is oppos'd to the Admiral the Affection of the People to the Souldier's Rebellion but if a Minister be General of an Army Superintendent of the Treasury Admiral or if these Charges are at his disposal what is there that he cannot do if faithful he is formidable if unfaithful he is King Parmenio and Philotas were Masters of the Empire one General of the Cavalry the other of a whole Army the former Governor of several Provinces Superintendent of the Treasury having in all Battels the command of one Wing the latter awing the great Ones a Favorite and Arbiter of his Prince's Life The immense Riches of Philotas the great number of Creatures of all sorts and conditions inseparably linked to his Fortune his Authority in the Armies almost equalling the King's might well induce him young as he was cruel full of delicacy and pride to conspire the death of Alexander the only Let to him in his way to the highest pitch of Grandeur Add to these the Love of a Woman the true cause of his destruction Antigone of a noble Birth an excellent Beauty a sweet Nature a lively pleasant charming Spirit was one of those illustrious Prisoners that the Governor of Damascus delivered to Permenio with all the Treasures Darius had committed to his disloyal custody This fair Slave made her self Mistress of Philotas his Liberty he forgot that he had all power over her and shamefully submitted himself to her Laws That pride that contempt that made him but a little before despise Darius his Nobles the chiefest of the Macedonians and equal himself to his King chang'd it self immediately into submissions to his own Captive he became fearful as are the greatest part of Lovers and thought himself unworthy of her because he was not Alexander The violence of his Passion rouzes in his Heart a vehement desire of making himself King impatient of enjoying Antigone he despairs of possessing her unless he share the Empire with her At the Wars egg'd on with great Love and Courage he exposes himself to dangers more than ordinary he is liberal to prodigality gentle affable gains the Hearts of his Souldiers cloaths himself like them accommodates himself to their Manners protects them is belov'd and reigns already over the whole Army But so many good Qualities were produc'd by Love which being blind can never guide Lovers in their Conduct and in his Reason and Prudence had no share At Table in his Bed in the midst of good Cheer and Imbracements he begins to celebrate his Actions Alexander could not recompence them with a Kingdom large enough for his Ambition Philotas looks on him no longer as his Benefactor accuses him of Injustice speaks insolently of him debases this great Monarch ascribes all his Conquests to Parmenio le ts scape some injurious Language the most clear-sighted penetrate into his Designs and suspect his Loyalty Perhaps he might think that he discharg'd his Heart into the Bosom of a Woman amorous and discreet A strange thing that so many Examples of Infidelity cannot make Lovers suspicious of the usual Inconstancy of their Mistresses Fickle Antigone ceases to love Philotas and betrays him She must destroy him to preserve her new Lover She thinks it her securest way to acquaint Alexander with the imminent danger threatning him Craterus whom the King honour'd particularly with his Favour jealous of Philotas his Glory and an Enemy to his Grandeur seeks occasion to ruin him which Antigone proffers him and tells him all that miserable Wretch had discover'd to her of his Mind during the most tender moments of their privacy As it is impossible that the Dust cast into the Wind should not be scatter'd so it is very difficult for a Secret intrusted with a Woman young handsom and amorous not to be divulg'd She longs to know that that 's kept from her and when she knows it desires as much to publish it She is ardent in her Pursuit treacherous after Enjoyment cruel in her new Love No kindness can retain her the remembrance of a Man she has lov'd tenderly and amorously embrac'd affects her not like the Earth that darkens the Sun from whence it receives its warmth But if there be any thing firm in the tenderness of her Sentiments happy is the Man that has her she is an inexhaustible Sourse of Pleasures Craterus glad to destroy his Enemy by preserving the Life of his King runs to Alexander and gives him an account of what he had heard Antigone is call'd and is not asham'd to publish her own Infamy and the secret of a Man that so intirely lov'd her The King nevertheless dissembles whether it were that the consideration of Parmenio's great Services his unbyass'd Friendship his incorrupted Loyalty inclin'd him to Clemency or whether it were that he thought Philotas innocent or feared too lightly to condemn upon the bare testimony of a slave the fidelity of an ancient Servant most passionate for his Glory one of his chief Captains and Confidents adored by the Souldiers for his Liberality and Magnificence But Fortune that took a particular care of Alexander and prepar'd for him new Conquests discover'd the whole Intreigue of a most horrid Plot. Dymnus one in no great Authority at Court but of a stout Heart and great Spirit was one of those that had conspir'd the King's Death he was so in love with a young Youth call'd Nicomachus that he could not but intrust him with a Secret upon which depended his own safety and that of so many Persons of Quality who were concern'd in the Enterprize He