THE ELEMENTS OF HISTORY. FROM The Creation of the World, TO THE Reign of Constantin the Great. CONTAINING The HISTORY of the Monarchies in a New Order and Method. Together with a View of the Contemporary Kingdoms and Commonwealths. AND A Brief Account of their Magistracies and politic Constitutions. Done for the Use of Young Students. By WILLIAM HOWEL, LL. D. Translated from the Latin. LONDON, Printed for R. Wellington at the Dolphin and Crown, the West-end of St. Paul's Church-yard: A. Bettesworth at the read Lion on London-Bridge: And B. Lintott at the Middle-Temple-Gate, Fleetstreet, 1700. THE AUTHOR'S PREFACE. BEing employed some years ago to instruct a young Gentleman of an excellent Genius, I made it my whole business, to chalk out such a Method for him, as would tend most to his Improvement by his Studies, and render my Instructions effectual. In pursuing that Thought, the Knowledge of Languages presented itself to my View, as being a very considerable Accomplishment; and indeed 'tis justly such, both in regard of their own Beauty, and with reference to the Excellency and Usefulness of the Things that by them are conveyed to our Understandings. But upon second Thoughts, I considered, that the Noble Birth and towering Genius of my Pupil entitled him to higher Things; and thereupon choose to put him upon the Study of History, which is, as 'twere, a Looking-glass for the Actions of Men, and a Directory for Business of Importance. With this View I set about the compiling of a System to be learned by Heart and recited, as 'twere by the bye, in order to fasten and rivet the General Heads of Things in his Memory. Designing afterwards, as his Age and Understanding advanced, to comment upon the same, and furnish him with a clearer Idea of the Springs of Revolutions; the Counsels, Stratagems, and Models of civil Affairs; the success of Projects, and such other things as complete the Knowledge of History. Some of my Friends, that were Men of excellent Learning, having seen and perused the system, were mightily pleased with the Method; and pressed me to carry on the Scheme to its just Proportions, and finish the Work that would bring at once a considerable Advancement to my own Learning, and some good Services to the republic of Letters, especially to History. This their advice was backed by my own Inclination, which was always bended upon History; and by the hardness of the Times, which superseded business and made Men fond of retirement, insomuch that the Common saying was then verified, viz. Qui been latuit, been vixit. He was the best Man, that made the least Noise. Being thus encouraged to go on I finished the first Part of my Institution of History; which, to my mind, I had enlarged to a just size; and published it in our Mother Tongue, by reason that Latin Books of a large bulk and writ by young Authors who are not yet arrived at the Glory of a great Name; such Books, I say, go heavily off, and the Men that make Money of 'em carry most of 'em beyond Sea. I shall not spend time in discoursing my Countrymen upon that Book. This is not a place for glorying. Besides, I look upon popular Applause as a mere Vanity. If it does but meet with the Approbation of the Learned, I shall not mind the Sentiments of others who are blinded by Envy or Ignorance. However I have a mind to touch upon upon a things on this occasion, for the sake of those who I think are chiefly concerned. Not that I mean to boast of any great performance: But only to explain the design and Scheme of the Work, and set a Copy for others, in giving the World to know what I mean'd to do, since in great undertakings a good meaning uses in some Measure to atone for a slight Performance. Since 'tis ridiculous to conceal plain matter of fact; I aclowledge that I dislike all the General Histories or Systems of History, that are yet extant, or, at least, that I have yet seen; and have oftentimes arraigned 'em, both privately in my own Breast, and expressly in conference with others, of stuffing the mind of young Students with a shapeless and indigested meddley of things, and overpowering their Memories, instead of affording 'em true Information. For some, in carrying down the Thread of History from the Creation of the World, fancy they have answered the end of their undertaking, by drawing up the Names of the Ancient Men and some Hero's, grazeing now and then upon some of their exploits, quoting a few Verses of Scripture, and so skipping thro' the most common Affairs of Persia, and passing on to those of the Roman Monarchy, without any order, or at least in a very obscure Method; seldom or never taking notice of the Series and connexion of things relating to the same Nation, or the Original of Kingdoms and republics, or the Successions and Occasional Causes that ushered in Wars and other Commotions. Others again grasp at a greater bulk of things, and make larger Comments upon them; but they are chargeable with the same Crime, I mean, the same perplexed way of confounding the States and Revolutions of different Kingdoms in one joint account; insomuch that one would think that the most different Affairs transacted in Places widely distant from one another, did equally relate to one Place of the World, as well as one Paragraph of the Book; and conspired in a joint Unity of time and reference to the same thing. Such Authors seldom describe the Forms of Ancient Kingdoms and republics in Greece and elsewhere. Indeed they'l give you the Names of their Kings, and some of their achievements; but as for their politic Model, and the Original and Offices of their Magistrates, not a Word of that; nor of the Histories of the Seleucidae, the Ptolomaeus's, and the later Macedonian Kings, unless it be a scrap here and there. They'll scarce afford to carry the Affairs of Rome further back, than the times of Pyrrhus; tho' at the same time there's nothing more beneficial to a young Student, than the being acquainted with the Civil Feuds, and Seditions at Rome, and the occasions of the several Magistracies that took their rise from thence. One Author follows one Chronological Standard, and another a different one. In one ye'll find several things Contemporary, that lie at a distance of time in another. Hence is the knowledge of ancient times so confused, and false glosses put upon true things. By this means, indeed, some scraps of Memorable Stories are picked out for a common diversion in Company; but the true and genuine use of History, the just Series of affairs, the due rank and Succession of Ages, the Models and Revolutions of republics; these are known to very few. When I dwelled seriously upon this Consideration, I regretted both my own loss and that of others, in wanting the particular Histories of Ancient Nations; for I could not meet with any thing of that nature, bating some incoherent Parcels scattered up and down. Now my Intention being to contrive a Methodical Institution of Universal History, in which all the several Parts should be ranked in due order without confusion or obscurity; the great Obstacle I met with, was, that History lies in a more wretch'd Condition than any of its fellow Arts or Sciences, which are, almost all of 'em, improved to a due perfection: notwithstanding that History comes short of none of 'em, whether we consider the Excellency or the Usefulness of its Subject. For I do not stand to assert, that there's no important occurrence, relating to public business or the adminstration of State-affairs, but what may be learned, and handsomely expedited, by the assistance of History; with as great ease, as our Lawyers do form their Judgments and Decisive Sentences upon all Suits, from precedents and former decrees upon record. In History we'll meet with all that can occur in the Government of a State; with the Original Springs, the Progress and the event of things and the manner of going about them. 'tis true the diversity of time and Place will sometimes occasion contrary Conclusions; but Prudence and judgement will easily remove the difficulty, and reconcile the seeming contrariety. And History is so justly entitled to this perfection that Cominaeus does not stand to assert, that wise Counsellors ought to admit of no Measures, but what are either precedented, or at least approved and recommended by History. No Man can be a Stranger to the useful and necessary Offices that History does to Theology, who does but call to mind the different Opinions of different Times, and the infinity of Ecclesiastical heats that prevailed both in the Synods and elsewhere. Now, who but a Historian should acquaint us with these things? And who else can furnish us with an account of those secular Affairs, which the Holy Pen-Men have glanced at by the bye? As for the Civil Law, History is so serviceable upon that score, that whoever neglects it, may well be a Petty-fogger, but cannot merit the title of a Civilian. To this purpose are those words of the famous Gothofredus, viz. Since the Common Law( Jus Publicum) relates to the State of Rome, and that all its statutes are such as were occasioned by the pinch of Circumstances and Times, and the temporary state of the Kingdom; how can any Man pretend to be thoroughly acqainted with the same, without carrying along with him, not only the General History of that Age, but, as Tertullian says, The particular Accounts of the minuter periods of time; without digging up and weighing the grounds and occasions of every Statute; and in a word, without distinguishing occasional privileges from standing Laws? Now the omission of that, has occasioned those blunders that stand staring in the Comments upon the most solemn Constitutions relating to Common Law. This is the source of those hard and intricat Questions, that 'tis scarce possible to clear: this gave rise to the jarring sentiments of Lawyers which are altogether irreconcilable, namely, that those Statutes which of themselves are truly ambulatory and only for a time, are put on the foot of a standing and perpetual Law. Now, since this is the case of the Roman Law, That of the Law of Nations must be much more such; since it depends so much upon History, that some have justly styled it, Jus Historicum. For it goes upon the Customs and Consent of Nations, which we are only given to understand by the Annals and Records of History. For, says Grotius, History has a double use with reference to this Law; for it furnishes us at once both with Examples and Judgments. Examples are so much the more authentic, that the times and People which afford 'em are entitled to a good Character: Hence the Ancient graecian and Roman Instances do justly claim a pference to others. Neither are we to slight the Decrees and Judgments upon Record, especially those which agree: for, as I intimated above, the Law of Nature fecthes some evidence from them, but that of Nations has no other proof. Accordingly those who wrote upon the rights that are common to several Princes and Nations( among whom Albericus gentiles and Hugo Grotius stand highest in the Roll) laid down this resolution to themselves, that almost all their advances should be fetched from History, and be tried, and acquitted or condemned, by putting 'em to the test of the same. From whence they were justly called Historico-jure-periti, i.e. Historical Lawyers. But I am loth to tyre the Reader with an useless heap of Words upon so clear a point. The same is the case of the Canon Law, the Law of Arms, and indeed of all Municipal Laws: I mean, that there's a necessity of explaining and illustrating them by the State of times, the Circumstances of things, the Customs of Nations, and several other things that are only to be met with in Annals and Histories. These Considerations egged me on to reduce History into such a form, as might resemble that of a complete Art or Science, and prove inviting to young Students. I first began to pick up the scattered parcels of the Ancient Empires and Kingdoms, like so many floating planks after a shipwreck, and patch 'em up into one Body; and to trace the continued Series of things from their first source to the last periods, without omitting any thing of Importance. And always carried this view along with me, not only to trace the Progress of Commotions and Revolutions, but to lay open the Counsels, Reasons, and Methods of carrying them on; which to my mind are justly entitled the first fruits of History. But after I had finished my Collection, and mustered up what I thought was wanting in other General Historians; I had a further concern upon me; namely, to pitch upon such a method and disposition of the whole, as would keep up the entire Schemes of Empires, Kingdoms and republics, and at the same time lay them so together as to observe the Unity of Time in Contemporary things, tho' widely different in their own Natures, and with reference to the places upon which they were acted. Sometimes I pitched upon one, and sometimes upon another method; what I liked but now, displeased me by and by; 'twas no sooner finished but I presently dashed it out. At length, having weighed all objections in an even and just balance, I concluded upon the Method of carrying down the Contemporary's in parallel Chapters to those of the Monarchies. For in regard that History ought to be formed into a Body, and the Affairs related ought to have a due connexion with one another; I thought it most proper to prefer the greater to the lesser, and to make the former a Standard for the order and method of the latter. Besides, every Monarchy may be looked upon as a Head, by whose discretion and beck the better part of the World was governed in the respective Times. But moreover, I have not only added the Contemporaries to each Monarchy, but have all along annexed the more noted periods of Time and marks for Computation, so that the Young Student may all along see, not only in what Year of such and such a Monarchy any memorable thing was acted, but likewise in what Year of the World, of the Olympiads, of the City of Rome, and of the other Aera's. By this Method any Man may red the entire History of any Monarchy, Kingdom, or republic, by its self, without confusion or interruption: And at the same time the Computation of Time is as clear and undisturbed, as if all the different Kingdoms, &c. were mingled together in the usual Form. I have spent a great deal of pains in adding the History of the Hero's; by reason that if Young Students do not apply themselves to the Knowledge of these tho' never so obscure, and even of the Fables, they never will be Masters of Universal History, nor be duly qualified for reading Authors and hearing the Lectures of the learned. Neither have I omitted the politic Constitutions and Forms of Governments, which were requisite in this Scheme. Sometimes I act the part of a critic, and sometimes that of a Politician. But I never am overborne with Conceit or puffed up with Pride; I am not so Arrogant and Proud of my own Brains, as to take Pleasure in hearing myself arraign others of Ignorance, Weakness and Mistakes. On the contrary, I would fain bespeak a favourable Construction of my Reader, and beg of him that he would rather consider the design and good meaning, than be scrupulously nice upon the Merit of the performance. I am very sensible of my own Weakness, neither do I pretend to great things. I am sensible that whoever strikes out a new Method for things, lies under many difficulties, and drudges so under the weight of the things themselves, that he has not leisure to mind the Elegancy of Speech. Who can expect perfection in a first Essay? I should not be ashamed to aclowledge, that some things are here wanting which might easily be added, and that I was so much taken up with the matter, that I did not much mind the dress of my Words. But, let it be as it will, the Dye's thrown. And thus stands the first Part of my Institution of History; to which a second Part will be added, as soon as the weight and bulk of so great an undertaking, and the Author's private Circumstances will permit. That will be a Work of infinite Reading; a great many Books must be red over and over again, many must be consulted, several collated and compared, in order to clear up the Truth of things, lay open the particular Constitutions and Forms of Church and State Government in all Nations, and present the world with a view of the Affairs transacted in' em. And after all, 'twill be as difficult a task to Methodise the Work, and avoid the wonted Confusion. But what infinite Sums of Money must be laid out in purchasing Books, for the Instruments of this Work! And what expense of time must a Man be at in perusing' em? Doubtless, to speak modestly, the undertaker ought to be a rich Man. Some were of Opinion that it would be a Piece of Service done both to my Countrymen and foreigners, to publish this Epitome of the first part, in Latin; while the other was getting ready. Should I tell the Reader, that 'twas in compliance with their requests and repeated advice that I published it, I should tell nothing but truth. However 'tis impossible to talk a reader into the belief of such a Story, or to manage it so dexterously as to avoid the Imputation of the same ridiculousness and impertinency, that is commonly charged upon vulgar Authors. I shall therefore only add, that those who liked the Method of my Institution, cannot dislike these Elements; or deny that they are seasonably calculated for young Students; to the end, that, by learning these by Heart, they may be conducted more easily and methodically to a fuller knowledge of things, and be lead as 'twere by the hand from the General Heads of Affairs to the compleater and circumstantial accounts of the same. I have favoured their Study by a succinct and perspicuous Brevity, that so the Heads may be better lodged in their Memories. And in regard that Sleidan is perused by most of 'em, I have picked out the best of the few beautiful strokes, which that Author has confusedly huddled up in his book of the four Monarchies; and transplanted 'em into this book with all due Caution. To conclude; I thought it needless to cram these narrow Pages with Quotations, to vouch for what I advance, since my Institution of History is plentifully stored with such upon all occasions. 'tis now seven or eight Years, since I put this Book into Latin, and digested it in its due Method, being then in France, where the want of Books and the other Inconveniencies that attend traveling, hindered me both from carrying on the second part of my Institution, and from beautifying these Elements in proportion to my own design and the Nature of the subject. After that, it lay by in my Closet, and was like to be wasted by time, for the putting off of which it was compiled; till at last upon a certain pressing occasion it was snatched out of my Hands, and now published, I wish in a good time. My last request of the Candid Reader, is, that he would chiefly mind the Scheme and Design of the Work. Upon that score I hope it will not displease him, tho' I cannot say that I am yet very fond of it. London, June 30. 1670. THE CONTENTS. BOOK I. Ch. 1. FRom the Creation of the World, to the Commencement of the Babylonian Monarchy. page. 1 Chap. II. From the Beginning of the Babylonian Empire to its Overthrow. p. 3 Affairs Contemporary with the Babylonian Monarchy. Chap. III. The Sacred History Contemporary with the Babylonian Monarchy. p. 18 Sect. 1. From the first Division of the World, to the Departure of the Children of Israel from Egypt. ibid. Sect. 2. From their Departure to the Death of Solomon, and the Division of his Kingdom. p. 26 Sect. 3. The Affairs of the Kingdom of Judah. From the Death of Solomon to the Fall of that Kingdom. page. 33 Sect. 4. The State of the Kingdom of Israel; from their Separation to the Captivity of the Tribes. p. 44 Chap. IV. The Affairs of the greatest Antiquity, relating to the Kingdom of Egypt, contemporary with the Babylonian Monarchy. p. 52 Chap. V. The Ancientest State of Greece contemporary with the Assyrian Monarchy. Together with a particular View of its Kingdoms and republics. p. 71 Sect. 1. The State of Greece in general. ibid. Sect. 2. The Kingdom of the Sicyonians. p. 72 Sect. 3. The Kingdom of the Argivans. p. 74 Sect. 4. The Ancient State of the Kingdom and republic of Athens. p. 94 Sect. 5. The Ancient State of the Kingdom and republic of Lacedaemon. p. 111 Sect. 6. The Ancient State of the Kingdom of Corinth. p. 125 Sect. 7. The Ancientest State of the Kingdom of Thebes. p. 130 Chap. VI. The Affairs of Rome contemporary with the Babylonian Monarchy. p. 137 Sect. 1. The Original of the City of Rome. ib. Sect. 2. The Affairs of Rome from the Building of the City to the Cessation of Kingly Government. The space of 245 Years. p. 143 BOOK II. Of the Persian Monarchy, and the Affairs of the World Contemporary with it. Ch. 1. THE State of the Persian Empire. page. 181 Sect. 1. From the Commencement of that Monarchy to the Death of Cambyses. ibid. Sect. 2. From the Death of Cambyses, to the Death of Xerxes. p. 185 Sect. 3. From the beginning of the Reign of Artaxerxes Longimanus to the Death of Artaxerxes Mnemon. The space of 103 Years. p. 198 Sect. 4. From the Death of Artaxerxes Mnemon to the Death of Darius Codomannus. The space of 32 Years. p. 212 Affairs Contemporary with the Persian Monarchy. Chap. II. The Affairs of Greece, transacted while the Persian Monarchy stood. p. 224 Sect. 1. The Affairs of Greece from the beginning of that Monarchy to the Descent of Xerxes. ibid. Sect. 2. A View of the graecian Transactions from the Battles of Plataeae and Micale, to the Peloponnesian War. The space of 48 Years. p. 231 Sect. 3. From the beginning to the end of the Peloponnesian War. The space of 27 years. p. 237 Sect. 4. From the end of the Peloponnesian War, to the beginning of the Reign of Philip of Macedonia. The space of 44 Years. p. 251 Sect. 5. From the beginning of the Reign of Philip in Macedonia, to the Monarchy of Alexander his Son. The space of 31 Years. p. 264 Chap III. The Affairs of Sicily, Contemporary with the Persian Monarchy. p. 281 Sect. 1. The Names and Inhabitants of this iceland; together with its State antecedent to the Persian Monarchy. ibid. Sect. 2. The Affairs of Sicily Contemporary with the Persian Monarchy. p. 284 Chap. IV. The Affairs of Rome Contemporary with the Persian Monarchy. p. 304 Sect. 1. From the Dethroning of the Kings and the first Alteration of its Government, to the second, made by the Decemviri. The space of 57 Years. ibid. Sect. 2. From the Creation of the Decemviri to the War with the Privernatians. The space of 121 Years. p. 338 BOOK III. Of the Macedonian Monarchy, and its Contemporaries. Ch. 1. FRom the Commencement of the Macedonian Monarchy to the Death of Alexander. The space of 6 Years and 10 Months. page. 1 Chap. II. The Transactions of his Generals, from the time of his Death, to the time that they divided the Monarchy, and assumed the Title of Kings. The space of 17 Years. p. 8 Chap. III. From their assuming the Title of Kings, to the Death of Seleucus who survived the rest. The space of 24 Years. p. 14 Chap. IV. The State of the Kingdom of Macedonia, from the Death of Seleucus to the time of its being reduced to the Form of a Roman Province. The space of 139 Years. p. 19 Chap. V. The State of the Kingdom of Asia and Syria; from the Death of Seleucus, to the time of its being made a Province of Rome. The space of 220 Years. p. 30 Chap. VI. this State of the Kingdom of egypt, from the Death of Ptolomaeus Lagus to the Death of Cleopatra, and Aegypt's becoming a Province of Rome. The space of 254 Years. p. 50 Things Contemporary with the Macedonian Empire. Chap. VII. The Kingdom of the Jews, or the Principality of the Asmonaei; from the departure of Antiochus Sedetes from Jerusalem to the beginning of Herod's Reign. The space of 98 Years. p. 61 Chap. VIII. The Affairs of Sicily, from the Death of Timoleon to the Sicilian or first punic War. p. 70 Chap. IX. The Affairs of the Romans Contemtemporary with the Macedonian Empire. p. 76 Sect. 1. From the War with the Privernates, to the first punic War, or the first Adventure of the Romans out of Italy. The space of 66 Years. ibid. Sect. 2. From the beginning of the first punic War, to the War with Antiochus Magnus, or the first Invasion of Asia by the Romans. The space of 37 Years. p. 81 Sect. 3. From the War with Antiochus Magnus to the Overthrow of Carthage; whereupon the Romans became secure and degenerated. The space of 45 Years. p. 97 Sect. 4. From the Destruction of Carthage to the Mithridatick War, which occasioned the first Civil War. The space of 58 Years. p. 101 Sect. 5. From the Mithridatick and first Civil War, to the Triumviral Conspiracy of Pompey, Crassus, and Caesar; which at last proved the ruin of the Popular Form of Government. The space of 28 Years. p. 107. Sect. 6. From the beginning of the Triumviral Conspiracy to the perpetual Dictatorship of Julius Caesar. The space of 16 Years. p. 118 Sect. 7. From the perpetual Dictatorship of Julius Caesar to the end of the second triumvirate; and the Monarchy of Octavius Caesar, or Caesar Octavianus. The space of 15 Years. p. 127 BOOK IV. Of the Roman Monarchy. Ch. I. FRom the Reign of Octavius to the Death of Tiberius. The space of 66 Years. p. 135 Chap. II. From the Death of Tiberius to the Death of Nero, the last Emperor of the Family of the Caesars. The space of 20 Years. p. 148 Chap. III. From the Death of Nero, to the Death of Domitian, the last of the Family of the Vespasians. The space of 27 Years. p. 155 Chap. IV. From the Death of Domitian to the Death of Pertinax, and the exposing of the Roman Empire to sale. The space of 97 Years. p. 162 Chap. V. From the Death of Pertinax, and the Sale of the Empire, to the Death of Maximinus, the first Emperor that was confirmed without the Consent of the Senat. The space of 45 Years. p. 161 Chap. VI. From the Death of Maximinus to the Monarchy of Constantin the Great, the first Christian Emperor, who translated the Seat of the Empire to Byzantium or Constantinople, a City in Thrace. The space of 86 Years. p. 186 THE ELEMENTS OF HISTORY. BOOK I. CHAP. I. From the Creation of the World to the Beginning of the Babylonian Empire. 1. IN the beginning God created Heaven and Earth: At last on the Sixth Day he created Man, having made all suitable Preparations, for the entertainment of the Inhabitant of the World. 2. Adam was thus left in a state of Happiness: But he quickly forfeited both his Innocence and felicity by eating the forbidden Fruit: And involved all his Posterity both in the Guilt and the Punishment. Having committed so heinous a Crime, he was expelled Paradise, and doomed to Manure the Earth. By his Wife Eve he had two Sons, namely, Cain and Abel: The former, in resentment of God's Preferring his Brothers Sacrifice, killed the latter. At last Adam in the 130th Year of his Age, begot Seth, and lived in all 930 Years. 3. Cain's Posterity being swept off by a Deluge; the Church of God, and the Race of Mankind, was propagated by Seth: Who, in the 105th Year of his Age begot Enos; Enos in the 90th begot Cainan; Cainan in the 70th begot Mahaleel; Mahaleel in the 65th begot Jared; Jared in the 162 begot Enoch; Enoch in the 65th begot Methuselah; Methuselah lived 969 Years, which was longer than any Mortal Man did; in the 187th Year of his Age he begot Lamech; and Lamech in the 182 begot Noah; who, after he had lived 600 Years, made an Ark, pursuant to God's command, by which he saved himself and his Family, when the rest of Mankind perished in a Deluge. This Deluge happened in the Year of the World 1656. 4. Noah had three Sons, Shem, Ham, and Japhet; who repaired the loss of Mankind, and furnished the Earth with new Inhabitants. Shem possessed part of Asia. Japhet was Master of all Europe, besides Asia the lesser, Media, part of armoniac, Iberia, Albania, and those vast Countries Inhabited formerly by the Scythians, and now by the Tartars. Not to speak of America, which, it is probable, the Scythians reached through the straits of Anian; Japhet's Posterity had a right to those Northern Countries, which Jornan justly styles a Warehouse of Nations, and a sheathe of People. Ham the Youngest got Egypt, all Africa, a great part of Assyria and Arabia, besides Babylonia, Susiana, Assyria, and the other Countries which Nimrod his Grandchild possessed. CHAP. II. Reaching from the first Rise of the Babylonian Empire to its downfall. 1. THE Earth being thus divided, Nimrod the Son of Cush, and Grandchild to Cham took up his seat at Babel, where he first begun to Reign, having added to his Dominions Erech, Accad, and Calneb in the Land of Sinaar. 'twas he that projected the building of that prodigious Tower, which God resented so much, that he punished Mankind with a Confusion of Languages: Whence that Monument of Madness was styled Babel. This was the true Belus and Bacchus, whom Moses represents as a great Hunter; whereupon some imagine he got his Kingdom by Hunting, having drawn together a number of Men to make head against the Wild Beasts that infested the Land. He reigned 63 Years. 2. Ninus his Son and Successor, worshipped his Father as a God, and so proved the first Author of Idolatry. He entered into a League with the King of Assyria, and with joint Forces subdued armoniac and Media, and in the space of 17 Years conquered all Asia, besides the Indians and Bactrians; the latter of whom he at length defeated, notwithstanding the Valour of their King Zoroaster, or rather Oxyartes. Having reigned 52 Years he died, either before some Town as being wounded with a Dart, or else through the Treachery of his Wife Semiramis. 3. Ninias or Ninus his Son being then a Youth, Semiramis the Mother put on a Mans Habit, and reigned in his room. She rebuilt, enlarged and fortified Babylon, and being not contented with the Dominions of Ninus, added Ethiopia to them, and made War in India. In Riches, Victories and Triumphs, she was inferior to none. After 42 Years her Son killed her, either out of an itch to Govern, or to reject her Embraces. 4. Ninias degenerated from the Example of his Ancestors, and gave himself to Luxury and Idleness: Tho' at the same time the Art of Ranking and putting Soldiers in Order is attributed to him; which all the Succeeding Princes down to the fall of the Empire, did mightily esteem. Of thirty Successors, most of 'em followed his Example, and none of 'em did any Memorable thing, bating Teutamus who sent Auxiliary Troops to Priamus when besieged by the Grecians; and the last of that Line, who rendered himself famous by his Luxury and the manner of his Death, being styled Tonos-concoleros by his own People, and by the Grecians and Romans Sardanapalus. 5. He was the most effeminate Man upon Earth. He lived among Women in eternal Idleness, and meddled with nothing but the Distaff and the Wool. He was so much dedicated to his Pleasures, that he seldom appeared abroad. By these means two of his Governours, namely, Belochus governor of Babylonia, and Arbaces governor of the Medes, were dissaffected, and combined to expose the soft and filthy Conduct of his Life, and Declare War against him. The King having early notice of their Revolt, made preparations for a Defence, and obtained three Victories over the Rebels. By this Success he became secure, and return'd to his Pleasures: Which animated the Rebels so, that they made the reprisal of an equal number of Victories over his Forces, and laid siege to the Town. 6. Sardanapalus stood out against the Siege two Years, and persuaded himself he would be able to continue so to do, till relief came, because the Oracle had foretold, that Nineveh should never be taken till the River waged War with the Town. But in the third Year of the Siege there fell so much Rain, and Euphrates swelled so high, that it broken in over the Walls, and covered them for twenty Furlongs. This did so Thunder-strike Sardanapalus, that he erected a Funeral Pile, and threw himself and his Riches into the Flames. This says one, was the only Manlike Action of his Life; it happened in the Year of the World 3186, 43 Years before the first Oympiad, and 1400 Years after the building of Babylon. 7. The Assyrian Empire did in a manner sink with Sardanapalus; being divided into two Principalities. For Arbaces was declared King by the Army, and pursuant to a mutual compact gave Babylon to Belochus. Some say, Arbaces laid Nineveh in Ashes; others think he only pulled down the Castle, because that Town had afterwards its Kings, who, tho' they were not comparable to their Predecessors for Power and Authority, yet they were very considerable, and perhaps derived their Original from Belochus. 8. One of these Principalities was the Median, which, it is probable, not only Arbaces, but his Posterity inherited. For tho' Herodotus Writes that the Medes shook off the Assyrian Yoke, and lived several Ages without a King: Yet Ctesias, who professes that he collected his History out of the Persian Annals, says that Arbaces having reigned 18 Years, was Succeeded by Mandauces his Son, and he in order by Sesarmus, Artias, Arbianis, Arsaeus, Artynes, Artibarnes, and Astyages Grandfather to Cyrus by the Mother side. Besides, Eusebius in his Chronicle mentions the same Succession of Kings from Arbaces, tho' he differs from Ctesias as to the Names of the Princes. 9. The other Government was that of the Babylonians, headed by Belochus. 'tis uncertain how long he reigned, or who Succeeded him. After, 71 Years, Nabonasar obtained the Babylonian Kingdom, the beginning of whose Reign, in the 8 Olympiad, gave Date to that famous Aera of Nabonasar, commencing from the first Day of the Egyptian Month Thoth( Feb. 26) about 746 Years and 310 Days before the Christian Period according to some Calculations, and 424 Years before the Death of Alexander the Great. 10. Nine Kings Succeeded Arbaces in order; and then followed an interregnum of Eight Years: At which time it seems the Royal Offspring failed, and Escarchaddon, King of Assyria, subdued the Babylonians. For he who governed the Babylonians, by ptolemy is called Assaradinus, which Name seems to have no other difference from Escarchaddon, but what arises from the various accents of different Languages. 11. As touching the reviving of the Assyrian Monarchy; 'tis not at all probable, that after the Death of Sardanapalus eieher the whole Empire, or the greater part of it was Subject to Media and Babylon. On the contrary, it is most likely, that Arbaces, when he governed the Medes, left several Countries to the enjoyment of their Liberty, whom he could not bring to a tame compliance with his Yoke. Afterwards the Nations lying beyond Euphrates, being sick of anarchy and the infinite evils that arise therefrom, did not scruple to receive a Prince of a foreign Descent, who was so far inferior to the Successors of Belus in Dignity and the extent of his Empire, that the Grecians looked upon Sardanapalus as the last Assyrian King. 12. We are not yet informed, who this first Prince was, or what was his Name. Some take him for that Phul, who in the Reign of Menachem invaded the Land of Israel; and calculate the Beginning of his Reign from the 4 Olympiad, 17 Years before Nabonasar's Date. Another confounds him with Tiglath-Pilesar, who, as he reckons, took upon him the Name of Ninus Junior. This Prince destroyed the Kingdom of Damascus, and after 28 Years left Salmanasar his Successor, who carried the Israelites off in Captivity, and subdued Phaenicia and Syria. 13. Salmanasar was followed by Sennacherib, who infested Egypt with Hostilities, and mightily pinched Hezekiah King of Judah: But his Blasphemies did so incense the Almighty, that, by the Hand of an Angel, he lost in one Night 185000 Men: Upon which he return'd Home, was killed by his Sons Adrameleh and Sharezer, and his Son Escarchaddon Succeeded him. 14. This Prince is taken to be the same with Assardinus mentioned by ptolemy that famous Mathematician, in his List of the Kings. He planted a new colony in Samaria, and at the same time, as it is supposed, went into Judea, and carried Manasseh the King Prisoner to Babylon: For the Scripture testifies that at that time Babylon was under the Assyrian King. Assardinus reigned 13 Years, and then Saosduchinus( or Saosducmus) Succeeded him according to ptolemy. The common opinion is that Merodach killed him, and by that means Succeeding to the Assyrian Empire joined it to the Babylonian. But the Author of that succession is Psuedo Metasthenes, whom Annius and such like Authors have put upon the World; and therefore 'tis deservedly rejected. 15. If we may credit the Book of Judith, that Nebuchadonosor who killed and defeated Arphaxad King of the Medes, and the Builder of Ecbatana, is the same with Saosducinus. This Arphaxad is the same with Deioces, whom Herodotus mentions as the Builder of that City and Contemporary with Saosducinus, whose General Olophernes, lying before Beth-sara, was overreached by Judith, and perished by her cunning. 16. Saosducinus was succeeded by Chynaladanus, who is called Saracus by Alexander Polyhistor. Phraertes King of the Medes in revenge of his Father's Death, declared War against him; but, tho' he subdued all Asia and Persia, was at length defeated: But his Son Cyaxares renewed the War, beat the Assyrians, and besieged the Town Ninus; but at that time the Scythians expelled the Cimmerians out of Europe, and pursued them to Media, which obliged him to break up the Siege and return home: Where he was routed in a battle by the Scythians, and lost the Empire of all Asia, which the others possessed for 28 Years. 17. After 28 Years, the Scythians were betrayed to Security and Mal-administration: Upon which Cyaxares invited them to a Feast, and having made them drunk, stabbed them: By this means he retrieved his former Dignity and Dominions. After that Nabopolassar, General to the King of Assyria's Army, made an alliance wirh Cyaxares, by marrying his Son Nebuchadnezar to amity, Daughter to Astyages, the Son of Cyaxares. Being strengthn'd by this mutual Alliance, they jointly destroyed Chinaladanus or Saracus, after he had reigned 22 Years. 18. By this means Nabopolassar, or Nabolassar, the Assyrian General suceeeded to his Master's empire in the 123th Year of Nabonasar. He, being pinched by a War with Pharaoh Necho, who took the Town Charcemissus upon the Euphrates, and by the Rebellion of Caelo-Syria and Phaenicia, took in Nebuchadnezar his Son as Partner in the Government, and sent him at the Head of an Army against the Egyptians and Syrians. 19. Nebuchadnezar upon the way obliged Jehojakin King of Judah, and subject to Neco, to be his Tributary. This incensed the Egyptian King, so that he marched against him, and in a second Engagement at Carcemissus, was routed and killed. While Nebuchadnezar pursued his Victory, and extended his Conquests from Euphrates to the Nile, his Father died at Babylon, and himself was seasonably recalled by the chaldeans, to establish his Crown. 20. This Prince beautified Babylon, added a new City to the old, and surrounded them both with three Walls. He caused the famous Hanging Garden to be made round the Palace, in order to present his Wife with a continual View and natural Scheme of Media, for she took pleasure in beholding the High-lands of her own Country, 'twas this Nebuchadnezar who besieged Jerusalem two Years, and laid it in Ashes; who pulled down the Walls, and carried off the better part of the People in Captivity; who put out the Eyes of King Zedekiah, and killed his Children and Noble-men. 21. This Prince in a Dream, had presented to him the Image of a large Statue, with a Head of Gold, Breast and Arms of Silver, Belly and Thighs of Brass, Legs of Iron, and the Feet half Iron and half day. When he awakened he forgot his Dream, and threatened Death to the Wise Men if they did not tell him what it was: They were not capable to answer his Demands, but Daniel of Jerusalem, by virtue of his Prayers, told him what he had dreamed, and having explained it, made a prophesy of the four great Monarchies. 22. God punished his Pride, with a horrible Instance, which all Great Men, Kings and Princes, ought diligently to weigh and consider, in order to dispose themselves to revere the Divine Majesty, and perform their Duty to the People committed to their Care. He was for the space of Seven Times,( which most Writers understand to be Seven Years) expelled human Society, and doomed to live among the Beasts: But after the set Period was over, he return'd to himself, and retrieved his former Dignity and Government. Abydemus a Heathen, mentions this Passage: Megasthenes, Diocles and Philostratus wrote upon the same Subject. He reigned 43 Years, according to ptolemy, who calls him Nabocolassar, or rather Nabocodolassar. 23. His Successor was Evilmerodach, a Man wrapped up in wickedness and Debauchery, who after 2 Years was made away by the contrivance of Neriglissor his Brother-in-Law. Neriglissor reigned 4 Years, and left his Son and Successor Laborosardock, who being an ill-natured Prince, was killed by his own People after nine Months. Then the Government came into the Hands of one Nabonydus a Babylonian, called by others Nabannidochus and Labynitus. When this Man had reigned 17, or( as some will have it) 27 Years, he was killed by Cyrus, who conquered Babylon, and transferred the Empire to the Persians. 24. This series of Kings is conveyed to us by Berosus a Chaldean Historian, whom Josephus often quotes; and whom ptolemy that famous Alexandrian Mathematician, backs with Reference to the same. 'tis true, there have been some Learned Men, who thought that Daniel's History was against this order; but there are others equally learned, who have given satisfactory answers to all their Arguments: as it is made to appear in our Institutions of History. But now that we are come up with Cyrus, 'twill be requisite to describe, with all possible Brevity, who he was, of what Country, and what were the Qualities of a Man that was able to wield so large an Empire. 25. That he was the Son of Cambyses the Persian, by Mandane Daughter to Astyages King of Media, is agreed upon by all, bating only Ctesias, who asserts, that he was no way a Kin to Astyages. But there are various Accounts of Cambyses his Circumstances. Herodotus says, that he was a Man of a mean Birth and Fortune; and that Astyages gave his Daughter to such an one, on purpose, because he had dreamed that her Offspring would rise so high, as to overthrow his Government. He adds further, that when the Infant was born, he was given to Harpagus to be made away: but he taking Compassion of the Child, entrusted the King's Shepherd with the Execution of his Majesty's Commands: And the Shepherd's Wife having lately brought forth a Dead Child, persuaded her Husband to bring home the Child he had laid out, and breed him up in the Room of his deceased Son. 26. But Xenophon in that incomparable Book of his, concerning the Instruction of Cyrus, asserts, that Cambyses was truly King of the Persians; and that Cyrus was admirably well versed in all the parts of Persian Learning, which he mightily cries up. But he has not one Word of the Story related by Herodotus, namely, That he was bread up among the King's Shepherds, and when by his princely and distinguishing Genius he came to be known to his Grandfather Astyages, he sent him away to Persia; and that Astyages, for a Punishment of Harpagus his negligence in executing his Commands, regal'd him at a Feast with his own Son's Flesh: in revenge whereof, Harpagus, after some time, pushed on Cyrus to make an Insurrection against Astyages, and outt him of his Kingdom. 27. For Xenophon relates that Cyaxares, Son to Astyages, having no Male Issue, gave his Daughter in Marriage to Cyrus the Persian his own Sister's Son; and that being incommoded by a War with the King of the Assyrians, he called in Cyrus to his assistance; who in that juncture was made Emperor of the whole Army, and successfully acted his part, in taking Babylon, and at last succeeding his Uncle, after he had subdued Craesus King of Lydia, and many others. Craesus is a considerable Actor in the History of these Times; and therefore 'twill be necessary to run over the History of the Lydian Kings. 28. Some graecian Authors will have Lydia( or Maeonia) to be so called from Lydus the King, Son to Atys, and Brother to Tyrrhenus. But 'tis apparent that Lydia was so called from lord the Son of Shem, mentioned by Moses; and Maeonia from the River Meander. When Lydus's Issue failed, according to Herodotus, the Heraclidae reigned there 505 Years thro' 22 Successions: till the time of Caudaules, who was so proud of his Wife's Handsomeness, that he obliged Gyges his Servant to view her when naked. When the Queen knew this, she took it so ill, that she gave Gyges his Choice, whether he would die himself, or kill the King: by this means she pushed on her Servant to Parricide, and afterwards married him. 29. Thus Gyges of a Servant became a King, conquered his Enemies by the favourable Response of the delphic Oracle, subdued Colophon, made War with Miletus and Smyrna, established and continued his Government 38 Years. Ardys his Son and Successor took Priene, and besieged Miletus. In his time the Scythians driven the Cimmerians from their Seats, carried their Arms into Asia, and took Sardes, but did not carry the Castle. After 49 Years Sadyattes his Son succeeded: and he, after 12 Years, was followed by Alyattes. 30. Alyattes made War with Cyaxares the meed, and expelled the Cimmerians out of Asia. While he lay before Miletus, and had almost starved them out, they exposed all the Corn, they had left, in the public Market-place; whereupon he, fancying they had more Provision than he was ware of, raiss'd the Siege, and concluded a Peace with' em. He reigned 57 Years, and then Craesus his Son, aged 35 Years, succeeded him. 31. Craesus subdued all the People of Asia on this side the River Halys: And raised to himself a great famed by his glorious Achievements, and infinite Plenty of all good things. Among the wise Grecians that crowded to Sardes, Solon of Athens came likewise to visit the King. At first he met with a very welcome reception; but when the King and he came to Discourse of Happiness, he would not own that the King was Happy, but gave out all worldly things for uncertainties; whereupon he was dismissed as an indiscreet and unequal Judge of things. However Craesus, who was so much puffed up, that he thought himself the happiest of Men, was of a sudden Mortified with the Death of his Eldest Son: Which was so much the more cutting, that his Brother who Succeeded him was Dumb. After he had deplored the Fate of his Son for two Years, he was touched with the Envy of Cyrus's Prosperity, the heat whereof flew up into so great a flamme, that all his Pride and Luxury vanished in smoke, and he himself did but hardly escape the being burnt alive. 32. For, being deceived by his Oracles, he invaded Cappadocia, under the pretence of having satisfaction of Cyrus for the injury he did to Astyages his Sister's Husband; tho' at the bottom his design was to add that Fertile Country to his own Dominions. Cyrus marched out to meet him with a greater Number of Forces, and tho' they fought with equal Success, yet Craesus's Officers blamed him for offering to Engage with an unequal Number of Men. Whereupon the next Day, Cyrus not coming on to offer him battle, he retired to Sardes, designing to wait the Arrival of Auxiliary Troops from his Allies, in order to attack the Persian next Spring with joint Forces. 33. Craesus thinking himself safe from his Enemy, because he had rendered him secure by his Retreat, dismissed his Mercenary Troops: When Cyrus received Advice of that, he thought he had a fair opportunity of bringing his Designs to bear, and marched with full speed towards him, in order to surprise him. Craesus made what hast he could in preparing for a Defence; but having marched out of the Town, was routed, and then besieged. On the 14th Day of the Siege Sardes was carried, and he was taken Prisoner. 