed not till he had obteyned his desire For by flattering of him a man coulde neuer obteyne any thing at his handes nor make him to doe that which was vniust Further he thought it not meete for a man of calling and estimacion to yeelde vnto the requestes and intreaties of a shamelesse and importunate suter requesting thinges vnmeete the which notwithstanding some men doe for shame bicause they dare deny nothing And therefore he was wont to say that he thought them euill brought vp in their youth that coulde deny nothing Nowe when Caesar tooke sea to goe into AFRICKE against Cato and Scipio he left Brutus Gouernment of GAVLE in ITALIE on this side of the Alpes which was a great good happe for that prouince For where others were spoyled and polled by the insolencie and couetousnesse of the Gouernours as if it had bene a contrie conquered Brutus was a comforte and rest vnto their former troubles and miseries they susteyned But he referred it whollie vnto Caesars grace and goodnesse For when Caesar returned out of AFRICKE and progressed vp and downe ITALIE the things that pleased him best to see were the cities vnder Brutus charge and gouernment and Brutus him selfe who honored Caesar in person and whose companie also Caesar greatlie esteemed Now there were diuers sortes of Praetorshippes at ROME and it was looked for that Brutus or Cassius would make sute for the chiefest Praetorshippe which they called the Praetorshippe of the citie bicause he that had that office was as a Iudge to minister iustice vnto the citizens Therefore they stroue one against the other though some say that there was some litle grudge betwext them for other matters before and
Xenophon great about Agesilaus marg The practise of Lysander about alteratioÌ„ of gouernment The wise conÌ„sell of a Senatour at Sparta The policie of Agesilaus to win his enemies Agesilaus Agesipolis kinges of Lacedaemon Teleutias Agesilaus halfe brother made Generall of the army by sea Certaine Apothegmes of Agesilaus * Meaning that he was not well in his wittes to be so presumptuous Agesilaus ouercome the Acarnanians Antalcidas peace Phoebidas possesseth the castel of Cadmea Agesilaus praise of iustice Sphodrias practise to take the hauen of Pirâ—a at Athens Sphodrias accused of treason Home Sphodrias was saued froÌ„ death Agesilaus cockering his children too much Agesilaus iorney into Boeotia Antalcidas saying Rhetra of Lycurgus Agesilaus suâ—till deuise to shewe the weakenes of the allies Agesilaus sell sodainly sicke of a daungerous disease Epaminondas the Theban sent Ambassador vnto Lacedaemon The strife betwext Agesilaus and Epaminondas for the libertie of Boeotia The Lacedaemonians slaine at the battell of Leuctres Cleombrotus king of the Lacedaemonians slaine Cleonymus the sonne of Sphodrias slaine at king Cleombrotus foote Xenophons saying The constancy and fortitude of the Spartans The fortitude of the Spartan women Tresantas be cowardes or faint harted men Punishment at Sparta for cowardly souldiers Epaminondas inuadeth Laconia with three score ten thowsande men Certaine witty aunswers Conspiracies at Lacedaemon vnder Agesilaus Issorium the temple of Diana A fine deuise to apprehende the traitors The departure of the Thebans out of Laconia Agesilaus saued the citie of Sparta The tearelesse battell of Archidamus ouercomming the ArcadiaÌ„s The Lacedaemonians were not wonâ— to reioyes much at any victory Messina restored againsâ— by Epaminondas Epaminondas second iorney vnto Sparta Agesilaus repulsed Epaminondas from Lacedaemon The fortitude of Archidamus The valliantnes of Isadas a Spartan Isadas rewarded amerced The death of Epaminondas Machariones why so called Agesilaus greedy of warres Agesilaus devided of the Egiptians Agesilaus despised al dainty thinges Agesilaus forsaketh Tachos goeth vnto Nectanebos In whom stratageames take most effect The stratageame of Agesilaus against the Egyptians The liberality of king Nectanebos vnto Agesilaus The death of Agesilaus The raigne of Agesilaus Agesilaus body noynted with waxe for lacke of honnie The father of Pompey hated in Rome Strabo the father of Pompey The Loue of the Romanes vnto Pompey The fauour of Pompey Flora the curtisan loued Pompey Flora the curtisan was passing sayer The temperaunce of Pompey in dyes The treason of Lucius TereÌ„tius against Pompey Pompey accused for robbing the common treasure The cause of the crie of Talassio at mariages in Rome Pompey maried Antistia The death of Cinna Pompeyes first Captainshippe vnder Sylla Pompey was Chiefetaine of an army at 23. yeares of age The citie of Auximum Pompey goeth vnto Sylla Pompey victories of the Marians Pompey ioyned with Sylla Pompey called Imperator of Sylla The honor Sylla did vnto Pompey Pompey went to aide Metellus in Gaule VVonderfull victories of Pompey Pompey put away his wife Antistia â— and maried AEmylia the daughter of Metella Syllaes wife The death of Antistius Pompey sent from Syllainto Sicile Lawe must geue place to armie The death of Carbo The death of Q. Valerius The bolde speache of Sthenis Pompey sealed vp his souldiers swordes Pompeis iorney into Msâ—icke vnder Sylla against Domitius Domitius camped by Pompey with his army Pompeis victory of Domitius Domitius slaine Pompey tooke king