the Macedonians Lords of the habitable World This is almost word for word as he wrote it in a Letter to Antipater where he adds That when he had thus spoken to them they all cryed out they would go along with him whithersoever it was his pleasure to lead them When he had in this manner gain'd the Principal it was no hard matter for him to bring over the multitude which in such Cases easily follows the Example of their Betters Now also he more and more accomodated himself in his way of Living to that of the Persians and brought them as near as he could to the Macedonian Customs wisely considering that since he design'd an Expedition which would carry him far from thence it was better to settle affairs in his absence by a mixture of their Constitutions and mutual Society with Good will than by Compulsion In order to this he chose out 30000 Boys whom he allow'd Masters to teach them the Greek Tongue and to train them up to Arms in the Macedonian Discipline As for his Marriage of Roxana whose good Mein and Beauty had charm'd him at a Drinking entertainment where he first happen'd to see her it was perfectly the effect of Love nor did it appear to be at all prejudicial to his Interest as things stood with him at that time For it put the conquer'd People in heart and made them confide in him and love him more than ever when they saw how continent he was and that he forbore the only Woman he was ever in Love with till he could enjoy her in a lawful and honourable way When he perceiv'd that among his chief Friends and Favourites Hephestion most approv'd all that he did and comply'd with and imitated him in his Habit while Craterus continued strict in the observation of the Customs and Fashions of his own Countrey He made the best use of them both employing the first in all Transactions with the Persians and the latter when he had to do with the Greeks or Macedonians It is true he lov'd Hephestion best as a Favorite because he lov'd Alexander but then he esteem'd and honour'd Craterus most as a Friend because he lov'd the King Wherefore these two great Men bore one another secret Grudges and often clash'd and quarrell'd so far that once in India they drew upon one another and were going to it in good earnest with their Friends on each side to second them till Alexander came up to them and publickly reprov'd Hephestion calling him Fool and Mad-man not to be sensible that without his Favour he was but a Cypher He chid Craterus also in private very severely and then causing them both to come into his presence he reconcil'd them at the same time swearing by Jupiter Ammon and the rest of the Gods that he lov'd them two above all other Men but if ever he perceivd them fall out again he would be sure to put both of them to death at least the Aggressor After which they neither ever did or said any thing so much as in jest to offend one another None had more Authority among the Macedonians than Philotas the Son of Parmenio for besides that he was valiant and able to endure any Fatigue of War he was also next to Alexander himself the most munificent and the greatest lover of his Friends one of whom asking him for some Money he commanded his Steward to give it him and when he told him he had not wherewith Have you not Plate then said he and Cloaths of mine turn them into Money rather than let my Friend go without But he was so very proud and insolent by reason of his Wealth and so over-nice about his Person and Diet more than became a private Man that he awkwardly and unseemingly affected the Air and Character of Greatness without the Civility and obliging Temper which ought to accompany it and so gain'd nothing but Envy and ill will to that degree that Parmenio would somtimes tell him My Son the meaner the better For he had long before been complain'd of and accus'd to Alexander particularly when Darius was overthrown in Cilicia and an immense Booty was taken at Damascus amongst the rest of the prisoners who were brought into the Camp there was one Antigone of Pydna a very handsome Woman who fell to Philotas his share The young Man one day in his Cups like an arrogant bragging Souldier told his Mistress That all the great Actions were perform'd by him and his Father the Glory and Benefit of which he said together with the Title of King that Stripling Alexander reap'd and enjoy'd by their means She could not hold but discovered what he had said to one of her Acquaintance and he as is usual in such Cases â—o another till at last it came to the King When Alexander had heard what she had to say he commanded her to continue her Intrigue with Philotas and give him an account from time to time of all that should fall from him to this purpose Who being through Inadvertency caught in this Snare sometimes to gratifie his Passion and sometimes his Vain-glory blurted out many foolish indiscreet Speeches against the King in Antigones hearing of which though Alexander was inform'd and convinc'd by strong Evidence yet he would take no notice of it at present whether it was that he confided in Parmenio's Affection and Loyalty or that he apprehended their Authority and Interest in the Army About this time one Dimnus a Macedonian Native of Chalaestra conspir'd against Alexander's Life and communicated his Design to a Youth whom he lov'd nam'd Nicomachus inviting him to be of the Party But he not relishing the