34. He was sentenced to be burnt: And when he mounted the Pile, cried out thrice, Solon. Being desired to give the Reason of this Outcry, he related the Story of his Interview with Solon, and Solon's Assertion, viz. That before Death, no Man should be accounted happy. Cyrus taking this saying into his serious Consideration, bethought himself that he was likewise liable to the Jolts of Fortune; and therefore made a more moderat use of his Victory; and, having pardoned Craesus, used him as his Friend and Kinsman. This happened in the 4th Year of the 58th Olympiad, the 15th Year of Cyrus, A. M. 3460. 35. Cyrus designed to march against the Babylonians, Bactrians, Saccae, and Egyptians. He employed Harpagus the meed to subdue Lesser Asia; which accordingly he did; and likewise conquered the jonians, Carians, Caunians, Lycians, and several other Nations. Having subdued all the remaining part of the Continent, he marched against the Assyrians, who had heaped up great Magazines of Provisions, and retired within the Walls of Babylon. At first Labynitus their King drew out his Troops, but he was routed, and obliged to return to the Town, which the other besieged. Who this Prince was, whether Belshazar, or another, I have not room here to inquire. Those who are curious may consult our Larger History. 36. Labynitus indeed endured the Siege long, and would have stood out longer, had not Cyrus found out another way of preventing the tediousness of the Siege. He caused large Ditches and Channels to be made, in order to divert and drain the River; which accordingly came to pass, so that the Persians had free access to the Town, and by this means Babylon and the Babylonian Empire came into the Hands of Cyrus, in the Year of the World 3465, the 1 Year of the 60th Olympiad, 539 Years before the Birth of Christ. Affairs Contemporary with the Babylonian Empire. CHAP. III. The Sacred History Contemporary with the Babylonian Empire. SECT I. Reaching from the Division of the World, to the Departure of the Israelites out of Egypt. 1. SHEM the Son of Noah, being 100 Years old, begot Arphaxad; Arphaxad in the 35th Year of his Age begot Salah; he in the 30th begot Eber( from whom some derive the Name Hebrews;) he in the 34th begot Phaleg, so called because in his Days the Earth was divided; he in the 30th begot Reu; he in 32d begot Serug; he in the 30th begot Nachor; and Nachor in the 29th Year of his Age begot Terah, or Tharem. 2. Terah, being 70 Years old, begot Abram, Nachor and Haran; of whom the last is reckoned the eldest, who died at Ur of the Caldees, and left three Children, namely, Lot his Son, and two Daughters, Milcah, who married Nachor, and Sarai or Iscah who married Abram her Father's Brother. The second was Nachor, Father to choosed, or Phased: So that Abram was the Youngest, who seems to be born in the 130th, and not in the 70th Year of his Father, according to St. Stephen's Discourse of the Ages of Terah and Abraham, when the one dyed, and the other departed from Haran. A.M. 2008. 3. Abram, about the 70th year of his Age, was ordered to remove into the Land of the Canaanites, God having promised to him that his Family should become a great Nation, and that all the Nations of the World should be blessed in him. He, pursuant to the command, went with his Father, Lot, and his Wife, from Ur of the Chaldees into Haran, and dwelled there. It seems he spent Five years at that place, out of tenderness to his Ancient and Sickly Father: And when the old Man departed this Life, set forward on his Journey to Canaan, in obedience to the Divine Precept. So that the period of Abram, and his Posterity's sojourning in a strange Land, is to be measured by 430 years. 4. He sat first down in Sichem, where God renewed the former promise, with an additional one of giving the Land to his Seed: And in this place Abram built the first Altar to the Lord. In the 11th year after his Entry into Canaan, he had a Son called ishmael by Hagar his Maid: And 15 years after that, God made a Covenant with him about Isaac, that was to be born as next year; and Instituted Circumcision as a Token of the Covenant. At that time his Name was changed from Abram to Abraham, as being not only a high and mighty Father, but a Father of many Nations. Sarai likewise his Wife, whose Name signified only my Mistress, as if it related only to one Family, was called Sarah, that is, an absolute Mistress, or one of many Nations. 5. In the same Year God discovered to Abraham his Decree of destroying Sodom, and the other Cities; and he not being able to pacify the Divine Wrath, a Fire came down from Heaven that set the Cities in a flamme, and only Lot was saved. The Ground on which they stood became a dead Sea 70000 Paces wide: In which no Creature lives, neither doth it afford any thing but a sort of slimy Pitch for the use of Seamen; so that the Heathens themselves have heard by Report, That in the Ancient Times this country was blasted from Heaven. Lot's Wife, going out of Sodom, by looking behind her was turned into a Pillar of Salt; which Josephus says was standing in his time. Lot's Two Daughters fancying that the whole Race of Mankind was destroyed, made their Father drunk, and embraced him: And from these incestuous Embraces sprung Moab and Ammon, Two patriarches of as many powerful Nations. 6. When the time was expired, according to the tenor of God's promise, Isaac was born in the 100th year of his Father, and the 90th of his Mother, 400 before the return of the Israelites out of Egypt, 37 years after Sarah dyed. Then Abraham married Keturah, and had Issue by her, which he regal'd with Gifts, and sent away before he dyed. When Isaac was 40 years old, he gave him in Marriage Rebekah, Daughter to Bethuel, Son to Nachor his Brother: And she after Twenty years barrenness brought forth Twins; namely Esau and Jacob. 7. At length after 15 years Abraham, God's Darling, gave up the Ghost in the 175th year of his Age; 100 years after his arrival in Canaan, 25 years after the Death of Shem, in the Reign of Inachus in Greece, 1821 years before the Birth of Christ, in the year of the World 2183. Artapanus, Charax, Berosus, Hecataeus, and Nicolaus Damascenus, who were all Heathen Writers, make mention of him. 8. Abraham being dead, God blessed Isaac, and made a Covenant with him, 48 years after ishmael dyed, in the 137 year of his Age, A.M. 2231. From Nabaioth his Eldest Son sprung the Nabatheans, who inhabited a part of Arabia, called Petraea, from Petra the Metropolitan. Among them 'twas reckoned a crime to Sow or to Plant, to drink Wine or to build Houses: They were fond of their liberty, and looked upon these things as the Incentives of Ambition. Kedar Ismael's t'other Son gave likewise the Name to a part of Arabia, that's frequently mentioned in Scripture. Tho' the Cushites, Midianites, and Ismaelites were not of the same Original; yet since they lived together, it seems they grew together into one Nation of the Saracens. 9. 15 years after this, Isaac being then blind, and in the 138th year of his Age, sent his Eldest Son Esau a Hunting, to the end that he might feed upon Venison, and then bless him. But Jacob by his Mother's cunning personated him; and having already bought the Birthright for a Mess of Pottage, chous'd him of the blessing. His Brother was so incensed at this, that Jacob was forced to flee into Mesopotamia to Laban his Uncle, whose two Daughters he married, having purchased 'em for 14 years service. 10. By these two Women, and as many Handmaids, he had Twelve Sons, and One Daughter. After 20 years hard service he return'd from Mesopotamia into Canaan. While he lived there, Joseph his Son was sold by his envious Brethren to Midianite Merchants, and carried into Egypt in the 17th year of his Age, and 109th of his Father. In Egypt he served Potiphar Governor to Pharaoh's household, and was made Overseer of his Family. After he had served him 16 years, his Mistress solicited him to uncleanness, which he refused, and was thereupon charged with the same Crime, and cast into Prison. 11. About this time his Grandfather Isaac dyed, and was butted by Esau and Jacob his Sons; of whom the former was reconciled to his Brother; and having made an equal division of their Goods, return'd to Mount Seir; God having so ordered it, that hereafter when the Israelites should come to repossess Canaan, his Posterity should not be thrown out of their Possessions. He was likewise called Edom, and from thence the Country was styled Idumea, and under that Name the Country of the Nabatheans seems to be included. For it is not improbable, That he who married Nabaioth's Sister, joined in with them, and headed them. And this is that famous Hero, who christened not only Idumea, but likewise the Erythrean, Idumean, or Red-Sea, all which signify the same thing; for Erythraeum among the Grecians signifies the same as Edom in the primitive Language. 12. While Joseph continued in Prison, he interpnted the Dreams of two Courtiers, and the event justified his interpretation; whereupon after Two years Imprisonment, the King called for him, his own Wise men having failed in the interpretation of his Dreams. As his Dreams implied the Succession of 7 years of Plenty, and as many of Famine; so Joseph gave him such seasonable advice for laying up Provisions against the approaching Famine, that the King perceived it surmounted the pitch of human strength, and thereupon advanced him to the highest Dignity in the Kingdom, giving him in Marriage Asenatha, Daughter to Potiphar, Governor of On, or Heliopolis. 13. The Famine did not only over-run Egypt, but also reached the Neighbouring places of Canaan and Arabia: So that Jacob being pinched by it, sent his Sons to buy Provisions; where being discovered by Joseph their Brother in disguise, they were cunningly charged with being Spies. But when they came a second time he released Simeon whom he had kept as an Hostage, and discovered himself to them. They were cast down, as being conscious of their former Wickedness, but he encouraged them, and furnished them with all necessary Provisions, and sent them to bring up their Father, and his whole Family, with all speed. Jacob was animated by his Son's Safety and good Fortune, whose imaginary Death he had long lamented; and being encouraged from Heaven, went cheerfully down to Egypt, in the 130th year of his Age, and the Third year of the Famine, in the 2298th year of the World. 14. He lived 17 years in Egypt, and then adopted Joseph's Two Sons, preferring the Younger to the Elder; and having called together and blessed his Children, gave up the Ghost. In Egypt his death was lamented 70 or 72 days: Then he was carried into Canaan, and after the Observation of 7 days more of Mourning, was butted by his Sons, attended by a great Number of Courtiers and Princes. Joseph's Brethren deprecating his Wrath, were pardoned by him, and freely provided with all Necessaries. 15. At length, having governed Egypt under several Kings for 80 years, having lived 110 years, and survived his Father 50, he ended his days. Trogus Pompeius wrote several things of him, as it appears from Justin; which are partly taken from sacred History, and partly derived from the Fables, which the Heathens, pursuant to their Custom, invented of the Jews. The period of Joseph's Life, concludes the Book of Genesis, which contains an account of the Affairs of 2369 years. The next to that seems to be the Book of Job, which the Hebrews always attributed to Moses. 16. Joseph and his Contemporaries being all dead, the number of the Israelites increased every day so much, and became so great, that the King being apprehensive of the consequences, concerted measures to impair it. First, he ordered the Midwives to make away all the Male-children; and when that Project did not take, issued out an Edict for drowning them. About this time was born Moses Son to Amram, and Jocabed, and after three Months, when he could not be hide no longer, was laid by the brink of a River in an Ark of Bulrushes daubed with Slime and Pitch. Pharaoh's Daughter called by Josephus, Thermutis, finding the Child there, put him out to be nursed by the Mother, whom she did not know to be such: Afterwards she adopted him for her Son, and took care to see him instructed in all the Wisdom of the Egyptians. 17. When Moses grew up, through Faith he refused to be called Pharaoh's Grandchild, and after the 40th year of his Age, visited his Brethren the Israelites, and took their burden into his consideration; upon which occasion he killed an Egyptian for striking a Hebrew. When Pharaoh heard this, he sought for him in order to punish him by Death: Whereupon he fled into the Land of the Midianites, and was kindly entertained by Hobab or Jethro, whose Daughter Zipporah he married, and stayed there 40 years. 18. When the 40 years were expired, as he was feeding the Sheep, he was called by God, and sent to Pharaoh, to rescue the Israelites from their insupportable Bondage. But the Embassy took no Effect; nay on the contrary harder labour was enjoined the Israelites, over and above their daily Task. Whereupon after many Signs, God, by Moses's Ministry, afflicted the Egyptians with Ten Plagues; Nine of which made little impression upon the King; but the Tenth, namely the Slaughter of all the First-born constrained him to dismiss the Israelites. SECT II. From the departure of the Israelites out of Egypt, to the Death of Solomon, and the Division of the Kingdom. 1. THere went out of Egypt 600000 Israelites Twenty years old and upwards, besides Women and Children. According to this computation the total Sum of persons of all Ages will amount to 1500000, if we follow the common Calculation of all Nations. And the mixed multitude that accompanied them seems to equal the number above-mentioned. 'tis apparent that 70 persons might naturally multiply into so large a Number, as I made it out in my Institutions. 2. Moses gathered the People at Rameses, from whence they moved and took up their second Station at Succoth. From thence they passed to Etha, and at length to Pihahiroth, whither Pharaoh pursued them; and God dividing the Waters of the read Sea, to make way for their Passage into the Desert, suffered Pharaoh and the Egyptians to be over-run by the returning Waves. Josephus lessons the Credit of this Miracle; thinking to gain Credit from the Heathens, by comparing it to Alexander's Passage thro' the Bay of Pamphylia: Whereas Strabo tells us, that when the Sea ebbs, this Bay is quiter dry; and even when the highest tide comes in, 'tis never so deep as to be impassable. 3. The Israelites spent a year and a half in the Desert, to the end that their Spirits being broken and debased by Bondage, might rise by degrees to the pursuit of Military and Civil Affairs. In this Interval of time, their Moral, Judicial, and Ceremonial Laws were enacted by God himself, their Tabernacle was erected, and the Sanhedrim, or a Court of 70 Judges, was instituted. In the 5th Month of the 2 Year, they sent Twelve spies, that is, a Man for every Tribe, to view the land of Canaan. When they return'd, ten of 'em gave an ill Character of the country, and cried up the strength of the Towns and Inhabitants so much, that the People were scared from pursuing the Enterprise, and offered to return to Egypt, and to ston Joshuah and Caleb to Death, who were the Two spies that differed from the other Ten. 4. God threatened these Rebels with sudden Destruction: and tho' by virtue of Moses's Prayers he was influenced to delay it for a time, yet he sentenced all above Twenty Years, bating Joshuah and Caleb, to die in the Wilderness, and the whole Body to wander there 40 Years. Accordingly, the Ten spies were taken off by sudden Death, the Memory of which judgement is to this day celebrated by the Jews by a Fast on the Seventh Day of the Sixth Month Elul. The surviving number, when they were just upon the Borders of Canaan, were ordered to return towards the read Sea; but marching up the Mountain contrary to God's Commands were routed by the Amalekites and Canaanites, and weep'd in vain before God. 5. Upon the occasion of this Disaster, and the continual and daily Death of the Israelites in the Wilderness, Moses compiled the 90th Psalm, in which he implies, that the Life of Man is confined within the Compass of 70 or 80 Years. Which was the third time that Man's Life was shortened by one half; the same having happened for the first time immediately after the Deluge, and a second time in the Days of Phaleg,, when the Earth was divided. 6. Moses gives but a small account of what happened in the succeeding 38 Years; but in the 40th Year he tells us the Kings of the Aradites and Amorites were defeated. Pursuant to God's Denunciation, all that were fit for War died in the Wilderness. Whereupon Moses was ordered to number the People a third time, and found there was 61173, aged twenty Years and upwards, besides 23000 Levites including all above one Month old, so that the number of the Children almost equalled that of the Parents. 7. At last the Midianites were conquered, and the Countries of Zihon King of the Amorites, and Og King of Bashan, were divided among the Children of Reuben and Gad, and half the Tribe of Manasseh. And then Moses died, aged 120 Years, five Months after the Death of his Brother Aaron. He spent one third of his life-time in the Administration of Affairs, since the 40th Year of his Age was just expired, when he conducted the People out of Egypt, A. M. 2548. The Israelites mourned thirty Days for him. His Death concludes the Pentateuch, which is followed by the Book of Joshua. 8. After the Death of Moses, Joshua, or Jesus, the Son of Nun, governed the People, and conducted them into Canaan, on the 10th Day of the first Month Nisan. When Joshua pursued his Enemies, the Sun and Moon stood still one whole Day, to favour the Pursuit. No City made Peace with the Israelites, excepting the Gibeonites, who overreached them; but they were all destroyed, bating a few, whom God reserved to be employed in future times, to punish his Rebellious People. 9. The Canaanites being dispossessed of their Country repair to the Sea-side, where they were afterwards christened Phaenicians; they planted Colonies in several parts of Africa and Europe, and particularly, in Fez and Morocco, where they reared up Pillars, with Inscriptions in phoenician Letters, to this purpose. We are of that Nation, which fled from before the Face of Joshua the Robber, the Son of Nun. This War with the Canaanites lasted six Years, and some Months, as it appears by the Age of Caleb in whose time the Land was divided. 10. The Division of the Land commenced in the beginning of the Seventh Year from the Entry of the Israelites into Canaan, and in the beginning of the 2555th Year of the World. It lasted a whole Year. So that from the Creation of the World to the Finishing of this Division, we reckon 2555 Years, and 365 Weeks, or Septenary Periods of Years, equalling the number of natural Days in a Solar Year: So that from the beginning of the World, we reckon on entire Hebdomas or Septenary Period of great Years, each of which contains as many Years, as there are Days in one Year; viz. 365. After the War had lasted six Years, the People restend in the Year of the Division as a Sabbatical Year: So that the commencement of the Sabbatical and Jubilee Years is calculated by some from their Entry into Canaan, rather than from the Division itself. 11. Joshua being dead, together with the Elders, who being of Age when they came out of Egypt, had the opportunity of remarking the wonderful Works of God: The Age that succeeded them forgot God, and mingled with the Canaanites by Intermarriages, and fell down before their Idols. This incensed God so much, that he delivered them into the Hands of Tyrants and Oppressors, who loaded them with heavy Afflictions. In the Interim he now and then raised up Judges to rescue them from the Calamities that had almost sink'd them; but the People rejected their Counsels. 12. Wherefore the Lord decreed, that those Nations which Joshua spared should continue in the Country, in order to try his People, and teach the Israelites the Art of War. Accordingly, there were Five Lords of the Philistines left, together with those Canaanites, Sidonians and Hivites that inhabited Mount Lebanon from Mount Baal-hermon into the entering in of Hamoth. The Israelites dwelled among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizites, Hivites, and Jebusites; they took their Daughters to be their Wives, and gave their own Daughters to their Sons, and served their Gods. 13. After the Land was divided by Lot, God gave them Judges for about 450 Years, till the Days of Samuel the Prophet, according to Paul the Apostle. But that Passage in the First Book of the Kings, which says, that the Temple was founded by Solomon, only 480 Years after their departure, seems to go against S. Paul's Computation. For this Number surpasses the other only by 30; whereas it should have 100 more, namely, the Six Years preceding the Division, those of the Government of Samuel, the Reigns of Saul and David, and the Three Years of Solomon's Reign preceding the Founding of the Temple. Some endeavour to reconcile these contradictory Passages; but others are forced to confess a Mistake in one of the two places. 14. Some cry up the untainted Credit of the Hebrews, and say it is entitled to a pference upon the score of its Antiquity. Others stand to St. Luke's Testimony, and allege, That the Hebrew Text is more liable to Errors and Oversights. If we reckon up the times of the Judges, and the Periods of their Persecutions, all apart, without confounding 'em together, then indeed this last Computation is entitled to a pference. But this is the only Difficulty, the removal whereof would set the whole Series of Years in a clear Light, namely, That by this means the common Aera of the World will be enlarged by the Accession of 100 Years. 15. The Scriptures do not expressly acquaint us how long Samuel governed the republic; but it seems he governed 20 Years, that is, from the Death of Eli the Priest till the Election of Saul. For when his Sons were charged with Bribery, and the Mal-administration of the public Affairs; and at the same time the Philistines and Ammonites made War with the Israelites; they were dissatisfied with their present Constitution, and obtained from God a King, namely, Saul the Son of Kish of the Tribe of Benjamin. 16. Saul's Wickedness rendered him unacceptable to God; whereupon David the Son of Jesse of the Tribe of Judah was anointed King. Saul sought to kill him for several years; but at last he and his three Sons died in a battle with the Philistines. That Passage which says, that God gave Saul to the Israelites for 40 Years, must be understood to include Samuel's Government. 17. Saul being dead, David reigned over the Tribe of Judah; and Seven years after, the other Tribes came in, Ishbosheth the Son of Saul having perished by the Treachery of his own People. He took Jerusalem from the Jebusites, and made it his Royal Seat. He routed the Philistines in several Battels, and carried on every thing prosperously, till God punished him for his Ingratitude, in his Adultery with Bathsheba, and making away Uriah her Husband, in order to conceal the Wickedness. At last he took in Solomon his Son as Partner in the Government, and died Six Months after, having reigned 40 years. He was a gallant warrior, an excellent Prophet, and a sweet Musician. His Death happened A. M. 2985. 18. Solomon confirmed his Government, by putting several Persons to Death. In the fourth Year of his Reign, the Second Day of the Second Month Ziphi, he laid the Foundation of the Temple of Jerusalem, which was built and finished Seven Years after. At the same time he caused to be built a Navy of Ships at Esiongaber on the read Sea, which brought him every Year 420 Talents of Gold from Ophir. Besides the Temple, he built likewise other Magnificent Buildings. Tho' God gratified his Wishes in giving him more Wisdom than to any Man upon Earth, and loaded him with other Gifts beyond his Wishes; yet he arrived at that Pitch of Ingratitude, that he first became wanton, and then fell into horrible Idolatry. This provoked God so, that he denounced the rending of his Kingdom. At last Solomon return'd to himself, repenting of his Folly, as appears by the Book of Ecclesiastes, and died, after he had reigned 40 Years, A. M. 3025. SECT III. An account of the Kingdom of Judah from the Death of Solomon to the fall of that Kingdom. 1. SOLOMON was followed by Rehoboam his Son by Naamah the Ammorite. The People petitioned him for a Diminution of the heavy Taxes laid on by his Father, but he following the Counsel of young Men, by his unfavourable answer, provoked them to revolt, and sand for Jeroboam the Ephrathite the Son of Nebat, out of Egypt, to be their King; under whose Reign, they at once revolted both from the House of David and the true Worship of God. In memory of this sad Revolution an anniversary Fast was appointed on the 23 Day of the Month Sinan. 2. The Tribes of Judah and Benjamin, and the greatest part of the Levites, continued true to Rehoboam. The Levites shifted their ancient Seats, for new ones, in Judah and Jerusalem; because Jeroboam had turned them out of the Priestly Office. To the Tribe of Judah that of Simeon is to be added, the Lands of the latter lying within the Heritage of the former. A part of the Children of Dan were likewise planted within the same boundaries; for the Tribe of Judah properly so called had a large Country allotted to them, not to be possessed only by them, but to be under their protection. 3. However it is said that the Ten Tfibes rebelled, because the Metropolitan of Dan came within Jeroboam's Dominions, or because the Tribe of Manasseh being scattered into several Places might be looked upon as two. The Kingdom being thus divided, the Northern Countries revolted, but those to the Southward continued in Subjection to Solomon's posterity. Hereafter the successors of Solomon were styled Kings of Judah, and those of Jeroboam Kings of Israel. But 'tis to be remarked that this Rule was not observed on all occasions, for Jehoshaphat and Achaz are called Kings of Israel, notwithstanding that it is apparent, they only governed Judah and its confederate Tribes. 4. Rehoboam designed to make War with the Rebels, but God enjoined him to desist. However he and his Subjects rebelled against the Lord, who being incensed sent Shishak King of egypt with a mumerous Army against him. The Egyptian made himself Master of several Places of Strength, penetrating even to Jerusalem; where he rifled the Temple of God and the palace, and took away the Shields of Gold which Solomon had made; so that Rehoboam was obliged to make brazen ones in their stead. 5. Next to him was Abijah his Son, whose Mother in one Place is said to be Maacah Absalom's Daughter, and in another Micajah Daughter to Uriel of Gibeah. Some think she was Uriel's Daughter by Tamarah, and adopted by Absalom who seems to have left no Issue behind him. Abijah following his Father's Footsteps waged continual War with Jeroboam, who appeared in the Field with 800000, but was so far routed by the Army of Judah, that was not half his Number, that he lost 500000 Men, a larger number of Slain, than any we red of in any other battle. Abijah carried on his Interest vigorously, he married 14 Wives, begot 22 Sons and 15 Daughters, but reigned only 3 Years. 6. His Son Asa succeeded him in the later end of the 20th Year of Jeroboam's Reign. He was a good Man; He repulsed 100000 of Ethiopians that invaded his Kingdom. Baasha the King of Israel, incensed by Envy, and provoked by the perpetual Revolts of his Subjects, built Ramah in the 36th Year of the Reign of Asa, in order to prevent their going over to Asa. King Asa by Gifts obliged Benhadad King of Syria to attack Basha, and divert him from Ramah; which Asa quickly demolished. But in this Affair he trusted too much in Human Means, and neglected God; whereupon he was checked, and continual War denounced against him. Being fretted by the Divine Message, he was incensed against the Prophet, and oppressed some of his Subjects. In his Old Age he was seized with the Gout, of which he died in the 41 Year of his Reign, having sought help from the Physicians, and not from God. 7. Asa a good Father was succeeded by Jehoshaphat a better Son; who removed the High Places and Groves; and in the 3d Year of his Reign sent his Princes, together with the Levites, to instruct the People in the Cities of Judah. He was faulty in one thing, namely, That he entered into a League with the Idolatrous Kings of Israel. Before Ramoth Gilead he escaped narrowly with his Life: and the Ships which he had prepared upon an Expedition to Ophir, to fetch Gold, were shattered. He reigned 25 Years, or 24 years and some Months. 8. Joram succeeded to Jehoshaphat, the wretched Son of an excellent Father. Being confirmed in his Government, he put to Death all his Brethren, and some of the Princes. The Children of Edom, that from David's time were subject to Judah, revolted in his Reign, according to the Prediction of Isaac the patriarch, together with Libnah, a City of Priests. God raised against him the Philistines and Arabs, who invaded his Country, and carried off all his Substance, together with his Wives and Sons, bating Jehorah, the youngest. At last he was seized with an incurable Disease in his Entrails, which, after two Years, fell out. Thus, the Wretch was punished for his Idolatry and other heinous Crimes, after he had reigned Three Years jointly with his Father, and five Years by himself. 9. Jehoahaz( Alias Achaziah and Azariah) succeeded. He followed the Footsteps of Ahab his Grandfather by the Mother's side, and countenanced Idolatry. He went to visit his Uncle Jehoram King of Israel, and was killed along with him by Jehu; when he had scarce reigned one Year. Athaliah, Ahab's Daughter, receiving Advice of her Son's Fate, possessed her self of the Government; and in order to establish it, made away all the Royal Offspring, excepting Joash an Infant, her Grandchild, whom Jehoshabeth, Daughter to Jehoram, and Wife to Jehojada the High Priest, had hide in the House of God. Six Years after Jehojada brought Joash, then Seven Years old, to light, and having killed Athaliah with the Priests of Baal, anointed him as King. 10. While Jehojada lived, Joash kept up to the Measures of Piety and Justice, and repaired the Temple of God, which had then stood 155 Years, having gathered a Collection for that purpose. Jehojada died, aged 130 Years; for the Jews observe, that this Restorer of the Temple was born the same Year, that the Builder of the same died. When Jehojada was dead, Joash fell in with Idolatry and Cruelty; and carried his Ingratitude to that pitch, that when Zacharias the Son and successor of Jehojadah checked him for worshipping Idols, he gave Orders to ston him to death in the Porch of the Temple. In the end of this Year he was heavily punished by an invasion of the Syrians, and after their departure was seized with grievous Distempers, and killed by his own Servants in revenge of the Blood of Zacharias, in the 40th Year of his Reign, A. M. 3160. 11. Next succeeded Amasiah his Son, who seems to have reigned jointly with his Father for three Years, since the Commencement of his Reign is dated in the 2d Year of Joash King of Israel. He put to death the Murtherers of his Father, but spared their Children, in Obedience to the mosaic Law. At first, things went well with him; but afterwards he fell in with Idolatry, slighted the Divine Admonitions, and hurried himself headlong into Dangers, and at last to Destruction. He disobliged Joash, was taken prisoner by him, and largely fined. Fifteen Years after a Conspiracy broken out against him; whereupon he fled to Lachish, but was pursued and killed, having reigned 29 Years. 12. His Son and Successor Uzziah, or Azariah; began to reign in the 17th Year of Jeroboam King of Israel: From whence we gather, that there was an Interegnum of twelve Years from the Death of his Father, to the time when he, being 16 Years of Age, was elected King by the People. In his time Judah flourished mightily. And about the 25 Year of his Reign, the first Olympiad was celebrated in the Morea, which sets the series of time in a Clearer light. When he invaded the Priests Office, by offering to sacrifice, he was smitten with a Leprosy, and thereupon separated from the Society of Mankind, Jotham his Son being entrusted with the Administration of Affairs. He reigned 52 Years. 13. Jotham, after his Father's Death, behaved himself piously, and met with all manner of Prosperity. When he had reigned 16 Years, Ahaz his Son succeeded him, having acted a part in the Government 7 or 8 Years before. Ahaz was mightily given to the Worship of Idols, and committed many heinous Crimes. Upon these high provocations God stirred up several Enemies against him, viz. Pekah King of Israel, Rezin King of Syria, the Edomites and Philistines. He sought help from Teglath-Pilezer, King of Assyria, who made himself Master of all Syria, took Rezin, and put an end to the Kingdom of Damascus, which had lasted 10 Generations, and expired under the same Royal Name, with that which gave it a Being. 14. Tiglathpilezer, having thus conquered the Syrians, turns the dint of his Arms upon Pekah, and carries off the Gileadites and Nephthalites into Assyria, as formerly he did the People of Damascus. Ahaz becoming a Slave to the Assyrian, found himself in no better Condition: Being hardened in Wickedness, and jealous of his Circumstances, three Years before his Death, he made Hezekiah his Son partner in the Government; and at last died, having reigned 16 Years. 15. Hezekiah opened the Temple, restored Religion, and shook off the Yoke of Bondage. Sennacherib the King of Assyria took this so ill, that he besieged Lachish, and after he had promised to depart upon the receipt of a Reward, broken his Promise, and solicited the People of Jerusalem to revolt. Finding this Project successless, he lay down before Libnah, a fortified City of Judah; but upon advice that Shishak King of Ethiopia was marching towards him, he broken up the Siege: But having still an Eye upon the Riches of Judah, wrote a Letter to Hezekiah, stuffed with Blasphemies and Threats, which did not pass with Impunity, for in one Night the Angel of the Lord cut off 180000 of his Men; and when he returned home he was put to death by his own Children. 16. In those Days Hezekiah was taken very ill, and by Prayer obtained the addition of 15 Years to his Life. ambassadors being then sent from Babylon to congratulate his Recovery, he shew'd them all his Treasure; and God being offended by that Ostentation and Levity of Mind, denounced, that all should be carried off to Babylon. He reigned 29 Years, three of which he was joined to his Father. He abounded in Riches, was celebrated by famed, and honoured with a Stately Funeral by the People lamenting their loss. 17. Manasseh his Son and successor, whom he begot after the Recovery from his Illness, was 12 Years of Age when the Government came into his Hands. For Idolatry, and all other Wickedness, he went beyond even all the Kings of the Gentiles. But being taken by the Babylonians, and bound in Chains, he repented; and God moved by his Supplications, restored him to his former Dignity. Being return'd home, he purged the Kingdom from Idols, 33 Years before his Death, according to the Jews. He reigned 55 Years. 18. Amon his Son succeeded to his Kingdom and Idolatry, but not to his Repentance. After two Years he was killed in his own House by a domestic Conspiracy. The People punished the Murderers, and set up Josiah his Son, then 8 Years of Age, to be their King, in the Fourth Year of the 35th Olympiad, A. M. 3368. Josiah stands highest in the Roll of the best Princes: he repaired the ruins of the Temple, and restored the ancient and pure Worship of God. Towards the end of the 33 Year of his Reign, he unadvisedly engaged in a War with Neco, King of Egypt, and would not be dissuaded from appearing in the Field in Person, where he was killed, to the infinite Loss and Grief of the People. 19. While Neco was diverted by other designs, the People anointed Jehoahaz or Shallum his Son, as King. But he followed the Example of his Ancestors, in doing what was evil in the Sight of the Lord, and enjoyed his Kingdom only three Months. For Neco, having compassed his Design upon Babylon, carried Jehoahaz to Egypt, and set his elder Brother Eliakim upon the Throne, changing his Name to Jehojakim, and laying heavy Taxes upon the Kingdom. 20. Neco was killed in the second expedition against the King of Babylon: After which Nebuchadnezar came to Jerusalem, and made Jehojakim Tributary to him in the Fourth Year of his Reign. Four Yeas after Jehojakim rebelled, and in the Third Year of his Rebellion, being the Eleventh of his Reign, Nebuchadnezar return'd and took him Prisoner; but before he could be transported to Babylon he died, and was butted with the Burial of an ass, according to the Prediction of Jeremiah. The Conqueror put Jehojachin in his Room, who followed his Father's Humour, and was deposed in the Second Year, and the Government was given to Mattaniah, Son to Josiah, who was christened Zedekiah, because he swore allegiance to the conqueror. 21. Zedekiah followed the Footsteps of his Brother and Nephews, and the People kept equal place with him in Wickedness. Trusting to the Alliance of Pharaoh, he broken his promise of Allegiance. The King of Babylon, in revenge of the Breach of promise, comes up against him, and took all the Cities of Judah, excepting Jerusalem, Lachish, and Azekah, which he likewise besieged. The next Year Pharaoh marched out of Egypt in order to relieve Zedekiah; but upon advice that nabuchadnezzar moved towards him, he retired. Whereupon thc King of Babylon return'd, and renewed the Siege of Jerusalem, where the Famine prevailed so far, that it was taken the first day of the Month in the latter end of the Eleventh Year of Zedekiah's Reign. 22. Zedekiah fled, together with his Army; but was taken in the Plains of Jericho, and brought back to Riblah, where his Children were put to Death before his face, his own eyes put out, himself Bound in Chains and carried to Babylon, where he ended his days in Exile. The 10th day of the 5th Month( August 27.) on the very Sabbath-Day, the Execution being perhaps put off till that day, Nebuzaradan, Captain of the Guard, burnt the Temple of God, and the Palace, with all the Houses of Jerusalem. In the same Month he broken down the Walls of Jerusalem, and Transported to Babylon all the People that were left in the City, and those who joined in with the King of Babylon, together with the Treasure of the King and Princes, and the Instruments of God's House. 23. This Catastrophe of Affairs, the just consequent of Impiety and Idolatry, happened 12 years after Jehojakim's Death, 390 years after the Death of Solomon, and separation of the Tribes;( To which Number if we add two years more, at the end of which the total Captivity was accomplished, Gedeliah being then dead, we'll find that it contains just 8 Jubilees:) 490 years after the beginning of Saul's Reign:( From whence 'tis apparent that the Kingdom of Judah lasted Ten Jubilees, or Seven Hebdomades or Septenary Periods of years, a Number equal to those attributed by Daniel to the republic of Judah from its Restoration to the coming of the messiah;) and 420 after the building of the Temple, which at that rate stood just 8 Jubilees with 4 Weeks, or in all 60 Weeks of years. 24. Now if we reckon 967 Years from their Entry into Canaan, by adding the 100 Years mentioned under the Head of their Judges. That Number will contain 138 Weeks of Years: And according to this computation there passed 1007 Years from their departure out of Egypt, in which time Satan was bound, and the People of God at liberty: And 3515 from the Creation of the World, which makes 502 Weeks of Years, or 71 Jubilees with 5 Weeks of Years. 25. Gedaliah was set over the sorry Remains of the People of Judah. He freely offered all his Substance to his Subjects: But before he had completed one Year, was killed at a Feast, to which he had been invited by one Ishmael sprung from the Royal Blood. The Jews being thus destitute of a Governor, many of 'em removed to Egypt, notwithstanding the Remonstrances of Jeremiah the Prophet, whom they consulted upon the matter, and obliged to go along with 'em; and whom, if we credit the Ancients, they afterwards stoned to Death, for upbraiding them with Idolatry, and threatening certain destruction both to them and the Egyptians. 26. At last, in the 23d Year of Nebachadnezzar, while the King besieged Tyrus, Nebuzaradan carried off the Remnant of the Israelites, and the People of Judah, to the Number of 745 Souls; And this was the last Transportation. The Prophecies of Jeremiah and Ezekiel, do sufficiently acquaint us, That the Jews who fled to Egypt were carried Captive, together with the Natives, into Babylon, or else put to Death: But all the Affliction that their impiety had drawn upon their Nation, did not influence them to Repentance. SECT 4. From the Division of the Tribes to their Captivity. 1. THE Ten Tribes that Revolted from Rehoboam, elected Jeroboam the Son of Nebat, an Ephramite to be their King. He was very industrious in managing Fortifications, and was preferred by Solomon to be Ruler over all Joseph's House. God being offended by Solomon's Idolatry, promised him the Government of the Ten Tribes; whereupon Solomon sought to kill him, but he fled into Egypt, where he lurked till the Death of Solomon. After his Death he was sent for; and first Headed the People as Speaker, and afterwards as their King. 2. Jeroboam, in order to prevent the Revolt of his new Subjects, diverted them from going to Jerusalem, by erecting Two Golden Calves at Bethel and Dan, to be worshipped by the stupid people. He persisted obstinately in pursuing this invention, notwithstanding the promises and threats of God to bring him from it. He died the 22d Year of his Reign. His Son and Successor Nadab Besieging Gibbethon of the Philistines, was killed by Basha, of the house of Isathar, in the second Year of his Reign: And all Jeroboams Race fell with him. 3. Nadab is said to begin his Reign in the second Year of Asa; and at the same time the Date of Basha's Reign commonly commences in the Third Year of Asa. Now in order to reconcile these two passages, we must know that Jeroboam did not Reign full 22 years, but only a part of the 22d Year; so that the far greatest part of Nadab's First Year is parallel with the greater part of the Second Year of Asa; and that Nadab did not Reign full Two Years, but only one Year, with part of another. By this means we see, the First Year of Basha will run parallel to the far greatest part of the Third Year of Asa. 4. For, in the History of the Kings of Judah, and Israel, these Remarks are commonly to be met with: Namely, 1. A Year begun is reckoned as if 'twere entire and complete. 2. The Fathers in their life-time oftentimes took their Sons in to be partners with them in the Government. 3. Some were twice installed, as Jeroboam and Hoshea. 4. There were many interregnum's, especially in the Kingdom of Israel. 5. Baasha did not Reign full 24 Years, but only 23, and a small part of the 24th. Elah being dead, his Son succeeded in the 26th Year of Asa; and after he had reigned two Years, he and his whole Family was cut off by Zimri's Treachery. Seven days after, Zimri was defeated by Omri, whom the Army that then lay before Gibbethon had declared King: But a division arising among the People, part of them set up Tibni Son to Ginath: And that division lasted Three Years, that is, till Tibni died. 6. Omri began to Reign in the 31st year of Asa, that is, he began then to Reign without a Rival; for 'twas in the latter end of the 27th or beginning of the 28 year of that Prince, that he killed Zimri. After he had reigned six years at Tirzah, he translated the Seat of his Empire from thence to Samaria, which he built upon a Hill that he bought of one Semerus. He reigned 12 Years. If we reckon these 12 Years as commencing from the Death of Zimri, so as to include the whole duration of his Government; then Ahab his Son and Successor reigned along with him only 2 Years; the Eleventh Year of his Reign falling parallel with the 38 of Asa's. But if they commence only from the Death of Tibni, then Ahab must have reigned five Years jointly with his Father. 7. Ahab's impiety out-strip'd that of any of his Ancestors. He married Jezabel Daughter to Ethbaal King of the Sydonians, and worshipped Baal his Idol. When the Syrians besieged Samaria, he routed them, and in a second engagement took Benhadad their King; but set him at liberty again, after entering into a League with him: for which the Lord denounced Death to him. Afterwards false Witnesses being suborned against Naboth for the sake of his Vineyard, he got him stoned to Death. Three Years after the Conclusion of the Treaty with Benhadad, the War broken out again, and he died of a Wound received in battle, in the 22 Year of his Reign. 8. His Son Ahaziah succeeded, having acted a Part in the Government in his Father's Life. The Commencement of his Reign is dated in the 17th Year of Jehoshaphat, so that he reigned one Year and part of another. In his Days the Moabites, who from David's time were Subject to Israel, revolted from it. Next to him followed Joram his Brother who persecuted the Moabites, and himself was mauled by the Syrians. As he waged War with Hazael Benhadad's Successor, he received a Wound in the battle, and return'd to Jezreel to be cured. While he was gone, one of the Sons of the Prophets was sent by Elisha to anoint Jehu as King, who was then General to the Army. Jehu advanced to Jezreel, and killed Joram, after he had reigned 12 Years. 9. Jehu cut off all the Race of Ahab; but retained the Worship of Idols. Tho' God gave him a Promise, as a Reward for his Service, in punishing the Family of Ahab, that he and his Posterity should enjoy the Kingdom to the 4th Generation: Yet, in his time, the Kingdom was lessened; for Hazael did not only subdue the Gileadites, but likewise all the People beyond Jordan, and treated them all cruelly, according to Elisha's Prediction. The date of the commencement of Jehu's Reign is the same with that of Athaliah's usurpation over Judah. He reigned 28 Years. 10. Jehoahaz succeeded to Jehu in the 23th Year of Joash. He worshipped Jeroboam's Golden Calves, and enlarged his Idolatry by the accession of the Samaritan Grove. All his time Hazael the King of Syria oppressed the Israelites; and tho' God sent them a Deliverer, yet neither the Prince, nor the People, repented. 17 Years after he died; and his Son Joash succeeded, his Reign being dated from the 37th Year of Joash King of Judah; so that it seems he reigned three Years along with his Father. He beat the Syrians thrice, and recovered the Towns which his Father had lost. He joined in with King Ahaziah, and took Jerusalem; and made a Breach 400 Cubits wide in the Wall, and return'd to Samaria with all the Treasure of the Temple and Palace. This Idolater reigned 16 Years. 