declares it to him and endeavours to perswade him to make one as well from the consideration of their Friendship as from that of his future Grandeur after the Attempt He Weeps Caresses Threatens Urges and sometimes promising him a Kingdom sometimes setting the Image of Death before his Eyes if he refuse to hold with them Would'st thou have says he my dear Nichomachus a greater Testimony of my Affection I trust my Life to thy Faith and I call thee to be a sharer in the Empire of all Asia This young Youth bearing a great love towards his King was seized with horror at a Crime so full of cruelty he protests he 'l never be wanting to his Duty to the Loyalty he owes his Master that all he can do for his Friend is not to ruin him if he 'l repent of so great a wickedness Dymnus stood wavering between Love and Fear at length setting his Sword at his Friend's Brest calling him sometimes Coward sometimes Traitor he was going to begin with him the execution of his Design but that the young Man in a fright promis'd more than he was ask'd He feigned therefore a resolution to execute the Enterprize and desired to know the number and quality of the Conspirators Dymnus full of joy that he had gain'd him names Peucolaus Nicanor Aphaebetus Loceus Demetrius Dioxenus Archepolis and Amyntas 'T is certain he made no mention of Philotas who I am
his Favours on the Wicked and Vicious The Honest if they are in misery seek not to get out of it by ways of Honesty they esteem them useless they take the shortest way and indeavour to invest themselves in charges through dissimulation malice and base complaisance when flattery and such other indirect means fail them their Spirits corrupted by new Maxims and imagining that the Wicked cannot be without a Recompence prompt them to Violence Injustice Treachery and oftentimes to conspire their Prince's Death Princes therefore should seek their security in the Hearts of those that live under their Dominion They should extend their 〈…〉 erosity to all their Subjects Not that a Monarch is oblig'd to bestow his Favours equally on all sorts of Persons Such a magnificence would rather attract Contempt than Love and Gratitude Presents like Meats disgust if they are not season'd with justice and distinction of Merit That Prince cannot be esteemed liberal that gives indifferently to every one That 's a prodigality proceeding neither from esteem nor friendship the only ingredients to gain Hearts in bestowing Benefits We have no acknowledgment barely upon the account of a Benefit our Gratitude has a more noble and worthy Object it considers principally the good Will and Affection of the Giver But on the other hand a Prince should avoid being so inconsiderately profuse as to give so largely to his Favorites Ministers or Friends as to deprive himself of the means to shew them further Favours nor indeed should he remove them from the necessity of desiring them for then they grow insolent in their good Fortune they look on their Prince as an exhausted Source they contemn his Affection grown barren they fly their Benefactor they hate him When a Man is elevated to the highest degree of his Ambition Ingratitude and Avarice are the inseparable Companions of his Pride A Prince should therefore comfort the Miserable but not make them happy do good but not all the good he can promote some many degrees above others but never to the highest Epimenes one of the Conspirators whether vanquish'd by Alexander's Liberality as considering that he might expect both a Pardon for his Crime and an extraordinary Recompence besides if he sav'd his King's Life who for a service of little consideration had given him fifty thousand Sesterces or whether fearing the Anger of the Gods reveal'd the Conspiracy to his Brother Eurylochus Who presently carries him to the Palace and asks to speak with the King Ptolomaeus and Leonatus who guarded his Chamber-dore having learnt from him that he had something to tell the King that concern'd his Life warn'd by Philotas his Example gave them entrance though the King after his debauch had need of rest Presently Epimenes relates the whole Order of the Conspiracy and Alexander though frighten'd at the danger he had run was glad of finding this Pretext to ruin Calisthenes Touching whom he ask'd Eurylochus several times if he were not a Confederate or Friend to the Conspirators But Eurylochus could give him no other Answer than that Calisthenes gave ear to the Invectives of those that spake boldly concerning his Conduct and Behaviour Alexander nevertheless treated him as a Confederate and calling to mind the freedom of that Philosopher who had refused to render him Divine Honour he ordered him to be shut up close Prisoner with the Conspirators As Alexander was severe to the Conspirators so he was liberal and grateful to Eurylochus and Epimenes To the latter he gave his Life to the former fifty Talents and the confiscation of Tiridates his Goods who was very rich So great Interest has a Prince in recompensing the fidelity of his Subjects that his Favours proceed rather from his Justice than his Liberality As many Favours as he confers so many Sentinels has he to watch for him Rewards have greater force than Punishments and the expectation of Good than the fear of Evil. The custom of pardoning those that reveal Crimes themselves are guilty of is no less ancient than necessary Impunity rouses the Conscience causes it to reveal the