thing reveal'd it to his Brother Balinus who immediately address'd himself to Philotas requiring him to introduce them both to Alexander to whom they had something of great moment to impart which very nearly concern'd him But he for what Reason is uncertain went not with them pretending the King was taken up with Affairs of more importance And when they had urg'd him a second time and were still slighted by him they applied themselves to another by whose means being admitted into Alexander's presence they first laid open Dimnus his Conspiracy and then represented Philotas his Negligence who had taken so little notice of their repeated Solicitations which extremely exasperated Alexander especially when sending to apprehend Dimnus he understood that he defended himself and chose rather to be Slain than Taken for by his Death he thought he was depriv'd of the means of making a full discovery of the Plot. As soon as his Displeasure against Philotas began to appear presently all his old Enemies shew'd themselves and said openly The King was too easily impos'd on to imagine that one so inconsiderable as Dimnus the Calaestrian should of his own head undertake such an Enterprize that in all likelihood he was but subservient to the Design an Instrument that was mov'd by some greater
scorned observing in the mean time the Posture of the Enemy who having passed through grew careless as esteeming themselves past Danger whereupon they were immediately set upon by the Spartans yet were they not then put to Rout but marched on to Helicon vapouring That they themselves as to their part of the Army were not worsted Agesilaus sore wounded as he was would not be born to his Tent till he had been first carried about the Field and had seen the dead Men of his Party carried off in their Armour As many of his Enemies as had taken Sanctuary in the Temple he dismissed for there stood hard by the Temple of Minerva the Itonian and before it a Trophy erected by the Baeotians for a Victory which under the Conduct of one Sparton their General they obtained over the Athenians who were led that day by Tolmides and Tolmides himself slain Next morning early Agesilaus to make trial of the Theban Courage whether they had any mind to a second Encounter did command his Soldiers to put on Garlands on their Heads and play with their Flutes and raise a Trophy before their Faces but when they instead of Fighting sent for leave to bury their Dead he gave it them and so confirmed to himself the Victory After this he went to Delphos to the Pythian Games which were then celebrating at which Feast he assisted and there solemnly offered the tenth part of the Spoils he had brought from Asia which amounted to an hundred Talents Being now returned to his own Country the Eyes of the Spartans were upon him to observe his Diet and manner of Living But he not according to the Custom of other Generals came home the same Man that he went out having not so learned the Fashions of other Countries as to forget his own much less to nauseate or despise them but he follow'd all the Spartan Customs without changing either the manner of his Supping or Bathing or his Wifes Apparel as if he had never travelled over the River Eurotas The like he did by his Houshold-stuff his Armour nay the very Gates of his House were so old that they might well be thought of Aristodemus's setting up His Daughters Chariot called the Canathrum was no richer than that of other People Now this Canathrum whether Chariot or Chair was made of Wood in the shape of a Griffon or of the Tragelaphus some antick shape or other on which the Children and young Virgins were carried in Processions Xenophon hath not left us the Name of this Daughter of Agesilaus at which Dicaearchus is angry viz. that he can know the Names neither of Agesilaus's Daughter nor Epaminondas's Mother But in the Records of Laconia we find his Wifes Name to be Clâ—ora and his two Daughers to have been Apolia and Prolyta and you may even to this day see Agesilaus's Spear kept in Sparta nothing differing from that of other Men. There was a Vanity he observed among the Spartans about keeping running Horses for the Olympick Games upon which he found they much valued themselves Agesilaus much despised it as an Ostentation more of Wealth than Vertue deeming the Victory to be the Horse's not the Man's He therefore to convince the Grecians of it did put his Sister Cynisca upon keeping a running Horse for that Publick Solemnity To the wise Xenophon his Friend whom he much valued he did propose the bringing of his Children to Sparta to be there bred up in the strictest way of Discipline and in the noble Art of Obeying and Governing Lysander being dead and his Faction yet great and prevalent which he upon his coming out of Asia had raised against Agesilaus the King thought it advisable to expose both him and it by shewing what manner of a Citizen he had been whilst he lived To that end finding an Oration among his Writings that was composed by Cleon the Halicarnassean but intended to be spoken by Lysander in a Publick Assembly to excite the People to Innovations and Changes in the Government he resolved to publish it as an Evidence of Lysander's ill Practices But one of the Senators having the perusal of it and finding it strongly written advised him to have a care of digging up Lysander again and rather bury