11. Next to him was Jeroboam his Son, by whom God not only saved Israel, but raised 'em to the highest pitch of grandeur, in recovering Damascus and Hamath, which by right belonged to the Tribe of Judah, and repossessed the cost of Israel from the entering of Hamath to the Sea of the Plain, according to the Prediction of Jonah, the Son of Amittai, who being born in Gatho-Chepher, a Town of the Tribe of Zebulun, in Galilee of the Gentiles, was a Prophet raised up in Galilee; notwithstanding that the learned Pharisees, the inveterate Enemies of Christ, obtruded the contrary upon Him. 12. Tho' God loaded Jeroboam with so great and so many Favours, yet his Ingratitude was such, that he still countenanced that inveterate Idolatry of the Calves, introduced by Jeroboam his predecessor. For all the Samaritan Kings looked upon that as a secret and hidden Mystery of their Government: Which certainly was the highest degree of Folly, since the divine Providence displayed itself to them in so many certain Proofs. 13. He reigned 41 Years. After his Death the Affairs of that Family, and at length those of the Kingdom itself, began to stagger. There happened at this time an Interregnum of 24 Years, for Zacharias his Son did not begin to govern till the 38 Year of Uzziah. Now the last Year of Jeroboam's Reign falls in with the 14th of Uzziah; and Uzziah's Reign began in the 27th Year of Jeroboam, who reigned 41 Years. 14. Zacharias following the Example of his ancestors, continued his Reign only 6 Months, being killed by Shallum, who usurped the Government in the 29th Year of Uzziah. Shallum was brought to condign Punishment for the Regicide, about two Months after, by Menahem: Who likewise worshipped Jereboam's Calves, according to the Impious Custom of the Kings of Israel; and by that means provoked the Lord to stir up pull King of Assyria to invade the Kingdom, after he had strugl'd and grapl'd with many Troubles for almost 22 Months, to secure to himself the Possession of the Kingdom. But pull was bribed by 1000 Talents of Silver to confirm his Right. So that Menahem reigned 10 Years, and then died. 15. Pekahiah his Son succeeded, in the 50th Year of Azariah, or Uzziah. Whence we gather, that after Menahem's Death there was an Iterregnum of at least One Year. Unless we join with some who think that Menahem did not reign Peaceably till about a Year after Shallum's Death. So that, by that Calculation, Pekahiah must begin his Reign in the beginning of the 50th Year of Uzziah; and a few Months being added to Menahem's 10 Years, there will be no necessity of an Interregnum. However Pekahiah was a Prince of the same Kidney with his ancestors; and having reigned two Years, was killed by Pekah the Son of Remaliah. 16. Pekah joined in with the Syrians in afflicting Ahaz King of Judah. He killed 120000 of the stoutest Jews in one Day. He killed Masasiah the Kings Son with the other Princes; and carried out of Judah and Jerusalem 200000 Women, Girls, and Boys, with a very Rich Spoil. But the Prophet Oded influenced him to release the Captives. 17. Ahaz fearing the Consequences of that Expedition, desired help of Tiglath Pilezer King of Assyria who had quiter overthrown the Kingdom of Damascus, and transported the People of Gilead or Perea, namely, the Reubenites, Gadites, and half the Tribe of Manasseh, to Calah, Chabor, Haran and Neharogosan; and then having passed Jordan, made himself Master of all Galilee and carried the Inhabitants to Assyria, together with the Nephthalites that remained after the stroke formerly inflicted by Benhadad. 20 Years after Pekah was killed by Hoshea the Son of Elah who invaded the Kingdom. 18. Hoshea the 19th and last King of Israel began to reign in the 12 Year of Ahaz as Partner with his Father for 7 or 8 Years; for he did not administer Affairs by himself till the 17 Year of Pekah, so that Hoshea's Reign is rightfully dated from the 20 Year after the inauguration of Jotham. This is the only account can be given, unless we can produce some proof of an Interregnum for 8 or 9 Years, in which the disorder of Affairs kept Hoshea out of a peaceable Possession. But according to that Calculation, we must add as many Years to the duration of his Reign. 19. Hoshea was as Idolatrous, but not so obstinate as his ancestors. By the advice of So King of Egypt, he refused to pay the yearly Tribute to Salmanassar. The King of Assyria smelled out the Conspiracy; and took Possession of the Land of the Moabites, designing to make all sure behind him; and then he invaded the whole country of the Israelites, and laid siege to Samaria, in the 4 Year of Hezekiah, and the 9 of Hoshea. 20. Towards the end of the third Year, he carried the Town, and carried off the Israelites to Chalah, Chabor, Neharogosan, and the Cities of Media; because they had rebelled against their Lord and their God. In the Countries formerly possessed by them he planted new Inhabitants, that formerly lived upon the River Chuth, and were afterwards called Samaritans. This was the fatal exit of the Kingdom of Israel, which happened 255 Years after the Division of the Tribes, 134 Years before the Destruction of Jerusalem and the Transportation of the People of Judah, A. M. 3280. CHAP. IV. The Affairs of the greatest Antiquity, relating to the Kingdom of Egypt, contemporary with the Babylonian Empire. 1. IN the Division of the Earth, Egypt and all Africa were allotted to Cham's Posterity; and 'tis thought he himself lived in Egypt. Upon which account David does often call it the Land of Cham; Plutarch would have it Chemia; and Stephanus, Hermochymia. The Inhabitants themselves christened it Cham; and the particular Divisions were called Chemmim, Psochemmim, and Psittachemmim. 2. The neighbouring Places of Africa did likewise derive their Names from the Posterity of Cham: Upon the River Magra, we find the City of Ammon; in the iceland Meroe, the Temple of Ammon; in Barcha, the Town of Ammon commonly called Panaetonium; and in the Country of Ammon, the famous Oracle of Jupiter Hammon or Ammon. Arabia likewise the neighbouring Country bears proof of the same Posterity; for the Word Ammon( without the Aspiration usual elsewhere) is frequently used among them, as it plainly appears from the River Ammon, the Promontory Ammon, and the People of Ammon. 3. When Cham died, the Government fell into the Hands of his second Son Misraem, or rather him whom Moses calls the Prince of the Inhabitants of Misraim; for that Word is in the Dual Number, and therefore can scarcely be looked upon as a Man's Name. This Country in Scripture is often called Masor which is the singular Number of Misraim the contraction of Mesoraim; and signifies a fortified or narrow Place. Now such is Egypt above all other Countries. 4. To this very Day Cairo the Metropolitan is called by the Arabs Mesre, and in former times the Egyptians called the first Month Mesori. But the Dual Number Misraim seems to imply that Egypt was divided into the upper and the lower: The former watered by the River Nile, as it runs in one great Channel, and divided into Thebais and Heptanomus; the latter called by the Grecians Delta, from its Triangular Figure, where the River is divided into many Channels. 5. Misraim is thought to be the same with Osiris, the Son of Saturn, and of Jupiter Hammon. For the Grecians call Osiris, Dionysus; and Diodorus Siculus says he was so called from his Father and his Country; the former signifying Jupiter, and the latter Nyse, a Town of Arabia Faelix, built by Cham, where it seems Misraim was born. From the Reign of Osiris to the descent of Alexander the Great the Egyptian Priests reckon up 10000 Years, and some 23000. 6. But, since 'tis agreed upon by all, that the various Motion of the Planets along the zodiac, occasioned a great variety in the Forms of the Years used in Ancient times, 'tis therefore to be conjectured, that these were only Lunar Years, that is, each of 'em consisting of one Month. Accordingly, James Capellus reckons 1889 Years from that Osiris to the descent of Alexander the Great, beginning the Computation from A. M. 1778, or 132 Years after the Deluge at the same time that Nimrod his Nephew gave being to the Babylonian Empire. 7. There are a great many Stories told of Osiris, and Isis his Sister whom he married; which the Grecians fabulously applied to Bacchus and Ceres. He built the Egyptian Thebes, with 100 Gates, which was the chief Seat of the first Kings. At length he was killed by his impious Brother Typhon, who usurped the Kingdom, but was quickly outted and put to Death by Isis and Orus. Isis gathered the Members of her Husband, which Typhon had tore asunder, and instituted Divine Honors to his Memory; enacting, that each Tribe of Priests should worship some certain consecrated Animal in his Room. There were various kinds of Animals consecrated, according to the diversity of Places; But 'tis universally agreed on, that the Cow Apis was most esteemed and worshipped, by Reason of that Creature's Usefulness for the Food of Man. 8. Now Apis was black all over the Body, with a square white Spot, according to Herodotus in the Forehead, and according to Pliny in the right Side; resembling the Horns of the Moon when it begins to wax; for Marcellinus says, it was dedicated to the Moon: It had likewise the stamp of an Eagle upon its Back, upon its Tongue a Knot like a Beetle, and double Rolls of Hair upon its Tail. When it died, they were mightily afflicted, and were diligent in quest of another: Neither did their Lamentation cease, till they found a Cow distinguished by such Marks, in order to make it an Apis. 9. The Egyptians adored Apis as the greatest God, and, as Macrobius says, worshipped it with a Veneration full of astonishment and fear. There was a certain Period of years determined, beyond which it was not to go: When it arrived at the Critical year, the Priests drowned it in a Ditch. Some alleged this Cow was adored, out of Honor to Apys King of the Argivans who went down to Egypt: For that King was reckoned a God, and called Serapis: But there were several Kings of that name in several Places, and Authors commonly confounded them. 10. The Course of time, and the Tricks of the Priests, who invented whatever tended to the Honor, and concealed whatever redounded to the dishonour of their Country; have brought things to that pass, that we can scarce fix upon any thing as certain in those Ancient Times. They talk of a great many Reigns before Abram's Days: Whose Birth calculated to the 43d year of Ninus they make contemporary to their Sixteenth Reign. A great deal of Pains and labour is spent in reconciling and ordering these Governments. If we approve of 'em, we must allot only 200 years to the first Fifteen, the time being so short. 11. Some fancy that these were not Successions of Kings, but only so many Series's of Viceroy's of different Sizes and Ranks, who governed the republic, when the Kings were lazy. Eusebius has turned and moulded these Reigns so variously, in order to make 'em Serviceable in the regulating of time; that James Capellus thought it improper to insert the Catalogue of the Kings in his Chronicle; for Manetho, whom Scaliger produces to correct all the Errors of Eusebius, is least of all to be credited. However since young Students ought to know something of the uncertain times, I reckon 'twill not be amiss briefly to run over such of those uncertain occurrences as best Merit our Belief. 12. After Typhon's Death, 'tis said that Isis reigned jointly with Orus, or Horus, her Son, who was reckoned the last of their gods. He instituted a Year consisting of Three Months, which from him was called {αβγδ}. Next to the gods reigned Menas, or Menis: Some will have this word only to signify some Dignity, and allege his Name was Osiris, or, according to others Trismegistus, or, as some would have it, Sesostris. Others again give it in for a Man's Name. 'tis uncertain who succeeded to him, for the Priests forged a List of 52 Kings succeeding in order, in the space of 1400 years. 13. In this uncertain period of Time, we must have recourse to the order of the Reigns, tho' it be a blind one; and passing over 17, for which 400 years are allotted, the 18th must begin, according to our computation, Nine years before Eusebius's method, that is in the 107th year of the Patriarch Jacob. Now the first of this List was Amos, or Amosis. 14. Amosis, they say, reigned 25 years. At this rate, this must be he who preferred Joseph to the highest Dignities in Egypt. Eusebius reckons 11 Kings from him to Cenchres, who treated the Israelites with all manner of Indignities, and as he pursued them upon their Flight, was drowned in the Red-Sea. The Egyptians have always owned and boasted that the Jews went out from them; but to avoid the Dishonour, and conceal their own Disaster, have obtruded an Infinity of staring lies upon the vulgar People, by the Ministry of some foul-mouthed Historians, particularly Manetho, Chaeremon, Lysimachus, and Apion the Grammarian; whose fabulous Advances are sufficiently refuted by Josephus. 15. A certain Learned Author prefers Manetho's List to that of Eusebius, and would have the Name of Cenchres to be Ramesses Miamun, who oppressed the Israelites with that severe Bondage. Indeed the long continuance of his Reign, viz. for Sixty Years and Two Months, seems to imply some such thing; and 'tis probable the Town of Rameses, which the Israelites provided Materials for, was so christened from his Name. His Son and Successor Amenophis was brought to condign Punishment for his Cruelty, being swallowed up by the Waves 19 years and 6 Months after. Next to Amenophis, Manetho places Sethosis, who made Armais his Brother Viceroy, and subdued a great part of the World with his Naval and Land Forces: But upon Advice that his Brother usurped the Government, return'd home, and reduced his Subjects to their wonted Allegiance. 16. Manetho adds, That this Sethosis was called Aegyptus, from whom the Country derived its Name; and Armais was surnamed Danaus. If these advances be allowed, then Amenophis who was drowned in the Red-Sea, must be that Belus, whom the Grecians give in for the Father of Aegyptus and Danaus. But that Belus must not be confounded with the Father of Ninus,( as the Mythologists do.) He lived according to the above-mentioned computation about 322 years before the taking of Troy, which agrees exactly to the time of Amenophis. Besides, the Name of Rameses Miamun quadrates with Neptune: Since Mia without any stretch may be derived from Moy, which, in the Egyptian Language, if we may credit Josephus, signifies Waters. 17. Neptune, they say, begot Busirides, who at this time lived near the River Nile, and treated the Inhabitants very barbarously. Now that Fable seems to be taken from Amenophis's cruelty to the Israelites. Besides, Gellius tells us, That the Poets used to represent the Neptunes as cruel and barbarous, as deriving their Original from the frothy and troubled Sea: From whence we conclude, that the word Neptune sprung from the occasion now mentioned. 18. To compare this account of Things, with the other given in by the Grecians: Neptune, say they, married Libya the Daughter of Epaphus, and begot Belus and Agenor. Agenor went off to Phoenicia, and died there. Egypt was allotted to Belus, who begot Aegyptus and Danaus upon Anchinoe, the Daughter of Nilus. Danaus was sent into Africa, or Libya so called from his Mother. Aegyptus conquered the Country of the Melampodes or black Feet, and christened it Egypt after himself, which formerly was called Aeria, and Potamitis. However, Manetho's Sesothes mentioned by Josephus, seems to be the same with Diodorus's Sesooses, and Heredotus's Sesostres: Since the Circumstances of Power, Warlike Preparations, Victories, Success, and Magnificence ascribed to them, resemble those of the other. 19. Next to Sesostres, his Son of the same Name succeeded. He was followed by several others, till the days of Amoses, who by his Tyranny opened a Door to the Ethiopians; whose King Artisanes used his Power but moderately, in punishing the Criminals not with Death, but with cutting off their Noses, and banishing them to the Confines of Egypt and Syria, where he built a Town called Rhinocolura, from the maimed condition of the Inhabitants. He pitched upon such a place as by its barrenness and untemperateness of Air obliged them to work hard for their living, which they got by Fishing in the Sea that lay just by them. 20. The Egyptians at length recovered their own Government, and set up mends, one of their own Nation, to be their King. He spent all his time in building a Tomb; which, tho' inimitable, served for a Pattern to Daedalus. A long Anarchy ensued; after which, one Cetes, a very ordinary Man, was made King. The Grecians called him Proteus. In the time of the Trojan War he was a noted Astrologer, and admirably well versed in the Knowledge of the Winds. This his distinguishing Talent, together with the Custom of the Egyptian Kings in wearing the various Forms of Creatures, Trees, and Fire, painted upon the Ornaments of their Heads, gave occasion to the graecian Fable, That he was a Man that could transform himself into all Shapes. 21. Remphis his Son made money his whole Business. The next remarkable Prince was Nileus, who took a great deal of Pains to turn the Water of the River Aegyptus upon the neighbouring Grounds, and by so doing christened the River Nilus from his own name. The eighth in order from Nileus was Chemmis, who reared up the largest of the three Pyramids, which is usually reckoned among the Seven Wonders of the World. Herodotus tells you that one Cheopes was the first that gave his mind to the building of these Mad Piles; that he prostituted his own Daughter to fetch in money for carrying on the Work; and that the largest Pyramid was not finished till after 20 Years and that by 100000 Workmen, for whose maintenance 1600 Talents were laid out upon Parsley, onions, and garlic. 22. After a long course of Years, the Kingdom came once more into the Hands of the Ethiopians, whose King Sabacus, or Sabacon, put none to Death in Egypt, but sentenced the Criminals, in proportion to the Demerit of their Crime, to heap up a determined Measure of bulwarks within the Cities where they dwelled. By which means the Cities were made more Stately. The first digging up of Earth for this use was performed by those who had digged for the Channels of Rivers under Sesostres. Sabacus is thought to be the same with So the Egyptian, that joined in the Conspiracy, with Hoshea King of Israel, against Salmanasar. 23. Sathon the Priest of Vulcan followed him. 'tis said, he put no Confidence in his Army, but obtained help from God against the Assyrians. But the Holy Scriptures do plainly give us to know, that the Assyrians invaded Egypt, and carried off in Captivity a large number of the Inhabitants. Some say this Prince was followed immediately by Tirac, or Tirhak, who obliged Sennacherib to retire, invaded Europe, and reached as far as the Straits of Gibraltar. 24. After him a two Years Anarchy ensued, and after that the Government was administered by 12 Men; but at last one of them, namely Psammeticus, converted it into a Monarchy. This Prince lay 29 Years before Azot, or Ashdod, in Syria; and 'tis said, he was the first Egyptian King, that entertained any correspondence with the Grecians. Herodotus says, that all the occurrences posterior to his Government are certain and free of all Ambiguity. His Son and Successor was Necus, called in Scripture Pharaoh-Neco, who first attempted to run the Canal along to the read Sea, capable to receive two Gallies a Breast, and four Days sailing long. 25. In digging this Ditch under Neco 12000 Egyptians perished; and the King desisted from the enterprise, being discouraged by an Oracle acquainting him that the Work he was upon would fall into the Hands of a Barbarian. Now the Egyptians, as well as the Greeks, looked upon all Nations as Barbarous, that did not speak their Language. Neco giving over the Thoughts of perfecting the Ditch, bended his Mind upon his Army, and marched against the King of Assyria, upon which occasion Josiah King of Judah, appearing in the Field against him, received a mortal Wound. Neco placed Jehojakim his Son upon the Throne, whom Nebuchadnezar afterwards solicited to break his Promise to Neco; whereupon he marched towards the Euphrates, and was there killed. 26. Herodotus tells you that Neco engaged with the Syrians and carried the Victory, and made himself Master of Cadytum a great Town in Syria, the same with Kadesh mentioned by Moses. After his Death Psammis, or Psammitichus his Son succeeded, and then Apries his Grandchild, who was so lifted up with a long course of Prosperity, that he aspired beyond the Bounds of Human Nature. As he besieged Cyrene, he met with a Defeat, which his Souldiers charged him with, and revolted. 27. Upon Advice of their Mutiny, he sent Amasis to pacify them; but he was presently declared King by the Army. Soon after Apries having no Body to back him, but mercenary Troops, was taken Prisoner by his Enemies and strangled: He thought before, that he had so established his Kingdom, that neither Gods nor Men could wrest it out of his Hands. 28. This was the Exit of Apries, if ye'll Credit the Egyptians, who have been very careful to conceal whatever tends to the Discredit of their Country. But Josephus's Account is more agreeable to the Holy Scriptures, scil. that Nebuchadnezar in the 23 Year of his Reign, and the 5th Year after the Destruction of Jerusalem, subdued Egypt, put their King to Death, and placed another on his Throne. Some think Amasis was instrumental in bringing this about, and that he was made Viceroy: Others allege that the Assyrian Viceroy that ministered to the Bondage of Egypt, was afterwards killed by Amasis, and the others return'd from their Banishment. 29. Amasis, a Man of a mean Birth, was at first but little respected, tho' afterwards he procured a great deal of Esteem; for the Egyptians Glory, that in his time the Land was most happy, both in the advantage that accrued from the River to the Country, and the Profit that the Inhabitants made of their Grounds; and that the Cities then inhabited were in number 1020. Amasis enacted a Law, appointing every Man to give an account of himself to the Governor, how he lived, and upon what; annexing the Penalty of Death upon all that either did not or could not give a good Account of their way of living. Solon the Athenian took this Law from the Egyptians, and published it among the Athenians which they always observed. 30. 'tis very probable that Amasis was Tributary to the King of Assyria, and rebelled or else expelled the Viceroy; and this was the reason( whatever the Priests may have forged) that Cambyses the Persian invaded Egypt, and made it a Province of the Persian Empire. Indeed that was not accomplished in the Days of Amasis, for he died in the very beginning of Hostilities. But 'twas Psammenitus his Son that was conquered, and at once lost both his Life and his Kingdom. 31. As for Antiquity, the Kingdom of Egypt was inferior to none: tho' at the same time the Priests have carried it prodigiously wide of the true Epocha. In Abrahams Days, before the People of Israel had a being, 'twas a very flourishing Kingdom. The Ethiopians indeed boasted in a pference upon the score of Antiquity, going upon a Fable that Egypt was the Gift of the Nile: Whereas any who traces their Original thro' some thousands of Years will find that the slime cast up by the River Nile did not amount to any such considerable accession, but that Towns are still found in Egypt equally distant from the Nile. 32. The Antiquity, which the Grecians claim a Right to, is ridiculous and contemptible upon the comparison with that of the Egyptians. The Splendour of the Greek republics is but of Yesterday; their Laws, politics, Religion, and Rights, are late things; and, if we believe the Egyptians, are borrowed from them. Indeed, it is apparent, that the knowledge of Letters, Civil Government, and the Invention of a great many things, arrived to a considerable Maturity among the Egyptians, before they were ever heard of in Greece, Italy, and the Western Parts of the World. But the Egyptians are Proud of boasting, that Greece borrowed these things from them. 33. Especially, they allege; that the whole Religious Worship with the Names of the Gods, bating a few minute things, foisted in to disguise the Truth, are owing to them. Osiris, say they, was the true Bacchus, and the fable of Semele was invented by Orpheus. Isis was the true Ceres, and the Egyptian Hercules was not born in the Age preceding the Trojan War, but in the first beginning of the World, with which the Club of Hercules and the Hides of lions were more suitable, as well as the slaughter of Monsters and Wild Beasts, with which the Earth, in that its impolish'd Condition, did then abound: Apollo, continue they, was only Orus, who taught the Art of Prophesying, and curing Diseases by his Mother Isis. 34. Here a young Historian may take occasion to observe the uncertainty and inconstancy of the Heathen Vanities. The same Person is by one taken for Isis, by another for Ceres, a third Thesmophoris, and a fourth Juno: and some fancy that all these different Names do properly relate to one and the same Person. Some take Osiris for Serapis, some for Dionysius, some for Pluto, some for Ammon and Jupiter, and some again for Pan, as Diodorus Siculus himself observes. 35. Tho' it is not altogether true that the World owes the use of Letters to them; yet it is certain that the more liberal Sciences began to be propagated among them in the earliest times of Antiquity. Besides the common way of writing, they likewise made use of Hieoroglyphicks, in which a Letter signifies a Word, and a Word expresses a whole Sentence. Tho the Babylonians vie with them for the Knowledge of Astronomy, yet the evenness of their Ground and the clearness of their Air, might contribute much to promote their Knowledge of the Stars. 36. It seldom reins in Egypt, the defect of that Moisture being supplied by the yearly Inundations of the Nile. If the World owes them any thing upon the score of Geometry, they were beholden for that to their beneficial River, the inundations whereof defaced the divisions and boundaries of their Lands, and so driven the Inhabitants upon a necessity of finding out a way to Measure their Grounds. But in order to prove that the most ingenious Arts and the best Laws were translated from thence to Greece, they give the following account. 37. The Priests boasted that they met with a List in the Sacred Archives, and several other Evidences, importing that Orpheus translated the mysteries of Ceres, and the Fable of the infernal World, from Egypt; and that the Acherusian Lake, over which they carried their dead in a Boat to be interred, gave occasion to the forging all the different apartments below, and putting up Charon as Ferry-man. Museus, continue they, Melampus, Daedalus and Homer travelled into Egypt for the improvement of their Minds, as also the Legislators, Lycurgus the Spartan, Solon the Athenian, and Plato; the Philosophers Pithagoras of Samos, Democritus of Abdera, Oenopius of Chios, and Eudoxus the Mathematican; who, all of 'em, watered barren and impolish'd Greece with the Wisdom they had sucked in Egypt. 38. The Invention of Philosophy and Laws, together with the whole Egyptian Wisdom, are by some attributed to Hermes or Mercurius Trismegistus: But we know nothing certain of that Man, who he was, or when he lived. Cotta reckons up five Mercuries: The first sprung from Caelus for his Father and Dies for his Mother; The second the Son of Valens and Phonoris, who was called Triphonius, and reckoned to reside under the Earth; The third the Son of Jupiter the third and Maja; the fourth the Son of Nilus, whom the Egyptians thought it a Crime to mention; the fifth was worshipped by the People of Pheneum, and, they say, killed Argus, upon which account he was set over Egypt, and taught the Egyptians Laws and Letters. 39. He was called by the Egyptians Theut. But others do justly attribute the Invention of Letters to the first Mercurius, who was the true Theut, Thoyoth, that, or Tautus; for there can be nothing more absurd than to say, that Letters were first carried out of Greece into Egypt. Some allege there were two Egyptian Mercuries, the former being the Nephew of the latter; others think Joseph was the only Mercurius; others again think there was no other besides Moses. Whoever he was, it is apparent from his Books, some of which are lost and some still extant, that he was not ignorant of the true Divinity, and merited to be enrolled among the Sybille or Heathen Prophets. 40. The Egyptians arrogate to themselves the Glory of planting many Colonies abroad. Belus the Son of Libya and Neptune planted the first in the Country of Babylon; Danaus planted a second in Greece, fixing his Seat at Argos, which was almost the Ancientest City in Greece. They pled the Circumcision, as an argument that the Jews and Colchi came from them. They allege that Cadmus and Phaenices inhabited the Egyptian Thebes, and carried the name of the City into Greece. Cecrops, they say, did led the first Athenians out from Sai the mouth of the River Nile. Peleus the Father of Menestheus, and Erechtheus came likewise from Egypt; and it was Erechtheus his carrying a large quantity of Corn to Athens, that gave rise to that Fable, that Ceres at that time came into Greece. 41. The Government of Egypt in the first times was Monarchical; and indeed in those days it was such every where else. But the Princes suffered themselves to be confined by such Laudable Statutes, that it was not in their Power to transgress the bounds of Equity and Justice, but they were tied up to such an administration as purchased them Happiness at Home and Glory abroad. Sesoosis or Sesostris, divided the Country into 36 Divisions, each of which included a certain number of Cities with Villages and Lands. Ten of these belonged to Thebais, ten to Delta, and the rest to the interjacent Countries. Each of 'em had its own governor who collected the Kings Taxes and governed them. The Hereditary Right to the Lands was divided among the Priests, King and Soldiers: The People was divided into Shepherds, Husbandmen, and tradesman. 42. The Court of Justice was managed by 30 Judges, noted for their Probity and Knowledge in the Law; ten whereof were elected out of the Province of Heliopolis, ten out of Memphis, and as many out of Thebais. If the President was chosen out of their Number, another of the same Province was put into his place. There were no Barristers employed among them, for fear of disguising and sinking the Truth in deceitful Words. They had many Laudable Laws; none of which was more famous than that of Amasis, by which they were all obliged, upon the pain of Death, to give an account how they lived. 43. They had a very peculiar and remarkable Statute, requiring all that gave themselves to Theft, to enter their Names with the Captain of the Thieves, and give in to him what they got according to their agreement. At the same time whoever lost any thing were obliged to writ down a particular account of what they lost, together with the place, day, and hour in which the loss happened. By this means every thing was easily found again, and when the Goods were apprais'd, the true owner redeemed them for a quarter of their value. Thus, since it was not possible to keep all the People from Theft, the Law-giver found a way of recovering what was lost for a small matter. 44. The first Egyptian Law-giver was Mnevis, who said he had the Laws from Mercury; the second Sasyches; the third Sesostris that great warrior; the fourth Bocchoris, whose Aphorisms were long preserved after him; the fifth Amasis, who by his extraordinary Wisdom did much promote the interest of Egypt: The last was Darius the Son of Hystaspes King of Persia. 45. As for their Customs, all the Egyptians, bating the Priests, were allowed to mary as many Wives as they would. Their Children by their Servant Maids were upon the same foot with those by their Wives. They were educated very sparing, at the rate of Twenty Drachms of Silver for their Board. Every Man bread up his Sons to succeed to his Trade as well as to his Estate. And all of 'em were taught some Science or other. They slighted music, as being an Instrument of softness. They purged their Bodies once a Month; but had no Physicians that pretended to the Universal Cure of all Diseases. They that were, were maintained upon the public, and tied up to certain Forms and Rules, which if they transgressed, and if their Patients died, they were punished for their temerity with the loss of their Lives. 46. This was the Acient State of the Affairs of Egypt; according to the Account given by the Egyptians themselves. But some are of opinion that this Form of Government could not be settled and lasting among them, since it was so insuitable to the Humours of the Kings who erected Pyramids. Above all this is to be remarked, that if things were in that posture; the Regulation of Joseph was quiter abolished, which declared the King to be the only Lord of the Land. 47. The People were possessed with a blind and furious superstition towards Cows, Sheep, Dogs, Cats, Storks, Rats, Haulks, Eagles, Goats, Wolves, Crocodiles, Garden Herbs, with such kind of things: Which at first view, has such a horrible Aspect, that it seems inconsistent with Prudence, if not with common Reason; for let their pretences be what they will, there is not the least Colour of Reason to be alleged for such a Custom; which any Man endowed with the common Light of Nature would readily pronounce to be the effect of Madness. CHAP. V. The Ancientest State of Greece, contemporary with the Babylonian Empire; together with a particular Description of its Kingdoms and republics. SECT. I. The State of Greece in General. 1. WHen the Inhabitants of this Country came under one common Denomination, they were first called Grecians, and afterwards Hellenes, both Names being borrowed from the People of Thessaly. For the Thessalians, formerly called Graeci or Vetusti, were surnamed Hellenes, from helen the Son of Deucalion that governed them. The surname was so agreeable to all the People, that they neglected the other Name, tho' it was chiefly known among all the neighbouring Nations; and Callimachus, Sophocles and other Poets did not Scruple to make use of it. 2. The first Grecians followed a wandering unsetl'd way of living, preying upon one another in Mutual Robberies. They did no memorable Action before the Trojan War. A little before that time Minos cleared the Seas from Pirates, whereupon they began to Build Cities both in the Isles and the continent, and Greece began to rise. But their circumstances were, as yet, so narrow, that when they went to Troy they were obliged to maintain themselves by Agriculture and plunder; because they wanted the necessary provisions in order to attack the Town. 3. Their absence was so long that it occasioned several great Commotions. After the disorderly State of their Affairs was redressed, they fitted out Colonies. The Athenians planted Colonies in Jonia and the Islands of the graecian Sea, and the Peloponnesus and other Countries in Italy and Sicily; and Tyrannical Governments were established every where. The Corinthians were first famous for naval Force, after them the jonians, Polycrates Tyrant of Samos, and others. They engaged in no memorable Land battle, till they embarked in the difference between the People of Chalcis and those of Eretria. In this whole circled of Time they scarce had any Laws; Witness Homer who never so much as mentions the Word. This was the State of the common and general Affairs of Greece. SECT. II. The Kingdom of the Sicyonians. 1. AEGialeus did first begin to Reign, near to the bay of Corinth, upon the confines of Achaia, A. M. 1915, 270 Years after the deluge, 859 Years after the Birth of Noah, 232 Years before Inachus, 1313 Years before the Restoration of the Olympiads by Iphitus, in the Reign of Ninus King of Assyria. 2. The Town was first called Aegialea from Aegialeus, as also a part of the Peninsule, which was afterwards christened Peloponnesus from Pelope. 52 Years after, his Son Europs succeeded him; next to him was Telchines, then Apis from whom the Peninsule was called Apios, then Thelxion, in whose Reign the People were so happy and flourishing, that when he died they worshipped him for a God, by offering Sacrifices and celebrating Games, which were first instituted upon his Account. 3. There were 8 others who intervened between him and Corax, who died without Children: Upon which occasion Epopeus King of Thessaly possessed himself of the Kingdom. This Prince ravished Antiope, Daughter to Nycteus King of the Thebans; whereupon a War ensued, in which both the Kings were mortally wounded. Then the Kingdom came into the hands of Lamedon, Brother to Corax, who delivered Antiope to the Thebans. Antiope, upon her Journey, brought forth Twins; namely, Amphion and Zethus, who were found by a Shepherd and brought up. Amphion, a famous Musician, and Zethus who was bread a Shepherd, did afterwards resent the Affront done to their Mother. 4. Lamedon being engaged in a War, sent for sition the Son of Metion, and Grandchild to Erechtheus by his Daughter Attica, whom he made his Son-in-law and Successor. From him the City was called sition, and the Country Sicyonia. He was followed in order by 8 Kings; and then, the Kingdom having stood 962 years, the Priests of Apollo Carnius, as some will have it, became Masters of the Government. But Pausanias writes, that, in the Reign of Lacestades Son to Hippolytus at sition, Temenus the Son of Phalx, who had been King of the Argives, surprised the Town with the Dorians in the night-time. But by reason that they were both descended of the Heraclidae, made him joint Partner in the Government. By this means the Sicyonians became Dorians, and were reckoned as part of the Argives, in the 871st Year before the Destruction of Troy, the 120th before the first Olympiad, A. M. 2908. SECT. III. The Kingdom of the Argives. 1. THis Kingdom had always the second, if not the first Rank in Antiquity. Perhaps the Sicyonian was ancienter: But if we consider Power, Riches, and the Glory of great achievements, the other does far outstrip it. The Argolick Bay lies near the Scyllean Promontory and Myrtoan Sea; near to that was the Country Argos and mycenae built long after, the Rivers Inachus and Erasinus, and part of Laconia. 2. Inachus was the first who began to Reign here, about 244 years after the Date of the Sicyoman Kingdom, 142 Years after Abraham, 676 Years before the Destruction of Troy, 1082 before the first Olympiad, A. M. 2149. His Antiquity gave Rise to the Proverb Inacho antiquior, upon which Erasmus may be consulted. Melissa his Sister and Wife bore to him Phoroneus and a Daughter jo, which is not to be confounded with jo the Daughter of Jasus, as the Mythologists do. After 50 Years Inachus died, and Phoroneus succeeded him. 3. Some took Phoroneus for the first of Mankind, the Son of the River Inachus, and the common Father of the Human Race; and the Town into which he gathered the dispersed People was called Phoronicum from him. He Made himself Master of the whole Peninsula, and by the Nymph Laodice begot a Son called Apis, and Niobe his Daughter, who is said to be the first Woman that Jupiter loved, with whom he begot Argus. Phoronaeus reigned 60 Years and then died. 4. Apis his Son and Successor had a mind to Christen the Peninsule by his own Name. He reigned 34 Years, and then being betrayed by Thelxion and Telchines, died without Issue. Apollodorus says, he was killed for his Tyranny. Others say he went into Egypt, and was worshipped there as a God under the Name of Serapis: But there were several Kings of that Name, whom the Mythologists confounded. Argus the Son of Niobe by Jupiter succeeded. At that time Jupiter reigned in Crete. But since many Kings were called by that Name, and by that means it became liable to Ambiguity; I shall therefore oblige the Young Historian with a short Account of the matter. 5. Ham the Son of Noah was the first who was so called after his Death, being worshipped as God under the Title of Jupiter Hammon. His Grandchild Nimrod, the first King of Babylon and Assyria, was called Belus, and Jupiter Belus. In ancient Times there reigned a King in Crete, who was brought up by the Curetes, or Idaei Dactyli; and about 150 Years after another of the same Name reigned in the same iceland, who was the first Jupiter that was given to Amours, whence Niobe was said to be the first Woman that Jupiter loved. 6. Aeolus the Son of Deucalion was so noted by his Posterity, that he was called Jupiter and Neptune. Picus King of the Aborigines was by some called Jupiter, and by the Romans Aeneas is called Jupiter Indiges. In former Times every Nation had a Jupiter of their own, whom they owned for a Common Father. The Ancients had likewise a Custom of calling the ancientest of their Kings Saturn, his Eldest Son Jupiter, and the strongest of his Grandchildren Hercules. It is also to be observed, that the Illegal Issue of any Noble Woman was commonly laid to Jupiter, and sometimes to Mars and Apollo. 7. The Town Argos was so called from Argus, as the Inhabitants were christened Argi and Argivi, and the Peninsule Argos. In his Reign Greece began to have Corn of its own, by virtue of their own Agriculture, the Seed being imported from abroad. Upon which Account Argus, after his Death, was accounted a God, and honoured with a Temple and Sacrifices. During his Reign, and in the times preceding that, that Honour was engrossed by a private Man called Homogyrus, as being, the first who yoked Oxen to the Plough. Argus had a Brother called Pelasgus( the Father of Lycaon) from whom sprung the Pelasgi, who first inhabited Arcadia, from them called Pelasgia, and afterwards planted Colonies in several other Countries. 8. Argus had four Sons by Evadne the Daughter of Strymon, namely, Jasus, Peiranthus, Epidaurus, and Criasus; to which number Pausanias adds Phorbas. Peiranthus( or Pirasus) was the first who consecrated a Temple to Juno, and appointed his own Daughter Callithya, or Callirrhoe, or jo, to be Priestess; and the Women of that Order became so famous, that the Grecians measured their public Account of Times by the Years of their Priesthood. Pausanias is the only Man that says Pirasus came to the Crown; but others say Criasus succeeded to Argus, then Phorbas, and after him Triopas. 9. Pausanias writes, that Triopas had two Sons, Jasus and Agenor; and that Jasus was King of the Argivans; tho' Eusebius leaves him out in the List of their Kings. The Daughter of this Prince was the famous jo, who is said to be ravished by Jupiter, and thereupon to be transformed thro' Juno's Envy; and in passing the Thracian Streight christened it Bosphorus. Afterwards she went into Egypt, recovered her Human Shape, bore Epaphus the Builder of Memphis, and was worshipped as a Goddess under the Name of Isis. Herodotus writes, that this Woman was ravished by phoenician Merchants, and that that was the occasion of the Feud between the People of Greece and those of Asia; but at the same time he confounds her with the Daughter of Inachus. 10. The Town was called Jasos, and the Citizens Jasii, from Jasus. To him succeeded Crotopus, his Brother Agenor's Son; whom others would have to succeed to Triopas his Grandfather. His Daughter Psamathe being got with Child by Apollo, laid out the Infant Linus. Upon the Discovery of this matter, her Father put her to Death: Which Apollo resented so much that he punished the Argivans with a Plague; and they, to pacify him, appointed an anniversary Mourning for the Child. This Child is not the same, as some have imagined, with the famous Poet Linus. After 21 Years Crotopus was succeeded by Sthenelas, and after 11 Years he was followed by Gelanor, his Son. 11. In the Reign of Gelanor, Danus the Brother of Aegyptus came to Argos, to make good his claim to the Kingdom, as descending from Epaphus; and the People sided with him. Danaus had 50 Daughters, and his Brother had as many Sons; but the former was afraid to give his Daughters to them in Marriage, being forewarned by the Oracle to beware of his Son-in-Law; and thereupon absented from his own Country. But Aegyptus, fearing that his Brother might make too great Alliances by the Marriages of his Daughters, dispatched his Sons with an Army to Argos, with orders either to mary the girls, or kill their Father. 12. Danaus seemed to comply with his Brothers demands; but underhand provided a Dagger for each of his Daughters, and ordered 'em to murder their respective Husbands the first Night: which accordingly they all did, excepting Hypermnestra, and as some say Bebryce. Hypermnestra was charged by her Father with the neglect of her Duty, and brought to a trial; but the Argives cleared her. The rest by so black a Crime as parricide drew upon themselves eternal Disgrace, and, as the Story goes, were condemned in Hell to fill a leaky Vessel with Water, which let out as it receive▪ d. 13. From Danaus the Citizens were called Danai, instead of Pelasgians. 'tis thought he built the Castle. Having reigned 50 Years he was followed by Lynceus his Nephew and Son in Law, Husband to Hypermnestra. Lynceus's Successor was Abas, to whom Ocalea bore Twins, namely Acrisius and Proetus. The Story has it, that these two struggled for pference in the Womb. However, they Disputed the Kingdom with one another. Oftentimes they attacked one another by open force, and, 'tis said, they were the first that Fought with Shields. At last they came to a Composition, and the Patrimony was equally divided. Arisius got Argos; and Proetus got Hiraeum, Meda, Tiryns and the Seacoasts. And thus was the Kingdom of the Argives split into two parts. 14. Acrisius married Eurydice, and by her had Danae, whom he shut up in a Tower together with her Nurse, because the Oracle foretold him that his Grandchild would certainly be the Author of his ruin. But Jupiter, transformed into a Golden Shower, got in to her and begot Perseus. When she was delivered of the Child, she and the Infant were put into a Chest and committed to the Sea; but they were driven upon the iceland Seryphus, where Dictys saved and brought up Perseus. Perseus was the first graecian Wrestler, and did many noble Exploits, He defeated and killed Medusa Gorgon the Daughter of Orcus, who lived upon the Lake Triton. Now History mentions three Gorgons, namely, Medusa, Steno, and Euryale, the Daughters of Orcus and a Sea-monster. 15. Perseus Married Andromeda the Daughter of Cepheus by Cassiopeia, after he had snatched her out of the Jaws of a Whale. At length when he was in Pelasgia, or Thessaly so called by the Pelasgians a Wandring and Vagabond People, he invented the Game of the Quoit; and while Teutamias King of the Larisseans was Celebrating Games to the Honour of his deceased Father, he unfortunately threw a Quoit that killed his Grandfather Acrisius. Some think that the Council of the Amphictyones, which commonly met at Delphi, was rather ordained by Acrisius, than by Amphictyon the Son of Deucalion, who reigned in Athens 100 Years before. 16. But 'tis not improbable that Amphictyon first ordained that Council to meet at the Thermopylae, and that Acrisius Translated it from thence to Delphi. This place was reckoned the Center of Greece, and of Europe. It was the Seat of that famous Oracle of Apollo Pythius; and of the public and Universal Council of Greece which met twice a Year, to adjust differences between the Cities of Greece; and which consisted of certain Commissioners, called Pylagorae, delegated by each City. This Council continued long in its primitive constitution, till Philip King of Macedonia, cut off the Phocians from Voting, and joined them to his own Kingdom. A long time after that Augustus Caesar made some Alterations in it; and in the Reign of Antoninus pus it still had a being and consisted then of 30 Members. 