Treason and preserves the Life of the Prince However such Traitors are not to be confided in and 't is dangerous to seem to mistrust them they are like those Animals that are tam'd only for a time early or late they return to their first fierceness The next day Alexander caused the Conspirators all but Calisthenes to be brought forth into the Assembly The Criminals Relations were called and in their presence the King ask'd those Traitors What he had done to them to induce them to conspire his Death They as resolute as if they had bin upon the point of executing their Design answered him boldly That they were sorry they could not yet take away his Life These words stirr'd up the Souldiers indignation and they demanded those Parricides to be deliver'd to them A Crime if acknowledged with some Tokens of Repentance excites compassion if with impudent Confidence it creates Horror The Offence it self deserves pardon the vanity of boasting in it is insufferable For in this there is malice the other is a weakness that may be born with The King admiring the boldness and contumacy of these Youths represented to them That he had loved them all as his Children that not long since they had bin sensible of the effects of his Affection that they should therefore freely declare the occasion that led them to conceive so detestable a Design At these words they began to relent only Hermolaus with more constancy than a good Conscience could furnish took the word and addressing himself to Alexander Know you not said he that we are born free how comes it then that you handle us like Slaves A Tyrant as you are does not deserve to live To whom Alexander said Continue boldly what thou hast learnt of thy Master Calisthenes I accept of thy favour answer'd Hermolaus and in giving me leave to speak thou sufficiently declarest thy impiety Setting aside all thy other Actions Can there be a greater proof of thy licentiousness than the opinion thou hast of the Grandeur of thy Merit after having render'd thy self unworthy of protection from the Gods or the esteem of Men thou askest What induc'd us to conspire thy Death Does there any thing represent it self to my Eyes or Memory that does not mind me of thy intolerable Vanity of thy Cruelty worthy not of one but a thousand deaths If I look on thee I see a Monster of Pride who disowns great Philip for his Father and has the insolence to call himself the Son of Jupiter Nay such is thy impudence that thou requirest Worship from us as if thou wer't really in the number of the Gods and not the Object of their Fury If I look upon the Army I find I am first to make reflection on my self thou hast used me unworthily for couragiously killing of a Wild Boar. After this I must pity the misfortune of so many brave Men and
examine in this Conqueror's Conduct all that 's most remarkable that Princes may form themselves according to so excellent a Model The Actions of Alexander and the Intreigues of the Conspirators will teach them to defend themselves from Domestick Treasons and to elevate themselves by Justice Clemency and Liberality as much above the Vulgar as they exceed them in Grandeur and the advantages of Birth I will begin with the Conspiracy of Philotas so much the more blameable for conspiring the Death of his Master and his King as he was indebted to him for his Fortune THE CONSPIRACY OF PHILOTAS ALexander was arriv'd to the highest pitch of Grandeur Darius was dead and his Army vanquish'd Asia had chang'd her Master who seeing himself in the Persian Throne and finding nothing more on Earth to satisfy his Ambition would have had his Subjects given him Divine Worship The luster of too great Majesty is so far from attracting Respect and Fear that it excites great Ones to Envy and makes them aspire to wear the Diadem and whosoever equals himself to the Gods is unworthy to live among Men. And hence it came that Philotas one in Alexander's Army that could not support his Pride endeavoured to dispatch him Of all Vices Ambition is the most dangerous because it bears a resemblance of Virtue it has apparently the same end the desire of Glory is inseparable to them both and of this Philotas was as greedy as Alexander Virtue and Ambition have their original from the same Source from grandeur of Courage from a noble bold and undertaking Spirit the difference I find between them is this Justice limits bounds to Virtue Ambition knows none has no Faith no Friendship no Honesty it dares all things neither the fear of Danger nor the power of Justice can detain it it generates those criminal thoughts that strike at Royalty the hatred jealousie and revenge of great Ones Three sorts of Persons commonly conspire the Death of Princes Certain melancholy People who at any price whatsoever though it be at the expence of their Lives enterprise extraordinary Actions to eternise their Memory to Posterity not much caring whether it be honourable or held in abomination such was he that burnt the Temple of Diana the Jacobin that kill'd Henry III and many others Some transported with an abominable desire of Revenge care not to survive an Injury receiv'd as he that stab'd Henry IV. And almost all great Ones in the Revolution of a State hope for some change of Fortune For this last reason the common People are to be feared when a Government is changed from a Democracy to a Monarchy the Nobility when it has bin an Aristocracy the Princes of the Blood if