that Oration in the Grave with him This Advise he wisely hearkened to and ever after forbore publickly to affront any of his Adversaries but took occasions of picking out the Ring-leaders and sending them away upon Foreign Services He also found out ways of discovering the Avarice and the Injustice of many of them in their Employments yet when they were by others brought into Question he made it his business to bring them off obliging them by that means of Enemies to become his Friends and so by degrees wore out the Faction Agesipolis his Fellow-King was under the Disadvantage of being Born of an Exil'd Father and himself Young Modest and Unactive and meddled not much in Affairs Agesilaus took a course of growing upon him and making him yet more tractable According to the Custom of Sparta the Kings if they were in Town alway Dined together This was Agesilaus's opportunity of dealing with Agesipolis whom he found apt to Amorous Intrigues as well as himself He therefore alway discoursed him about handsome Boys egging him forward that way and himself assisting in it so far as to become the Confident of the Amour Yet were these Amours innocent according to the Custom of the Spartan Loves which were alway accompani'd with Vertue and Honour and a noble Emulation of which you may see more in Lycurgus's Life Having thus established his Power in the City he easily obtained that his half Brother Teleutias might be chosen Admiral and thereupon making an Expedition against the Corinthians he made himself Master of the long Walls by Land through the Assistance of his Brother at Sea Coming thus upon the Argives who then held Corinth in the midst of their Isthmian Games he made them out-run their Sacrifices and leave all their Festival Provisions behind them The exil'd Corinthians that were in the Spartan Army desired him to keep up the Feast and to appear Chief in the Celebration of it This he refused but gave them leave to carry on the Solemnity if they pleased and he in the mean time staid and guarded them When Agesilaus marched off the Argives returned to their Sports again with this variety of Fortune that some who were Victors before became Victors a second time others lost the Prizes which before they had gained But Agesilaus reproached them severely of Cowardise who having so great an Esteem of the Isthmian Games and so much valuing themselves upon the Victories there gotten yet durst not adventure to Fight in defence of them He himself was of Opinion that to keep a Mean in such things was best he allowed of the Sports usually permitted in his Country and would not refuse to be present at the
was appointed Syria and the Parthian War And to Pompey himself all Africa together with both Spains and four Legions of Soldiers whereof two he lent to Caesar upon his request for the Wars in Gaul Crassus upon the expiration of his Consulship departed forthwith into his Province But Pompey spent some time in Rome upon the opening or dedication of his Theater where he treated the People with all manner of Games Shews and Exercises as well Warlike as those of the Muses there was likewise the Hunting or Baiting of wild Beasts and Combats with them wherein 500 Lyons were slain But above all the Battel of Elephants was a Spectacle full of Horrour and Amazement These noble Entertainments brought him in great Esteem with the People whereby he was highly admired and beloved but on the other side he created no less Envy to himself in that he committed the Government of his Provinces and Legions into the Hands of Friends as his Lieutenants whilst he himself was wantonly rambling up and down and caressing his Wife throughout all the Delicacies of Italy whether he doated upon her as a real Lover or whether he could not find in his Heart to leave her who was such a Lover of him is somewhat doubtful But this is certain that there was nothing more famous and common in Discourse than the passion of this young Lady for her Husband not that she was in Love with Pompey for the flower of his Age but because of his assured Chastity as knowing no other Woman but that one he had Wedded Besides though in his Carriage he had a majestick Gravity yet his Conversation was not Morose but extremely agreeable and taking among the Women unless we will arraign the evidence of Flora the Curtezan Now it hapned in a publick Assembly as they were at an Election of the Aediles that the People came to Blows and divers about Pompey were slain so that he finding himself all bloody ordered a change of Apparel but the Servants who brought home his Cloaths making a great Buâ—tle and Hurry about the House it chanced that the young Lady who was then with Child saw his Gown all stained with Blood whereupon she dropt immediately into a Swoon and was hardly brought to Life again however what with her Fright and Passion together she fell in Labour and Miscarried Wherefore even those who chiefly censured Pompey for his Friendship to Caesar could not reprove him for his Affection to his Lady who had such a Passion for him Afterwards she was great again and brought to Bed of a Daughter but died in Child-bed neither did the Infant out-live her Mother many days Pompey had prepared all things for the Interment of her Corps at Alba but the People seized upon it by force and performed the Solemnities of her Funeral in the Field of Mars rather in Compassion