17. Perseus return'd to Argos, to avoid the discreditable Imputation of Parricide: and persuaded Megapenthes the Son of Praetus to exchange Kingdoms with him. After that he built Mycenae, so called, because in that Place the Head of the Handle of his Sword fell off. Perseus had 5 Sons by Andromeda, namely, Perses, Alcaeus, Sthenelus, Electryon and Mestor. The credulous Grecians persuaded themselves, that Perses gave Being to the Persians. Alcaeus begot Amphitryon. Sthenelus succeeded his Father Perseus in the Kingdom of Mycenae, after he had reigned 58 Years. Electryon begot Alcmena, wife to Amphitryon. 18. About this time the Kingdom of the Argives, having stood 534 Years, was divided into 3 or 4 Parts. For Anaxagoras the Son of Megapenthes, contenting himself with a third Part of his own Kingdom, gave the other two to Melampus and Bias, the Sons of Amythaon, because Melampus the first Inventor of Artificial Purgation, cured the Daughters of Proetus( who were Anaxagoras's Aunts) of Madness; or else, because he found out a Remedy for checking an Epidemical Madness that reigned among the Women of that Country. 19. Bias was followed by 5 Successors in a direct Line, till the Days of Cyanippus, Son to Aegialeus, who descended, all of 'em, from Nileus by the Mother's side. Melampus had six direct Successors for as many Ages, till the Reign of Amphilochus Son to Amphiaraus. But the native Line, the race of Anaxagoras, continued to Reign much longer. 20. For Iphis the Son of Alector, and Grandchild to Anaxagoras, left the Kingdom to Sthenelus the Son of Capaneus his Brother. After the destruction of Troy Amphilochus went into that Country, and the People were christened Amphilochi after him, and about the same time Cyanippus died without Children: So that Cylarabes the Son of Sthenelus got the Kingdom to himself. Cylarabes likewise died without issue: Whereupon Orestes the Son of Agamemnon, being outted of his Fathers Kingdom, possessed himself of the Kingdom of the Argives and then of that of Sparta: of which more anon. 21. Sthenelus the Son and Successor of Perseus, begot euristeus Heir of the Kingdom; and about 7 Months after his Birth Alcaeus Hercules the Son of Amphitryon and Alcmena was brought forth. And for as much as Iphicles one of the Twins was brought forth after Hercules, Amphitryon was esteemed the Father of the one, and Jupiter of the other. 22. From hence, they took occasion to say that Juno pursued him with a mortal hatred, and by the help of Ilythia, alias Lucina or Luna retarded the Birth for 7 Days. The Child was called Alcaeus from his Grandfather and afterwards by reason of his mighty Achievements was surnamed Hercules. There being several Persons of this Name, which signifies famed diffused thro' the Air; and since the Grecians seemed to attribute the exploits of several Persons to their Hercules, it will not be improper to insist a little upon that Subject. 23. Cicero says there were 6 of that Name: The first and ancientest begot of the first Jupiter and Lepitus, who, they say, disputed with Apollo for the Tripos: The second begot of Nilus in Egypt, who, they say, contemned the Phrygian Letters: The third Indigetes sprung from the Ideans, to whom they offered Sacrifices for the Dead. The fourth Son to Asteria Sister to Latona, whom the Tyrians worshipped very religiously, taking Carthago to be his Daughter: The fifth called Belus in India: And the last the Son of Alcmena. 24. Diodorus Siculus says there were 3 herculeses, Servius mentions 4, and Varro recounts 44. Tacitus writes that the Lybians said the Ancientest Hercules was born in their Country, and those who equalled him in great exploits were honoured with his surname. It is likewise to be remembered, what the Author of the Aequivoca commonly ascribed to Xenophon observes; viz. That the Ancientst Kings of noble Families were wont to be called Saturns, their eldest Sons Jupiters, and the bravest of their Grandchildren herculeses. 25. Among all these, he who carried the Club and the Hides of lions, who killed Monsters, and, as the Story has it, assisted the Gods against the Giants; is rather to be reckoned an Egyptian, than to be that graecian who preceded the Trojan War by one Generation. But he who erected the Pillars upon the outermost Boundaries of the World, was certainly a Tyrian, the leader of those phoenicians who made an irruption into Spain as far as Gades. And the Ambitious Plea of the Grecians is sufficiently baffled by this one remark, that in that iceland of Gades there stood a most Ancient Temple, in which Hercules was worshipped in the Tyrian, and not in the graecian way. 26. Sanchoniathon the Ancientest Writer of the Phenician Annals, writes that this Hercules was the Son of Demacoon, and that his proper Name was Melcarthus, which signifies King of the City, the Grecians calling him Melicertes and Palaemon. In his own Country he was likewise called Diodas as being invoked by Lovers. Some will have him to be the same with that Lybian or Egyptian Person, whom Pausanias calls Maceris, who went to Delphi, and whose Son Sardus carried a Colony to Ichnusa, and christened the iceland Sardinia. 27. However Amphitryon the Father of Alcaeus or Hercules, seems to have been Governor of Tiryns. Having killed Electryon his Uncle and Father-in-Law, he was was obliged to flee to Thebes. Hercules being educated at Thebes, gave many wonderful Specimens of his Valour, and when he was 20 Years of Age, sailed to Colchis in company of the Argonautae so called from the Ship Argos, in order to get the Golden Fleece. 28. The Projector and Head of this adventure was Jason the Son of Aeson, of the race of Aeolus, whom 53 noble Grecians of the first rate accompanied. After 4 Months they return'd home. Medea the Daughter of Aeetas, having fallen in Love with Jason, betrayed the Golden Fleece into his Hands, and came with him to Corinth. Upon their Voyage to Colchis they met with a storm off of Sigaeum a promontory of Troas, where Hercules killed a Whale, and rescued Hesione the Daughter of Laomedon from its Monstrous Jaws. Afterwards Laomedon refused to give Hercules the reward he had stipulated; whereupon Hercules took Troy, slay the King, and set his Son Priamus upon his Throne. 29. Hercules, upon his return to Greece, instituted Games to the Honour of Jupiter Olympius. Afterwards euristeus being Jealous of his greatness, and plotting his ruin, pressed him to undertake the 12 famous exploits. 1. He killed the lion of Nemea. 2. The Serpent at Lerna, with a hundred Necks and as many Serpents Heads growing out of one Body; of which when one was cut off two started up in the Room on't. 3. He brought off the Wild Boar of Erymanthus alive, and in the same expedition defeated the Centaurs. 4. He catched a Hind with Golden Horns, notwithstanding it's extreme swiftness, and brought it to the King. 30. In the 5th place he unkennel'd the Birds of the Lake Stymphalis. 6. He clean'd Augea's Stable without any assistance, by bringing up the River Peneus to it. 7 He brought the Bull out of Creet, which Pasiphae is said to have been in love with; and at the same time assisted the Gods against the Giants, and released Prometheus. 8 He brought Diomedes's unruly Horses out of Thracia. 9. He made War with the Amazons and carried the Girdle of Hipolyta. 31. The 10. labour enjoined him by euristeus, is said to be this, to drive away Geryon's Oxen which fed in the maritime Places of Spain: Whereas Geryon did not Reign in Spain, but in Epirus, near to Ambracia and Amphilochus. So that this expedition into Spain is rather to be attributed to Hercules the Tyrian, who at the same time is said to have killed Antaeus and Busiris, and to have erected Pillars upon the Boundaries of the World. 11. He brought Cerberus out of Hell. 12. At last he crossed over to Africa and brought off the apples belonging to the Hesperides. 32. At last, after many noble achievements, his Wife Deianira being possessed with a furious Jealousy put upon him a Garment tainted with Poison, which Nessus the Centaur at his Death( enjoined by Hercules for offering to ravish his Wife) recommended as an excellent thing for creating Love. The Story is, that the poison soaked thro' to his Shirt, and ate away the Flesh all over his Body; whereupon in the extremity of his Torment he threw himself into a Fire upon the Mountain Oeta, and was burned to death. Some are of the Opinion, that he was mad when he threw himself into the Fire. He died when he was 52 Years old, A. M. 1776. 33. euristeus being apprehensive of the danger he was in, made War with the Heraclidae; but had the misfortune to be worsted and slain together with all his Children. The Heraclidae endeavoured a Restoration, but were disappointed: So that Atreus the Son of Pelops, who at this time governed Argi, got the Kingdom of the Mycenae. This Pelops was the Son of Tantalus the Phrygian, who about an hundred Years before being beaten by Ilus King of Troy, fled to Greece, and married Hippodamia the Daughter of Oenomaus King of Elis. Having got Pisa with her as a Dowry, he afterwads mastered almost the whole Peninsule, which derived from him the Name of Pelopponnesus. 34. He had several Children by Hippodamia; by the marrying of whom, or rather by the vast sums of Money which he brought into Greece, he insinuated himself into several Cities. The most noted of his Sons were Atreus, Thyestes and Plisthenes. The first two succeeded their Father, after he had reigned 54 Years. Plisthenes died while he was yet young, and left his two Children Agamemnon and Menelaus to the charge of Atreus. Atreus married Aerope the Mother of these Children, and the Daughter of Minos. Thyestes being found guilty of adultery with her was first banished; but afterwards was recalled and entertained with the flesh of his own Children at Table. 35. After the Death of euristeus, Atreus having mastered all the Peloponnesus, put the Heraclidae to flight. He was reckoned a famous Astrologer. He adopted his two Nephews Agamemnon and Menelaus, who succeeded him 18 Years before the Trojan War. Agamemnon being a Man equally noted for his Valour and Prudence, mastered not only Mycenae and Argi, but the whole Country as far as sition and Corinth, and that part of the Country which was then called Jonia, Aegialea and afterwards Achaia. Menelaus reigned in lacedaemon, having married Helena the Daughter of Tyndareus the Lacedemonian King. Paris the Son of Priamus stolen away his Wife, which was the cause of the Trojan War. In order to present you with a brief account of this War, it will be necessary to premise a succinct Scheme of the Kingdom of the Trojans. 36. Dardanus the Son of Jupiter and Electra the Daughter of Atlas, having left Arcadia, planted a Colony in Phrygia; and having married Batea the Daughter of Teucer and the Grandchild of Scamander, settled in that Country which was afterwards called Troas; and there built the City Dardanum, about the 2530 Year of the World, in the reign of Sthenelus at Argi. Erichthonius his Son and successor was prodigiously Rich, and married Calirrhoe the Daughter of Scamander, by whom he had a Son called Tros, from whose name the Country was called Troas. 37. Tros had 3 Sons, namely, Ilus, Assaracus, and Ganymedes. Ilus succeeded his Father Assaracus and begot Capys the Father of Anchises and Grandfather of Aeneas. Ganymedes, being a beautiful boy, was ravished by Tantalus, whereupon a War broken out, in which Tantalus was outted of Paphlagonia. King Ilus built a City upon plain Ground, which being the Metropolitan, was called by the Grecians Ilium, and by the Latins Troja, which name more properly belongs to the Country. Pelops the Son of Tantalus was worsted in the War which he waged with Ilus. Laomedon the Son of Ilus was at once strip'd of his Kingdom and Life, for offering to cheat Hercules of the reward he had stipulated for saving his Daughter. 38. Podarces the Son of Laomedon was surnamed Priamus; and was very famous for his Riches and the largeness of his Kingdom. He begot 50 Sons, 17 of which were by Lawful Marriage. One of whom, called Paris Alexander, came to lacedaemon and ravished Helena: Upon notice whereof the Princes of Greece joined together, and resenting the affront as if it had been given to themselves, choose Agamemnon to be their head, and declared War against Priamus, and obliged themselves by an Oath never to return till they had taken Troy. 39. The heads of this Expedition, were Nestor, the 2 Ajax's, Achilles, Ulysses, Thoas, Podalirius, Machaon, and Tlepolemus. It's said, 120000 Men were Transported in a Fleet of 1000 Ships. As soon as they arrived in Troas, they had a slight Skirmish, and then sent Ambassadors to demand Helena. But Priamus was so far influenced by the Counsel of Young Men, and so indulgent to Paris, that he rejected their demands. Then the War broken out on both sides, and lasted for 10 Years. 40. Upon the graecian side Protesilaus, Patroclus, Euphorbus and Achilles were slain. In the Trojan Army, Hector, Troilus and Paris, Sons to Priamus, Mnemon Son to Tithon the King's Brother, and Penthesilea the Amazon, underwent the same Fate. At last the Town was taken by a Stratagem, and Menelaus recovered his Wife Helena, and slay Deiphobus who Married her after the Death of Paris. Priamus was killed by Pyrrhus, or Neoptolemus the Son of Achilles. But Antenor and Aeneas with some others escaped out of the graecian hands. This famous Destruction of Troy happened in the 10 Year of the siege, 408 Years before the first Olympiad, 1182 before Christ, A. M. 2821. 41. Among the Grecians who survived the War, the two Ajax's died before their return; one of 'em, viz. The Son of Telamon laid violent hands on himself, after he lost Achilles's armor by the decision of the Army, or by Ulysses cunning; the other, the Son of Oileus was lost at Sea: Ulysses is said to have been tossed to and again several Years: Menelaus was 8 Years absent from Home: Agamemnon indeed return'd Home; but was presently murdered by Aegisthus the Son of Thyestes, with whom Clytemnestra his Wife( the Daughter of Tyndareus) not only committed Adultery, but conspired to bring about that detestable Parricide. 42. Agamemnon had by Clytemnestra one Son, namely Orestes, and 3 Daughters. Orestes was with some difficulty sent out of the way by Electra his Sister, for fear of Aegisthus, before his Father's return. About 8 Years after his Fathers Death, he recovered his Kingdom, and put Aegisthus and his Mother to Death. Being seized with a furious Remorse for killing his Mother, he submitted his Case to the Areopagites, whose decision cleared him, there being just as many Voices for him as against him. Cylarabes the Son of Sthenelus being dead without Issue, he obtained the Kingdom of the Argives; and afterwards upon the death of Menelaus came to that of lacedaemon. 43. By this means the Kingdom of the Argives was once more united, about 140 Years after its Division into 4 Parts. Orestes Transported a Colony of Eolians into Asia, about 4 Ages before the jonians went thither, and at last died in Arcadia, after he had reigned 70 Years. He left two Sons, one Tisamenus by Hermione the Daughter of Menelaus, the other a bastard by the Daughter of Aegisthus. Tisamenus succeeded his Father, but was soon after expelled his Kingdom by the Heraclidae. Paterculus writes that both the Sons reigned after the Death of Orestes. 44. The Heraclidae made many successless attempts to return into the Peloponnesus. Hyllus the Son of Hercules attempted it twice, and Clodeus and Aristomachus once, but both were equally unfortunate. Aristomachus left 3 Sons, Temenus, Cresphontes, and Aristodemus. They chiefly laid claim to 3 Parts of the Peloponnesus, namely, 1. Argi, as being the posterity of Perseus▪ whereas Tisamenus the present Possessor descended of Pelops, who had no Title to that Country. 2. lacedaemon, because Hercules restored Tyndareus when he was outted by Hypocoon, upon this Condition, that he should hold the Kingdom only as a Depositum. 3. Messenia, grounding their Title upon this Plea, that when Hercules destroyed Pylus, he likewise deposited this Country in the Hands of Nestor. 45. Having built a Fleet upon the cost of Aetolia, from whence the Place was called Naupactus, they pretended to go by the Isthmus, but in effect were bound for Molycrium. Upon their arrival in the Peloponnesus they gained that Country without great difficulty. Temenus got Argi, Cresphontes cunningly hooked in Mesenia to himself; but lacedaemon fell to Proclis and Eurysthenes Sons to Aristodemus, who had been slain by the Sons of Pyladas and Electra, and Tisamenus's Cousins. 46. Tisamenus and the Achaians, being thus outted of Argolis and lacedaemon by the Heraclidae and Dorians, were upon certain Terms entertained by the Jonians then inhabiting the Peloponnesus. But afterwards the Jonians grew Jealous, that the Valour and Quality of Tisamenus, might induce both People to choose him King, whereupon a War broken out and Tisamenus was killed in battle. However the Achaians driven the Jonians to Attica, where the Athenians by advice from their King Melanthus, received them into their City, not so much out of deference to their former friendship, as out of fear of the Dorians. 47. Temenus being possessed of Argi, his Sons out of envy to Deiphontes his Son-in-Law, whom he too much respected, made away with him. Cisus the eldest succeeded his Father. But the People was so much at Deiphontes's beck, and so fond of their Liberty, that the regal Power was confined to a very narrow compass, and the posterity of Cisus had little else but the name of a King. So that this Kingdom was converted into a Democracy, about 40 Years after the Restoration of the Heraclidae 690 after the Reign of Inachus, A. M. 2940. 48. A certain learned Author endeavours to prove from Aeschylus the Tragedian, that this Government of the Inachidae was highly Monarchical. Another gathers from Pausanias that it was very moderate and limited by some Authority in the People, and that, because the Argives at first are said to be very careful of their Liberty, and to have dethroned Meltas, the Son of Lacidaus and Grandchild to Medon: For tho' Herodotus mentions a King of the Argives, yet there the Word King signifies only a magistrate accountable to the People, as in several other Places. 49. However the People having the Supreme Authority in their Hands, were divided into 3 Tribes. Under them was a Senate, to be elected every year, for preparing Affairs to be laid before the Convention, for executing the Laws, and some other Ministerial Services. There was likewise another Society of 80 Men, that took Care of part of the republic; besides the {αβγδ}, whom we take to be City Magistrates and Judges of Courts. All these Courts and Offices are expressly mentioned in a formal Treaty between the Athenians, Argivans, Mantineans and Eleans; which is extant in Thucydides. 5. All the ancient Records that we are Masters of, do not furnish us with any further Account of the republic of the Argives. That City waged frequent Wars with the Lacedemonians their Kinsmen and Neighbours, which was chiefly occasioned by reciprocal Pretensions to some Lands in the Neighbourhood, adjacent to Thyre. Not to speak of their mutual Emulation, and vying with one another for the pference. To which you may add this Consideration, That the Lacedemonians hated that Popular Government which the Argives were fond of; and on the other hand, the Argives hated the Lacedemonian Aristocracy. But we shall have occasion to continue our Account of the Argives elsewhere. SECT. IV. The ancient State of the Kingdom and republic of Athens. 1. THE Kingdom of the Athenians was founded by Cecrops, who began first to reign in Attica( then act) in the Reign of Triopas the Argivan, 374 Years before the destruction of Troy, 780 Years before the first Olympiad, A. M. 2449. 2. Neptune and Minerva are said to have quarrelled about christening the new City. The debate was remitted to a general assembly of the People, in which the Men voted for the former and the Women for the latter, but the number of the Women carried it for Minerva; which Neptune took so ill, that he punished the new Citizens by an inundation of their Lands. The Athenians, in order to atone for the Crime, doomed the Women to a threefold punishment, 1. That they should never be admitted to vote in their Conventions. 2. That none of the Children should be called by their Mother's Names. 3. That they should not be allowed the Title of {αβγδ}; whereupon they were called {αβγδ}. 3. But now that we are speaking of Minerva, it is proper to observe that several Women have been dignified with that name. Cicero in his 3 Book de natura deorum reckons up 5; the 1st the Mother of Apollo by Vulcan; the 2d the Daughter of Nilus, worshipped by the egyptians of says; the 3d the Daughter of Jupiter Caetius; the 4th the Daughter of Jupiter and Coryphe Daughter of Oceanus, whom the Arcadians call Coria, and give out for the inventor of Coaches. 4. The 5 the Daughter of Pallas, who is said to have killed her Father for offering to deflour her. The 2d of these was reckoned a Goddess at Athens; she built the City of says, and was called by the Egyptians Neuth. Cecrops is said to have erected a Statue to her Honour in Egypt, and to have invented the name of Jupiter. The Athenians had a particular Month, commencing from the new Moon of December, which they called {αβγδ}, in remembrance of that famous debate between Neptune and Pallas. 5. In the mean time it is to be remembered that there were 3 Towns of Athens as Varro testifies in his Books De analogia. There was the Athenae Atticae, where the People were called Athenienses; and Athenae Euboicae in the iceland Euboea, built by Cecrops the Son of Erechtheus, the inhabitants whereof, it seems, were called Athenaei by the Latins; tho' the Grecians gave the Title of {αβγδ} to the Citizens of attic Athens. Besides these two Cities, there was likewise Atheneopolis in Gallia Narbonensis near Marseilles, the inhabitants whereof were called Atheneopolitae. Moreover there was yet a 4th Athenae in the Lacedemonian Ground. 6. While Cecrops reigned at Athens, Deucalion the Son of Prometheus swayed the sceptre in Thessaly; the History of whom must briefly be hinted at; since his Posterity gave names to the Grecians. Japhet had three Sons, Atlas, Prometheus and Epimetheus. There were three Atlas's. One a Moor who was the greatest of 'em all; another an Italian the Father of Electra; and a third an Arcadian the Father of Maja the Mother of Mercurius. Authors are commonly liable to mistakes in confounding these three. 7. The first of the three is said to have lived near the Mountain Atlas, and, by reason of his uncommon skill in Astronomy, to have supported the Heavens. This was the Father of Electra. Prometheus is said to have formed Men out of day, because he was an excellent teacher of Wisdom. Epimetheus begot Pyrrha. 8. Deucalion the Son of Prometheus married Pyrrha the Daughter of Epimetheus. In his Reign there happened a Deluge, which chiefly over-run his Seat, the Proper Name whereof was helas. But it did not reach Egypt, or its neighbouring Countries. We red of three Deluges in in Greece. One in the Reign of Ogyges, which will come in under the History of Thebes. The Second was this of Deucalion, which happened about 248 years after the first, and 737 before the first Olympiad. The Third came to pass in the Reign of Dardanus and Cadmus, 86 Years after the second. 9. Deucalion had by Pyrrha two Sons, namely helen and Amphictyon. From the former his Subjects who before went by the name of Grecians, were called Hellenes, and the Country itself helas, which formerly had been called Pelasgia from the Pelasgi, and Haemonia, from Haemone the Daughter of Pelasgus, and Pyrrhaea from Pyrrha. helen had three Sons, Xuthus, Aeolus and Dorus. He left his Kingdom to Aeolus, and sent the rest abroad to shift for themselves. Aeolus was so much respected by his Subjects, that he was surnamed Jupiter and Neptune. Dorus settled in the Country that lies about the Mountains, Ossa and Olympus. Xuthus was outted of his Kingdom by his own Brothers for pretending to engross all his Fathers Money. Whereupon he fled to Athens, and Erechtheus thought him worthy of his Daughter, by whom he had Achaeus and Ion. 10. But Xuthus was afterwards expelled Athens, because being chosen arbiter by Erechtheus's Sons, he adjudged the Kingdom to Cecrops the eldest, whereupon he removed to Aegialia a Country lying, upon the Sea-side Eastward, between the Eleans and Sicyonians. Achaeus one of his Sons, came with Auxiliary Troops from Aegialia and Athens, to Thessaly; and recovered his Father's Kingdom; but afterwards upon the casual killing of a Man, was obliged to flee to lacedaemon, where his Posterity remained till they were turned out by the Dorians and Heraclidae. 11. Archander and Architeles the Sons of Achaeus removed from Pthiotis to Argi, where the former married Scaea, and the latter Autòmate Danaus's Daughter. And the Sons of Achaeus became so powerful in Argi as well as lacedaemon, that the inhabitants of both Places were called, under one general Name, Achaei; tho' the peculiar Title of the Argives was Danai. 12. Ion the other of Xuthus's Sons was about to make War with the People of Aegialia; when Selinus their King pacified him by giving him Helice his Daughter in Marriage. He succeeded Selinoon in the Government, and built a Town which he christened Helice after his Wife, which was afterwards swallowed up by the Sea together with Bura. He likewise christened the People jones, tho' that was not so much a Change of, as an addition to, their Name. For they were called Aegialenses jones: And after all, the Primitive name stuck best to them, for Homer makes use of it in the List of Agamemnon's Forces. 13. Ion, being afterwads chosen General to the Athenians in the War against the Eleusians, died in Attica. But his Posterity continued in Possession of the Kingdom of Aegialia, till the Acheans being expelled lacedaemon and Argi by the Heraclidae and Dorians, turned 'em out of their Kingdom, and obliged them and the whole People to flee to Athens; but they did not stay long there, for soon after the Sons of Codrus carried 'em away to Asia. These things I thought it more proper to wind up together, for easing of the Students Memory. 14. To return. Eusebius reckons that the Council of the Areopagites commenced in the Reign of Cecrops. Some date its being from the time of Solon; others think it was Ancienter. Neither are Authors better agreed upon the Original of the Name, tho' they all own that Areopagus has an Allusion to Mars, which in Greek is called Ares. However Cecrops dying about 50 Years after, Cranaus the richest of all the Citizens succeeded him, who continued only 7 Years in the Empire, at which Period Amphyction the Son of Deucalion turned him out of his Kingdom. And Ten Years after that Amphyction himself was served at the same rate by Erichthonius. 15. Erichthonius was reckoned the Son of Vulcan and the Earth. He instituted Games to the Honour of Apollo and Minerva, and after 50 Years left the Kingdom to his Son Pandion, who reigned 40 Years, and then was followed by his Son Erechtheus. This was a famous Prince. He made War with the Eleusians, and made Ion his Daughter's Son his General. The King of his Enemies being killed in the Field, he himself likewise fell, in the 50 Year of his Reign. 'twas under his Reign that the Citizens who formerly were called Cecropidae, got the Name of Athenians from the Town itself. He left three Sons, Cecrops, Metion, and Pandorus. 16. Xuthus adjudged the Kingdom to Cecrops, and is said to have gathered the People into 12 Towns, by reason that lying at a distance from one another they were exposed to the Robberies of the Carians and Beotians. After 40 Years Pandion succeeded his Father Cecrops, and being outted of his Kingdom by the Sons of Metion, fled to Megara, where he obtained the Principality of Pylas his Father in-Law. During his Exile he begot four Sons, namely, Aegeus, Lycus, Pallas, and Nisus; who after the Death of their Father, turned the Posterity of Metion out of Athens, and divided the Kingdom into 4 Parts, pursuant to their Father's Orders to that effect. Megara was allotted to Nisus, who reigned there a long time. 17. Notwithstanding the above-mentioned division, Aegeus was the Head that governed all. Pallas's 50 Sons laid wait for Aegeus, as contemning him for want of Children. At last Pittheus the Son of Pelops, who reigned at Traecene, obliged him to embrace his Daughter Aethra, by whom Theseus was born. Theseus coming to Athens and being owned by his Father crushed the Family of Pallas; and to ingratiate himself with the People, tamed the Bull of Marathon, that was very troublesone to the Inhabitants of Tetrapolis; and shew'd him alive up and down the Town, and then sacrificed him to Apollo Delphinius. Afterwards he sailed to Greece, and by the help of Ariadne the Daughter of Minos, is said to have killed the Monster Minotaurus, that devoured the Athenian Youths. Of which more in our large History. 18. Aegeus had given these Orders to the Captain of the Ship when he put out, that, if Theseus return'd alive, he should hoist up a white Sail, but, if any unlucky accident happened to him, he should signify so much by a black Sail. But both the Captain and Theseus were so overjoyed upon their approach to Attica, that they never thought of their orders: Upon which omission Aegeus concluding that things went across, threw himself headlong over a Rock. It was from this Aegeus, as some say, that the Aegean Sea was so called: Others derive its name from Aegae an iceland near Euboea consecrated to Neptune: Others from age a Town of Euboea. Others from Aega a promontory in Aeolia, and others again from Aegis a Rock lying between Tenedos and Chios. 19. Some allege the Aegean Sea was so called from the many little Islands, that afar off look like Goats, or {αβγδ}. Others from Aegea Queen of the Amazons who was drowned there; others from Aegeus a Name given to Neptune as Pherecydes testifies: Others from Aegeon who is the same with Briareus: Others from the Constellation Capra: And others again from a Goat, because that Sea is tossed like a Goat. The famous Samuel Bochart derives it from Az a Hebrew Word, which signifies Hard and Rough, and is sometimes used as an Epithet to the Sea by sacred Writers. 20. Theseus gathered all the Athenians who were dispersed in 12 Towns, into one City; and by clipping the regal Power cut the Sinews of Monarchy. He ranked the People in 3 States viz. the Noblemen, Husbandmen, and Artificers; and accomplished many Glorious Exploits. He instituted the Isthmian Games to the Honour of Neptune. He sailed to the Euxine Sea against the Amazons, and brought his Wife Antiope from thence. With the help of Pirithous the Son of Ixion he ravished Helena the Daughter of Tyndareus: But when he on his Part assisted Pirithous in ravishing the Daughter of Aidoneus King of the Molossi, he had the misfortune to be taken and put into Prison. His associate was put to Death; but he was at last set at Liberty thro' the intercession of Hercules. That King is called Pluto, his Daughter Proserpina, and the Dog by which Pirithous was devoured was called Cerberus. 21. At a time when Theseus was gone abroad, Castor and Pollux took the opportunity to rescue their Sister Helena. Menestheus the Son of Peleus and Grandson to Erechtheus, endeavoured to lessen his Credit among the People, and brought his design to bear so far, that when Theseus return'd, he was obliged to retire to the iceland Scyres where Lycomedes the King, being Jealous of his Glory, put him to Death. Menestheus having possessed himself of the Kingdom by his cunning, set out with 50 Ships upon an expedition against Troy, Atreus being then King of the Argives and mycenae. He took the Town, and pronounced a funeral Harangue to the praise of Ajax the Son of Telamon. For it was a custom among the Athenians to pay that compliment to those who died in War. Soon after he himself became a proper object of the like compliment in the iceland Melos upon his return from Troy. 22. After the Death of Menestheus, Demophoon the Son of Theseus by Phedra recovered the Kingdom of his Ancestors. He was educated by Elpenor the Son of Chalcedon, together with his Brother Achames. Demophon snatched the image of Pallas from the Argives, who upon their return from Troy were forced in by a Storm upon the cost of Attica. After 34 Years he left the Kingdom to his Son Oxyntas, who after 22 Successions was followed by Aphidas. He having reigned one Year was followed by Thymoetes the 15th King, who, being a bastard, is said to have killed his Brother Aphidas. After 8 Years this Prince lost his Kingdom, and concludes the List of the Kings of Erechtheus's Posterity. 23. There arose a difference between the Athenians and Baeotians about Caelenae which lay in their neighbourhood. And 'twas mutually agreed upon that the two Kings should decide the matter in a Duel. But Thymoetes refusing to fight was thereupon outted of his Kingdom. Melanthius Messenius, whom he Heraclidoe had expelled his own Country, takes up the Quarrel; and by a Stratagem defeats Xanthus the King of the Baeotians. By which means he obtained the Government of Athens, by way of reward. After Melanthius his Son Codrus succeeded, who was the last King of Athens. 24. The Heraclidae being engaged in a War with the Athenians, were advised by the Oracle, that the only way to obtain a Conquest was to avoid hurting the King of their Enemies. Codrus knowing this, put on the Habit of a common Soldier, and exposed himself where the Action was hottest, and was killed. Upon the news of his Death the Heraclidae broken up the Siege and marched off, tho' some of their Army had already entered the Town, whom the Athenians sent safe home. The Death of Codrus happened 486 Years after Cecrops, 114 Years after the destruction of Troy, 35 Years after the return of the Heraclidae, 293 Years before the first Olympiad, A. M. 2935. 25. After Codrus there was no King at Athens. The adminstration was then put into the Hands of the Archontes, who possessed the Government for Life, their Power being lessened and Subject to the People. Medon the Son of Codrus was the first Archon; tho' he was bread up in hopes of being King. Nileus his Brother was very troublesone to him. He refused to obey Medon whose Government was lame and maimed. But at last the Affair was remitted to the delphic Oracle, which made answer, that the Government of the Athenians belonged to Medon. 26. After that Nileus and the other Sons of Codrus were sent into a Colony, and carried with them both a great number of Athenians that listed themselves under their conduct, and a considerable Body of Jonians. This Colony was likewise enlarged by the Thebans, the Minyae from among the Orchomenians, the Phocians bating those of Delphi, and some Aebantes out of Eubaea. This Colony built the twelve ionian Cities in Asia, namely, Miletus, Ephesus, Priene, Colophon, Myus, Teos, Lebedos, Clazomenae, Erythrae, Phocaea, Chius, and Samus; the Original of which Cities is accounted for at large by Pausanias. 27. Medon was followed by twelve successive Princes in the space of 15 Years, who were called Medontidae from him. The last of these was Alcmaeon the Son of Aeschilus, who died before the end of the Second Year of his Reign. Then the People being uneasy under the perpetual Power of the Archontes, confined it to the compass of ten Years. This change was decreed about the beginning of the Olympiads. And Charops was the first who was invested with this ten Years Government. That form of Government lasted 70 Years. The last of that sort of Archontes was Erixias, who, after a six Years Reign, either died or was degraded; and then the republic put on a new Face. 28. For the People being proud of their Power, and possessed with an insatiable itch for Liberty, did quiter abrogate the Monarchical Constitution, and put the administration of Affairs into the Hands of 9 Archontes, to be elected yearly. The first of these was President and called Eponymus. The second was called King; being Judge of all Civil and Criminal Causes. The third was Polemarchus, the supreme Judge of Military Affairs. The other six were called Thesmothetae, or Defenders of their Laws and Customs. The whole Body of the Nine, joined together, had Power to call a Meeting of the People, and propose their Opinion in matters of importance, as the Kings and Archontes did before. 29. So great was that superstructure of Liberty, that they reared up upon the Foundation that Theseus laid. But the People having once the Reins in their own Hands, did not know where to stop or fix. The Harangues of popular Orators turned and tossed 'em to and again, as the Winds do the Sea. The Power of the Nobility was mightily wronged, especially by this, that the Sentences of the Judges were looked upon as Laws, there being no certain Statutes, as yet, to walk by. About 50 Years after, a complaint was given in upon this Head, which seemed to carry justice along with it: Whereupon they employed one Draco a prudent and good, but very staunch, Man, to make Laws for' em. 30. He abrogated many Laws, and reformed the Court of the Ephetae, which was ordered to consist of 51 Members, each of 'em 50 Years Old and upwards. But the Laws were so bloody, as entailing Death to every slight Crime, that the Common People who were drowned in debt became turbulent and daring, and their divisions and Animosities rose to a dismal Degree. At last all their hopes were pointed upon Solon a Man of Prudence and known Integrity. They entreated him to act the Part of a Physician to the republic. And in order to furnish him with suitable Power for that end, of their own accord offered him a tyrannical Government. 31. Tho Solon was sensible that he had ingratiated himself with the People, by the famed of his Wisdom, and the Stratagems with which he recovered the iceland Salamina; yet he had no mind to meddle with the Government. He dreaded the Avarice of the Poor, and the Pride of the Rich. He down-right refused to be Tyrant. But his Friends chid him mightily for so doing, charging him with the Folly of standing out merely for the name sake, since his virtue could easily convert a Tyranny to a moderate Government, as Tynnonidas had lately done in Euboea, and Pittacus in Mytilene. 32. But no such Offer could prevail with Solon to depart from his concerted Measures. 'tis said, he answered his Friends, That Tyranny was a tempting thing, but there was no end on't. At last he took upon him the offered charge of setting the Government to rights; but before he set about it, he enacted a general Remission of Debts, called Sisachthea, by which means he ingratiated himself into the Affection of all Parties. He was elected Prince and Archon, immediately after Philombrotus; and his first business was to abrogat all the Laws of Draco, together with those of Murder, which provided severe and disproportioned Penalties. 33. Then he reviewed the People, and drew them up in 4 Tribes; allotting Offices to every one suitable to their Station. The poorer sort being excluded from the Magistracy; and allowed only to have a Place in the Meetings. And in order to kerb the growing Power of the Plebs, he instituted a Senat, besides that of the Areopagites, consisting of 400 Members,( that is, 100 out of each Tribe) which was to form and moderat the general Conventions, and to examine and judge of all things belonging to the People. Their Decrees were to be looked upon as definitive, if the matter was only of small Consequence; but if it was a business of great Moment, they were to be remitted to the Censure of the People. 34. Tho' the Power of the Society of the 9 Archontes was much empair'd, yet he allotted them the same Offices as they had performed before, with the addition of a more solemn Institution, and a Reward for their good Services, after a severe trial before the Areopagites. For he supposed the Senat of the Areopagites to be venerable and of untainted integrity; and invested them with the supreme Authority in the City; and with a right to inspect and censure the Lives and Conversations of the Citizens, especially those of the Younger Form. 35. He gave the general Conventions of the People, Power to make Peace and War, to sand out Ambassadors, and to naturalife foreigners. The Place of their Meeting was either the Forum, or a Place of Judicature just by, called Pnyx; and sometimes the theatre of Bacchus. The set time of sitting; was three Days, to be renewed after every 35 Days. The extraordinary times were determined, by occasional Occurrences. The ordinary Convocations were called {αβγδ}, the extraordinary were called {αβγδ}, or {αβγδ}. 36. There were several Courts for Law-suits, besides that of the Areopagi. The most remarkable was that of the Ephetae instituted by Demophoon the Son of Theseus: The next was that of the Heliastae, so called from sitting in an open place, which consisted of 500 or 1000 and sometimes 1500 Members, chosen by Lot, all of 'em being above 30 Years Old. There was likewise a Court of Arbiters, to whom 220 Men chosen equally out of the Tribes were joined; and they took Cognisance of Affairs belonging to the Tribes. Besides a Court of 30, and afterwards 40 Members, which went round the Tribes, and determined their differences about small sums of money and trifling concerns. 37. After Solon had made an end of his task, he obtained leave of the Athenians to travail for 10 Years, in order to avoid the calumnies and reproaches of the Citizens: Thinking that in 10 Years time they would be tamed and enured to the Laws. But upon his departure, the Commonalty split into divers Factions; as they generally do when over grown in Power. Lycurgus Headed the Pediaei, Magacles, the Son of Alcmaeon, the Paralii, and Pisistratus the Diacrii, who were joined by a body of Hirelins that hated the Richer sort. Tho' the Laws continued still in Force, yet the People were all in a Ferment, and eager for changing the Form of the republic; for every Party made account, that by a Revolution they would advance themselves. 38. When Affairs were at this Pass, Solon return'd, and endeavoured to bring the Factions to an Accommodation by separate Interviews with their respective Heads. Pisistratus seemed to listen to his Proposals. He was a fair spoken Man, Proud of assisting the Poor, moderate in Revenge, and one that gloried in having such qualities as Nature had denied him. Solon saw thro' the Humour and deceit of the Man, and endeavoured to reclaim him. 39. But Pisistratus had insinuated himself so much into the Affections of the People, that he expected to be made King, and contemned all the Remonstrances that were offered to him. At last he wounded himself in two places, and exposed himself thus wounded in a Chariot riding along the Streets, as if his Enemies had laid wait for him and treated him in that fashion. By this Stratagem, notwithstanding all Solon's Remonstrances to the contrary, he got the People to make a Law empowering him to hire and maintain 50 Men to Guard his Person. By the means of these his Guards he possessed himself of the Castle, and usurped the Government. 40. He sat at the Helm of Affairs three Years: At the end of which Megacles and Lycurgus conspired against him, and expelled him. But afterwards the Conspirators disagreed among themselves; whereupon Megacles brought him back upon the Condition that he should mary his Daughter. The Stratagem by which he was restored was truly Comical. There was a strapping Handsome Woman, in the Tribe called Paeaniaea, whose name was Phya: She was fout Cubits high. 41. This Woman was set out with all sorts of armor, and placed in a Coach, in a very becoming Habit. In this fashion she road thro' the City, with some Athenians going before her, and calling upon the People to give a welcome Reception to Pisistratus, whom Minerva her self honoured above all Men, and was then Conducting to her own Palace. By this means the Report was spread among the Tribes that Pisistratus was brought back by Minerva: And those who were in the Town, being persuaded that 'twas the Goddess her self; fell down before the Woman and received Pisistratus. 42. Pisistratus being thus restored, married the Daughter of Megacles pursuant to his Promise. His Wife after some time complained that her Husband used her unkindly: whereupon Megacles her Father was again incensed against him: And in short, things were brought to that pass, that he was obliged to retire to Eretia, in the Tenth Year after his Restoration to the Government of Athens. He continued in Exile other Ten Years without attempting any thing. But at the end of them, his Son Hippias pushed him on to Enterprise something. Accordingly he Hires some Theban and Argivan Troops, masters Marathon, routs the Athenians, and Possesses himself of Athens without much opposition. Being thus a second time restored to his Government, he fortified himself in it, only by making Friends and Alliances, making it his Business to gather up sums of Money, and by taking up his Enemies Sons as Hostages. 43. For the Athenians could charge Pisistratus with nothing else but the Usurpation of the Government. They felt no other yoke, but that of thwarting their Humour which could not brook a Monarchical Government. He exacted no Tribute, but the tithes that the Kings used always to have. He put none to Death; he banished none; he turned no Man out of his Estate; and gave Affronts to no Person. He left the Laws of Solon, and the order of the Magistracy unviolated; and tho' Solon was his Enemy, yet he honoured and Respected him in a distinguishing manner. 44. He was both learned, and did considerable Service to the World of Learning. He was the first Institutor of the graecian Library, and drew up the scattered Poems of Homer, in the order they now appear in. He left the Government to his Sons Hippias and Hipparchus, who used their Power with a great deal of Moderation, and managed the Administration of Affairs incomparably well, till Hippias being fretted by the Death of Hipparchus, lost his Government. This happened in the Reign of Darius Son to Hystaspes, and therefore will come in more properly elsewhere. Pisistratus died at the same time that Craesus King of Lydia was conquered by Cyrus in the 20 Year of the 57 Olympiad, A. M. 3460. SECT. V. The Ancient State of the Kingdom and republic of the Lacedemonians. 1. THis Country was first called Lelegis and Lelegia from Leleges, who was Born there. Afterwards 'twas christened Lacedaemon from Lacedaemon the Son of Jupiter and Taygeta. Lacedaemon married Sparta the Daughter of Eurota, and Grandson to miles, and great Grandson to Leleges, whence the City was called Sparta. And that is the proper name of the City, as distinct from the Country, tho' some call it Lacedoemon: And the Citizens are properly called Spartiatae, as the Inhabitants of the Country go by the name of Lacedaemonii. This City was built while Crotopus reigned at Argi, and Amphytrion at Athens, 304 Years before the Destruction of Troy, 712 Years before the first Olympiad, A. M. 2518. 2. Lacedaemon was followed by Amyclas, and he by Argalus, who left the Kingdom to Cynortas his Brother. Next to Cynortas was Oebalus, from whom the Country was called Oebalia, whence Statius uses Oebalidae-fratres for Castor and Pollux. Oebalus by his first Wife had Hypocoon, and Icarius; by his second, namely, Gorgophone the Daughter of Perseus, he had Tyndareus who disputed with his Elder Brother for the Kingdom. Hercules assisted Tyndareus and killed Hypocoon with his ten Children; and gave Tyndareus the Kingdom by way of ufufruct, securing the Reversion to his own Children. 3. Tyndareus, by leda the Daughter of Thestius King of Aetolia, had Castor and Pollux, who were called Dioscuri, or Jupiter's Sons, and either by her or some body else, a Daughter called Helena. Menelaus married Helena, who was ravished by Theseus, and afterwards by Paris. Helena bore to Menelaus Hermione, whom he first married to Orestes the Son of Agamemnon, and afterwards took her away from him and gave her to Pyrrhus the Son of Achilles. But Orestes slay his Rival, and so recovered his Wife. Menelaus had two Sons by a Servant Maid, namely, Nicostratus and Megapenthes; but by reason of their spurious Birth, the Lacedemonians gave the Kingdom to Orestes. 