a Kingdom be Hereditary the Ministers and Favorites if Elective The Kingdom of Macedonia descended for several Ages from Father to Son and whilst there were Successors no one dar'd enterprise any thing against his King's Life Alexander labour'd to secure himself immortality by Actions of an Heroick Courage by the grandeur of his Enterprizes he was enflam'd with a desire of Glory little minding the preservation of his Life and less the leaving a Successor to his Empire He prefer'd Bagoas before Barsine Roxane known to be great with Child at his Death could not keep the Macedonian Captains from dividing among themselves those vast and lovely Provinces into as many Kingdoms The Scepter of Alexander therefore being to fall into strange Hands his Nobles pretended to his Crown which there was no appearance of their arriving to the King being young and vigorous therefore they were to hasten their Expectations by the means of Ingratitude of Treachery of a Crime horrid and detestable Nothing retains Ambition but the fear of a lawful Successor in which consists the security of a Prince for there 's none will form any Design contrary to his Faith and Duty unless he be supported by more than ordinary hopes Alexander's Death would have made almost as many Kings as were Macedonian Captains what wonder then if he were continually expos'd to the murmuring of his Souldiers to the Infidelity of his Friends to Domestick Treacheries I am much mistaken if it were not this that first gave Philotas thoughts of advancing himself to Royalty Parmenios's Valour Merit and Esteem who commanded a puissant Army in Media confirm'd him in his Design and his own Grandeur finish'd his Resolve 'T is dangerous to suffer any to approach too near to that whose Possession can make them happy that Husband may blame himself that shews his Wife to another who after falls in love with her Royalty has greater Charms 't is like a polish'd Glass dull'd with the least Breath of those are near it or like the Fountain of Narcissus the transcendent Beauty appearing in it is so charming that there 's none can see it and live without the enjoyment A Prince that gives too great preferment to a Favorite a Minister or a great Captain nourishes a Rival a cruel Enemy a Competitor for his Empire that has but one step to mount into his Throne We read in the Histories of all Ages of several Kings Favorites of an obscure Birth incapable of great Matters who coming into an entire possession of their Master's Favours oftentimes by ways shameful and wicked have dar'd to aspire to their Crowns What may we not then expect from a great Captain Generous Liberal Ambitious of an illustrious Birth Head of a powerful Army belov'd of the Souldiers and the common People I own it pleasant for a Monarch to discharge himself of the weighty Burthen of State-Affairs on the capacity of some Minister to repose himself from the Glory of his Armies upon the valour of a great Captain to intrust his most secret Thoughts with the Wisdom and Discretion of a Favorite But this Favorite this Minister this Captain should be only Executors and not Masters of their Prince's Will and this Prince should as far exceed them in discerning Merit in understanding of Affairs in judicious Fore-sight in eminency of Capacity as in Power and Grandeur Such exquisite Parts are to be feared in a Favorite his Fidelity is shaken by so great Advantages and we have seen in this Age a King formidable to his Enemies implore the Assistance of another King against his Favorite If a Prince must needs spend his Generosity if he must needs heap up Favours upon his Subjects let him take heed not to bestow them all in one Place or on several Persons united in Friendship or Blood who may have the same Desires the same Will Be a Minister never so powerful if he have but one Employ one Charge in an Empire he can have no more Creatures than his Authority reaches Should he meditate any Design destructive to the State he would meet with a thousand Obstacles A General of an Army who is neither Master of the Treasury nor has Intelligence with a Superintendent is not at all to be feared He that commands the Land-Forces
valiant Captains thou hast through a cruel Ingratitude inflicted Death on those that have preserv'd thy Life Was there ever such a Tyranny heard of Was ever the Virtue Valour and Love of Subjects thus rewarded If I consider the many Provinces we have conquer'd this great Empire of the Persians worthy of a better Prince I must own that we our selves are vanquish'd Strangers are our Masters thou thy self yieldest to their Laws their Customs their Habits their Manners their Alliances their Friendship and Religion which thou preferrest before our Laws sufficiently discover that they are Victors and thou their Slave O wretched O deplorable condition of the Macedonians Dost thou see now what is the Subject of our Animosity The only Obligation we have from thee is That thou wilt this day free us from a Servitude a thousand times more ignominious and cruel than Death to generous Spirits Happy those whom thou hast caused barbarously to be massacred Attalus Lyncestes Clitus Parmenio and Philotas Had they liv'd they would yet have groan'd under thy Tyranny the God's were pleased to withdraw them from a dismal train of miseries that thou inflictest on thy best Friends It may be thy Affection is seated in the Souldiers and the common People O Heavens thirty