Iarbas Pompeis conquestes at 24. yeares of age The loue of the souldiers vnto Pompey Pompey called Magnus by Sylla The wisedom of the Romanes commended for rewardinge foreine and home seruice Valerius and Rullus called Maximi in Rome Pompeis slowt aunswere vnto Sylla Pompey not being Senator triuÌ„pheth against the law Marcus Lepidus created Consull Sylla fallow from the loue of Pompey Lepidus moueth ciuill warre Brutus the father slaine by Pompey The death of Lepidus The valliantnes of Sertorius in Spayne Pompeys iorney into Spayne against Sertorius Metellus geuen to royt pleasure Sertorius wan the city of Lauron in the fight of Pompey Pompey slue Herennius Perpenna Battell betwext Pompey and Sertorius Sucron fl The modesty of Pompey Metellus Pompey ouercame Perpenna and slue him Pompey burnt Sertorius letters the like also did Iulius Caesar wheÌ„ he ouercame Pompey Pompey ouercame the rest of the bondemen Pompey and Crassus first Consullshippe The custome of the Knights in Rome Pompey as a Knight of Rome sueth to be discharged from the warres Pompey submitteth to the Censors Pompey and Crassus made frendes Pompeye pride and glory The beginning of the pirates warre The power insolency of the pirates in Cilicia The pirates nauy a thowsand shippes The pirates scorning of the Romanes when they were taken Gabinius law for Pompeys authority against the pirates At the voyce of the people a crow flying fell downe Pompeys preparation against the pirates The courtesie of Pompey vnto Piso. The victory of Pompey vpon the pirate How men are tamed Pompey lewd fact against Metellus Achilles dishonest fact Pompey appointed Lucullus successor The boldnes of Catulus in disswading Manilius law Pompeys great dissimulation Quarrell betwixt Pompey and Lucullus Pompey and Lucullus meeting in Galatia Pompeys iorney against Mithridates Mithridates dreame Pompey ouerthrew Mithridates Hypsicratea Mithridates concubine otherwise called Hypsicrates for his valliantnes like a man. Araxes fl Tigranes yeldeth him selfe vnto Pompey Tigranes laied his diadeame at Pompeys feete Tigranes sonne a prisoner Ambassadors sent from the king of Parthia vnto Pompey Caucasus mont Albani and Iberes what meâ—â—â— of people Cyrnus fl Pompey ouerthrew the Albanians Pompey ouercame the Iberians Phasis fl The AlbaniaÌ„s rebell against Pompey Abas fl Pompey slue Cosis the kinges brother of the Albanians The Amazones Gele and Leleges people that do company with the Amazones Thermodon fl Stratonice Mithridates chiefe harlot Pompeys abstinence from taking of gifts Mithridates remeÌ„brauÌ„ces Rutilius an historiographer Pompeis faâ—e Pompeys iorney into Syria Pompey brought Syria into the forme and gouernment of a prouince Pompeys vertues The power insolency of Demetrius Pompeys infranchised bondman Catoes exclamation against Demetrius Pompeys infranchised bondman Pompeys Theater The king of Arabia Petrea submitted him selfe to Pompey Mithridates death The value of Mithridates scaberd of his sword Pompeys returne out of Asia Mutia the wife of Pompey Pompey forsooke his wife Mutia Pompey at his returne out of Asia discharged his souldiers Pompeis honorable returne to Rome out of Asia A law for triumphe Cato refreseth Pompeis alliance Pompeis third triumphe The canâ—â—ies conquered by Pompey Captiues led in Pompeis third triuÌ„phe Pompey conquered three partes of the world Africke Europe Asia Pompey triumphed thrise before the age of forty yeres The chaunge of Pompeys fortune and honor Lucullus beloued of the Senate at his returne out of Asia Lucullus inueyed against Pompey by Catoes ressistance Pompey ioyned with Clodius Tribune of the people Pompey forsaketh his frend Cicero Caesar reconciled Pompey and Crassus
and fearing his power punished him in mony for that he made the common loue of his contrie priuate to him selfe For as naturall Philosophers holde opinion that if contention and strife were taken out of nature it would come to passe that the heauenly bodies should stand still and also that the generation of all thinges should be at a stay by reason of the mutuall agreement betwene the worlde and them euen so the lawemaker of LACEDAEMON seemeth to haue allowed ambition strife in the common wealth as a spurre to vertue by procuring alwayes some contencion and emulacion amonge great persones And his reason was that this base and effeminate fauor in winking one at an other when men are to be rebuked ought not of right to be called by the name of concorde And sure some thinke that Homer also saw the same for he would neuer else haue made Agamemnon to haue reioyced to see Vlysses and Achilles at great wordes together if he had not bene of opinion that enuy and contencion among great men were very auailable for the common wealth Yet is not this thus simply to be allowed for contentions are hurtfull to cities where they are violent and doe bring great daungers with them Nowe when Agesilaus was entred into his kingdome of LACEDAEMON newes were brought him out of ASIA that the king of PERSIA prepared a great nauy to conquer the LACEDAEMONIANS signory by sea Lysander being glad of this occasion longing to be sent againe into ASIA to succour his frends whom he had left there as Gouernors Lieutenants of cities prouinces of