4. Tisamenus the Son of Orestes Succeeded him; but was outted of his Kingdom by the Heraclidae, as I intimated above. Lacedaemon fell by Lot to Procles and Euristhenes the Sons of Aristodemus. After this time the lacedæmonians were reckoned Dorians, by reason of the Dorians that came along with the Heraclidae. But these Dorians were not so called from Dorus the Son of helen; for they are said to come of the Achaians, who upon their return from Troy were repulsed and obliged to put off in quest of a new Country, and were called doors from their Leader. However, if they truly descended of the Achaians, they had as much, if not more, right to this Country, than the Heraclidae. This change of Affairs happened, about 8 Years after the taking of Troy, according to Thucydides's Computation, 327 Years before the first Olympiad, in the Reign of Melanthus at Athens, A. M. 2901. 5. Euristhenes and Procles being Twins, and it being doubtful which of 'em came first into the World; they reigned jointly. They differed hugely one with another, and the Emulation and Discord was transmitted to their Posterity, who were called Euristhenidae and Proclidae. Agis the Son of Euristhenes succeeded him, from whom his Posterity were called Agidae. And Sous succeeded Procles. Agis turned the Helotae first out of the City they Inhabited, which was built by Helius the youngest Son of Perseus; and afterwards of their Liberties, because they refused to pay the Tribute he required. This famous Exploit, of reducing the Helotae to Bondage gave occasion to the ordinary way of calling the Lacedemonian Slaves, Helotae. 6. Echestratus the Son of Agis succeeded him, and Eurypon( alias Eurytion) Succeeded Sous, and his Posterity after him were called Eurytionidae; for, by quitting part of the Regal Prerogatives, he was the first that ingratiated himself into the Affections of the People. Echestratus was followed by Labotas, and Eurytion by Prytanis, in whose Reign the discord between the Lacedemonians and Argives had its rise. Labotas was followed by Doryssus, and he by Agesilaus. Prytanis left the Kingdom to his Son Eunomus. 7. Eunomus of the Race of the Proclidae, got by his first Wife Polydectes; and by his last Wife Lycurgus, 250 Years before the first Olympiad. From the time that Eurytion cramped the regal Power, the People grew unruly, and great commotions ensued thereupon. During that confusion, Eunomus, offering to adjust some difference, was run thro' with a Butcher's Knife, and died, leaving the Kingdom to his eldest Son Polydectes. Not long after that Polydectes dyed without Issue, and Lycurgus his Brother succeeded him. 8. But so soon as it was known that the widow of Polydectes was with Child, he professed, that, in Case it proved a Boy, he would only Govern the Kingdom by way of Guardianship. Tho' the widow gave him to know that she would make away with the Child, in Case he kept the Kingdom and Married her; yet he only counterfeited an approbation of her Proposal, and at the bottom detested her Principles. For as soon as the Child came into the World, he resigned the Government of his own accord, and placed it upon the Throne. 9. The Royal Child was called Charilaus, alluding to the Joy that accrew'd to the People, in admiring the Magnanimity and Justice of Lycurgus. But the virtue which merited Love and Praise, met with Hatred and Invective. For the Child's Mother, thinking her self affronted, together with her Relations, bespattered him with Calamnious Imputations, as if he had a design upon the Child. This he took very ill; and fearing the uncertainty of Events, resolved to travail till his Nephew came of Age▪ and begot an Heir to the Crown. He visited many Places and Countries; and is said to have collected and methodised Homer's Verses, and to be the first that brought 'em to Greece. 10. But the Lacedemonians did often miss and call upon Lycurgus in his absence, for all things ran into Confusion. For the People not only refused all allegiance to their Kings, but wanted further to feed an insatiable appetite for Liberty. Lycurgus being well acquainted with the nature of their Distemper, draw d first to evacuate and purge the Body, as being foul and stuffed with all manner of Distempers, and then to enjoin a new Diet. However being sensible what influence Religion has over Mens Minds, he went to Delphi; and it is given out that he fetched from thence the Rhetra, as a Model for the republic. 11. He proposed that the republic should be governed by 2 Kings, that is two nominal Kings, divested of all majestic Power, uncapable of doing any thing of Moment at home, by reason of their Subjection to the Senate. Abroad indeed he was allowed the command of the Army. The Senate consisted of Elders, 60 Years old and upwards, besides the Kings. This Senate he set in opposition to the Kings, as being a Medium between them and the People, in Order to confine both within the Limits of their Duty. Lycurgus did not Trouble himself with backing his Laws with Argument; which Method Aristotle finds fault with, as being unsuitable to the Measures of a free republic, and an inlet to unjust Demands; such as are many other things in Lycurgus's Laws. 12. Whatever the Kings lost, the People got but little for shifting two Masters for 30. For there was no appeal allowed from the Convention of the Senate and Kings. All the privilege they had was to enact such things as the Kings and Elders proposed. However, in order to make this form of Government lasting, there was a necessity of sinking the Occasions of Sedition. Now to compass that, it was proper to reduce their Estates to an equal Standard. With which view Lycurgus took all their Gold and Silver from 'em, and coined Iron Money for' em. 13. He ordered the Citizens to feast together at their public Meetings, called Andria, Phyditia, and Scyssitia. He ordered the Boys to be educated and instructed upon the public Charge, under the Hands of the Paedonomi and Irenes. And as they were to be exercised in harsh and dangerous Adventures; so he ordered the girls to be exercised in running, wrestling, throwing of Coits and Darts; and in effect removed all the wonted Tenderness and softness that used to attend the Education of Women. 14. In order to put a stop to Luxury and the Inundations of 'vice, he prohibited any Man to travail; and all those who repaired to lacedaemon without some good and useful Errand, were expelled the City. He would not have the Town to be surrounded by Walls, as taking the Valor and Watchfulness of the Citizens, who minded nothing but the good of their Country, to be the Walls and Security of the City. For he would not allow any of 'em to meddle with illiberal Arts. The Helotae manured the Grounds and paid the Landlords the stinted Rents. And that they might not grow too powerful, were sometimes barbarously murdered by Young Men hide in the Fields; from whence their mutual Engagements were called Cryptia. 15. But all the thanks Lycurgus got, was, to have Stones thrown at him, and to have his Eye knocked out with the Blow of a Stick. Valerius Maximus writes, that he was once expelled by the fury of the Mob, and at last banished his Country. Plutarch says, he obliged the Kings, Senat and People by Oath, to keep up the same Form of Government till he return'd. For he was then upon a Journey to the Oracle, to consult it with reference to one of the greatest Points he had yet to manage. 16. The Oracle made answer, that his Laws were well concerted, and that the City would continue its Glory, providing it followed Lycurgus's Model: Whereupon, according to Plutarch, he resolved never to free the Citizens from the Obligation of their Oath, and to that end starved himself to Death. Some say, he died in Crete, and ordered his Body to be burnt and the Ashes to be thrown in the Sea, to the end that the Spartans should not gather 'em together, and pretend to free themselves of their Oath by carrying 'em back to lacedaemon. But Tertullian says he starved himself to death, because the Lacedemonians offered to introduce new Laws. 17. The republic was then in Peace. But after Lycurgus's Death, it renewed the War with the Argives, and took up Arms against the Tegeatae a People of Arcadia, and the Achaians. The Tegeatae took Charilaus their King, but quickly dismissed him. That King was followed by his Son Nicander; and Teleclus his colleague, by Alcamenes. In the 34th Year of Nicander, Iphitus restored the olympic Games, which were formerly celebrated by Hercules, Pelops, Endymion, Neleus, Peliades, Lycurgus, and several others. 18. After the return of the Heraclidae, Oxylas had restored 'em, and got Elis by his dexterity at' em. But afterwards they were forgot for 303 Years, till Iphitus in the time of the Divisions of Greece, being of Oxylas's Posterity, restored 'em, upon Advice from the divine Oracle. They were called olympic from the City Olympia, and were celebrated in the beginning of every fifth Year, at full Moon, in the Month Hecatombaeon, a little before the Summer Solstice. 19. The graecian Games, consisted of wrestling, running, leaping, throwing of Quoits, and fencing with Sticks, that they called Cestus, or {αβγδ}. From these 5 exercises they were called {αβγδ} and Quinquertiones. However 'tis to be remarked that Varro's second interval of time ends in this Restoration of the olympic Games. For he makes three differences of times. 20. The first reaches from the Creation of Man to the first Deluge, which he out of ignorance styles {αβγδ}, or Obscure. The second goes from the first Deluge to the first Olympiad, and by reason of the fabulous Stories with which 'tis stuffed, is called {αβγδ}, or Fabulous. The third runs between the first Olympiad and his own time, and is called Historical, because the Transactions referred to it are related in true Histories. Now this Restoration of the Olympiads happened 408 Years after the taking of Troy, 714 before the Christian Aera, A. M. 3229. 21. In the end of the 7th Olympiad, there happened a great Alteration of Affairs in lacedaemon, upon the Institution of the Ephori, about 130 Years after the commencing of Lycurgus's Laws. The number of the Ephori, was 5, to be chosen every Year out of the Commons. Elatus was the first that got that Office. Most writers say these Officers were first created in the Reign of Theopompus Son to Nicander and Grandson to Charilaus. But we are at a loss to know what was the end of their Institution. 22. Many allege they were appointed for a balance to the regal Power. But others say they were created by the K. s themselves, when engaged in an expedition against the Messenians; which obliged 'em to nominate some of their Friends to manage Affairs in their absence, and these were called Ephori from inspecting the public Affairs. So that at first they were only the King's Ministers, but afterwards gradually arrogated to themselves a magistratical Power, when no Body was ware of it. But whatever was the end of their Institution, 'tis certain their Power in a short time became Tyrannical, and put their Kings in danger of their Lives. The President of the Court, who was called Eponymus, inspected the public Accounts every Year. 23. In the 2d Year of the 9th Olympiad, the Lacedemonians embarked in an open War with the Messenians; tho' before the Institution of the Ephori they had jealousies of one another. For the Lacedemonians took it very ill, that Cresphontes overreached his Grandsons, and possessed himself of the Messenian Ground. And their Anger was inflamed by the battle fought at Diana's Temple in the confines of Messene, in which Teleclus Father to Alcmenes then King, was, killed. However both sides cried out that they were wronged. 24. At last their mutual hatred broken out into a War, by means of a horrid Piece of Wickedness committed by one Evaephnus a Lacedemonian. This fellow endeavoured to cheat Polychares the Messenian, of some Oxen that were put out to him; and when he found the design was discovered, desired his Son should be sent to receive their Price, and when he came killed him. Polychares was justly incensed at the heinousness of the Action, and demanded that the Criminal should be delivered up in order to be punished. But finding his Solicitations were not regarded, he slay every Lacedemonian he met with. 25. Whereupon the Lacedemonians were exasperated, and demanded that Polychares should be brought to condign Punishment. The Messenians were divided among themselves; but the Majority carried, that he should be defended by force of Arms, if there was occasion. When the Lacedemonians heard this, they refused to remit the Case to the judgement of the Amphyctyones or Areopagites, and prepared for an Eepedition, engaging in a mutual Oarh never to return till Messene was taken. 26. The War was carried on for several Years, with various Success. At last, the Messenians, whose Country was the Seat of the War, were mightily put to it, and in fine resolved to abandon all the Towns that lay remote from the Sea, and to remove to the Mountain Ithomes. Upon this removal, there followed a cessation of Arms on both sides for some Years. And in the Interval, the Lacedemonians waged War with the Argives, which had been occasioned by a dispute concerning Thyrea which lay in the confines. Both Parties agreed to leave the matter to the Amphictyones, and their sentence was, that the Controversy should be decided by 30 Men on each side, adjudging the rightful Title to the Victors. And indeed the Senate adjudged the Victory to the Lacedemonians; but the Argives pretended they were Victors, and thereupon renewed the War, but with small Success. 27. About 8 Years after the removing to Ithomes, the Messenians and Lacedemonians return'd to their former War, and had several engagements with various Success. In the first engagement the Messenians lost their King Euphaes, and choose Aristodemus for his Successor: In the second engagement, being fortified by the Auxiliary Troops from the Arcadians, Argives and Sicyonians, they had better success; whereupon the Lacedemonians seemed to be doubtful of the event; and both the one and the other sent to Delphi, to inquire into the event of the War. 28. The Lacedemonians observed the Orders of the Oracle in doing what it gave for an Omen of the Victory; and at last besieged the frighted Messenians, and took the Mountain Ithomes, in the end of the 28 Year of the War, in the first Year of the 14th Olympiad, while the Medontidae continued in the Decennial Government of Athens, in the Reign of Hezekiah over the Jews, about the same time that the 10 Tribes were carried off in Captivity by the King of Assyria. 29. The Conquerors destroyed Ithomes, and mastered all the other Places of Messenia, and obliged the Messenians to manure the Ground, and bring one half of the Fruits every Year to lacedaemon. They bound them by an Oath to remain ever true to them, and to appear in Mourning, both Men and Women, at the Funerals of the Lacedemonian Kings. 30. The Lacedemonians being yet absent from home, called to Mind the Obligation of their Oath, and were much afraid of their future offspring, lest the People should revolt, during the absence of the Husbands from their Wives. Whereupon they sent home 50 of their stoutest young Men, who were so young at the first setting out that they were not engaged in the Oath, and ordered 'em to lie promiscuously with the Women. 31. There Sprung from them an Offspring called Parthenii; who, when they grew up, were owned by none, and had no Heritage allotted them; whereupon they entered into a Conspiracy together with the Slaves or Helotae. But, the Conspiracy being discovered, they were expelled, and as they wandered in quest of a new Seat happened to fix in Italy, where they expelled the Barbarians and Cretians that lived near Tarentum. 32. The Messenians were impatient of bondage and having no hopes that the Lacedemonian yoke would become easier, thought it better for them to die in battle, than to depart the Peloponnesus; whereupon they entered into a Conspiracy under the Conduct of Aristomenes a Youth of noble Birth. Accordingly, when all things were got in readiness for War, they revolted in the 39 Year after the overthrow of Ithomes, the 4th of the 23 Olympiad in which Icarus was Victor, while the yearly Magistrates governed in Athens, and Tlesias was Praetor or chief Archon. A. M. 3320. 33. Aristomenes being a Man equally admired for the accomplishments of his Body and endowments of his Mind, governed the Messenians very happily, and routed the Lacedemonians oftener than once; so that they began to entertain some Thoughts of Peace; but Tyrtaeus the Poet unhinged their Resolutions by teaching 'em to make up the loss of their Men by recruits of the Helotae. For about a Year or two before they had sent to consult the delphic Oracle about the event of the War; and the Goddess made answer, that a counselor must be sent for from Athens. The Athenians being desired to give 'em a counselor, were indeed unwilling to assist them, but dreaded to disobey the Oracle; wherefore they sent 'em this Tyrtaeus, a Schoolmaster, lame in his Feet, and not over-sound in his intellectuals. 34. In the third Year of the War, the Messenians being deserted by the Auxiliary Troops of Arcadia, were almost totally cut off at Fossa-magna. Whereupon, by Aristomenes's advice, they abandoned all their Towns; excepting Pylus and Methene; and retired to the Mountain Ira, where they were soon after blocked up. The Siege lasted 10 Years, till at length Aristomenes, who had frequently galled the Lacedemonians in sallying out, was wounded; whereupon the Guards were but carelessly kept, and the Enemy got access into Ira; but with a very hot engagement, which gave Aristomenes the opportunity of getting off. Thus the War ended, and the slavery of Messenians was completed in the 16th Year of the War, the first Year of the 28th Olympiad, in the Archonship of Autosthenes, A. M. 3337. 35. While the Lacedemonians were pulling Messenia to pieces, Aristomenes resolved to attack Sparta: But unfortunately discovered the design to the Arcadians, and their King, Aristocrates, who formerly had betrayed them at Fossa-magna, revealed it to the Lacedemonians. By which means Aristomenes was indeed baulked; but Aristocrates was brought to condign punishment for his perfidy, being stoned to Death by his own Subjects. Next Spring several Messenians sailed to Italy, being invited thither by Anaxilaus Tyrant of Rhegium, who was a Messenian by Birth. 36. By advice from Anaxilaus, they besige'd Zancle a City in Sicily; and being at last received into the City christened it Messene. Aristomenes gave his Daughter to the Men of the biggest Character; and soon after went to Rhodes, to his Son-in-Law Demagetus, where he died. He was a very famous Man, and deserves to be ranked among those few who lived and died in a flourishing and glorious state. 37. Such of the Messenians as would not leave their Country, were added to the number of the Helotae, and oppressed with the highest degree of Slavery; because they were not so much Enemies as Rivals; and the War they had waged was not carried on out of any design to affect the Government, but to show themselves a gallant People. The Lacedemonian interest was considerably strengthened by the addition of Messenia to their Dominions. It continued 200 Years in their Hands, till at length the old Inhabitants return'd. But the return of the Messenians and the affairs of the Lacedemonians contemporary to it, must be cast into another Place. SECT. VI. The most Ancient State of the Kingdom of Corinth. 1. COrinth, a City in the Isthmus of Peloponnesus, was built by Sisyphus, under the Reign of Cecrops King of Athens, a little before Deucalion's Deluge, A. M. 2486. 2. Sisyphus was a wise Man. He married Merope the Daughter of Atlas; and begot Glaucus, Ornytion, Thersander, and Olmus; and was the first that celebrated Games in the Isthmus. Glaucus begot Bellerophontes. Bellerophontes being guilty of Murder, fled to Argi, where he was entertained by the King Praetus; but having denied to satisfy the Queen, who courted his Embraces, was charged by her with the offering Violence to her; and the King sent him away to Lycia to Iolus the Queen's Father, with private Orders to the King to make away with his Guest. 3. Accordingly Iolas engaged him with the Monster Chimaera, which he defeated and killed, being mounted on Pegasus. Then he sent him against the Solymi and Amazons, whom he likewise conquered. At last several stout young Fellows laid wait for him, whom he likewise killed. Whereupon Iolus admired his Valour, and married his Daughter Philonoe to him; and, when he died, made him his Heir. When Bellerophontes fled from Corinth, Thoas the Son of Ornytion got the Kingdom. Demophoon succeeded him, and after him Propodas; whose two Sons Doridas and Hyanthidas reigned jointly, when Aletes the Son of Hippotas, Grandson to Antiochus, and Great Grandson to Hercules, conquered Corinth. 4. It is not certain from whence the City was called Corinth; but thus much we know, that Aletes christened it Corinthus Jovis in Honour of Jupiter Dodonaeus, whose Oracle foretold his Accession to the Crown. Hence the vulgar People took occasion to boast, that one Corinthus the Builder of their City was descended of Jupiter; and were so proud of the Fancy, that all Greece ridiculed them for it. 5. After Aletes, the Eldest Sons of the Heraclidae reigned for several Ages. The first was Ixion, the second Agelaus, the third Prumnis, the fourth Bacchis, whose Posterity were called Bacchiadae. He was followed by 8 Successors in order, the last of whom, Automenes, had reigned just one Year, when above 200 Bacchiadae possessed themselves of the Kingdom, and continued an Aristocratical Government for 90 Years, choosing every Year a Prytanis as superintendent over the rest. 6. While the Bacchiadae were thus possessed of the Government, the Corinthians were Lords of the Sea, and carried a Colony to Sicily, under the Conduct of Archias, which built the City Syracusae. About the same time they sent another Colony to the iceland Phaeacus, which built the City of Corcyra, from whence the iceland derived its Name. 7. The Bacchiadae admitted no body else to share with them in the Government, or to join with them in Marriage. But one Labda, slighted by her own Family because she was lame, married Eetion Son to Echecrates, who consulted the delphic Oracle concerning his Issue, and received this Response, That he should have a Son, who would fall like a ston upon the Oligarchy, and crush it to pieces. The Bacchiadae being ware of the prophesy, resolved to make away with the Infant as soon as it was born; and accordingly sent 10 of their Family to put the Design in Execution, under the pretence of congratulating Eetion. 8. But when they took the Child in their Arms, it smiled so prettily upon them all, that they were moved with Compassion, and went away without hurting it: But being gone, they chid one another, and return'd to put the Murder in execution. But the Mother over-hearing their Conference, hide the Child under a Bushel, which in Creek is called {αβγδ}, whence the Child was named Cypselus. 9. When Cypselus came of Age, he blinded the People with his Bounty, and invaded the Government in the 2d Year of the 31st Olympiad, in the Reign of Phraortes in Media, and Ardyes the Grandson of Croesus in Lydia, 20 Years after the Messenian War, and 30 Years after the Institution of the Archontes at Athens, A. M. 3350. At first he established himself in the Government with the Slaughter of a great many, but afterwards behaved himself so civilly and bountifully, that he made use of no Guards. His Example upon this score is truly wonderful; and Gelon, Tyrant of Syracuse, was the only King that proposed it as a Pattern. 10. After 30 Years Cypselus died, and his Son Periander succeeded, who was so timorous, that he kept a Guard of 300 Men, and choose rather to be feared than beloved. Authors tell us, that at first he demeaned himself pretty moderately, and gradually degenerated into a cruel and barbarous Temper. He married Melissa the Daughter of Pr●●les or Patrocles King of Epidaurus, by whom he had 2 Sons, Cypselus and Lycophron; but upon the solicitation of his Whores, kicked her to Death when she was with Child. 11. Lycophron was mightily troubled at his Mother's Death, and proved so disobedient to his Father, that he banished him to Corcyra. But after some Years, Periander being worn out with Age, and Cypselus being naturally unfit for Business, he called him home again, and purchased his Return at no less rate, than that of divesting himself of the Power, and shifting Places of Residence with him. But after all, when every thing was agreed upon, the Corcyreans being resolved to undergo any Difficulties, rather than admit Periander, made away with the young Prince. 12. Periander took the Murder of his Son so much to heart; and withal, his not being able to revenge it upon the Corcyreans; that he sunk under it in the 80th Year of his Age, and the 40th of his Reign. He was reckoned by some one of the Seven Wise Men. He was a most cruel Tyrant, famous for his Knowledge of Military Affairs, as having passed all his Days in Arms, and redoubted for his Power at Sea, being furnished with the most commodious Harbours both in the jonian and Egean Sea. He died in the 4th Year of the 48th Olympiad, 7 Years after Solon's Laws were received in Athens, A. M. 3420. 13. The Tyranny did not last much longer than Periander: for Psammeticus, Son to Gordias his Brother, or else to Periander his Kinsman, possessed it only for 3 Years and 6 Months: After which time the Monarchy was abrogated, and a Popular Government erected, which continued as long as the Liberty of Greece itself. We are at a loss to tell what was the particular Form of this republic; but 'tis plain from Plutarch, that the Power of the Commons was not so extensive as in that of Syracuse. 14. However the Government was all over popular; for nothing of any Importance was determined without the Consent of the People. The Corinthians were mortal Enemies to Monarchy, and could least brook it; upon which account they frequently embarked in heavy Wars, and a Corinthian General was always looked upon as a most fit Person for extirpating Tyranny. SECT. VII. The most Ancient State of the Kingdom of Thebes. 1. Boeotia was bounded by Phocis on the West; the Eubean Sea to the East, the East Locrians to the North, and Attica and Megaris on the South. Its Metropolitan was Thebes; but it is uncertain who Built it. Calydnus is said to have reigned there first, and next to him Ogyges, in whose Reign the ancientest Deluge happened in Greece, and from him was called Ogygium, 1020 Years before the first Olympiad, in the Reign of Phoroneus at Argi. At length Cadmus came to the Government, while Corax reigned at sition, and Danaus at Argi, about 347 Years after the beginning of Ogyges's Reign. 2. According to the Grecians, Cadmus was the Son of Agenor, Brother to Belus, and Cousin German to Danaus and Aegyptus, who went from Egypt into Phoenicia; and besides Cadmus, begot upon Telphussa, Phoenices and Cilices his two Sons, and Europa whom Jupiter ravished. The three Brethren were sent to see for their Sister, and prohibited to return without they brought her back. Cadmus wandered up and down a long while, and when he despaired of finding his Sister came at last to Boeotia, where, by the Advice of the Oracle, he either built or restored Thebes, and added a Castle to it, which from him was called Cadmaea. He married Harmonia the Daughter of Mars and Venus. He was the first that introduced Letters from Phoenicia to Greece, which were thence called Phoenician, and afterwards Pelasgian, because the Pelasgi were first acquainted with them. 3. By Harmonia Cadmus had one Son, namely, Polydorus, and four Daughters, namely, Semele, into, Autonoe, and Agaue. Semele bore to Jupiter, Dionysus or Bacchus the inventor of Wine; into bore to Achamas the Son of Aeolus, and Grandchild to helen, Actaeon whom his own Dogs pulled in pieces; and Agaue bore Pentheus to Eetion. Cadmus being invited to Head the Enchiloi against the Illyrions, left Thebes to Polydorus, and conquered the Illyrians and reigned over them. Having established himself in the Government he begot his Son Illyrius, who either gave the name to the People, or else derived it from them. The Poets fabulously represent Cadmus and Harmonia, as being at that time converted into Snakes, because they laid aside their former Goodness, and took up a Barbarous Temper. 4. This is the graecian account of Cadmus-Tho' they honoured him with the Title of a King's Son, yet the Sidonans his Countrymen deny that he had any such Title, and say he was only the King's Cook, who run away with one Harmonia a Musician. His Arrival in Greece, happened about the time of Joshua; so that we may lawfully infer that the Colony of the Canaanites, when outted of their own Country by Joshua, was Conducted by him to Greece; and that he derived his Name from Cadmonim or the Hivites, who were so called because they Inhabited Mount Hermon in the East of Canaan. 5. To which we may add, that his Wife might be called Harmonia from Mount Hermon; and the Fable of their being turned into Snakes might take its rise from Hevaeus, which in Syriack signifies a Snake. There are many Proofs that he introduced Letters into Greece. It is probable he likewise first Instituted the Rites of Bacchus, and upon that account is represented as his Grandfather, whereas Nimrod was the true Bacchus. He called the City Thebes, there being another City in Canaan of the same name mentioned in the Book of Judges, which Josephus calls Thebae in the Plural Number. Now the word Thebae signifies mud or Slime. 6. Polydorus Succeeded his Father Cadmus, and begot Labdacus, by Nycteis the Daughter of Nycteus, and at his Death, recommended his Son to the Care of his Father-in-law. Epopeus King of Sicyonia ravished Antiope, Nycteus's other Daughter, whereupon a War broken out, and both the Kings died of their Wounds. So that Lycus the Brother of Nycteus became Guardian to Labdacus, who managed every thing so faithfully, that when Labdacus died he committed the Education of his Son Laius to his Care. But Lycus having punished Antiope in pursuance of the Orders left by Nycteus, was killed in an Engagement with Amphion and Zethus her Sons, so that Thebes was taken, and the Infant Laius escaped very narrowly. 7. By this means Amphion and Zethus the Sons of Antiope possessed themselves of the Kingdom of Thebes▪ Amphion was so noted a Musician, that he is said to be able by his Art to draw up Stones for the building of Towers. He married Niobe the Daughter of Tantalus and Sister to Pelops; who being the Mother of a numerous Issue, ruined her self by boasting that she was more fruitful than Latona her self. For Apollo was ordered to put to Death all the Males, and Diana was enjoined to do the same to the other Sex; whereupon Niobe was so stupefied with sorrow, that she was fabulously represented, as being turned into a ston. Afterwards Amphion and all his Family died of the Plague. Zethus was so grieved for his Sons being casually killed by his own Wife, that he died of a Consumption. The two Brethren being thus cut off, the Thebans restored the Kingdom to Laius the Son of Labdacus. 8. Laius married Jocasta the Daughter of Menoeceus by whom he had a Son, whom he bound in Fetters and laid out, because the Oracle had advertised him to beware of him. The Infant, whose Feet were mightily swelled, from whence he was called Oepidus, was carried to Polybus King of Corinth, who cured him and brought him up. Long after that, both having heard some uncertain Rumours, the one of his Father and the other of his Son, they went both to Consult the Oracle; and meeting accidentally in Phocis, Laius Imperiously Commanded the other to get out of his way, whereupon the Son thinking nothing of his Father killed him. 9. After the Death of Laius, Crion the Brother of Jocasta, possessed himself of the Kingdom, and continued Possessor till Oedipus unfolded the Riddle of Sphinx. The Story is, That this Monster had a Woman's Head and Face, with lower Parts resembling those of a Lion, and Wings besides: It used to sit on Mount Phiceon, and propose Riddles to Strangers, which whoever could not unfold was slain, and whoever could do it was to have Jocasta and her Kingdom for a reward. 10. The Riddle proposed to Oedipus was this: What is it that walks upon two, three and four Feet? Oedipus applied it to a Man, who in his Infancy creeps upon the Ground upon his Hands and Feet, and when he comes to be of Age walks upright upon his Legs, but when Age has worn him out, he stoops and leans upon a Stick. Some say this Monster was a cruel and ugly Woman, that lived upon Plunder and laid wait for Strangers. 11. But Pausanias says, she was a Bastard Daughter of Laius, and upon that account some think, that, by reason of her extraordinary Wisdom, she was empowered to determine the Debates of those who were Rivals for the Kingdom, and punish those with Death whom she Convicted of falsities. From whence the Poets took occasion to invent the Fable. The Egyptians had such an Opinion of this Woman's Wisdom, that they made use of the Monster, as a Hierolgyphick for Wisdom and Fortitude. 12. 'tis reported that Oedipus married his Mother, and obtained the Kingdom of Thebes. But afterwards both his parricide and incest were brought to light. Whereupon Jocasta hanged herself, and Oedipus was put in Prison by his Sons, and banished to Athens to the Court of Theseus then King, where he died. He had 2 Sons, either by his Mother or by Euryganea, namely, Eteocles and Polynices, the eldest of whom promised to share the Government with his Brother, but was not so good as his Word. Adrostus King of Argos, and Father-in-Law to Polynices, resolved to resent the injury he did to his Brother, and accordingly drew together a company of the most War-like Youths, in order to attack Thebes. 13. Seven great Captains engaged' emselves in this War with the Obligation of an Oath, among whom was Amphiaraus, who married Eriphile the Sister of Adrastus. After several doubtful Skirmishes it was agreed upon that the two Brethren should decide the Quarrel in a Duel, but to no purpose, for they killed one another, and a Bloody engagement ensued, and all Adrastus's companions were cut off, and himself escaped very narrowly by the advantage of a swift Horse. But the Thebans lost so many Men and purchased this Victory so dear, that Victoria Cadmaea became a Proverb among them. This Theban War happened 28 Years before the Destruction of Troy. 14. Eteocles left a Young Son, named Latodamus, and Creon, Jocasta's Brother, undertook his Guardianship. Creon prohibited the Burial of the Argives, till Theseus obtained it by his entreaty. About 10 Years after the War, Laodamus came of Age; at which time the Offspring of those who were killed( who were called Epigoni) resolving to be revenged upon the Thebans, engaged in another War, in which Laodamus and the City were taken. Notwithstanding that Pausanias writes, that Latodamus escaped and fled to the Illyrians. 15. The Epigoni being Masters of the Town, set Thersander the Son of Polynices upon the Throne, who afterwards headed the Beotians in their expedition against Troy, and was killed by Telephus in Mysia. Tisamenus his Son being then a Child, the Beotians choose Peneleus to be their Head, who died in an engagement with Euryphilus the Son of Telephus. 16. After the Death of Peneleus, Tisamenus the Son of Thersander reign d in Thebes. Autesion his Son went over to the Dorians, and his Place was filled by Damasichthon the Son of Opheltas, and Grandson to Peneleus; and he again was followed by ptolemy. The last in the Roll was Xanthus, whom Melanthus the Messenian killed in a Duel; at which time the War broken out between the Thebans and Athenians, upon the account of Celaenae which lay in their Confines; of which elsewhere. This War happened 56 Years after the Destruction of Troy, 24 Years before the return of the Heraclidae, 57 Years before the Death of Codrus, 252 Years before the Restoration of the Olympiads by Iphitus, A. M. 2877. 17. After the Death of Xanthus, the Thebans together with the Celenians renounced Monarchy, preferring the Government of many to that of one; witness Pausanias; tho' at the same time that Author gives us no distinct account of the Form of the republic, whether it was an Oligarchy or a Democracy that prevailed, when the Persian Monarchy flourished, and Greece was in its best Condition; upon which Period of time we shall have occasion to continue the account of the Thebans. CHAP. VI. The Original of Rome, and its affairs contemporary with the Babylonian Empire. SECT. I. The Original of the City of Rome. 1. THE City of Rome is situated in Latium in the West of Italy, upon the River Tiberis. The Sicilians are said to have inhabited that Place first, and were expelled by the Aborigines, the Offspring of the Oenotrii, so called because they came from Lycaonia( afterwards Arcadia) under the Conduct of Oenotrus Son to Lycaon. 2. The Aborigines were joined by some Pelasgians who fled from Haemonia, afterwards Thessaly; and the Arcadians who came from Palantium under the conduct of Evander the Son of Mercurius and the Nymph Themis, and christened the Hill where they planted themselves by the name of Palantium. Not long after that happened, Hercules upon his return from Spain left some Peloponnesians upon the Hill Saturnius or Capitolinus; in the reign of Faunus King of the Aborigines. 3. The Father of Faunus was Picus the Son of Saturn, who fled from Creet to Italy for fear of his Son Jupiter, and christened the Country Latium,( a latendo) from his living Incognito. Some allege this Man's name was Sterces, and Picus was his surname; and that he gave being to the Laurentian Kingdom so called from Laurentum a City that derived its name from the Laurel-tree. 4. This Faunus or Fatuus is said to have married his Sister Fauna or Fatua, who used to prophesy things to come in a Fit of Madness or Fury; from whence the Word Fatuari was applied to that sort of People. But since he is reckoned the Sons of Mars, and is said to have served under Bacchus in India; since he goes likewise by the name of Sylvanus, Invius and Pan; he must be the same Pan Arcas, whose Worship was introduced into Italy by Evander. So far was he from reigning in Latium. 5. The Next King to Faunus was Latinus, whom some give in for his Son, and others for the Son of Hercules. In the 35th Year of the Reign of Latinus, and 55 Years after herculeses departure, Aeneas with his Trojan retinue landed at Laurentum near the Mouth of the Tiberis, after he had wandered a long time. This Aeneas was the Son of Anchises, the Grandson of Capys, and Great Grandson to Assaracus, Brother to Ilus, and Son to Tros the King. When he perceived that Troy was reduced to the last extremity, he had retired to the Castle; and while the Grecians were busied about the Town, escaped from thence to Mount Ida with a Company of Men. 6. From thence he put out to Sea, and was tossed up and down by the Sea and Winds for a long time, till at last in the 2d Year he arrived in Italy accompanied by 600 Men. 'tis true, Virgil, the Poet, makes as if he came not to Italy till the 10th Year, and stuffs the accounts of his Voyage with a long Story of Dido, who built Carthage 310 Years after the taking of Troy; but these are only Poetical Fictions, and groundless advances. 7. Aeneas having a piece of Ground allotted him, assisted Latinus against the Rutili; and when they were conquered married his Daughter Lavinia, from whom the Town he afterwards built was called Lavinium. Next Year the Rutili rebelled, and killed his Father-in-Law in battle, so that he got the Crown, and gave all his Subjects the Name of Latini, partly for the Honour of his Father's Name, and partly in order to unite the Minds of his People. In the 7th Year after the destruction of Troy, and the 4th after the Death of Latinus, Mezentius King of the Etrurians, being apprehensive of his greatness, declared War against him; and came to a battle, which only Night decided, in which Aeneas disappeared; that is, was either killed or drowned in the River Numicus. However his Subjects believed he was taken up to Heaven, and honoured him with a Niche, under the Title of Jupiter Indigetes. 8. Aeneas was followed by his Son Ascanius, whose name was Euryleon before it was changed upon the Flight. 'tis not certain whether he was born of Creusa or Lavinia. About 30 Years after the building of Lavinium he left that City to his Stepmother, and marched off with a Colony and built Alba Longa. After 28 Years silvius the Brother of Ascanius succeeded him. He was the Son of Lavinia who for fear of Ascanius retired to the Woods, and there brought forth this her posthumous Child. 9. Iulus the Son of Ascanius disputed with him for the Kingdom; but the People thought fit to give the Priesthood to him and his Posterity. After silvius all his Successors were surnamed Sylvius's; and they followed in this order; viz. Aeneas silvius, Latinus, Alba, Capetus, Capys, Calpetus or Carpentus, Tiberinus( who was drowned in the Albula and gave it the name of Tiberis) Agrippa, Alladius( or Aremulus and Romulus) Aventinas, Procas and silvius. 10. Procas was the 13th King of Alba. He left two Sons, namely, Numitor and Amulius, the latter of whom dethroned his Elder Brother and usurped the Government. He killed his Son, and for fear his Daughter Sylvia or Ilia should have Issue, Consecrated her for a Priestess to Vesta. But in the 4th Year of her Priesthood, some body got her with Child, and she brought forth Twins, namely, Romulus and Remus; who were thrown into the River by the King's Orders, their Mother being either murdered or condemned to perpetual imprisonment. 11. But it happened that the Water ebbed and left them on the dry Ground, whereupon a Wolf came and Suckled them, and afterwards Faustulus the King's Shepherd found them, and brought them up among the Royal Shepherds. Some think that Acca Laurentia who nursed them by the orders of Faustulus, was not his Wife, but his Whore, which gave occasion to the fabulous Story of their being suckled by a Wolf or Lupa; that being the Name for a Whore, as Lupanaria was for a Bawdy-house. 12. When the Children came of Age, and were acquainted with their Original, they slay Amulius, and restored their Grandfather Numitor to his Kingdom. Having set the Affairs of Alba in a peaceable State, they had a mind to March out with a Colony. Numitor encouraged their Design, and to that end allotted 'em the Grounds upon which they were brought up, together with such Citizens as he knew to be most devoted to his Brother, and such as preferred a strange Habitation to their own Country. Most of the Trojans Listed themselves in the Colony, and we're informed that 50 Trojan Families continued till the time of Dionysius Halicarnasseus. The Inhabitants of Palantium and Saturnia, happening to live upon the Place, joined in with them. 13. When the Brethren set about their new Project, they differed upon the place where the City should be Built. Romulus was for the Mons Palatinus, upon which they were brought up. At last the Affair was left to the determination of their Grandfather; who advised them to remit it to the augury of Birds. Accordingly it was done. And Remus had first six Vultures upon the Mons Aventinus; but afterwards twelve came to Romulus upon the Palatinus. Whereupon the Discord was still inflamed, while the one pleaded the Priority of Time, and the other the advantage of Number, and both were declared Kings by their followers. At last they came to an Engagement, in which Rèmus lost at once both his Life and Kingdom. Then Romulus having an uncontrolled Liberty to do what he pleased, surrounded the Aventian Hill with a Wall. 14. This is the most Probable and approved Account of the Original of Rome. The Grecians attribute the building of it, some to Romus the Son of Aeneas, some to Aeneas himself, others to the Sons of Latinus and one Roma, and others again to Remus the Son of Circe and Ulysses. Neither are the Roman Writers agreed upon the matter; for some give in the Sons of Aeneas, and others his Daughter's Sons, for the Builders. Besides Antiochus the Syracusan makes mention of a City of Rome built before the Trojan War; so that some think it was built oftener than once, or else that some time after its building it was repaired by others. 15. But to wave the Debate, whether this was a new Albanian Colony, or an Old City rebuilt; Authors are very much divided upon the time of the rebuilding. Timaeus Siculus makes the Date of Rome equal to that of Carthage, and says it was built 38 Years before the first Olympiad. And among those who are looked upon as most authentic, some say it was built in the 6 Olympiad, viz. The first Year of it, according to Velleius Paterculus, or the third according to others, or the fourth according to Varro the most learned of all the Grecians and Romans, who in that point followed Tarrutius the famous Mathematician. 16. M. Porcius Cato Dates the Aera of the City in the 1 Year of the 7th Olympiad: But Fabius Pictor casts it into the 8th, and L. Cyncius into the 12th. Among all these jarring Opinions, Varro's seems to be best entitled to a pference; which is, that Rome was built in the 4th Year of the 6th Olympiad, the 6th of Jotham King of Judah, the 7th of Pekah King of Israel, at the time of the Institution of the Ephori in Sparta, in the Archonship of Charops the 1 of the Decennial Archons, A. M. 3252. SECT. II. From the Building of the City, to the overthrow of the Monarchy. The space of 245 Years. 1. ROmulus being 28 Years of Age, laid the Foundation of the City, on the 20th day of April( according to the Julian Year, the 4th of October) between Eleven and Twelve a Clock, when the Sun was in Libra, the Moon in Jugum, Jupiter in Piscis; Saturn, Venus, Mars, and Mercury, in scorpion, according to the Computation of Tarrutius, who is certainly the most topping Man among all the Mathematicians. Varro, Ovid, and others would have Rome to be Founded with the Parilia or Palilia. The Parilia were so called a Pariendo, and therefore the Hyades, under which the Town was Built, go by the Name of Parilitium, or Palilitium Sydus. Now Pales among the Romans was the Goddess of Pasture, and the Feasts Celebrated to her Honour on the 1 Day of May were called Palilia. Capellus, pursuant to Tarrutius's Opinion, dates the 1 Year of the City from the first New Moon of January and Capricorn, 3 Months after its Foundation was laid. 2. The Colony consisted only of 300 Horse and 3000 Foot, and in order to enlarge their Number, a Sanctuary was opened to all Refugees. The People were divided according to their Number into three Tribes, and every Tribe into ten Wards, or Curiae, and every Ward into ten lesser Wards or Decuriae. But with reference to their Dignities, they were distinguished into Patricii and Plebeii, who were mutually engaged to one another by the rights of Patronage and Vassalage. Their Senate, was elected by the People and consisted of 100 Patricii. It got its Name from Senium, or, if we Credit Festus, a Sinendo. The People did likewise choose 300 Young Men for a Guard to their King, who were called Celeres, either from their Celerity and Expedition in executing their Orders, or, according to Valerius Antias, from cellar their Captain. 