to the young Lady than in Favour either of Pompey or Caesar and yet of these two the People seemed at that time to pay Caesar a greater share of Honour in his absence than to Pompey though he was present From hence the City began to waver and feel new Commotions for all things grew Tumultuous and every Body's Discourse tended to Sedition as soon as Death had put an end to that Relation which hitherto had been a Disguise rather than Restraint to the Ambition of these Men Besides not long after came an Express from Parthia with Intelligence of the Death of Crassus there whereby another manifest Obstacle of a Civil War was taken away for they had both an Eye thither and that awe of him kept them together in a fair Correspondence all his Life-time but when Fortune had taken away this Second whose Province it was to revenge the Quarrel of the Conquered you might then say with the Comedian See how the Combatants begin How they anoint each others Skin And chafe their hands in dust agen So inconsiderable a thing is Fortune in respect of humane Nature and so little Content can it give to a Covetous Mind That an Empire of that mighty Extent and Sway could not satisfie the Ambition of two Men and though they knew and had read The Gods when they divided out 'twixt Three This massie Universe Heav'n Hell and Sea Each God sate down contented on his Throne And undisturb'd each God enjoys his own Yet they thought the whole Roman Empire not sufficient to contain them though they were but Two But Pompey in an Oration to the People told them plainly that he ever came into Office before he expected he should and that he always left it sooner than they expected he would and indeed the disbanding of all his Armies always witnessed as much Yet when he perceived that Caesar would not so willingly discharge his Forces he then endeavour'd to strengthen himself against him by Offices and Commands in the City neither indeed did he attempt any other Innovation and yet all this while he would not seem to distrust but rather to despise and contemn him But when he saw how they bestowed the Places of Government quite contrary to his opinion because the Citizens were brib'd in their Elections he left the City without any Government at all Hereupon there was mention straightway made and the News ran current of a Dictator Now Lucilius a Tribune of the People was the bold Man that first adventur'd â—o propose it encouraging the People to make choice of Pompey for their Dictator but the Tribune was in danger of being turn'd out of his Office by the opposition that Cato made against it And for Pompey many of his Friends appear'd and pleaded his excuse alledging That he never was desirous of that Government neither would he accept of it Cato therefore making a large Harangue in commendation of Pompey and exhorting him to be careful of good Order in the Common-wealth he could not for shame but yield to it and so Domitius and Messala were elected Consuls Afterwards when there was another Anarchy or Vacancy in the Government and the Discourses of a Dictator were much hotter than before those of Cato's Party fearing lest they should make Pompey thought it Policy to keep him from that Arbitrary and Tyrannical Power by giving him an Office of more legal Authority Nay even Bibulus himself who was Pompey's Enemy first gave his Vote that Pompey should be created Consul alone alledging That by these means either the Commonwealth would be freed from its present Confusion or that its Bondage should be lessened by serving the worthiest This was looked upon as a very strange Opinion considering the Man that spoke it and therefore Cato standing up every body expected that he would have opposed it but after Silence made he told them plainly That for his own part he would never have been the Author of that Advice himself but since it was propounded by another his Advice was to follow it adding That any form of Government was better than none at
them occasion to discourse with one another how great might be the Temperance and Modesty of the ancient Lacedaemonians under their famous Captains Agesilaus Lysander and Leonidas since they saw such Discipline and exact Obedience under a King who perhaps was the youngest Man in all the Army They saw also how he was content to fare hardly ready to undergo any Labours and not to be distinguish'd by Pomp or Richness of Habit from the meanest of his Souldiers But if by this Moderation and Conduct he gain'd the Love of the Souldiers and the common People it made him still more odious to the Rich and Powerful who were afraid such an Example might work an Impression to their prejudice in all the neighbouring Countreys Agis having joyn'd Aratus near the City of Corinth a Councel of War was call'd to debate whether or no it were expedient to give the Enemy Battel Agis on this occasion shew'd a great Forwardness and Resolution yet without Obstinacy or Presumption he declar'd it was his opinion they ought to fight thereby to hinder the Enemy from entring Peloponnesus but nevertheless he wou'd submit to the Judgment of Aratus not only as the elder and more experienc'd Captain but as he was General of the Achaeans whose Forces he wou'd not pretend to command but was only come thither to assist them I am not ignorant that Baton of Synope relates it in another manner He says Aratus wou'd have fought