thousand Mules loaden with Gold and the riches spoils of the Enemy follow in the rear of thy Army when thy wretched Souldiers of all their Conquests retain nothing but Scars illustrious Marks of their Courage and thy Ingratitude In fine thou art no longer King of Macedonia thou art a Slave to the Persians Their delicacy pleases thee more than the Macedonian temperance We justly therefore pursue thee as a Desertor and at most it was not the King of Macedonia but the King of Persia that we would have kill'd And you Macedonians base Souls unworthy the Glory of your Ancestors miserable Slaves to a Tyrant's Pride Have you not the Hearts to shake off so infamous a Yoke And you my Father that hold your Sword at my Brest deserve not to have given Life to such a Son This day will you acquire by my death a glorious and eternal reputation suffer me then to speak and oppose not the liberty granted me from your God 'T is because he fears not the words of a Child Why hearest thou not Calisthenes To arrive to the highest pitch of Tyranny I see thou intendest to suppress in him all the freedom of the Greeks Think not that he is of the Conspiracy he never knew any thing of it and for proof of this we all proffer our selves to be rack'd Seek some other Pretext to satisfy thy revenge cut off the only true Macedonian in whom resides all the virtue of our Ancestors For thou hatest the looks of an honest Man For the rest pardon the miserable old Age of our Fathers and confound not the Innocent with the Guilty As for us we die with regret only for leaving thee alive These Invectives so incens'd the Assembly that the Souldiers would a hundred times have torn Hermolaus in pieces His own Father called Sopolis sometimes stopp'd his Mouth sometimes presented his Sword to his Brest to make him hold his peace but Alexander commanded him to retire Sopolis his Indignation could not be too great Men are born Subjects before they are Fathers The tender affection of a Father towards a Son is natural and cannot be stifled without doing himself extream violence however the safety of his Prince is to be preferred before that of his Children and the Voice of God to be obey'd rather than the Voice of Nature Alexander with admirable patience bore all that Hermolaus had said against him and having seated himself where he might be heard he answer'd in this manner Had what this Impostor has said bin true I could let you have torn him in pieces and not have heard his Invectives and were I guilty of those Cruelties he charges me with I own it I were unworthy to be King of the Macedonians But what occasion have I given Hermolaus to speak thus of me Some time since he committed an insolence and I caus'd him to be chastised according to our ancient Custom to hear him speak you would say I had cruelly tormented him What would not his Revenge have done since for being beaten with a Whip he could resolve upon a Parricide 'T is no wonder he should have an horrour for the Punishment of Parmenio of Philotas of Aitalus and Lyncestes in defending them he defends himself he would not be guilty if those who have committed the same Crime were declared Innocent And as for Clitus I wish I had not bin constrain'd to punish the Intemperance of his Tongue It is not always in our power to use Moderation the clemency of Kings is often times surmounted by the audacity of Subjects there are certain Injuries that cannot be pardon'd When Kings are injur'd they must be appeas'd by Submission and not provok'd through Obstinacy and Pride I wonder not at all that Hermolaus accuses me of Cruelty since he has the impudence to accuse me of Avarice I know Princes ought not to bear in mind the Favours they have bestowed on their Subjects but only the Services they have received from them I shall not therefore represent unto you that there are none of you but what are sensible of my Donatives that would diminish the price of my Liberality and the Acknowledgment you owe me But pray consider whence you had your Beds of Gold and Silver your Troops of Slaves your sumptuous Spoils and rich Booty As for the Persians I confess that coming into Asia to conquer not to lay desolate I cannot resolve to handle as Slaves a People whose Affection secures my Empire and your Glory and in this I think I give sufficient proof of my Moderation that I govern them in that manner that they can have no regret at my Victories Would you be continually employ'd to subdue Provinces already conquer'd which under an Imperious Dominion would be always revolting Would you be stopp'd in the mid'st of your Victories by Insurrections better restrain'd by kind usage than by force of Arms We should then extirpate whole Nations and make our selves feared more for our Cruelty than our Courage What glory would it be to the Macedonians to change the Name of Conquerors for that of Thieves and Murtherers And after all what have you to say against those that sight for you In sine is not Hermolaus wicked to scoff at the Oracle for owning me a God Should I refuse a Name so glorious and oppose the Will of Jupiter as if the grandeur of my Actions did not elevate me above Men. Further in War Reputation is worth an Army and I could wish for your Glory that the Indians would believe me a God But I see very well this insolent Youth hath said nothing but what he has learnt from his Master Calisthenes and he would have bin glad to have heard him vent the same Injuries