3. The politic Constitution of the Kingdom of Rome was this. The Kings had Power to determine all forms of Worship or Superstition; and to oversee all Laws and Customs, whether Natural, or Enacted by Statute; and to give judgement in matters of greater Importance, those of lesser Moment being left to the determination of the Senate. Moreover, the King had Power to call the Senate, to call together the People, to give his Opinion first, and to ratify what the Majority carried. Thus we see the limits of the King's power were too confined at Home; but his Power in Military Affairs was not at all bounded. 4. The Senat's privilege was to take into Consideration his Majesties Proposals, and Enact what they thought fit. The People assembled was to create Magistrates, make Laws, receive his Majesties Proposals of Military Affairs, but not without the intervention of the Senate's Authority. For when the Wards Voted any thing, their Decree or Plebiscitum was remitted to the Senate. Tho' this Custom seems to be afterwards changed, when the People confirmed the Acts of the Senate called Senatus Consulta, and not the Senate those of the Wards. 5. Romulus made many Laws and those very good ones, most of which were written. He enacted, that if they took any Land from their Enemy, a Colony should be carried thither, and the Inhabitants of the Place should be translated to Rome, and allowed the Freedom of the City. His Laws of Matrimony were so admirably well contrived, that for 520 Years no Divorce was heard of, till the 137 Olympiad, in which Sp. Carvilius divorced his Wife, in the Consulship of M. Pomponius and C. Papyrius. For tho' he did it for the sake of Children, according to his Oath before the Censors, yet the People always hated him for it. 6. Indeed he gave Parents too much Power over their Children. He prohibited sordid Trades and such as promoted Luxury. He only desired to advance the Arts of War and Husbandry, and allowed Mercats only once in 9 Days. He used to come in Person to the Mercat Place, and pronounce the Laws from a Tribunal, attended by the 300 Celeres, together with Sergeants before him carrying the Axes and Rods, and other Badges of Majesty. 7. Romulus taking into consideration how much he was hated by the neighbouring Nations, courted Alliances with them. It is uncertain whether it was the Scarcity of Women, or the design of an opportunity of War, that moved him to institute solemn Games, and when great numbers of People crowded to see them from all corners, to give the Signal to his own Men to ravish their Virgins. However 683 were ravished by that Stratagem, which gave rise to a heavy War, especially with the Sabini, who became Masters of the Capitol by Treachery, and galled the Romans mightily. 8. While both Parties were solicitous concerning the event, the Women upon whose account the War broken out, went upon an embassy, and reconciled their Parents and Husbands upon these Terms. 1. That Tatius the King of the Sabines should reign along with Romulus at Rome, with equal Power. 2. That the City itself should be called Rome from Romulus; but the Citizens should go by the name of Quirites from Cures which was Tatius's Country. 3. Any of the Sabines that pleased were to have the Freedom of the City. 9. By this means Tatius bacame Sharer in the Government of the Kingdom of Rome, but was killed by the Lavinians about 5 Years after, because he refused to deliver up some Robbers. Romulus did not much resent the murder of his Colleague, but gave Satisfaction to the plaintiffs. Then he conquer d the Fidenates and Crustumeni, and at last the Veientes; by which conquests, together with his other enterprises which were always successful, he became a Tyrant, and then the Senate was never called but to confirm his Placita. By which means he rendered himself so odious to the Senate, that they pulled him in Pieces at the Lake of Capria while he harangu'd to the People; and for so much as he disappeared all of a sudden, it was given out that he was taken up to Heaven. 10. He lived 55 Years, and reigned 27, and enlarged the number of the Citizens to the rate of 46000 foot and 1000 Horse. He had succeeded to his Grandfather in the Kingdom of Albany which he governed by Deputies. He died on the 5th Day July( according to the Julian Year, on the 26th of May) which day was called Nonae Caprotinae, alluding to the Place where the Murder was committed, and the flight of the People, for the Plebs was in so great a Consternation that they run all away. 11. The Senate governed the republic one Year, after which Numa Pompilius a Sabine was chosen King. This Prince added the Ornament of Laws to the City that owed its rise to Arms alone. He built a Temple to Janus, which was always to stand open in War, and shut in time of Peace. He discarded Romulus's Guards; and to the 2 Flamines, viz. one for Jupiter and another for Mars, he added a 3d for Romulus. He instituted the order of Priests, and vestal Virgins; and reformed the Model of the Year, by adding or at least prefixing January and February to the other 10 Months. 12. His Religion came nearest to the Pythagorean Worship, as in many other things so especially in this that he allowed no image of God; for an immortal and invisible Majesty is only to be viewed by the Soul, and indeed the Romans used no image of him for 170 Years. Whereas some have alleged that Numa conversed with Pythagoras; that Plea is plainly nought, since that Philospher was not born till 100 Years after his Death. Indeed 'tis true he kept company with one Pythagoras a Lacedemonian, who assisted him in the administration of the Government, and who went into Italy in the 16th Olympiad, from the 3d Year of which Plutarch dates the beginnig of Numa's Reign. 13. After Numa had reigned 43 Years, and lived 80, Tullius Hostilius succeeded him, in the 2d Year of the 27th Olympiad, in which Eurybates won the Race, in the Archonship of Leostratus, the 31 of the Reign of Manasseh King of Judah, and the 83 from the building of the City, A. M. 3333. He was the Son of that Hostilius who behaved himself so bravely against the Sabines, and married Hersilia out of the same Family. He ingratiated himself with the People by the division of Lands, and added the Hill Coelius to the precincts of the City. He was a Warlike Prince and hugged all Opportunities of War. 14. Hostilius took occasion to declare War, upon the Alban's plundering the Roman Grounds. And indeed C. Cluilius their dictatory was not inclined to Peace. But as soon as Cluilius died, the Albans were much dishearten'd notwithstanding the Pains that Metius Suffetius his Successor took to inflame the Quarrel. Besides, the Fidenates waited greedily to see the Event of the War, as having an equal design against both Parties. Whereupon 'twas moved and agreed to, that the matter should be decided by the Engagement of Three Brethren on each side, viz. The horatij and curiatij. In the beginning of the Engagement two of the horatij were killed, and the third was obliged to engage the other three; but acted his part so, that he engaged 'em all singly and successively, by which means he got the Victory, and Rome triumphed upon it. 15. Hostilius was very civil to the Albans. But sentenced Suffetius to be beheaded, for being concerned with the Fidenates and Veientes in a perfidious Conspiracy. He likewise levelled Alba with the Ground, which was then the Metropolitan of Rome, and about 30 other Towns, after it had stood about 487 Years. 16. Hostilius first conquered the Fidenatians, and afterwards the Sabines: And then declared War against the latins, for refusing to pay Homage to the Romans when they conquered the Metropolitan. The War went on pretty easily for 5 Years, and then they were beginning to entertain some Thoughts of Peace, when all of a sudden Tullus and all his Family were cut off either by a Thunderbolt, or, as most Men believed, by the intrigues of his Successor, after he had reigned 32 Years. 17. After the Death of Tullus the Regent put up an election; and Ancus Martius, Numa's Grandson, was pitched upon to be King in the 2d Year of the 35th Olympiad, in which Phaedrus the Lacedemonian won the Race, in the Archonship of Damasias, and the 115 Year from the building of Rome. Ancus devoted himself entirely to Peace and Religion; and was thereupon accounted Lazy and Timorous. But the latins quickly roused him up, by plundering the Country, and reviving the War. 18. But Ancus quickly reduced them, as well as the Fidenates, Volsci, Vejentes, and Sabines. He joined Rome to Janiculum by a Bridge. And in the middle of the City built a Prison for Criminals. He enlarged the precincts of the City, and extended the Dominions of Rome to the Sea, and for the encouragement of Trade built Ostia in the Mouth of the Tiberis. He reigned 24 Years, and was short of none of his Predecessors. 19. His Succcessor was Lucius tarqvinius, Originally a graecian, being the Son of Demaratus of Corinth, who descended of the Bacchiadae, and in the time of Cypselus's Tyranny came to Hetruria, and begot two Sons, namely Aruns and Lucumo, upon an Etrurian Matron. Aruns died without any living issue; but after his Death a Posthumous Child was brought forth, which from its Poverty was christened Egerius. 20. For Demaratus took his Son's Death so much to Heart, that he died for Grief: So that Lucumo possessed himself of the whole Heritage and became very rich; but not meeting with suitable preferment in Tuscany came to Rome; where Ancus gave him a very civil reception, and he changed his name from Lucumo to Lucius, together with a surname taken from his Country Tarquinia. His Wife's name was Tanaquil Gaja Caecilia. 21. Ancus made tarqvinius a Senator; so that tarqvinius won a considerable share of the Affections of the People. He was noted both for his peaceful and military virtues; and the King depended so much upon his Integrity, that he left him Guardian to his Sons. But tarqvinius insulted over their Childhood, and harangued the People, in order to hook in the Kingdom to himself. He produced the Example of Tatius and Numa to vouch for a Foreigners Title to that Dignity; but above all, cried up his own Liberality. By which means he compassed his end, in the 2d Year of the 41st Olympiad, in which Cleonidas the Theban won the Race, 139 Years after the building of Rome, and the 30th Year of Josiah King of Judah, A. M. 3390. 22. tarqvinius obliged the latins to beg for Peace. He subdued the Sabines twice, and after a War of Nine Years standing, mastered the Etrurians, who in testimony of their Homage sent him of their own accord the Badges of Majesty, viz. A Crown of Gold, a Throne of Ivory, a sceptre with an Eagle on the top of it, a Purple Coat barred with Gold, and a Purple laced Gown that differed from those which the Lydian and Persian Kings wore, by its semicircular Figure. Some say they likewise sent 12 Axes for so many Towns: For the Custom was, That the Magistrate of every Town should have one, and the General of the Army twelve, carried before him. 23. I intimated above, that Romulus instituted a Senat of 100 Men; which number was now enlarged by the Addition of an equal number of Sabines, who were made free of the City, and thereupon called Patres Conscripti. tarqvinius added, to these 200, yet another hundred, who were styled Patres Minorum Gentium. He enlarged the number of the Vestal Virgins from 4 to 7. He beautified the Forum, and repaired the Walls( which had been built in a hurry) with Stones, every one of which was a full Cart-load by itself. He likewise caused Sinks and Common-Shoars to be made for conveying the filth of the Tiberis; which was so magnificent an undertaking that the Censors laid out 2000 Talents in cleaning' em. 24. He designed to add three Centuries of horsemen to the like number instituted by Romulus: But being premonish'd by Actius Naevius, a noted Augur, to avoid the Alterations of Romulus's Model, he doubled the Number of the additional Centuries, and left the other three as they were. At length about the 38 Year of his Reign, and the 80 of his Age, he was killed by a Conspiracy of Ancus Martius his Sons. He was surnamed Priscus, from the time that his Grandson was christened Superbus from the Corruption of his manners. 25. tarqvinius Priscus was followed by Servius Tullius in the 4th Year of the 50 Olympiad, in the Archonship of Archestratides, the 176 Year after the building of the City, A.M. 3427. He was called Servius, as being the Son of one Ocrisia Serva, who was left with Child when her Husband was killed before Corniculum a City belonging to the latins, and was gifted by tarqvinius to the Queen. He was born and brought up in Tarquinius's House, and gave great Proof of an excellent Genius: Whereupon he was preferred to the highest Posts both in the Army and at home; he was equally loved by the People for his integrity and prudence; and at last came to be Son-in-Law to tarqvinius. 26. tarqvinius left no Sons alive, only two Grandchildren very Young. The Queen wheedled the People so that she got the Guardianship of these two Children to him. He being Regent did so humour the Plebs, that in spite of the Senat and the Patres Conscripti, the Common Council or Comìtia Curiata elected him King. Having confirmed himself in the Government, he distributed public Lands to the Poor; he made 50 Laws in the Common Council concerning Contracts and Injuries; he added the Viminalis and Esquilinus Hills to the other 5, and surrounded 'em all with a Wall; he divided the City into 4 Parts, and added a 4th Tribe. 27. Whereas Romulus divided the People into the Tribes and Wards, according to their Seats and way of Communion in their Sacrifices; Servius drew them up in 6 Ranks according to their Substance. The first rank was allotted to those who were worth 110000 Asses; the next four comprehended those whose Substance was gradually less by a fourth Part; and the last included those who had little or nothing. 28. However these 6 Classes were divided into 188 Centuries; the first contained 80 of Footmen and 18 of Horsemen; in all 98: the second 22, including the tradesman; the third 20; the fourth 22; the 5th 30; and the 6th only one Century. Both the Men and their Estates were to be taxed according to their Centuries. So that tho' the Richer sort were the fewer in number, yet being divided into several Centuries they contributed more Money and Men towards a War. 29. But after all, the Poor had nothing to boast of, for the same Law strip'd 'em of all Power. For, whereas formerly their number gave 'em an ascendant in the common Council; Servius ordered that matters of great importance should be handled by a convention of the Centuries. The first that voted, was the first Class consisting of 98 Centuries of the richest Citizens; and if these 98 agreed upon one Vote, they were sure to carry it, as being more numerous than the rest. But if their Votes jarred, other Classes were called in till the 98 came to agree. 30. And if after all they did not agree, then at last the 6th Class, containing only one Century of the Poorest sort of People, was called to vote, but withal very seldom. In the mean time, let the young Historian remark, that the Word Centuria does not imply just a hundred Men, but a certain division of Men; and that in those Conventions of the Centuries, 'twas not every single Man, but every Century, let its number be what it would, that gave in one Vote. 31. When Tullius had gone through with the Census, by which he came to know both the Number and the Estates of the People; he appointed a Lustrum so called a luendo, as Flustrum is a fluendo, according to Varro. So there after the rating was over, the Citizens appeared in Arms in the Campus Martius and made a Procession, and the Sacrifice of Suovetaurilia, or a Hog, a Sheep, and an Ox, were offered up. 32. Then the Procession or Lustrum was appointed to be every 5th Year, for the Money was paid every 5th Year, and Lustrum seems to derive its name from paying or a luendo or Solvendo. After the Kings were expelled, the Consuls and Censors managed the Ceremony. But in the mean time 'tis proper to distinguish between the Ancient Roman Lustrum, and the new Julian one, which consists of 4 Julian Years, the last of which has 366 Days without any additional Hours. For 'tis apparent that the Ancient Lustrum, properly so called, included full 5 Years, and could by no means quadrate with the Olympiads. 33. In this first review, 84700 Roman Citizens were ranted; and in order to increase their number he introduced the Manumission of the Elders and divided 'em thus set free into 4 Tribes. At first indeed they were not made free, but upon very good grounds; but afterwards any misdemeanour in an ill Master was accounted sufficient; so that Dionysus had reason to blame the City that governed the World, for suffering their Censors to degrade the Senators and Equites, and to have no regard to the Merit of those whom they made free of their City. 34. Tullius did not only abridge the Authority of the Noblemen and the Senat, but likewise lowered the Regal Power, in order to advance the Power of the People. The latins, by his Advice, built a Temple to Diana at Rome, where they met every Year upon a a Festival, and remitted their mutual Debates to the public judgement; which was the same Project that the Amphyctiones pursued in Greece, as well as in the jonian Council in Ephesus, and the Convention of the Dorians at Epitropium. He was the first that stamped the Effigies of cattle upon money; from whence 'twas called Pecunia; for before that time, the Romans only used the unpolished Mettal. 35. This was Servius's business at home. Abroad, he waged War with the Etrurians, and, after three Triumphs, at last subdued' em. But tho' he surmounted all public Jealousies and Oppositions, yet the domestic Feuds, was too hard for him. For he married his two Daughters to Tarquinius's two Grandsons, viz. One Daughter of corrupt Manners to the best of the Princes, and another of extraordinary good Qualities to a Profligate Prince. Whereupon the two corrupt Parties, one of either Sex, combined together to kill, the one her Husband, the other his Wife, and then to mary together. After that, their business was to remove Servius out of the way, who had possessed himself of the Kingdom by trick, and without the Consent of the Patres: But in order to compass that end, there was a necessity of winning the Favour of the People. 36. At last when Servius's Glory defeated all their attempts; tarqvinius, upon his Wife's solicitation, resolves to make away with his Father-in-Law. Accorddingly, he came to the Council-House, and pulled the old Gentleman from off his Throne, and dragged him to the Door, and when he offered to return home set Men upon him to kill him. And the barbarous Daughter would needs have her Coach driven over her Father's Corps as they lay in the way; from whence the Street changed its name from Vicus Cyprius to Vicus Sceleratus. This was Servius's Exit after he had reigned 44 Years. He was a Man of great Moderation, and by his modest Behaviour wiped off the Imputations he was charged with for invading the Government. The Patricii saw that he designed to put the Power into the Hands of the People, and therefore joined in with tarqvinius, in order to keep up the Authority of the Senat. 37. Lucius tarqvinius possessed himself of the Kingdom of Rome, in the 4 Year of the 61st Olympiad, in which Agatharchus won the Race, in the Archonship of Heraclius or Heraclides, the 26 Year of Cyrus, 220 Years after the building of the City, A. M. 3471. The violence of his Temper procured him the surname of Superbus; for, 'tis said, he disposed of every thing at discretion; he sunk the Authority of the Senate and Conventions, and filled the City with Blood and Rapes. He engaged in a War with the Volsci, which continued 20 Years; and defeated the Sabines. He entered into a confederacy with the Aequi and Hetrusci. He took from the Volsci, the City of Gabii together with Suessa Pometia, and pretended to build the Capitol upon its Spoil, out of regard to his Grandfather Tarquinius's Vow, who, in the last War against the Sabines, had vowed a Temple to Jupiter, Juno and Minerva; and had been at a great deal of Charges, in smoothing the Rock. 38. It is said that a certain old Woman came to tarqvinius, and offered him 9 Books which he refused to purchase as being overrated: Whereupon she went off, and burnt 3 of 'em, and return'd with the other 6, demanding the same price for them: the King put her off for a Mad Woman; but she made away with 3 more, and offered the remaining 3 at the same rate. Then the matter was looked upon as a Prodigy and referred to the Augurs, who advised the King to buy those Sibylline Books( for so they were called) at any rate. Accordingly 'twas done, and the Woman immediately disappeared. 39. tarqvinius having purchased the Sibylline Books, employed two Men to take care of 'em, and allowed only them to consult them when there was occasion, whence they were called Duumviri Sacrorum. Afterwards the number was enlarged so that they became Decemviri Sacrorum, upon the reception of the Law called Septia Licinia, when the States were at variance, about 2 Years before the Commoners were allowed to share in the Consulship. A long while after that 5 more were added, and then the number was at a stand. By an Act of the Senate these Books were to be consulted, when Sedition prevailed in the republic, when they were routed in War, or when prodigies appeared. They were kept in a ston Chest under the Capitol, till both they and the Place fell a Sacrifice to the Flames. Then they were sought for in other Towns and private Houses, and some were made use of that were spurious; but the genuine sort were distinguished by acrostic lines. 40. This Old Woman which brought the Books to tarqvinius, was called Sibylla. Now that Word signifies a Woman privy to Jupiters's Counsels; and it will not be improper to give a short account of the Family of the Sibylls. The first Sibylla, according to Varro, was either a Persian, Chaldean, or Hebrean; born at Noe near the Red-Sea, her Father's name being Barossus, her Mother's Erymantha, and her own Sambetha. The second was a Lybian. The third, the delphic Themis. The fourth a Cumean from Cimerium a Town in Campania near to Cumae in Italy. The 6th was a Samian; her name was Phyto. The seventh was of Cuma; her name was Amalthaea, and according to others Hierophile or Demophile. 41. Suidas calls her Hierophile, and says that she carried those 9 Books to tarqvinius, and demanded 300 Philippus's for' em. Plinius mentions only 3 Books, and says that one of 'em was saved when the other 2 were burnt. The 8th Sibylla was of Hellespont. She was born in the Trojan Territories, in a Village called Marmissum near the Town Gergetium. Heraclides Ponticus writes that she lived in the time of Solon and Cyrus. The 9th was a Phrygian, and prophesied in Ancyra. The 10th a Tiburtine; her name was Albunea, and she was worshipped for a Goddess at Tibur near the Banks of Anio; it being said that the image of her holding a Book in her Hand was found in that River. 42. This is Varro's account of the Sybills. But there are yet others made mention of; namely Colophonia Elissa, Cassandra the Daughter of Priamus, Sybilla Epirotica, the Thessalian Manto, the Daughter of Tiresias the Theban; to whom we might add Carmentis the Arcadian, Mother to Evander, and Fauna or Fatua Sister and Wife to King Faunus. Strabo mentions 2 Sibylls that lived in Erythra, one of whom flourished in the Reign of Alexander the Great. 43. To return. tarqvinius finding that the People were out of Humour for being obliged to Work at the building of the Capitol and such mean sort of Work, had a mind to break the resenting Spirit with a design to gratify his own Avarice, and marched them out against Ardea a Rutilan City richly stored with plenty of all things. While he lay before this Town, Sextus his eldest Son ravished Lucretia Wife to tarqvinius Collatinus, the resentment of which Piece of wickedness went so high that the King and his whole Family were expelled the Kingdom. This tarqvinius Collatinus was the Son of that Collatia, whom tarqvinius Priscus took from the Latins and gave to Egerius his Posthumous Grandson, the Father of this Man. 44. The chief Authors of the King's Exile, were Lucretius the Father of Lucretia, Publius Valerius, and L. Junius Brutus the Son of Marcus Junius who descended of one of Aeneas's retinue. This Marcus Junius married Tarquinia the Daughter of tarqvinius Priscus, by whom he had this Lucius; and afterwards tarqvinius Superbus put him and his eldest Son to Death, in order to possess himself of his Estate. Lucius, upon the Death of his Father and the loss of his patrimony, was constrained to act the Part of a Fool, and was thereupon surnamed Brutus: but being a Man of a shrewd Genius, he diligently watched the opportunity of taking off the Tyrant. Accordingly when Lucretia laid violent Hands on herself, and Collatinus discovered the Plot to him, he took the bloody Knife in his Hand, and persuaded all the company to swear by Mars and the other Gods, to expel tarqvinius and his Offspring, and never to suffer another King in Rome. 45. After Brutus had laid open the Method for executing the design, the Conspirators entered into a debate upon the future form of Government At length they agreed to the opinion of one, who acknowledged that they could not fall upon a better form and Method, than that chalked out by Romulus, Pompilius, and the other Kings; under which the Government was happily administered, till tarqvinius departed from their example. Besides, he thought that there were some things that occasioned the degeneracy of the Kingdom into a Tyranny, and moved that these should be quiter abolished; that the name of Kingdom should be shifted for that of a republic; and that Modester Words should be used for King and Monarchy. 46. His Model was, that not one but two should sit at the Helm of Affairs, and that the more Splendid Badges of Majesty, which inflamed the People's Jealousy, should be quiter laid aside, excepting on triumphal and festival Days. Such Badges were the sceptres, the Crowns of Gold, and purple Garments. He allowed the use of the Ivory Chair of State, the Praetexta or white Garment bordered with Purple, and Serjeants carrying the Rods of State and Axes. Moreover, the Opinion was that the perpetual Power was by no means to be endured; but, that a Yearly Power was infinitely more suitable both to Modesty and Liberty. But at the same time, in order to keep up the name of a King, he proposed that the Title of Rex Sacrorum should be conferred upon some Noblemen, who should have the Charge of Religious Worship. 47. Brutus having obtained an act of the Senate for his purpose, calls together the People, and exposes to to their view the Corps of Lucretia stained with Blood and Gore. Then he took occasion to exaggerate the Charge against the Tarquinij, and made it out at large, that both the People and Senate were monstrously injured. He told 'em, that neither the Temper of his Sons, nor the Humour of tarqvinius would permit them to hope for amendment; and that the business they were about might easily be put in Execution. By which means he obtained a Plebiscitum for expelling tarqvinius and all his Offspring, and prohibiting any Man, under the Pain of Death, to countenance their Restoration either by Words or Actions. 48. This was concluded upon in the Convention of the Wards or Comitia Curiata; and besides it was agreed upon that 2 Men chosen by the Convention of the Centuries or Comitia Centuriata should govern the republic. Brutus nominated one Sp. Lucretius as Regent and President to the Meeting, who removed the Convention to the Campus Martius, and put up Brutus and Collatinus as Candidats for the Office of yearly Kings. The Centuries backed the Proposal nemine contradicente. Then a Messenger was dispatched to the Camp to solicit the Soldiers to revolt. 49. The King came post to Rome, but finding the Gates shut upon him return'd to the Fields, where his Soldiers likewise refused him admittance; so that in his Old Age, his Hairs being already gray, he was forced to submit to banishment, in the 244th Year after the building of the City according to Cato, but according to Terentius Varro the 245th; in the end of the 67th or beginning of the 68th Olympiad, A.M. 3496. Plinius says, tarqvinius was expelled in the same Year that the Pisistratidae were outted of Athens, and Clemens casts it into the same time that Darius the Son of Hystaspes took Babylon. These things happened about 20 Years after Cyrus put an end to the Babylonian, and begun the Persian, Monarchy. THE ELEMENTS OF HISTORY. BOOK. II. The Persian Empire and the affairs of the World Contemporary with it. CHAP. I. Of the Persian Monarchy. SECT. I. From the beginning of that Monarchy to the Death of Cambyses. 1. CYrus, having established his Empire, released the Jews from Captivity, and allowed them to return into their own Country; the 70 years foretold by Jeremiah, being then elapsed. There return'd 42462 under the Command of Zorobabel, with Joshuah the Highpriest. In the second month of the second year of the Persian Monarchy, the Foundations of the second Temple were laid, but a stop was put to the building of it by the Intrigues of the Cushits, till the second year of Darius. This proved a mighty affliction to Daniel, who was then 90 years of age, and mortifying himself by fasting three weeks, had the great and last vision, of the future Kings of Persia, and of Alexander and his successors. 'tis not certain that he lived till the 4th year of Cyrus. 2. The accounts of Cyrus's death are different and full of uncertainty. Some say that his end is owing to the circumvention of Tomyris Queen of the Massageta, whose History is obvious to every School-boy. Ctesias says he died of a wound, received in fighting against the Derbices, a People of Scythia. But Xenophon will have it, that he died peaceably, when he was worn out by age, and reasoned with his Sons and Friends about the Immortality of the Soul. Had the King been cut off with his whole Army, it is not probable that Cambyses would have transported his Forces into Egypt, and leave the Borders of his Kingdom exposed to the Incursions of the Scythians. 'tis plain that all the Authors that wrote upon the Actions of Alexander the Great, say that Cyrus was interred at Pasargadae, and that his Tomb was opened by Alexander. But Malela, is of opinion that he lost his Life in a Sea fight, against the Samians. 3. Lucian writes that he lived 130 years, whereas 70 was the out-side of his Life. He reigned 30 years, reckoning from his beginning to reign in Media. But 'tis not certain how long he reigned after the overthrow of the Babylonian Empire. Some reckon upon 10 years, and others 3: Upon which subject you may consult Ludovicus Capellus in his sacred Chronology. He left two Sons Cambyses and Smerdis or Tanaoxares; and three Daughters, namely, Atossa, Meroe, and Artystona, to which number Ctesias adds amity. If we may credit Xenophon's Cyropaedia, he left the Kingdom to Cambyses, and to Smerdis the Government of Media, armoniac, and the Cadusians. 4. Cambyses, succeeding his Father, marched presently with his Forces against Amasis King of Egypt, either because he had courted his Daughter, and yet married the Daughter of Apries, or else, which is more likely, because he looked upon himself as Successor by right of War to Nebuchadnezar, who conquered Egypt, tho this pretention is carefully concealed by the Priests. Having got a safe passage through Arabia, by virtue of the King's assistance, he compassed his end without any difficulty. For Amases being then dead, his Son Psammitichus succeeded him, who being overpowered by the Persian Forces was forced to submit; and afterwards during his Captivity was constrained to drink Bulls-blood, for plotting innovations. 5. Egypt being thus added to the Persian Dominions, Cambyses resolved to attack the Carthaginians, Ethiopians, and Ammonians: But the phoenicians, who were best versed in Naval affairs, refused to put out in opposition to the Carthaginians, who were their own Colony. He marched himself against the Ethiopians, but omitting to take sufficient Provisions along with him, was obliged to return with his Army, after they had eaten every 10th Man: and as for the expedition against the Ammonians, 50000 Men employed in it were butted in heaps of Sand. Upon all these disasters, he return'd to Memphis, destroyed all the sacred things among the Egyptians, and married two of his own Sisters. 6. He had sent his Brother back to Persia, because he only was able to bend the Ethiopian Bow: But for so much as he saw in his sleep a messenger who told him that Smerdis sat upon the Throne, he gave orders to kill him: And when his youngest Sister being with child charged him with the parricide, he killed her with a kick of his heels. 'tis worth while to take notice of the answer given in by the Judges, when Cambyses put the question to them, whether or no there was any Law that allowed him to mary his Sister; 'twas, that indeed the Persians had no such Law; but there was one extant, which empowered the King to do what he pleased. 7. When Cambyses treated his relations so barbarously, Patizithes a Magician, who was governor of his Household, and acquainted with the manner of Smerdis's death, having a Brother whose name and body resembled that of the murdered Prince took occasion from thence to revolt, gave out his Brother the Magician for the Son of Cyrus, and dispatched Heralds round the Countries, to press the people to obey Smerdis the Son of Cyrus, rather than Cambyses. Upon the advice of these news, Cambyses regretted the death of his Brother too late, and resolved to set out for Suse, in order to quash the Rebellion: but as he mounted his Horse, his Sword slipped out of the Scabbard, and wounded him in the Thigh; and the wound festering put an end to his days, after he had reigned 7 years and 5 months. He left no issue. SECT. II. From the Death of Cambyses, to the Death of Xerxes. 1. Smerdis the Magician( called Mardus Sphendadates and Oropastes) reign d those seven months which were wanting to complete the 8th year of Cambyses. For, notwithstanding that the King on his Death-bed discovered the whole Intrigue, and earnestly entreated all the Noblemen about him to punish the Magician, yet they did not believe him, because Praxaspes, the Minister employed to execute the Parricide, had not yet made any discovery. Afterwards, finding that Smerdis avoided showing himself, they began to smell out the matter, and the whole Imposture was discovered by the Daughter of Otanes, who was Concubine to the Magician and to Cambyses; the mark she discovered him by was the cropping of his Ears, having called to mind that Cyrus had cut off the Ears of Smerdis the Magician. 2. Whereupon seven Noble Persians conspired against the Magician, namely Otanes, Aspathines, Gobryas, Intaphernes, Megabyzus, Hydarnes, and Darius. They rushed into the Palace, and killed the Magicians without any difficulty. Then they concerted measures concerning the Administration of the Government. Several forms of Government were started and approved of. At last Darius's proposal of a Monarchy was most generally liked. In order therefore to pitch upon a King, they agreed to ride out into the Suburbs next morning, and that he, whose Horse neighed first, should be invested with Cambyses his Empire. 3. Darius got the Empire thro the contrivance of his Groom, who had put his Horse to a mere in the same place over-night. He was the Son of Hystaspes, Son of Arsamnes, the Brother of Cambyses, Cyrus's Father. Tho he was invested with the Government, yet it seems 'twas only a sort of perpetual Dictatorship, so that the others retained a power like to that of Tribunes. For the holy Scriptures and other Histories make mention of other Kings intervening between the slaughter of the Magicians and his Reign; and say that at length he cut off the Conspirators, which it is probable he did out of fear and envy. In the second year of his Reign, by his command, and upon his charges, they set about the rebuilding of the Temple of Jerusalem. 4. He divided the Kingdom into 20 Provinces, called by the Persians Satrapiae, and was the first that laid Taxes upon every one of them, so that as Cyrus was called Father, and Cambyses Lord, Darius was styled Factor. He punished Intaphernes with the loss of his Head for entering the Palace by offering violence to the Porters. In the 18th year of his reign the Babylonians rebelled, being animated by the strength of their Walls, which Cyrus had left as Invincible, and by the successless Expeditions of Cambyses, and the Imposture of the Magicians. Having singled out some Women to bake bread for them, they slay all the rest, bating their own Mothers; and thus thinking themselves Invincible, they contemned the Persians, and stood out▪ against all their attacks for 19 months. 5. At length Zopyrus the Son of Megabyzus pretended to desert, his Nose being cut off, as if Darius had used him so; and being readily entertained by the Babylonians, was made their governor, and betrayed the Town into the hands of the King. Then the Walls were leveled with the ground, 3000 of the Citizens were crucified, and the rest were furnished with 5000 Women, in order to repair the loss of their kind. The Town itself was given to Zopyrus as a reward for so great an Exploit. 6. Darius being Master of Babylon invaded the Scythians, in order to make his reprisals, for their possessing themselves of Asia 28 years in the reign of Cyaxares the Median, or else to resent the repulse he met with in courting the Daughter of King Lanthius. He could not by any means come up with his Enemy, for the Scythians to this very day inhabit no City nor Town, but are scattered up and down the Country, feeding their Cattle. At length after many disappointments and decoys, he escaped narrowly, and return'd home without any memorable action. 7. He had left Megabyzus the Son of Zopyrus in Europe, at the Head of an Army of 80000 Men. He conquered the Perinthians and Peonians, and sent Ambassadors to Amyntas King of Macedonia to demand free Passage. But they were killed in revenge of their wantonness, by the contrivance of Alexander the Kings Son, and so never returned: and Bubares the Persian who was sent with an Army to demand what the matter was, fell in love with Gygea the Kings Daughter, and married her, and in compliment to his Father-in-law concealed the murder. 8. In the 16 year of Darius, Otanes was put into Megabyzus's place, who took the Citys of Chalcedon; Byzantium( or Constantinople) and Tandros, together with the Islands Lemnos and Imbros. But soon after the Persian interest was mightily mortified by the revoult of the jonians. The Author of that revoult was Aristagoras Tyrant of Miletus, who had lately been disobliged by the Persians, and was pushed on by Histieus his Father-in-law, a Milesian Prince, and a man of a ready Wit, whom Darius out of policy had carried along with him to Suse. 9. Histieus preferring the Government of one little Town to his splendid bondage, meaned to set Ionia in fire, thinking that he would be sent to quench it. In pursuance of this project, he shaved the head of a trusty Servant of his, and with a hot Iron imprinted certain marks of his design upon it; and when his hair was grown, sent him to Miletus with orders only to tell Aristagoras to shave his head. By this means Aristagoras received the advice that he had mightily longed for, and readily influenced the jonians to rebellion. 10. The Athenians sided with the jonians, and their Tyrant Hippias, then at the Court of Persia, used all means to incense Darius against them. They sent 20 Ships to assist them, besides five sent by the Eretrians. This was the beginning of that infinite number of evils, which put an end to the Persian Empire. This jonian War happened in the 19th year of Darius, the 2 year of the 69 Olympiad, 507 years before Christ, A. M. 3502. 11. With the naval forces mentioned but now, Aristagoras quickly took Sardis, which was laid in ashes by the firing of one house. Artaphernes, Darius's Brother, continued Master of the Castle. But the Grecians were put to the flight, when the tumult occasioned by the fire set the Persians and Lydians to fight. Many were killed upon the flight, and Aristogoras could by no means hinder the Athenians from returning home. 12. Cyprus indeed sided with the Grecians, and Histieus did so far over-reach Darius, that he got leave to be gone. But presently their condition became more desperate. For at the end of one year Cyprus was recovered by the Persians, and the Governours of the Provinces that had married the K.'s Daughters, having divided the jonian Towns among themselves, got most of 'em; whereupon Aristagoras, designing to flee into Thracia, was killed. 13. The Governours having reduced all the jonians that lived above the Hellespont, to Darius's Government, besieged Miletus, both by Sea and Land. The jonian Ambassadors, out of regard to the Panionian Council, resolved to fit out a gallant Navy, to make-head against them, and not to trouble themselves with the levying of Land-forces. But the Persian Officers did so dexterously employ their interest with the Samian Tyrants, that the Samians observing the lazy backwardness of the rest, gave them the slip, in hopes of obtaining pardon: and at last the others followed their example. 14. Miletus being blocked up, was at length carried by Mines, and other stratagems usual in the Sieges of Towns; and was quiter demolished in the 6th. year after their Revolt. Histieus being tossed up and down, was at last taken Prisoner in the Field, by Harpagus the Persian: His body was nailed to a across by Artaphernes, and his head was sent to Darius, who was much disturbed at the death of so Great a Man. Thus were the jonians thrice conquered, once by the Lydians, and twice by the Persians. 15. Tho the Commotions of the jonians were now asleep, and the Ring leaders of the Rebellion punished, yet Darius had no mind to put up the Affair, while the Athenians boldness passed with impunity, and the destruction of Sardes was unresented, which incensed him so much against them, that he ordered his Servant while he sat at Table, always to cry out, Master remember the Athenians. First he sent Ambassadors to Greece, to demand Provisions from the Cities; whom the Athenians and Lacedemonians threw head-long into Pits. Then he sent Dates, the Median, and Artaphernes, his Brother's Son; at the head of a gallant Army against them. 16. Their orders were to lay Athens and Eretria waste, and to bring the Inhabitants before him. Eretria indeed was taken by Treachery; but when they marched against the Athenians, they were routed by them, under the Command of Miltiades, in that great Battle which was fought in the Marathonian Fields, in the 2d. or 3d. year of the 72d. Olympiad, and the 4th. or 5th. year before the King's death. 17. Darius, notwithstanding this unfortunate Expedition against the Athenians, designed to make trial of another. Accordingly, about 4 years after, when the Egyptians rebelled, he made great Preparations, in order to make head against both the one and the other, and was just ready to take the Field, when the Custom of his Country obliged him to declare his Successor, before he set out. 18. Artibazanes,( alias Artamenes and Ariamenes) his eldest Son, by the Daughter of Gobryas, who bore him three besides, put in for the Succession: But Xerxes, his Son by Atossa, the Daughter of Cyrus, had the better of him. Darius just ready to march against the Grecians, was prevented by Death, in the latter end of the 1st. year of the Egyptian Revolt, the 3d. year of the 73d. Olympiad, the 28th. year of his Reign, 495 years before the Christian date, A. M. 3519. 19. Xerxes, the 4th. King of the Persians, Succeeded to the Empire of his Ancestors. Herodotus tells us, his name signifies a warrior, as Artaxerxes signifies a great warrior. His Father having left all things in a readiness for War, the next year he recovered Egypt, and having put it under a harder yoke, made Artamenes, his Brother, governor of it. 20. Being encouraged by this success, he resolved to attack the Grecians, pursuant to the advice of one Mardonius, a Cousin of his; and slighted the grave remonstrances of his Uncle Artabanus, who preached up moderation to him upon the account of the inconstancy of worldly affairs. He was farther encouraged to carry on that design by the solicitations of the Alevadae or Thessalian Princes, who envied the graecian Liberty, and the Pisistratidae, who had a spiteful eye upon Athens. 21. In order to carry on this War, such mighty preparations were made for 4 years together, that Asia seemed to be moved out of its place. At length, in the 4th. year of the 73d▪ Olympiad, and the 5th. of his own Reign, he set out from Suse, and took up his Winter Quarters at Sardes. Lest his Fleet, consisting of 12000 Ships, should be cast away in sailing round the Mountain Atho, he converted it into an iceland, by digging a ditch of such a breadth that two Galleys abreast might go along it. In the beginning of the Spring he came to abydoes, where a day was turned into night by a sudden darkness, without any Eclipse of the Sun. Having laid Bridges over the Hellespont, he transported his Army into Europe in seven days time, and marched from thence to the Plains of Dariscus, where he reviewed his Naval and Land Forces. 22. The World never saw nor heard of so great a number of Soldiers in one Body. Upon the review a List was given in of 2317910 Souls, and yet he placed such confidence in multitudes of Men, that he required all the Nations from Dariscus to Greece, to rise up in Arms, by which means his Naval force was enlarged by the accession of 120 Ships, and 24000 Men, and his Land force was increased by 300000: So that the total number of his Men, at this rate, amounted to 2641610, and it is thought that was followed by an equal number of Servants, and other Retainers to the Camp: So that there was in all 5283220 Persons that travelled over Land to the Straits of Thermopylae, and came by Sea to Sepias. 23. As for their Women that baked their Bread, their Concubines, Eunuchs, their Beasts for Carriage, and their Indian Dogs, their number cannot be determined. So that it is no wonder if whole Rivers did not suffice this stupendious multitude. It is rather to be wondered that a heavier Plague did not Reign among them, that Sedition and Mutinies did not prevail, and that Famine did not sweep 'em off. 24. The Grecians were well acquainted with all these motions, bating a few that sided with the Persians; whereupon they put up all their mutual Contests, and having entered into a Confederacy, sent Leonidas, the King of lacedaemon, to defend the Thermopylae, who, with a handful of Men, put a stop to the passage of the Persians, till they got over the Hills, and attacked his Rear. Xerxes had no sooner entered Greece, but his Affairs began to have a worse Aspect than before; for he was defeated in a Sea fight at Artemisium, after the loss of 400 Ships. 25. His Army being divided, that part which was sent to Delphi, was almost all of it knocked down with Thunder-bolts, and two Rocks that fell from Parnassus; the other part marched towards Athens, under the Command of the King himself: Which being unpeopled and abandoned, he took and set it on fire. But soon after, his Fleet, tho' recruited and enlarged was routed by the Grecians, in a sharp Engagement at the iceland Salamine, and quiter lost. 26. Xerxes being cast down by this disaster, saw it necessary for him to flee, least the jonians, who sided with the Grecians, should break his Bridge over the Hellespont. And here we meet with a notable instance of Divine Vengeance; he, who a little while before was so fierce as to order the Sea to be whipped with Cords, and bound with Chains, when his Bridge was broken down by a Storm; this proud Creature was now reduced to that extremity, that in a timorous and trembling condition he crossed the same Sea in a sorry little Boat. 27. Upon his departure he left 300000 Men under the Command of Mardonius, in order to carry on the War: The rest marched along with him to the Hellespont, of whom such an infinite number was cut off by the Plague, Famine, and other Calamities, that a prodigious flock of Fowls followed the Camp, in quest of prey. And when they came into Asia, a great number died thro' hard drinking, and a violent looseness. 