and that Agis was against it but 't is most certain he was mistaken not having read what Aratus himself writes in his own Justification for he expresly tells us That knowing the People had well-nigh got in their Harvest he thought it much better to let the Enemy pass than to hazard by a Battel the loss of the whole Countrey And therefore giving thanks to the Confederates for their readiness he dismiss'd them Thus Agis not without having gain'd a great deal of Honour return'd to Sparta where he found the People in a Mutiny and all things in Confusion occasion'd by the Avarice and ill-Government of Agesilaus For he being now one of the Ephori and by that Authority freed from the Fear which Formerly kept him in some Restraint forbore no kind of Oppression which might bring in Gain Among other things he exacted a thirteen Months Tax whereas before they had never paid more than twelve For these and other Reasons fearing his Enemies and knowing how he was hated by the People he thought it necessary to maintain a Guard which always accompanied him to the Courts of Justice and presuming now on his Power he was grown so insolent that of the two Kings the one he openly contemn'd and if he shew'd any Respect towards Agis wou'd have it thought rather an effect of his near Relation than any duty or submission to the Royal Authority and being desirous all men shou'd be confirm'd in a belief of his Power he gave it out he was to continue Ephore the ensuing year also His Enemies alarm'd by this Report immediately conspir'd against him and bringing back Leonidas from Tegea restablished him in the Kingdom to which the People highly incens'd for having been defrauded in the promis'd division of Lands easily consented Agesilaus himself wou'd hardly have scap'd their Fury if his Son Hypomedon had not mediated in his behalf and then privately convey'd him out of the City During this Combustion the two Kings fled Agis to the Temple of Juno and Cleombrotus to that of Neptune Leonidas more incens'd against his Son-in-law left Agis to pursue him with a Company of Souldiers and being taken he was brought before Leonidas who with great vehemence reproach'd to him his Ingratitude how being his Son-in-law he had conspir'd with his Enemies usurp'd his Kingdom and banish'd him from his Countrey Cleombrotus having little to say for himself stood silent His Wife Chelonis had been a Partner with Leonidas in his Sufferings for when Cleombrotus usurp'd the Kingdom she forsook him and wholly applied her self to comfort her Father in his Affliction she often mediated in his behalf and openly disown'd and condemn'd the Action as unjust but now upon this Turn of Fortune she was as zealous and as assiduous in expressions of Love and Duty to her Husband whom she embrac'd with one Arm and her two little Children with the other All men were strangely taken with the Piety and tender Affection of the Young Woman who in a loose neglected Mourning with a pale dejected Countenance and in a suppliant Posture spoke thus to Leonidas I am not brought to this Condition you see me in nor have taken upon me this mourning Habit by reason of the present Misfortunes of Cleombrotus 't is long since familiar to me it was put on to condole with you in your Banishment and now you are restor'd to your Countrey and to your Kingdom must I still remain in Grief and Misery or wou'd you have me attir'd in my Festival Ornaments that I may rejoyce with you when you have kill'd within my arms the Man to whom you gave me for a Wife Either Cleombrotus must appease you by my Tears or he must suffer a Punishment greater than his Faults have deserv'd he shall infallibly see me die before him whom he has profess'd tenderly to love to what end shou'd I live or how shall I appear among the Spartan Ladies when it shall so manifestly be seen that I have not been able to move to Compassion neither a Husband nor a Father I am only born to be an unfortunate Wife and a more unfortunate Daughter not having the least Power or Interest where I ought to have been in the greatest Esteem As for Cleombrotus I have sufficiently disown'd his Cause when I forsook him to follow you but now you your self will justifie his Proceedings by shewing to the World how Ambition is a Passion not to be resisted for a Kingdom a Man may kill a Son-in-law nay even destroy his own Children Chelonis having ended this Lamentation turn'd her weeping Eyes towards the Spectators then gently repos'd her Head in her Husband's Bosom Leonidas touch'd with Compassion withdrew a while to advise with his Friends then returning condemn'd Cleombrotus to perpetual Banishment Chelonis he said ought to stay with him it not being just she shou'd forsake a Father who had grantted at her Intercession the Life of her Husband but all he could say wou'd not prevail She rose up immediately and taking one of her Children in her Arms gave the other to her Husband then having perform'd her Devotions at an Altar dedicated to Juno she chearfully follow'd him into Banishment To be short so great was the Virtue and Generosity express'd by Chelouis on this occasion that if Cleombrotus were not strangely blinded by Ambition he wou'd chuse to be banish'd with the enjoyment of so excellent a Woman rather than without her to possess a Kingdom Cleombrotus thus remov'd Leonidas thought fit also to displace the Ephori and to