the which some of them were driuen away by their citizens others also put to death for abusing of their authority ruling ouercruelly perswaded Agesilaus goe into ASIA to make warre apon this barbarous king farre from GRAECE before his army were gathered together And to cōpasse this the easilier he wrote vnto his frends in ASIA that they should send vnto SPARTA to require Agesilaus for their Captaine and so they did Thereupon Agesilaus going to the assembly of the people accepted the charge with condition that they would geue him thirtie Captaines of the SPARTANS to be counsellers assistants to him in these warres two thowsand free ILOTES six thowsand of the confederates of LACEDAEMON All this was immediatly graunted through Lysanders frendshippe towards him and he was sent away straight with the thirty Captaines which he had requested of the which Lysander was the chiefest not only for his riches and authoritie but also for the good will he bare vnto Agesilaus who thought him selfe more beholding to him for procuring him this charge than for his frendship he shewed him in bringing him to be king Now Agesilaus army being assembled at the hauen of Geraeste him selfe with certaine of his frends went vnto the citie of AVLIDE where in his sleepe he drempt that one sayd vnto him O king of the LACEDAEMONIANS thou knowest that neuer none but Agamemnon now thy selfe was chosen Generall of all GREECE considering therefore that thou commaundest the same people he did that thou makest warres with the selfe same enemies departing from the selfe same place to goe thither it is reason that thou make the selfe same sacrifice vnto the goddesse the which he made at his like departure Agesilaus straight apon this vision remembred that Agamemnon though the perswasion of the Soothsayers did sacrifice his owne daughter in the same place Yet this made him not afrayed but the next day he told it to his frendes and said he would sacrifice that vnto the goddesse which he thought woulde please her well enough and that he would not followe that cruell deuotion of this auncient Captaine Agamemnon And with that he brought a hynde crowned with a garland of flowers and commaunded his Soothsayer to sacrifice her and would not suffer him to haue the honor to doe the sacrifice that was appointed for the same purpose by the Gouernors of BOEOTIA according to the custome of that place The Gouernors of BOEOTIA vnderstanding it were much offended and sent their officers to will Agesilaus not to doe any sacrifice there contrarie to the law and custome of their contrie The officers that were sent performed their commission and finding that the beast was slaine the quarters of it apon the aulter they tooke and flong them of the aulter euery way This vexed Agesilaus being readie to imbarke and departed thence in choller against the THEBANS and mistrusted much his good successe by this vnluckie prediction which seemed to prognosticate vnto him that he should not preuaile according to his desire Furthermore when he was arriued at EPHESVS he presently misliked the honor he saw done vnto Lysander and the great traine that waited on him For all the contriemen there repaired continually to his house that when he came abroade they all followed him whensoeuer he went as though Lysander had in deede bene in authority to doe what he would and that Agesilaus only had but the name to be general so appointed by the law of LACEDAEMON For in troth there was neuer GRAECIAN Captaine in those partes that had won him such estimation nor that was more feared than he nor there was neuer man that was more beneficial to his frends neither also that was more hurtfull to his enemies All these thinges being fresh in memorie the contriemen of that contrie perceiuing the simplicity of Agesilaus and howe he was geuen to please the people and caried no great maiestie nor countenaunce with him and obseruing in Lysander that wonted roughnes and sharpe speech wherewith they had bene acquainted before euery man obeied him and nothing was done but what he commaunded This first to all made the other SPARTANS angrie for that it appeared they were come as it were to serue Lysander and not as to counsell the king but after that Agesilaus him selfe also grew miscontented although of his owne nature he was not enuious nor sorie to see others honored besides him selfe Yet being a man ambitiously geuen and of a noble corage fearing if he should doe any noble exployt in his warre that they would impute it vnto Lysander for the great estimation he was of he first beganne to deale in this sorte with him First he contraried all his counsells and what matters soeuer he preferred which he was desirous should haue taken effect Agesilaus would none of that but tooke some other in hand Furthermore if any of Lysanders followers came to make sure to him for his fauor perceiuing that they did leane vnto Lysander he sent them away without any thing done for them In like case also in matters of iudgements if Lysander were against any they were sure to haue the matter passe on their side On the contrarie parte also if Lysander bare good will to the partie and fauored the cause to gratifie him they hardly escaped from setting a fine of their heades Agasilaus continuing