28. Mardonius was the Man that advised this War, and in order to clear himself from the imputations that might ensue upon the successless Adventure, persuaded the King to return to Asia, which he knew the King would willingly do, and of his own accord undertook to complete the remaining part of the design, with the Forces that were left: Accordingly, being mindful of his promise, when he could not by any means persuade the Grecians to submit, he marched out of Thessaly, invaded Attica, routed the Athenians, and laid the Town and Country once more waste. But finding the Country Mountainous, and not proper for his Horse, he return'd to Beotia, where the Grecians drew together, in order to make head against him. 29. The Grecians lead into the Field 110000, but Mardonius appeared at the head of 300000, besides 50000. graecian Auxiliaries. For some days there was no Action, bating some light Skirmishes, till the Grecians being obliged to change their ground, because Mardonius had cut off their Water; that he thereupon pursued them, as if they had been running away: By which means they came to a sharp Engagement, and the Action was very hot on both sides. 30. Mardonius being killed, the Persians threw down both their Courage and their Arms, and run for't. Artabazus, with a Body of 40000 Men, made the best of his way to the Hellespont. The rest return'd to their Camp, which, at last, was stormed, and almost all of 'em put to the Sword. For, of all the 300000 which Xerxes left, bating those who went off with Artabazus, there was but 3000 saved; and Diodorus Siculus tells us, that 10000 had their Throats cut within their own Trenches. The Grecians lost but few. 31. While Affairs were carried on so successfully in Greece, Leutychides King of lacedaemon, and Admiral of the graecian Fleet, was equally successful, in defeating the Persian Fleet at the Promontory Mycale: By which Victory Ionia was once more snatched out of the Persian hands, and joined to Greece. When the two Fleets began to engage, a report was bandy'd about, that Mardonius was defeated in Baeotia, which News did so animate the Soldiers, that they fought with an undaunted Courage, and gained the Victory. 32. Indeed it is unaccountable how the report of that Victory could fly so soon into Asia; for, upon subsequent Computations, it was found that the Engagement happened in both places on the same day: insomuch that some allege, the rumour was started on purpose to animate the Soldiers, and, by good luck, was confirmed by the Event. The fight happened in the 3d. or 4th. day of the month Boedromion, in the 2d. year after Xerxes invaded Greece. 33. All the Grecians went home, excepting the Athenians, who Besieged Sestus, which in the latter end of the Autumn was abandoned, and so came into their hands. There was nothing else acted this year: And thus an end was put to that 2 years War of the Persians, or Medes, as Thucydides calls it, in the 2d. year of the 75th. Olympiad, the 7th. year of Xerxes, A. M. 3526, 477 years before Christ. 34. Xerxes took his disaster so ill, that( as the story has it) he set all the Churches of Asia on fire, excepting that of Diana at Ephesus. For the envy of that wicked incestuous Person, rose in proportion to the contempt he was brought under, by his dishonourable flight. The Grecians, in pursuit of their Victory, first under the Command of Pausanias, and then under that of Cimon, made themselves Masters of several Towns, and did so maul the Persians with their Land Forces, that their King was obliged to make Peace. 35. The King being ready to sink under such a load of misery, there seemed nothing to be wanting but the last misfortune to complete his ruin: which accordingly came upon him. For Artabanus a Hyrcanian, Captain of his Guards, who in order to possess himself of the Kingdom, had enveigl'd Mithridates the Eunuch, gentleman of the Bed-chamber to the King; this Captain of the Guards with seven of his Sons fell upon the King at night, as he was going to Bed and, strangled him, after he had reigned 20 years and some months. SECT. III. From the Death of Xerxes to the Death of Artaxerxes Mnemon. The space of 103 Years. 1. XErxes being killed, it remained still to make away with Darius, Artaxerxes and Hystaspes, his three Sons, before Artabanus could bring his project to bear. In order to this end, immediately after he had killed the King, he went to Artaxerxes, and told him that Darius his Brother had a design upon him, whereupon he sent a party to dispatch Darius out of the way. 2. But after seven months( which Eusebius makes the period of his reign) he was killed himself, together with his Complices, upon offering to attack Artaxerxes. By this means the Government came into the hands of Artaxerxes, who was called Longimanus, because his right arm was longer than the left. This happened in the 4th. year of the 78 Olympiad, or the beginning of the 79th, while Lysitheus was Archon, 463 years before Christ, A. M. 3540. 3. In the Reign of Artaxerxes, the Bactrians rebelled, but were quickly reduced. The Egyptians gave him more trouble, who subjected themselves to Inarus, King of Libya, and routed Achaemenes, the Son of Darius, who was sent against 'em with a most numerous Army; and blocked up the sorry remains of his army so that they could not get off. Megabyzus Son to that Zopyrus who took Babylon, and Artabazus, were sent to relieve them: Accordingly they raised the Siege, defeated the Egyptians, recovered the whole Country, bating some marshy places, and took Inarus Prisoner, and crucified him. 4. The Valour of the Athenians upon this occasion was very remarkable: When their Ships were lying in the road of Byblus, in order to assist the Egyptians; the Persians drained the Water out of the Channel of the River, by ditches; and by that means left the Fleet upon dry ground. But the Athenians exhorted and encouraged one another to be guilty of nothing beneath the Character of a graecian; and set their Ships on fire: and with an undaunted Courage disposed themselves for fighting: Whereupon, the Persians suffered them to get off, tho' they were but 6000 Men. Thus they return'd home, after they had been engaged in a wickedness War 6 years. 5 Artaxerxes, in the 7th. year of his reign, published an Edict, allowing the Jews to go and dwell at Jerusalem; and liberally furnished them with all necessaries, leaving the distribution of 'em to the discretion of Ezra, the Priest. This Edict mentions nothing of building the Walls; yet it is not to be doubted, but the King designed it, since the Inhabitants and Builders of the Temple, could not be safe otherwise. 6. If matters stand so, then the beginning of Daniel's 70 weeks must be dated from this Juncture. These weeks consisted of 490 years, terminating in the death of our Lord Jesus Christ. Indeed there are many various Opinions, concerning the beginning and the end of these years; but they go upon weak grounds. However, if we reckon from this 7th. year of Artaxerxes, down thro' the Reigns of the Persian and Macedonian Kings, the Hasmonaei, and of Herod the Great; or, thro' the series of the Olympiads, and the years of Rome's standing, down to the death of Christ; The whole will amount to 490 years, without any great odds. But of this more in our large History. 7. In the 20th. year of Artaxerxes, upon the News that the Walls of Jerusalem were thrown down, the Gates set on fire, and the People mightily oppressed; Nehemiah, a Jew and Cupbearer to the King, was immediately dispatched, by virtue of the old Edict, there being no necessity of a new one, to repair the Walls, and put the republic in order. 8. The years accrueing from the New Moon in the Month Nisan, immediately after the reparation of the Walls, to the New Moon of the Month of Christ's Passion, amount to 475 of the Julian form, which make 490 Lunar years. 'twas upon this account that several Learned Men followed the opinion of Africanus, who reckoned the course of Daniel's weeks, as running from this year to the death of Christ. But he reckoned 475 years from this time to the Reign of Tiberius, whereas, there was only 472, and Christ did not die, but was baptized in the 15th. year of Tiberius. 9. The Athenians recalled Cimon from his Exile, and sent him with 200 Ships against Cyprus, which was then subject to the Persian. He detached 60 out of that number for Egypt to assist Amyrtaeus, and with the rest blocked up Citium. 10. Cimon died before this Town: But his Army, upon their return home, met the Persian Navy, and defeated them so much, that the King called a Council; in which, a Peace was concluded upon, and mutual Hostilities prohibited. Peace being concluded with the Grecians, Megabyzus raised up a Civil War, which, after several Engagements, was at length brought to an end. Artaxerxes having reigned 41 years, died in the 2d. year of the 98th. Olympiad, 421 before the Birth of Christ, A. M. 3592. 11. Artaxerxes left only one lawful Son, namely, Artaxerxes, born of his Wife Damaspia, and 17 bastard Sons, among whom were Sogdianus, Ochus, and Arsites. Artaxerxes succeeded his Father, but was killed by Secundianus, in the 45th. day of his Reign. Secundianus drew upon himself the hatred of the Army, and was so little esteemed, that Arberius, General of the Horse, went over to Ochus; who, at last was obliged by Arxanes, Vice-roy of Egypt, and Artoxares, Governor of armoniac, to put on the turban, or Cap peculiar to the Persian Kings and Priests. 12. Ochus being invested with the Government, took to himself the name of Dariaeus. Having decoyed Secundianus, he threw him into Ashes; a form of punishment attributed by Valerius Maximus, to Darius, the Son of Hystaspes, but by others to the Dariaeus we now speak of. In his Reign the Medes revolted, but were quickly reduced. He was married to Parysatis, Daughter to Xerxes, and his own Aunt, by whom, in his private capacity, he had a Son, Arsaces, and a Daughter, Amistris; and after he was made King, Cyrus, so called from the Sun, with 13 others. In the 17th. year of his Reign he made▪ Cyrus governor of the Sea-coasts, with Authority over the other Satrapae, and General of all the Forces that used to draw up in the Castalian Fields. 13. He likewise gave Cyrus orders to assist the Lacedemonians against the Athenians. For, at this time, the Grecians were engaged with one another in the Pelopponesian War, and intestine divisions; and he had been a considerable gainer by their Animosities, thro' the ministry of Tissaphernes. But he had a strong mind to see the Athenians ruined, because he knew they were best acquainted with Naval Affairs, and always favoured the jonians, in memory of their Original. 14. Cyrus had scarce governed 2 years, when he was so transported with Prosperity, that he put to death Autobaesaces and Mitraeus, his own kinsmen, because in their approaches to him, they did not keep up their hands within their Garments, which was usual in making Addresses to the King. A heavy complaint being given in to the King, upon this matter, he was called to his Father, who soon after died, after he had reigned 19 years, in the 4th. year of the 93d. Olympiad, the latter end of the 27th. and last year of the Pelopponnesian War, 43 before Christ, A. M. 3600. 15. While Darius lay a dying Parysatis his Wife solicited him to leave the Kingdom to Cyrus, in imitation of Xerxes, in consideration that he was a King, and not a private Man, when he begot him: But the King rejected the proposal, as being highly unjust; so that Arsaces, who was called Artaxerxes, succeeded his Father, and with reference to his excellent memory was surnamed Mnemon. Cyrus had the Government of the Cities left him; but that did not satisfy his Ambitious Temper: He had a mind to be a King, and, in order to compass that end, resolved immediately to kill his Brother. 16. His Plot being discovered, his Mothers tears and intercession saved him from condign punishment; but being sent into Lydia, his own Province, he insisted on his former projects, and was the more eager upon seditious designs, that he was at so great a distance from the King. With various pretences and artifices, he procured Auxiliaries from all corners. 17. He marched against the King at the head of 12800 Grecians, and 10000 Barbarians. After he had pitched 93 Camps, and marched 535 Persian miles, 1630 furlongs, and above 2000000 paces; He found the King, attended by 900000 Men. 18. The Valour of his graecian Troops, which the Persians were not able to cope with, had been a sufficient bulwark for him, had not his own temerity, and the laziness or timorousness of Clearchus, the Lacedemonian General, occasioned his destruction: For, while the former rushed in among his Enemies Troops, in order to find out his Brother, the other lingered in bringing up the Grecians. So that Cyrus died in the battle at Cunaxa, about 500 furlongs from Babylon: A Man of a Princely mind, and one that merited a Crown, beyond all those who derived their original from Cyrus the Great. 19. The Grecians, who thought of nothing but Victory, having routed all those who opposed them, were extremely mortified by the sad News of Cyrus's death. They invited Ariaeus the Persian, who commanded his Troops, to possess himself of the Kingdom, but he rejected the proposal; so that they were obliged to think of returning into their own Country. Artaxerxes pursued them, but his Soldiers were struck with such a Consternation, that he was obliged to retire, and suffer them to get off. Tissaphernes took upon him the task of managing the Grecians, and, having desired an interview with the Captains, perfidiously killed them: But others were chosen in their room, and Xenophon, an Athenian, was made Commander of the Forces. 20. At last, notwithstanding that they were Foreigners in that Country, destitute of all Provisions, unacquainted with the Passages, and obliged to make their way over craggy Mountains, and almost impassable Places; in a Country, where the unwholesomeness of the Air, the ruggedness of the Ground, and the watchful spite of the Enemies did at once attack them; yet, by Divine Providence, and the Ministry of Xenophon's singular Prudence, they got off clear. It is reckoned, that, in coming and going, they Encamped in 212 places; they marched 1150 Persian miles, 34255 furlongs, 4281000 paces. In the whole Expedition they spent 1 year and 3 months. 21. In the mean time Parysatis was infinitely displeased with the death of Cyrus, whom she loved beyond all things; and displayed all manner of cruelty upon those whom she suspected as instruments of his ruin. She poisoned Statira the Queen, with whom she had many occasions to be angry. But, after all, Artaxerxes behaved himself very modestly towards his Mother; for, tho' he knew that she always loved his Brother better than him, and endeavoured by all means to get him to succeed his Father; and that now she was the occasion of the death of a Wife which he loved very tenderly: yet he neither injured her by word nor dead; only, when she told she was going to Babylon, he replied, that he was very well satisfied with her design, but withal, that he would not see that Town while she lived. 22. Artaxerxes having thus put his Affairs into a peaceable state, bended his mind upon the recovery of the Cities that had revolted. The charge of this enterprise was committed to Tissaphernes, and not to Pharnabazus, whose name has crept into the History of Diodorus Siculus, thro' the negligence of Writers, or some other mistake. The jonians finding the design was upon them, solicited the Lacedemonians to assist them. The Lacedemonians were so transported with their success against Athens, that they thought of no small matters; and being encouraged by the return of the Grecians, who had followed Cyrus, embraced the opportunity of invading Asia, and began to entertain some hopes of mastering it. 23. They sent an Embassy to Tissaphernes, which he slighted; whereupon they sent Thimbrones with an Army against him; but Thimbrones being misfortunate, was soon after degraded and banished. Dercyllidas succeeded him: who by reason of his extraordinary sagacity was surnamed Sisyphus. He soon perceived that he had two Generals to encounter; and therefore endeavoured to gain one of them; by which means he raised such a jealousy between the two, that Pharnabazus( one of 'em) went home to the King, and accused Tissaphernes( whom Dercyllidas had retained) of Treachery. Upon his solicitation, Conon, the Athenian, was made Admiral of the Fleet. After that, orders were given to invade Caria, Tissaphernes's Province, whereupon an Interview was agreed to, and a Truce concluded upon, in order to a Peace. 24. However, the Truce did not retard the building of a new fleet in Phoenicia, which was given out as consisting of 300 Ships. Upon the News whereof, Agesilaus, King of Sparta, was sent into Asia: and he made use of Lysander for his Ambassador, a man that was admirably well versed in Military Affairs, who, by his celebrated Victory of the Athenians, had put an end to the Peloponnesian War. 25. Agesilaus behaved himself so well, that he was likewise made Admiral of the Navy. He did so over-reach Tissaphernes, and fought so successfully in his absence, that Tissaphernes was again charged with Treachery, and punished with the loss of his Life. The Fleet being fitted out, Agesilaus flattered himself with the hopes of turning the Persian out of Asia. Tithraustes, Tissaphernes's Successor, having notice of the project, saw there was no other way of diverting the design, but that of giving the Lacedemonians so much trouble at home, that they were obliged to to recall their King, for the relief of his Country. 26. In pursuance of this thought, he sent Timocrates, the Rhodian, with 50 Talents of Gold into Greece, in order to bribe the heads of Factions, and tempt 'em to make War with the Lacedemonians. This project took so well, that in the space of 1 year, a great Conspiracy broken out against the Lacedemonians, which occasioned so great a War, that they were obliged to recall their King. He was mightily troubled for being obliged to return, just when he was setting out for the upper Provinces, whom the glory of his name itself would have retained; and was hugging himself in the happy issue of all his labour and hopes. 37. However, his regard to his Country outweigh'd all other Considerations, and his steadfast opinion was, that a General was obliged to obey the Laws and the Magistrates. Upon his departure from Asia, he said in a merry humour, that 30000 Archers had beat him out of Asia, alluding to so many pieces of Money, bearing the Effigies of an Archer, with which they had purchased the War against the Lacedemonians. 28. Notwithstanding that Agesilaus was recalled, the Lacedemonians, were so routed by Conon at Sea, and so much oppressed at home, that they began to fear that the Athenians might recover their former Power; and thereupon made Peace with the King, by the Ministry of Antalcidas; whence it was called Pax Antalcidae. Artaxerxes by this means being free of the graecian War, and having put his Affairs in a pretty good order, pointed the dint of his Arms towards Cyprus, which Evagoras had almost mastered. 29. Evagoras was overcome at Sea; but the Persian Officers happening to Quarrel among themselves, a Peace was agreed upon about 2 years after, after the laying out of 50 Talents upon the War. And by this means Evagoras peacefully enjoyed the better part of his former possessions. After that Artaxerxes waged War with the Cadusians, but with small success. In the mean time Egypt had revolted for several years. When he set about the reducing of it, he carried on his designs pretty happily, till a private Quarrel between Pharnabazus and Iphicrates, ruined it. 30. In the mean time the Grecians were mutually engaged in Civil Wars, which he endeavoured to adjust, thinking to get assistance from them against the Egyptians. But the Lacedemonians were so angry with him for including Messene in the Confederacy, that they sent relief to Achoris, King of Egypt. Besides, the graecian Towns in Asia, made head against him, and occasioned the revolt of several Satrapae. Indeed the Satrapae were soon after betrayed by Orontes, their head; but he was not able to recover Egypt, notwithstanding the divisions it lay under, which were occasioned by various pretensions to the Crown. 31. Artaxerxes had 115 Sons, but 3 of them only by lawful Marriage, namely, Darius, Ariaspes and Ochus. The rest were born of Concubines, of whom he kept 360; tho' even that number did not satisfy him, for he added to it, by the incestuous pollution of his own Daughters. In his old Age he checked Ochus for aspiring to the Kingdom, and took in Darius, the eldest, then 50 years old, as partner with him. But Darius courted Aspasia, Cyrus's Mistress, whom the King had married; and being rejected, took that for an Affront, and entered into a Conspiracy with 50 of his Brethren against his Father. The Plot being discovered, he and all his Complices were punished with death. 21. Upon the death of Darius, Ochus aspired at the Crown more eagerly, but was much afraid of two of his Brethren, namely, Ariaspes, the eldest lawful Son, and Arsamis, a bastard, whom the Father doted on for his Wit and Capacity. He continually gave it out, that Ariaspes was quickly to be put to death, by his Father's orders, and by this means provoked him to poison himself; and at the same time took care to see Arsamis killed by Harpates, the Son of Teribazus, who lost his Life in Darius his Plot. 33. Artaxerxes was acquainted with all these things, but being worn out with Age, could not pursue them. His grief and trouble of mind was such, that he sunk under it, and died in the 94th. year of his Age, the 43d. of his Reign, the 3d. of the 104th. Olympiad, 360 years before the birth of Christ, A. M. 3944. His Subjects reckoned him the meekest of Men, especially upon the account, that the cruelest of Parricides was his Successor. SECT. IV. From the death of Artaxerxes Mnemon, to the death of Darius Codomannus. The space of 32 years. 1. OChus succeeding to his Father, in memory of him, was surnamed Artaxerxes. This is that Ahasuerus the Husband of Esther, mentioned in the Holy Scriptures: since the Circumstances there related, quadrate best with him. He is said to have concealed his Father's death for 10 months, till all the People were satisfied, by the sending about the Royal Seal, that Artaxerxes had nominated Ochus for his Successor. Having purchased the Kingdom by Wickedness, he resolved to establish it by more of the same stamp: Accordingly he filled the Palace with Barbarous Murders, without any regard to Dignity, Blood, Affinity, Sex or Age. 2. Artabazus revolted from Ochus, and by the help of the Grecians, defeated several of his Armies, which obliged the King to make Peace with them. Egypt had thrown off the Persian yoke a long while ago; but Ochus being unfit for War, did easily sit with the loss. But, after all, in the 11th. year of his Reign, when the phoenicians and Cyprians likewise revolted, and entered into a Confederacy with the Egyptians, he took up new resolutions, and purposed to reduce the Rebels. 3. Having drawn together an Army of 300000 Foot, and 30000 Horse, and fitted out a Fleet of 300 Ships, he marched into Phoenicia, where Sidon was surrendered into his hands, by the Treachery of gins their King; and the Treacherous King lost his head: But the Inhabitants finding the Town lost, set it and themselves on fire, and it is said 40000 Men perished in the flames. Ochus being animated by this success, together with that in Cyprus, which he had recovered by the good services of Adrieus, Prince of Caria, invaded Egypt; and likewise reduced it, by the good services of Mentor, a Rhodian. Having beat Nectanebus, their King, and carried off great spoil, he return'd home, crowned with Glory and Renown; and on his return carried off a great number of the Jews, some of whom he placed in Babylon, and others in Hyrcania, at the Caspian Sea. 4. Mentor reconciled Artabazus and several others with the King, and reduced the whole Kingdom to a peaceable state. At this time Philip, King of Macedonia, flourished mightily, and besieged Perinthus, a Town in Thracia, situated upon the Propontis. Ochus being jealous and afraid of the overgrown power of that King, and finding the Perinthians in a sad condition, ordered the Governours of the maritime Provinces to give speedy and present relief to the besieged; by which means the hopes of, the Macedonian were frustrated. Alexander, the Son of Philip, did afterwards twitt the Persians with this, when they complained of his incursion. 5. In the 9th. year of Ochus, Mausolus, Viceroy of Caria, died without Issue; his Wife, Artemisia, built such a noble Tomb for him, that the Romans dignifi'd their Magnificent Buildings with the name of Mausolea. In the mean time Bagoas, an Eunuch, was so great a favourite of the King, that he disposed of every thing according to his pleasure. This Bagoas, who was an Egyptian, suborned Ochus's physician to poison him, in the 23d. year of his reign; either out of the fear of Ochus's cruelty, or in revenge of the death of Apis, the Egyptian King, whom Ochus had killed, or else in order to enlarge his own Authority and Power. He exposed his Corps to be devoured by Cats, and buried another carcase in the Royal Tomb; and, for an Emblem of the King's cruel temper, caused Sword hilts to be made of the Bones of his Legs. 6. He set Arses, the Son of Ochus, upon the Throne, and killed all the other Children, to the end that the new King being destitute of Friends, might depend upon him for support; but, in effect, Bagoas was the Man that reigned, and usurped every thing belonging to the Crown, bating the name. When he perceived that Arses took more than ordinary notice of things, he apprehended the danger of being called to an account; and in order to avoid it, slay him and all his Children, before the end of the 3d. year of his Reign. 7. He heaped up Wickedness upon Wickedness, and added Parricide to Parricide, till the Royal Family became so desolate, that scarce any one remained to possess the Crown. Things being at this pass, he pitched upon one Codomannus, a Friend of his, whom some gave out to have been only a Steward, and an Alien to the Royal Family; but others allege, he was the Son of Arsames, and Grand-Child to Ochus, by Sisygambe, their Sister or Kinswoman. Curtius writes, that the Father of this Woman and 80 of his Sons were barbarously put to death by Ochus. 8. Codomannus is said to have behaved himself bravely in the Cadusian War, and to have defeated his Enemy upon such an extraordinary occasion, that the King rewarded him with several compliments, together with the Government of armoniac; and the people at last elected him to be their King, and he was christened Darius, that being a Title of greater Majesty and Honour. Bagoas quickly repented of what he had done, and resolved to add Darius to the number of the murdered Princes: But the King perceiving the design, when he offered him the poison, obliged him to drink it himself. 9. Darius misfortunately fell into such times and awkward Circumstances, that the wisest of Men would have found great difficulty to get clear of; and if we compare the Temper of this Prince, with the Genius of the Adversary he was obliged to encounter, we'll find it a downright impossibility for him to escape. The Kingdom of Macedonia was at this time advanced to the highest pitch of Grandeur, that the limits of Greece could afford. Philip had all Greece at his beck, and under his Authority; and by the means of Schools for War and Sciences, had placed both Mars and Mercury in his Camp: Whereas, the Monarchy of the Persians was almost worn out with Age, and staggered under its own weight; in it the juice and blood of Sciences and Virtue dwindled, and vanished into the vapour of Luxury. 10. There were many Quarrels between the Persians and Grecians, besides the inveterate feuds that the ravishing of the Women in ancient times occasioned. The Expedition of the Athenians against Sardes, started new grudges, which the Adventures of Xerxes inflamed. Besides, the riches of Asia were a great Temptation to the Grecians. They thought it was a shane that such great Possessions should continue in the hands of such a People. After Xenophon's return with a handful of Men, thro' so many Provinces, they always preferred the graecian Steel to the asiatic Gold. In short, the Grecians were mad with an insatiable itch to pillage the riches of those Countries. 11. Cimon indeed was the last of the graecian Generals; but Philip, King of Macedonia, a Man equally entitled to Prudence and Military virtues, equalled the Glory of the most renowned Generals, and at this time kept Greece in bondage, under the pretence of liberty. When this great Prince divulged his purpose of making War with the Persian, the Grecians almost unanimously elected him to be their head, and Soldiers were levied in every City. 12. The next Spring he sent Parmenio, Amyntas and Attalus before him into Asia, under the pretence of rescuing the graecian Cities; himself, designing to follow, was murdered by one Pausanias, at his Daughter's Wedding. Upon his death Darius thought himself secure, and slighted Alexander, the Son and Successor of Philip, who was then a youth of 20 years of Age. 13. But Alexander had an invincible greatness of mind, and did not fail to enlarge his Patrimony. He surmounted all difficulties in Greece, and crossed the Hellespont, at the head of an Army of 31000 Foot, and 5100 Horse. Darius thought it not proper to overlook small things, and therefore sent an Army to oppose him; but flattered himself with the hopes of so great success, that in contempt of the Juvenile Ardour, he ordered that Boy to be first whipped with rods, before he was brought into his presence. 14. Memnon the Rhodian, a Man admirably well versed in Military Affairs, was made General to the Persian Army. He was of opinion that they should by no means engage with Alexander, but stop his further progress by laying the Country waste all about him, and transfer the War( if possible) into their Enemies Kingdom, by invading Macedonia; by which means he would be recalled to defend his own Country. But the Persians slighted this seasonable advice, as being too mean and unworthy of their Honour and Valour, and thought it much more creditable to come to an Engagement: Accordingly, they attacked Alexander, after he crossed the River Granicus, and were routed, with the loss of 12000 Men. 15. The famed of this Glorious Victory, procured him the easy Conquest of Asia. At Gordium, a Town in Phrygia, finding that he could not untie Midas's knot, he cut it with his Sword, and by that means either fulfilled or eluded the Oracle. Darius employed Memnon, his General, to draw together a new Army, and fit out a Fleet of 300 Ships. But Memnon in the mean time died, and the interest of Darius fell with him. The King finding none fit for the office, headed his Army himself. He marched out of Babylon towards Cilicia at the head of an Army of 400000 Foot, and above 100000 Horse, together with his Mother, his Wife, his Son, then 6 years of Age, and two Marriageable Daughters. 16. Darius pursued Alexander to the Straits of Cilicia, fancying that he declined Battle as the flatterers had suggested to him: He came up with Alexander near to Issus, where he engaged with all his Force, and was routed, and obliged to flee, riding upon a mere that had lately foal'd. There were 10000 Persians killed, and 40000 taken Prisoners; whereas, the Macedonians scarce lost 300. Men. The Mother, Wife and Children of Darius were taken. This battle happened in the month Maemacterion, while Lycostratus, or Nicocrates, was Archon, in the 4th. year of the 3d. Olympiad, the 4th. of Darius, the 4th. of Alexander, A. M. 2672. 17. Darius being routed at Issus, many of his Governours went over to Alexander. Darius wrote a Letter to the King of Macedonia, about the ransoming of his Prisoners, and did not speak like one overcome, tho' this was the second time, but as if he had the better on't; neither did he deign to give his Adversary the Title of King. But his Adversary answered him bravely, and like a King. Alexander quickly reduced Syria, and all Phoenicia, excepting Tyrus, which he afterwards mastered, by an unheard of method. 18. For the Town being situated in an iceland, he joined it to the Continent by▪ Bulwarks, and heaps of Earth. The Inhabitants defended themselves stoutly, and lost 7000 Men: The rest were taken Prisoners, of whom 20000 were put to death, and the Women and Children were sentenced to slavery; but there was 15000 of them entertained by the Sydonians, from whom a Nation did afterwards spring. Tyrus was taken in the month Hecatombaeon, while Annicetus,( alias, Niceratus and Nicetas) was Archon; in the 1st. year of the 112th. Olympiad, the 5th. of Darius, and the 5th. of Alexander, A. M. 3673. 19. After the taking of Tyrus, Darius sent Proposals of Peace to Alexander, which Alexander did not much mind, but invaded Judaea; the Inhabitants whereof had sworn Allegiance to Darius, and refused to surrender to him. At that time the governor of the Jews was one Jaddus, whose Brother Manasses had married the Daughter of Sanballat, governor of Samaria, under Darius. This being done contrary to the Laws of the Country, and he refusing to part with his Wife, his Father-in-Law Sanballat built a Temple in Gerizin, a Mountain in Samaria, in which he was to perform the Office of a High-priest. 20. Alexander was mightily incensed at the answer sent him by the Jews, and threatened destruction to the whole Nation; whereupon Jaddus, in his Pontificial habit, went out to meet him: As soon as the King saw the Priest, he alighted from his Horse, and worshipped him. And when Permenio asked him the reason of so doing; he answered, that he worshipd the God of that Priest, who appeared to him in such a habit in Greece, when he was considering seriously of the War, and encouraged him to go on in the designed Expedition. The prophesy of Daniel, which plainly pointed to him, was laid open before him; whereupon he offered satisfy to their God, and freely allowed the Nation several immunities, and gave liberty to all the Jews, that had a mind to be Soldiers, to worship God in their own way. Having taken Gaza, where he was wounded in the shoulder; he mastered all Palestine, and from thence marched into Egypt, which came into his hands without stroke of Sword. He built a new City between the Lake Maraeotis and the Egyptian Sea, in the same place where the Village Rhacotis stood, and christened it Alexandria. In this work he employed Dinocrates, or Stasicrates. This Town, which afterwards became very famous, was founded in the 5th. year of Alexander, the 1st. year of the 112th. Olympiad, the 417th. of Nabonasar: From whence Ptolomaeus, the celebrated Mathematician of this City, dates the beginning of the Aera of Alexander, in the month Thoth of the 5th. year of Darius's reign, 329 years before Christ. A. M. 3673. 22. Alexander went from Egypt to the Hammonian Oracle, where the Goddess, either thro' Ignorance or the Corruption of the Greek Language, saluted him as the Son of Jupiter. From thence he took occasion to aspire beyond human things, and require the adoration of a God, and to that purpose was called by the Arabs, Dulcarnajin. 23. In the mean time Darius was preparing for another battle, and drew together an Army that doubled the number of that which fought at Issus. Alexander with all possible speed crossed the Euphrates, and Tigris; and his Expedition in crossing the latter, put his Soldiers in such a condition, that Darius might easily have routed them. But the Persian Empire was now on its last Legs, and the fatal Exit was unavoidable. 24. Statira, Darius's Wife, was so fatigued with the Journey, that she miscarried by the way, and died. Her death made Alexander cry bitterly. This his humanity made such an impression upon Darius, that he offered him his Daughter Statira, with 30000 Talents, and all Asia, lying between the Hellespont and Euphrates. 25. But Alexander rejected these terms, as being not favourable enough; so that they came to another Engagement upon the River Bumelus, near the Village Gaugamela; where Darius was routed, and put to flight, as easily as before, and lost an infinite number of Men; which Authors do not certainly agree upon. This battle was fought the 5th. day of the month Boedromion, in the 6th. year of Alexander, the 6th. of Darius, the 2d. of the 112th. Olympiad, and while Aristophanes was Archon, A. M. 3674. 26. Alexander finding that he could not come up with Darius, when he fled, went to Arbela, and was there proclaimed King of Asia. Then he set out for Babylon, and entered that City in great splendour. From thence he went to Susa, where a large Treasure was given him: And from thence to Persepolis, which he allowed the Soldiers to plunder and lay waste; and when he was drunk, yielded to the Solicitations of Thais, the Whore, in ordering the Palace to be set on fire, in the execution whereof she had the first hand. 27. Then he went to Pasargadae, a Town( the name whereof signifies, the Army of the Persians) built by Cyrus, in memory of the Victory obtained over his Grandfather Astyages. Here he opened Cyrus's Tomb, where he found a Golden Bed, a Golden Table and Cups, and a great quantity of Garments adorned with Pearls. Then he rendered himself master of all Persia, what by force, and what by other methods, about the rising of the Pleiades, from whence the Ancients used to date the beginning of Summer. 28. Darius, in order to have the opportunity of renewing the War, at a considerable distance, fled towards Bactria. Bessus, the governor of that Country, and Nabarzanes, the General of the Horse, bound him with Fetters, and when they heard of Alexander's approach, wounded him mortally. They likewise wounded the Beasts that drew his Coach, and left them to wander without e'er a Coachman. By chance they came to a place where Polystratus, the Macedonian, being almost choked with thirst, was come to drink Water in his Helmet. 24. He found Darius just expiring in his Coach, who desired of him a draft of Water. Polystratus gave him such as he could find, which was muddy, and polluted with dead Corpses; and Darius said he never drunk with more pleasure in his Life, because he was scarce ever thirsty when he drank. He return'd thanks to Alexander for his singular humanity, and wished him the Empire of the World. He affirmed that it was his interest, and that of all other Princes, not to suffer his death to go unpunished. Then he gave Polystratus his hand, with a return of thanks, and expired. 30. Authors give strange accounts of the splendour, Luxury and Pleasures of Darius, which are rather to be imputed to the corruption of the times, than to him: He kept in his Camp all sorts of Cooks, Confectioners, and dressers of Meat, and Perfumers, that nothing might be wanting towards his bodily pleasures. As for other things, several Authors have given full accounts of the noble splendour of the Table and Entertainments of the Persian Kings. 31. They used to have several Wives, and allot them several Cities, appointing one to furnish Ornaments for the Head, another for other parts, and so on. However, Darius's Death concluded the Persian Empire, in the 203d. year after its beginning, the 7th. year of the Reign of Darius, the 50th. of his Age, the 3d. year of the 112th. Olympiad, the 328th. before Christ, in the month Hecatombaeon, under the Archonship of Aristophon, A. M. 3675. Affairs Contemporary with the Persian Empire. CHAP. II. The affairs of the Grecians, transacted in the time of the Persian Monarchy. SECT. I. Of the Affairs of Greece, from the beginning of the Persian Monarchy, to the death of Xerxes. 1. IN the reign of Cyrus the Great, Polycrates, Tyrant of Samos, flourished; and from a mean Original, advanced himself to so happy a State, that none of the graecian Tyrants could match. 2. Suidas derives the name of Tyrannus from Tyrrheni an Italian People, famous for their Cruelty and Robberies: Others, from Tyrus, a City, that flourished in Riches and Glory. At first the name implied no harm; for all the Ancient Poets, bating Homer, give it to good and worthy Kings. Afterwards the Violence and Cruelty of some, who invaded the Administration of Affairs, and usurped the Government of Cities, without any right, gave occasion to the word's being applied to an unfavourable meaning: And from the time that it fell under that acceptation, we seldom meet with it as applied otherwise. 3. However, Polycrates having reduced the Citizens to a worse state than that of slavery, was so very successful, that whatever he did, he came off with the Victory. He invaded all his Neighbours, without any difference, protesting that he would oblige his Friend more in restoring what he took from him, than in taking nothing at all. But Amasis, the Egyptian, with whom he had entered into a League, affirmed, that his unaccountable happiness would terminate in some terrible disaster; and with that view persuaded him to give his fortune another turn, by throwing away what was dearest to him. 4. He went aboard of a Ship, and threw out a Ring, with a Seal upon it of emerald. It happened so that the Ring was afterwards found in the belly of a Fish, which for its stately bulk, was given to the King, as a Present. Upon the News of that Accident, Amasis renounced all Friendship with him, as foreseing that he would come to a miserable end. And indeed he proved no false Prophet. 5. For Oraetes, the Persian, governor of Sardes, under Cambyses, being well acquainted with the Man's Temper, offered him a large sum of Money, in order to subdue Greece; and by that means tempted him to come to Asia: And when he had him there, killed him; either out of a prospect of Glory by the Death of the Tyrant, or else with a design to join Samos to the Persian Empire. After Polycrates, Maeandrius was governor to the Samians; but he being dispatched by the orders of Darius, the Persian, Syloson, Son to Polycrates, was made Tyrant; after him, his Son Aeaces succeeded, by the assistance of the Persians, but was outted in the 18th. year of Darius, the Son of Hystaspes, when Aristagoras, the Milesian, broken the Tyrannical Governments of the Cities, in order to promote the Rebellion of the jonians. 6. In the 3d. year of the 66th. Olympiad, and the 8th. year of Darius, there happened great Commotions at Athens, which forwarded the overthrow of Tyranny. The Pisistradae were then Governours of Athens, and had hithreto kept themselves within the bounds of moderation; but now it happened that Hipparchus, the second of that line, fell in Love with one Harmodius, and solicited him to Sodomy; and was thereupon killed by him and his Friend Aristogiton. His eldest Son Hippias, was so much incensed by the Action, that tho' the Actors were killed upon the spot, yet he treated the People with more severity. This gave occasion to divisions, which, by the help of the Alcmaeonidae, procured the liberty of the Athenians. 7. The Alcmaeonidae were the Off-spring of Alcmaeon, the great Grandson of Nestor, who, being turned out of Messenia, by the Heraclidae, came to Athens, and were banished from thence by the Pisistratidae. They had bribed the Priestess of Apollo; so that when the Lacedemonians consulted the delphic Oracle, she always answered that Athens would be retrieved out of the hands of Tyrants. Upon which motion, the Lacedemonians sent an Army twice to beat them out. At last the Sons of the Pisistratidae being taken Prisoners upon the flight, their Fathers ransomed them with the promise of banishing themselves from Athens: Accordingly, they went to Sigaeum, and from thence to Lampsacus. 8. The Pisistratidae being thus turned out; the Athenians split into two Factions, which were headed by Clysthenes and Isagoras. The former, in order to get the better of his Rival, made it his whole business to ingratiate himself with the People. He converted the 4 Tribes into 10; he expelled Isagoras with his Party, and restored the Laws of Solon; and to prevent the tyrannical pretensions of those who were great in power, introduced a Law, enjoining a 10 years Exile to all those whom power or glory had raised beyond the common level. This Law was called Ostracismus, because the people in their meetings, wrote upon an Oyster shell, the names of the Persons they had a mind to banish. 9. The Lacedemonians sided with Isagoras, and their Garrison was turned out together with him. Their King, Cleomenes, taking that for an Affront, marched once more against the Athenians, but return'd without doing any thing. Soon after, Darius having reduced the rebel jonians, sent Ambassadors to Greece, to demand Subjection. The Inhabitants of Aegina and the other Islands complied with his demands. Cleomenes. the Lacedemonian, came to Aegina, to take up the heads of the revolt, but Demaratus, his Colleague, with whom he was at variance, prevented his design: Whereupon, he was so incensed, that he return'd to lacedaemon, and got Demaratus degraded, and Leutychides put in his place. 10. Both of 'em were punished for the injury they did to Demaratus; for Leutychides was found guilty of Treachery, and died in his Exile: And Cleomenes turned lunatic, and rip'd up his flesh, beginning at his feet, and when he came to the guts killed himself. The Athenians renewed the War with the people of Aegina: Upon the account, that while the Athenians detained their Hostages, they intercepted a Galley that used to sail every year from Athens to Delphi. But upon Xerxes's invasion of Greece they clapped up a Peace. 11. In the time of this War, the battle between the Athenians and Darius's Forces, was fought at Marathon; in which Miltiades, the graecian General, came off with the Victory. This Miltiades was the Son of Cimon, and late Tyrant of Chersonesus. He undertook a fruitless Expedition against the Parii, upon which he was fined in a large sum of Money, and not being able to pay it, died in Prison: Nay, his Corps were kept up till Cimon his Son delivered himself up as a pledge, who did not get out till the Money was paid. 12. Soon after Xerxes invaded Greece. The Athenians were the chief Authors of this War, and accordingly sustained the greatest burden in it. Their Victory is almost wholly owing to the sagacity and industry of Themistocles; for 'twas he that persuaded the Citizens to build a Fleet, that diverted the Peloponnesians from returning home, and put Xerxes to flight. 13. Aristides, who, by reason of the exactness of his life, was surnamed the Just, joined with Themistocles. Formerly indeed Themistocles had put him out of the City, by virtue of the Ostracismus, but recalled him when he saw his Country reduced to that extremity of danger. After Xerxes's flight, the Grecians routed and killed Mardonius, his General, in the battle of Plataea. While these things were carried on against the public Enemy, there were but few domestic Occurrences, that did not relate to them. 14. As for their Learned Men: Some of the seven Wise Men flourished in the Reign of Cyrus. Now these seven were Pittacus of Mitylene, Bias of Priene, Chilon of lacedaemon, Cleobulus of Lindus, Thales of Miletus, Solon of Athens, and Periander, a Tyrant of Corinth. 15. About the same time flourished Xenophanes of Colophon; Phocylides; Anacreon, a Poet; Anaximander, a Physician of Miletus; Anaximenes his Disciple; Theagenes of Rhegium, a most ancient Chronologer; Democedes of Croton, a physician, who was taken prisoner by Darius, and administered physic to him and his Wife Atossa, with very good success. 16. To these we may add Cadmus of Miletus, a Historian; Hecataeus, who lead the way to Herodotus, the Historian; Phrynichus of Athens, a Tragedian; Heraclitus of Ephesus, called Scotinus; Xeno of Velia in Italy, and Pythagoras of Samos. 17. Next to the Divine Poets, of whom Orpheus was the head, the seven first mentioned were particularly called sophy, or Wisemen. But Pythagoras would not arrogate so much to himself, and therefore choose rather to be called Philosophus, or a lover of Wisdom. He was born at Sidon in Phaenicia, about the 53d. Olympiad, and died at Metapontum in Italy, in the 4th. year of the 70th. Olympiad. SECT. II. Of the graecian Affairs, from the Battels of Plataea and Mycale, to the Peloponnesian War. The space of 48 years. 1. THE Persians being expelled Europe, both by Sea and Land, and those few who fled to the Promontory Mycale, being quiter cut off, Leutychides the Lacedemonian, Admiral of the graecian Fleet, returned home with the Confederate Peloponnesians. The Athenians, together with the jonians and those of the Hellespont, besieged Sestus, and after they had taken it return'd likewise home. 2. The Athenians, after the defeat of Mardonius, brought back their Wives and Children to the City, and by the help of Aristides set up a Democratical Government. By the advice of Themistocles they set about the repairing of their Walls, which the Lacedemonians warmly opposed, but were eluded by the cunning and industry of that Man. Soon after, Pausanias the Lacedemonian, who gained the Victory at Plataea, made himself master of several Persian Cities; but having an eye upon the Kingdom of Greece, did privately enter into a League with Xerxes, who gave him his Daughter, as a reward of his Treachery. 3. Being charged with the Treachery, and with engaging the Helotae in the same Seditious Design, he took shelter in the Temple of Minerva, and the gate being shut up was starved to death. At the same time Themistocles, whom the Lacedemonians thro' envy had banished, died at the Court of Artaxerxes Longimanus, who had allowed him some Cities for maintaining him in his Exile: Five years after his Banishment, Aristides died, whose abstinence was such, that after his death there was not Estate enough left to maintain his Daughters, but the public was obliged to take the charge of' em. 4. The meek temper of Aristides, together with the haughty humour of Pausanias, occasioned the transferring of the Administration of the graecian Affairs both by Sea and Land, from the Lacedemonians to the Athenians: For the Allies of Sparta were so disobliged by the Pride of Pausanias, that they all run over to Aristides, who, under the pretence of making reprisals upon Xerxes, imposed Taxes on every City. Some were ordered to fit out such a number of Ships, and others to advance certain sums of Money. The iceland Delos was the Place appointed for the Treasury, the gathering and disposal of which was solely left to the Athenians. 5. Aristides laid on a Tax of 460 Talents, Pericles raised it to 600, but after his death it was screu'd up to 1300. The Athenians converted to their own uses what was only designed for the public good, and laid out that Money in opposing the Cities, which was gathered for the common benefit of them all. 6. The Athenians being transported with their new Power, possessed themselves of Thassus, as taking it ill that the People of that iceland should be masters of Silver and Gold Mines. The Thassians desired assistance of the Lacedemonians, but they were busy at home, being engaged with the Helotae, who rebelled and possessed themselves of Ithomes, after a great Earthquake. So that the People of Thassus were left to the discretion of their Enemy. 7. The Lacedemonians having lost 3000 Men, and several Houses, by the Earth-quake, sought help from the Athenians. The Athenians sent them Auxiliary Forces: But the Lacedemonians, upon some sinister Construction, sent them immediately home again. This the Athenians looked upon as a great Affront, and thereupon enter d into a League with the Argivans, their Enemies. After 10 years they expelled their Servants out of Ithomes, and possessed themselves of Megara, which had sided with the Lacedemonians against the Corinthians. This was the Original of the Jealousies between the Athenians and Spartans, as also between the former and the Corinthians. 8. At the same time mycenae was taken and destroyed by the Argivans, because the Citizens would not sit with the Argivan yoke. The War between the Athenians and Corinthians upon the account of Megara broken out again, but the Athenians came off with the Victory. The Athenians likewise assisted the Phocians against the Dorians and Lacedemonians, but were not so successful, and besides sustained several losses in Egypt and elsewhere, so that they were obliged to make Peace with the Peloponnesians, and to part with Boeotia, at the same time that the iceland Euboea revolted from' em. 9. However, Pericles, the Son of Xanthippus, recovered Euboea to them, and did so bribe the Peloponnesian Officers, that they return'd home and left Attica, when they had just invaded it. This success disposed both parties to a Peace of 30 years. Soon after Pericles subdued the iceland Samos, and the Byzantians were so apprehensive of the like fate, that they surrendered their City to the Athenians. 10. In the 2d. year of the 85th. Olympiad, and the 25th. of Artaxerxes Longimanus, these Commotions happened, which not only occasioned the Corinthian War, but laid the foundation of the Pelopennesian. The People of Corcyra, were a Colony of the Corinthians, and those of Epidamnus were another of the Corcyreans. The Epidamnians were oppressed with Seditions at home, and finding their own banished Persons too hard for them, had recourse to the Corcyreans as their Patrons: But they either favoured the seditious Persons, or were so taken up with other things that they could not mind their concerns. The Corinthians, who always complained of the Haughtiness and Pride of their Colonies, embraced this opportunity of Chastising them. At the same time the Corcyreans alleged, that the business of Epidamnus belonged wholly to them, and that the Corinthians did amiss in offering to meddle with it. 11. The Town being defended by a Corinthian Garrison, was taken by the Corcyreans, who, finding themselves not able to cope with the Corinthians, entered into an Alliance with the Athenians. The Athenians indeed thought to find their account by possessing themselves of the iceland Corcyra, from whence they might be able to annoy the Peloponnesians, with whom they saw a War ready to break out. 12. With their assistance, the Corcyreans defeated the Corinthians, in a Sea Engagement. The Athenians, for fear the Corinthians should prejudice them in Thracia by inveigling their Cities, endeavoured to persuade the Potidaeatae, a Colony of the Corinthians planted in the Isthmus Palenae, to reject the Magistrate that was sent them every year from Corinth, and to take in an Athenian Garrison; but the Potidaeatae refusing to comply with the motion, were blocked up by Sea and Land. 13. This incensed the Corinthians; and moved them to desire the assistance of their Neighbours, who sent Ambassadors to lacedaemon to arraign the Athenians. There a War was agreed and concluded upon, and an Embassy was sent to demand such things of the Athenians, as they knew would never be granted. Sthenelaidas the Ephorus persuaded the Lacedemonians to engage in this War; and Pericles on the other hand stirred up the Athenians, to the end that the public business might divert the People from inspecting the Accounts of the Money given for public uses, which he had laid out upon his private concerns. Hitherto they had carried on their debates without the formalities of heralds, but so soon as their contests were carried on so far as to infringe their mutual Leagues, they gave rise to a heavy War. 14. At this time flourished Aeschylus, the Tragedian; Iccus, the physician of Tarentum; Anaxagoras of Clazomene, whom Pericles his Disciple seconded; Panyasis, the Poet; Pericles the incomparable Athenian General and Orator, whose Harangues, says Aristophanes, were able to Lighten and Thunder, and set all Greece by the ears: For in former times Eloquence and Valour lodged in the same Persons. Charondas, Law-giver to the Thurii, and Zaleucus, Law-giver to the Locri, both of 'em Pythagoras's Disciples. 15. Melissus, Protagoras, Empedocles, Herodotus Halicarnasseus, whom Cicero entitles the Father of History; Euripides the Tragedian, and Sophocles, the Athenian General; Phrynichus, the Comedian; and Pindarus of Thebes, the Prince of lyric Poets. In the year preceding the Peloponnesian War, when Apsendes was Archon, Meton the Athenian commenced his cycle of the Moon, or the Golden number, containing 19 years. SECT. II. From the beginning to the end of the Peloponnesian War. The Space of 27 Years. 1. THE Peloponnesian War broken out in the 15th year after the Athenians recovered Euboea, and struck a Truce for 30 years; 6 months after the battle between the Athenians and Corinthians fought at Potidaea; in the 48 year of the Priesthood of Chryses the Argivan, when Aenesias was Ephorus, and Pythodorus Archon, in the first year of the 87 Olympiad, the 33 year of Artaxerxes Longimanus, A. M. 3573. Things were now come to that pass, that no Commerce was allowed without a herald, and every thing was carried on by force. 2. In the second month of the Government of Pythodorus, in the beginning of the Spring, the Thebans apprehending the approach of the War, attempted to possess themselves of Plataea, as being a place very convenient for their designs: But the Citizens rose up and cut off their Souldiers, a smaller number of whom had entered the City than they imagined. This the Athenians cried out upon, as being an injury done to them who were engaged in an Alliance with the Plateans; and in resentment took the Boeotians Prisoners wherever they met them. Thus the League was mutually broken and both sides took up Arms. But most of the Grecians sided with the Lacedemonians, who were then looked upon as the Protectors of Greece. 3. All the Peloponnesians, bating the Argivans and Athenians, sided with them: And even among these the Palenians joined with them at first, and their example was afterwards followed by the rest. Out of the Peloponnesus they were joined by the Megarans, Phocians, Locrians, Beotians, Ambracians, Leucadians, and Anactorians. The Athenians were joined by the people of Chios, Lesbos, Plataea, Messene, Neupactum, Acarnania, Corcyra, Zacinthus, and the other Towns: The Carians towards the Sea side, with the Dorians their neighbours, the jonians that lived towards the hellespont, several Thracian Cities, and many other Towns, besides the Islands lying to the eastward between Creet and the Peloponnesus, together with all the Cyclades, excepting Melus and Thera. 4. The Confederates being gathered into one Body at the Isthmus, invaded Attica, under the Command of Archidamus K. of lacedaemon. The Athenians, in order to divert them, sent Forces to plunder the Peloponnesus; and turned out the Inhabitants of Aegina, and put a Colony of their own into it. In the second Summer, when Archidamus return'd to Attica, the Country was mightily dispeopl'd by a horrible Plague, which swept off an infinite number, and among the rest Pericles. However, Potidaea was surrendered to the Athenians in the midst of all their distress. The Peloponnesians continued to renew their Incursions into Attica every year, for six years together; in which space Mitylaene was surrendered to the Athenians, and Plataea to the Lacedemonians. 5. In the sixth year, while Agis the Son of Archidamus was yet in Attica, Demosthenes the Athenian sailed towards Sicily, and possessed himself of Pylus a Promontory of Laconia, which he fortified strongly. The Lacedemonians were so much disturbed at this adventure, that they recalled their Army from Attica, and bended all their Forces, both by Sea and Land, upon the taking of Pylus. In the first place, to carry on the attack more conveniently, they possessed themselves of Sphacteria an iceland opposite to the Promontory. But the Athenian Navy came up with them, and being much the stronger, and more numerous, shattered the Lacedemonian Fleet in the Harbour, and blocked up the Besiegers in the Isle of Sphacteria. 6. The Lacedemonians, upon this disaster, sent Ambassadors to Athens, to treat of Peace. But one clear, a cunning and turbulent fellow, rendered their Embassy ineffectual, so that the besieged were obliged to surrender; and the Athenians resolved to put 'em all to the Sword, so soon as the Lacedemonians invaded Attica. By this means, the Athenians became so great, that they rejected the most honourable terms of Peace. 7. But soon after, in assisting a party of Boeotians that endeavoured to introduce a popular Government, they were defeated at Delos; and were again routed at Amphipolis a City in Thrace, where Brasidas the Lacedemonian mauled 'em sadly. Then they began to repent of their stiffness, and were not against proposals of Peace. But on the other hand, the Lacedemonians, who made account to make good their designs by invading Attica, saw thro the vanity of their hopes, and always called to mind the defeat they met with in the Isle; they were galled by the excursions of the Athenians from Pylus, and the iceland Cithera, which the Athenians were Masters of, and which lay just by Laconia; they were possessed with fears, that Argos, a most potent City, that always hated the Lacedemonians, would now join with their Enemies, the year of their Truce being then expired: But after all they could not tamely sit with the Captivity of their Men that were taken in the Isle. 8. However, a Peace was struck for five years; chiefly upon these terms, that all Places and Prisoners taken on either side should be given up, excepting a few Cities. But several Cities complained of the injustice of this Peace, and instead of continuing their hatred against the Athenians, their known Enemies, transfered it upon the Lacedemonians, as being guilty of flaming Injustice. Above all, the Corinthians cried out that they were much injured; and joined with the other Peloponnesians, and the Argives; upon the consideration that the Lacedemonians had so lately struck up a Peace with the Athenians; and that 'twas to feared the Athenians might be brought to side with the Peloponnesians; which if they did, Corinth had unavoidably been undone. 9. The Lacedemonians deprecated the resentment of the Cities; but in avoiding one inconvenience, they fell in with another. They endeavoured to comply with all the demands of the Athenians; but did nothing to the purpose, for the places that were to be restored were not in their own hands, but those of their allies. The Athenians charged 'em with many failures upon this score, and absolutely refused to give up Pylus. But the Lacedemonians were eager to have it; and in order to the obtaining of it got Panactum from the Boeotians to be delivered to the thenians, but upon these terms, that the Town should be dismantled, and that the Lacedemonians should enter into an Alliance with the Boeotians. So that the Athenians whom they endeavoured so much to oblige, had two reasons to be angry with 'em, first for dismantling the Town, and then for making a League with the Boeotians, which was directly contrary to the Rules of a close Alliance. 10. While the angry Athenians continued in suspense, whether they should think of Peace or War; Alcibiades, a youth of a noble descent, and Pericles's Sister's Son, pushed 'em on to War: And the Ephori themselves were so far against Peace, that all proposals of accommodation were rejected. So that the Athenians entered into a Confederacy with the Argives and some other Peloponnesians, and employed Alcibiades to make a descent into the Peloponnesus. Next Summer, the Lacedemonians sent their King Agis to maul the Argives; and afterwards checked him severely for his ill success: But he having obtained his pardon for once, marched against 'em a second time, and retrieved his famed, by defeating them in a Bloody and most noble Battle, as Thucidydes calls it. 11. Notwithstanding this Victory, the Lacedemonians still courted the Alliance of the Argives; and indeed a League was brought about by the Ministry of their chief Noblemen, who were for an Oligarchy. But soon after, the people getting the upper-hand, looked upon it as illegal; and renewed an Alliance with the Athenians, who were under the same Republican Government. Hitherto the Lacedemonians thought themselves at so low an Ebb, that, tho the Athenians attacked Melus their Colony( which they afterwards mastered, and used very cruelly) and made Incursions from Pylus into Laconia; yet they did not complain of the violation of the Treaty; but only allowed their Subjects to plunder the Athenians. And these were the transactions of the Summer of the tenth year. 12. But in the fourth year of this War; the Athenians, tho at the same time otherwise engaged, had fitted out a Fleet for Sicily; and gave it out, as if they had designed to assist the Leontinae against the Syracusans; but the real project was to make themselves Masters of that Isle, by virtue of which they might gull Greece more sensibly. They continued now and then to sand Forces thither, and foment their Divisions: Whereupon Hermocrates the Syracusan persuaded 'em to lay aside all their animosities, and join unanimously in a vigorous opposition to the Athenians, who carried on a design against their Liberties. 13. But all Hermocrates's Remonstrances, could not keep the Citizens of Egesta from falling by the ears with those of Selinus, whom the Syracusans sided with. Egesta had entered into a Confederacy with the Athenians, and desired Auxiliary Troops from them, offering to pay themselves. The Athenians, who were fond of any opportunity of enlarging their Dominions, sent some Deputies to Egesta, to inquire into the Riches and splendour of the City. The Deputies return'd and magnified their Riches beyond their due extent: Whereupon the people resolved to sand 'em Auxiliary Troops under the conduct of Nicias, Alcibiades, and Lamachus. And great preparations were made for War. 14. When the Fleet was just ready to put off, the Statues of Hermes or Mercurius, which stood at the Citizens Gates, were maimed in the night-time of their Arms. This mightily incensed the people, and inflamed their suspicion of Alcibiades, who was a Man of an aspiring temper, and seemed to dislike the popular Government. Alcibiades dreaded that his Enemies would get him condemned in absence; and therefore desired a trial before his departure. But those who knew his interest with the Soldiers, had no mind to start the quarrel before he set out. But as soon as the Fleet came upon the Sicilian cost, he was recalled, and fled to lacedaemon; whereupon he was condemned, and some of his friends were put to death. 15. In the mean time the Lacedemonians and Corinthians assisted Selinus and Syracusa; and Gylippus the Lacedemonian proved a great obstacle to the projects of Nicias. Nicias indeed was not wanting in serving his Country; but being blamed by Demosthenes for not attacking Syracusa, which was the bulwark of the War; was influenced by his authority to attack Epipolae, a very inaccessible place; and when had done his utmost, whas obliged to retire with loss. 16. Demosthenes, being cast down by this disaster, had a mind to be gone. But Nicias, knowing the humour of the People, who always measure things by the event, was unwilling to put his Life and Fortune in so much danger. But afterwards upon the news that Gylippus advanced with fresh Troops, he changed his mind, and was just making ready to get off when the Moon happened to be Eclipsed. Then Nicias was so swayed by superstition, that he would not stir till the 27 day. Upon the glad news of their delay, the Syracusans resolved to cut off their retreat, or at least to oblige 'em to take another way. First of all, they attacked their Camp, and the next day forced 'em to an Engagement both by Sea and Land. And Eurymedon, Nicias's colleague, died in a very sharp Engagement, in the mouth of the Harbour. 17. The Syracusans having resolved to secure the mouth of the Harbour with a wall, in order to prevent the retreat of their Enemies; the Athenians resolved upon another Sea Engagement, and in case it proved unfortunate, designed to burn their Ships and march off by Land. In pursuance of this resolution they endeavoured to join their Camp to their Fleet; but the Syracusans opposed the enterprise so vigorously, that the two Navy's fell in with one another, and there followed such an Engagement as was never heard of. After the Engagement, the Land Forces refused▪ to board the Ships; and therefore there was a necessity of pushing on a Land Fight. Had they gone immediately off, they had done better; but Hermonates the Syracusan managed 'em so dexterously, that they lingered till the third day. 18. Their flight presented the world with a memorable spectacle, of Howlings, Sorrow, Misery, and the uncertainty of human Affairs. Gylippus took 130 of their Ships in that Harbour; and obliged the rest to strike, who had fled, and divided themselves into two Squadrons. In one day 18000 of 'em were killed, and 700 taken and condemned to the Mines, who were afterwards sold. Nicias and Demosthenes either died in Prison, or laid violent hands on themselves. And this was the upshot of the Ambition of the Athenians, who, by grasping at all, were mortified with the loss of almost every thing. 19. The more the Athenians were mortified in seeing themselves baulked, the greater was the Joy and Congratulation of the other Grecians: Such of 'em as waged War with the Athenians, seemed to Triumph over their most Cruel and Haughty Enemies; and such as served under them were glad to be rid of the yoke of Bondage. Alcibiades, then in Exile, was busy in projecting against his Country; but soon after he became suspected to the Peloponnesians, and Agis, the King, whose Wife he had debauched, gave orders to Astyochus, his General, to kill him. Whereupon he fled to Tissaphernes, whom he alienated from the Peloponnesians, by suggesting such things to the governor as made well for the King. 20. For he opened to him the whole case of the Lacedemonians, and persuaded him to change the Soldiers pay from a Drachma to three Obuli; and told him he ought to stop even a part of that, in order to make the Soldiers more obedient, upon the account of having their full pay. He told him, that he ought by all means to take care that the Athenians were not quiter undone by the Lacedemonians; that 'twas his interest to keep these two Cities upon a Balance, in order to waste one another; that he ought rather to have most regard for the Athenians, who contented themselves with being masters of the Sea, without extending their Conquests further; whereas, the Ambition of the Lacedemonians was boundless, insomuch, that they made account to free all the Grecians from the Persian yoke. 21. Tissaphernes looked upon these suggestions as the Dictates of an Oracle, and took all his measures accordingly: So that he never performed his promise of joining his Fleet with that of the Grecians, and cut the sinews of their Forces by stoping their pay. Alcibiades thought of nothing now but returning to his own Country, and wrote some Letters to that effect; but insinuated that he would not willingly return, unless the Popular Government, under which he was banished, were abolished. 22. The Nobility indeed got this done for him; but matters were not yet ripe, by reason that Tissaphernes did not continue his Friend. The Athenian Army was then at Samos, and were mightily displeased with the change of the form of Government: Whereupon he made his address to them, and they recalled him. Now the heats between the Army and the 400 Oligarchical Men who had the Administration of Affairs in their hands, came to that height, that the Athenians were again beaten at Sea, and would certainly have been quiter undone, had they been engaged with any other Enemies besides the Lacedemonians, who were always lazy and backward for action. 23. Upon this disaster they endeavoured to make Friends with the Army; and, to that end, transferred the Government from 400 Men to 5000, and enacted such Laws, that Thucydides says, the republic of the Athenians was then in its best Constitution, as being equally removed from the Imposition of a few, and the boundless Liberty of a multitude. Affairs being thus put in order, they began to cheer up, and entertain better hopes. In the mean time Alcibiades went to visit Tissaphernes, and was detained Prisoner by him, who mean'd by so doing to oblige the King, who, he feared, might be wrought upon by the querulous requests of the Lacedemonians. 24. However, Alcibiades escaped out of Prison, and advancing to Cyzicum, defeated Mindarus, the Lacedemonian General, both by Sea and Land; and took all the Peloponnesian Ships, insomuch that Letters were intercepted, as directed for lacedaemon, which gave this laconic account of their case. All's gone; Mindarus is lost: The Soldiers are starved for hunger. We cannot tell what to do. 25. Upon this turn of Affairs, the Lacedemonians sent Ambassadors to Athens, with proposals of Peace. But Cleophon persuaded the Athenians not to give them any Audience: So necessary was the Fate that awaited the Athenians. For a short time indeed things went pretty even with 'em, and when Alcibiades return'd, they treated him very honourably, and made him their General. But soon after, such was the temerity of the Mob, that they degraded him because the Admiral of the Fleet had fought unfortunately in his absence, and nominated ten Generals for the Land and Naval Force. These ten defeated Callicratides, the Lacedemonian, Lysander's successor, in a Sea Engagement; but by reason that some of the Ships were run down, and some of the Soldiers so lost, instead of being invested with the honours they merited, were sentenced to die; and six of 'em, of whom Pericles, the Son of Pericles, was one, were beheaded. 26. Then the Peloponnesians perceived their Affairs were in a staggering condition, and therefore resolved to take other measures, and to make Lysander Admiral. By the Laws of the Country Lysander could not be twice Admiral: But, in order to elude them, he was employed as Vice-Admiral under one Aracus. Lysander fell in with the Athenian Fleet in the River Aegospotamus, which lay there securely, and out of order, and of 130 Ships took 'em all, bating 8, and of 3000 Soldiers they were all killed, bating one Adimantus. 27. Lysander cleared all the Cities of the Athenian Garrisons, which he sent home to Athens, to the end, that the City being crowded with People, might be uncapable to endure a long siege. He dissolved the Democratical Government, and introduced Oligarchy every where, insomuch that he got his own Friends to be invested with Power in all the Cities, and by that means obtained a sort of tyranny over Greece. At last he fetched his Forces from lacedaemon, and invested Athens by Sea and Land, which, after standing out to the last extremity, surrendered upon these terms. 28. The Fortifications of the Haven, and the long Walls, were to be demolished; all their Ships, bating 12, to be given up; their banished persons to be received; the Athenians were to stand and fall with the Lacedemonians, and make Peace and War as they did. Lysander possessed himself of the Ships and Walls on the 16th day of the month Munichion: The Ships he set on fire; and the Walls were levelled to the Ground with sound of Trumpet. Thus the 27th year, and the War itself, which took off more graecian Captains, than almost all the preceding Wars, came to an end, in the 78th year after the Trojan War, the 4th year of the 93d Olympiad, the 19th of Darius Nothus, A. M. 3600. SECT. VI. From the end of the Peloponnesian War, to the beginning of the Reign of Philip King of Macedonia. The space of 44 Years. 1. THE next year, in which the 94th Olympiad was celebrated, Crocina, the Thessalian being Victor, when Endicus was Ephorus, and Pythodorus Archon at Athens, 30 Men were chosen to make Laws, and manage the Affairs of the republic. These 30 Men having got the Power into their hands, by the assistance of Lysander, thought of nothing, but establishing their own power, and introduced a more monstrous and insufferable Tyranny than was ever heard of elsewhere. Blood and rapine shined through eevery part of it: Citizens were pitched upon whose Estates would be a goodly spoil after they were murdered: And Theramenes their Colleague was sentenced to drink a draft of Hemlock, by a judgement which was so much the more injust, because it was public. His Crime was, that he hated their monstrous wickedness, and made it his business to stop the mischievous effects of the same. 2. A great part of the Citizens went off and banished themselves; and their Estates were declared to be forfeited to the Tyrants Exchequer. Among those Citizens, there was one Thrasybulus, who at the head of 30 Men first possessed himself of Phyle a Castle in Attica; and afterwards being fortified by the number of Men that fled thither, mastered the Haven; whereupon those who remained in the City, wrested the government out of the hands of the Tyrants. The Tyrants sought assistance from the Lacedemonians, whereupon Lysander came presently, and besieged the Pyraeum. But his treatment of the banished persons was so hard, that Pausanias the King, who envied him the glory of conquering Athens a second time, rendered all his attempts ineffectual. So that Pausanias restored Athens to its former condition; he banished the Tyrants and put the Government into the hands of the people, and a general indemnity was concluded upon by universal consent; which according to Xenophon's remark, was the great and the only bond of Peace and concord, and was admirably well calculated for those times. 3. This was the exit of the Tyranny of the 30 Men: Who, as one says, being preferred to sit at the Helm of Affairs by the Senates Decree, put 1400 Citizens to Death, and banished more than 5000. Neither did their fury confine itself to the Town, but reached even to Asia, and brought destruction to Alcibiades the hope of his Country: For they feared that one day he might come and rescue Athens, and could promise themselves no security while he lived; and with that view entreated the Lacedemonians by any means to take him out of the way. The Lacedemonians obliged Pharnabazus to perpetrate the murder, either because they dreaded him as well as the Tyrants, or out of a design to oblige King Agis, whose Wife he had kissed. Alcibiades died in the flower of his age, when he had not seen above 40 years. He was a Man of a wonderful genius, and handsome to the last degree. Socrates loved him with a true Platonical Love; but it seems it produced no great effects, since it is apparent that Alcibiades was equally superior to all Men, both in 'vice and virtue. Cyrus the lesser being killed in the battle at Cunaza, implored the assistance of the Lacedemonians. against Tissaphernes. Accordingly they sent Thimbrones into Asia; and when they heard that a great Fleet was fitting out in Phoenicia, Agesilaus their King went himself upon the Expedition. This Agesilaus was the Brother of Agis, that died but lately; he was lame of one Leg, and worsted Leotychidas in a dispute upon the right of Succession, by Lysander's assistance. 'twas shrewdly suspected that this Leotcyhidas was not the genuine Son of Agis, but was begot by Alcibiades. As soon as Agesilaus arrived in Asia, he found that Lysanders dignity, and the glory of his memorable actions obscured him: Upon which account he always was against his motions, in order to eclipse his interest, and removed him to the administration of other things at a great distance. However he carried every thing before him, so that he seemed to stand fair for the Empire of the East; when the Persians finding there was a necessity of getting him out of Asia, or else they were undone, bribed the graecian Cities with Gold, to declare War against the Lacedemonians, in order to constrain him to return to the relief of his Country. 6. The Thebans were the first, that attacked the Lacedemonians, and Pausanias the King and Lysander were sent to make head against them. Lysander first brought off Orchomenum from their Confederacy with the Thebans, and afterwards died in the Siege of Haliartum. He was a cruel and cunning fellow, who always promoted his own designs right or wrong, and used to say that when the Cast-Coats of A Lion would not serve, the skin of a Fox should be patched upon' em. But Pausanias was condemned for not sending him relief according to his promise, and for several other Crimes, with which he was charged; whereupon he fled to Tegea, where he sickened and died. However the Ephori, and Aristodemus Guardian to King Agesipolis, drew together 15000 Men, and routed the Confederate Army, consisting of 20000, with the loss only of 8 Men. 7. Agesilaus return'd to Greece, and routed the Confederates, in the bloody battle at Chaeronea, where the Beotians, Athenians, Argivans, Corinthians, Eubeans, Aenians, and both the Locrians, were engaged. He managed the Argives very successfully: But Conon the Athenian, who promoted the interest of his Country in many things by the assistance of the Persians, joined with Pharnabazus, and those two jointly routed the Lacedemonians in a Sea-fight; and it seemed as if Conon would have pursued his Victory further, insomuch that the Lacedemonians thought it fit to propose a Peace, which after several interviews was at length obtained. This Peace was the the first concluded upon between the Lacedemonians, Athenians, &c. after the Peloponnesian War, and was called by the name of Antalcidas the Ambassador that concerted it. But in effect it ought rather to be called a betraying of the graecian Cities, since 'twas upon the pretence of asserting their liberty that Agesilaus invaded Asia. 8. The Lacedemonians having thus obtained Peace, became very proud, and pretended to call some of their Neighbours to account, for favouring their Enemies. They obliged the inhabitants of mantinaea to throw down the Walls of their City, and retire to their Villages, and constrained the Phliasii to recall their own banished persons. They declared War against the Olynthians, being induced so to do by the complaints of the inhabitants of Acanthus and Apolloniatis, who arraigned them of a Conspiracy with the Athenians and Thebans. At this time the Olynthians were justly much redoubted, for they had mastered a great part of Macedonia, and possessed themselves of Pella the Metropolitan: And upon the same pretence that the Laeedemonians had formerly made use of, of rescuing the graecian Cities, had outed King Amyntas of almost his whole Dominions. 9. Eudamidas was sent into Thrace with 2000 Men to make head against' em. He took Potidaea, and indeed did enough considering his force. Thebidas his Brother was sent after him with an Army, who upon his Journey turned off to Thebes, the Thebans being then Seditious, and possessed himself of the Castle of Cadmaea, which Leontidas Polemarchus betrayed into his hands. The Confederates did not approve of this exploit; but finding that Agesilaus was an inveterat Enemy to the Thebans, and countenanced the Action, and being afraid to thwart the Lacedemonians, sent Ambassadors of their own, who together with the three Lacedemonian ones, charged Ismenias Colleague to Leontidas, with a Conspiracy with the King of Persia, and sentenced him to death, and gave the Government of the City to Leontidas and his Complices. 10. The Lacedemonians took Olynthus, and subdued the Phliasii, under the Conduct of Agesilaus. But at the same time that every thing seemed to go according to their wishes, all of a sudden the banished Persons recovered Thebes: And by a Stratagem of theirs, Sphodrias, the Lacedemonian, was induced to invade Attica; and Agesilaus, upon the solicitation of his Son Archidamus, countenanced the invasion: Whereupon the project of the banished Thebans took effect, that is, the Athenians were so incensed, that they joined in with the Thebans, and carried the Victory by Sea oftener than once. Agesilaus marched twice against the Baeotians, but came off with the loss, as well as several others after him. By this means the Thebans were encouraged, and being daily exercised in War, instead of defending themselves, began to aspire at the Empire of Greece; Fortune itself having lead the way to them, and driven them upon that project. 11. In the next year, which was the 2 of the 101 Olympiad, and the 30 of the Reign of Artaxerxes Mnemon, in the Archonship of Hippodamus; Artaxerxes saw it his interest to have assistance from the Grecians against the Egyptians, and with that view got 'em to make Peace one with another. But the Thebans, who were puffed up by prosperity, refused to stand to the Peace, or to set the Baeotian Cities at liberty. They were animated by the warlike genius of their Citizens, especially Pelopidas and, Epaminondas who from a poor Philosopher, rose to be the famousest of all the graecian Generals. 12. And even those who desired the Peace, could not enjoy it or confine themselves to its prescriptions; for those who set up for Democracy, after they got clear of the Lacedemonian yoke, were inveterate Enemies to the Oligarchy-men, and bloody Murders were reciprocally committed, while sometimes these and sometimes the People had the upper-hand: Neither did these graecian feuds come to an end till they were reduced under one Empire. 13. However, the Lacedemonians always stood by Oligarchy, and the Atheniaas by the Popular Government: So that the Peace was presently trampled upon, and both Parties took up Arms. The Thebans observing that the other two were chiefly at variance, minded their game very close, and possessed themselves of Plataea and Thespia, because they seemed to favour the Athenians; which Cities they levelled with the ground, at the same time that Helice and Bura, two Achaian Cities, perished by an Earth-quake, and a subsequent irruption of the Sea. 14. The next year being the first of the 102 Olympiad, in which Damon, was Victor, and Alcisthenes was Archon, Artaxerxes got the Cities once more to make Peace one with another. But the Thebans going upon the same motives as above, would not stand to it. Whereupon the Lacedemonians declared War against them, as the common Enemies of Greece, and were fortified by Auxiliary Troops from all the rest, insomuch that Thebes seemed to be in a desperate condition. 15. But the Lacedemonians were not ware they had to do with Epaminondas, the Theban General, who routed and killed Cleombrotus their King, at Leuctra, after he had invaded Boeotia, and upon the arrival of new Auxiliaries, violated a Truce. In that Engagement there were 4000 Confederates and 3000 Thebans slain. This battle happened in the 34 year after the Peloponnesian War, the 2 of the 102 Olympiad, 34 the of Artaxerxes Mnemon, in the Archonship of Phrasiclis, A. M. 3634. 16. Upon the News of this defeat, the Lacedemonians behaved themselves with a great deal of Constancy, and sent Archidamus, their King, to invade Boeotia once more; but as soon as he arrived there, a Truce was agreed to by Jason, the Thessalian. After the Victory at Leuctria, Epaminondas had persuaded all the Arcadians to Incorporate into one City, which was called Magalopolis. He likewise sent Messengers to Sicily, Italy, and the Euesperian Islands, and to all other Countries, in which the Messenians were dispersed, to recall them to the Seat of their Grandsires, which then retrieved its ancient name Messene. This restoration of the Messenians happened in the 228 year after the taking of Ira, the 3 of the 102 Olympiad, while Dyscinetus was Archon; during the whole Interval of their absence they retained their own Rights and the doric Dialect. This is Pausanias's account of the matter, but Diodorus would have Megalopolis to be built two years later. 17. The Arcadians being invaded by the Lacedemonians, sought help from the Athenians in vain, but obtained it of the Thebans. Epaminondas invaded Laconia, and restored Messene to its Primitive Splendour, and after he had been 85 days out, was attacked upon his return, by Iphicrates the Athenian, whom he defeated and pursued to the Walls of the City. But, after all, he return'd too late, because the Laws provided that new Captains should be chosen in the beginning of the month Bucatium, and was thereupon brought to a trial. 18. He pleaded that he was not at all unwilling to die, providing they would engrave upon his Tomb the great and Mighty Actions he had done. But the People were so much taken with the recital of his achievements, that they freely cleared him. Soon after he return'd to Peloponnesus, and, after the doing of many good services to the Confederates, and the taking of several Cities, attacked Corinth, but, being repulsed by Chabrias, return'd to Thebes. 19. The Arcadians thinking it unworthy of them to be retainers in the War, withdrew themselves from their Alliance, and made friends with the Athenians. The Pisatae waged War with the Eleans; and claimed a right to the Administration of the olympic Games, by virtue of some fabulous pleas. And indeed they administered at the Celebration of the 104 Olympiad, which is therefore left out in the Catalogue of the Olympiads in the Elean Annals; and it is not certain who was then Victor. However, the Arcadians being possessed of the olympic Temple, converted the Money they found there to the use of their Soldiers. 20. The Mantineans protested loudly against this sacrilege, and the quarrel rose so high, that the Thebans were called in to prevent the fears of Arcadia's falling wholly into the Lacedemonian hands. Epaminondas was once more employed to check the but the Arcadians( both Mantineans and others) smelling that the Thebans had a design to subdue the Peloponnesus, made their address to the Athenians and Lacedemonians, and implored their friendship and assistance. Epaminondas, upon the news that Agesilaus with the Lacedemonian Forces was come up to assist the Arcadians, marched directly to Sparta, which was then empty and exposed, and which he had certainly carried, had not the divine Providence, as Xenophon oberves, stood in the way: For some-body or other had acquainted the King with the design, whereupon he sent speedy notice to the Citizens of the approaching danger, with promises of speedy assistance from him. 21. When Epaminondas found that his design was render d ineffectual, by the approach of the Lacedemonian and Arcadian Troops; and that mantinaea was left defenceless, he returned with all possible expedition to possess himself of it. But Hegelochus the Athenian at the head of 6000 men prevented his design. But after all Epaminondas thought he could not handsomely return without an Engagement, and therefore resolved to wait the return of all the Confederates. 22. He marched towards Tegea, and having drawn up his Army Wedge-wise, surprised the Enemy, and slay great numbers; but pursuing the fight too eagerly and securely, received a Wound in his Breast, and was carried back to the Camp with the Dart sticking in the wound: where, as soon as he found that his Shield was entire, and that his Men had carried the Victory, he ordered the Dart to be taken out of his body, and immediately expired. This was the Exit of one that performed all the offices of a Man and a Philosopher, and of a General: The glory and credit of Greece and Boeotia, and the ornament of their Schools and Military-arts. 23. The Character of Epaminondas will sufficiently appear, if we consider that before his time the Thebans never did a memorable action, and after his day they were tossed from one rub to another, and quickly made shipwreck of their whole fortune. However the issue of this War was, that neither side was Victor, tho both of 'em made a show of the Victory by erecting of Trophies; and, as Xenophon says, the divine Providence ordered things much otherwise than Men expected. For by the intercession of Artaxerxes King of Persia, a mutual League was concluded upon by all Greece, notwithstanding the remonstrances of Agesilaus in order to exclude the Messenians. 24. The glory of Agesilaus seemed to be much eclipsed by this, that when he was eager for War, he suffered Greece to be torn in Pieces; and when he was worn out with age served Nectanebus the Egyptian Tyrant for Money. But he preferred the safety of his Country to every thing, and after he had sacrificed his honour to his avarice in serving the Egyptian, he died upon his return, in the 84 year of his age, and 41 of his reign, the next year after the death of Epaminondas, being that in which Artaxerxes died. He was a very great Man, and inferior to none for military and peaceable Virtues. 25. In this interval of time there flourished Hippocrates of Coos, the Prince of Physicians, Democritus of Abdera the Philosopher, Socrates the Athenian, Plato, Sophocles and Euripides two Poets, Ctesias the Physician and Historian, Aristotle of Staria the head of the peripatetics, Demosthenes the Athenian Orator, Eudoxus of Cnidos the Mathematician, Zeno of Citium the head of the stoics, Thucydides the Athenian Historian, and Xenophon, who for his Eloquence was called Musa attica, an excellent Philosopher, and a Man so admirably well versed in military affairs, that his bringing back the Grecians after the death of Cyrus the lesser, seems justly to surpass all the achievements of Alexander the Great, if not in the importance of the thing, at least in the variety of Stratagems and Conduct. SECT. V. From the beginning of the reign of Philip King of Macedonia, to the Monarchy of Alexander his Son. The space of 31 Years. 1. IN ancient times Macedonia being inhabited by the Pelasgians was called Emathia, and afterwards Boeotia. Telegonus Father to Astriopaeus that famous warrior, who served under Priamus, reigned in Poeonia; and Europus reigned in the other part. But about 5 years after the death of Sardanapalus, Caranus King of the Argives, the 10th from Hercules, upon advice from the Oracle lead a Colony into this Country, and established his Kingdom by force. After him there followed 15 Kings in order, till the time of Amyntas, Son to Phalareus or Philip. 2. Amyntas being conquered by the Illyrians, and despairing to retrieve his loss, gave a great part of the Kingdom to the Olynthians; which he afterwards demanded again, when he had brought his affairs to some tolerable condition. They refused to give up what was freely gifted them, and tho he obtained help from the Lacedemonians, yet he was worsted and lost a great part of his Kingdom, together with Pella the Metropolis. He had three Sons by his Wife Eurydice, namely Alexander, Perdiccas and Philip, together with one Daughter Euryone, and by Gygaea his other Wife Archelaus, with Argaeus and Menelaus who were afterwards killed by Philip their Brother. Alexander succeeded his Father, but Ptolomaeus Alorites robbed him both of his Life and his Kingdom, as some say through the Treachery of his Mother, who would formerly have made away with her husband, and obtained leave to mary this ptolemy her Son-in-law, for the sake of the common Children. 3. After 3 years Perdiccas the brother of Alexander killed ptolemy, and recovered his ancient Kingdom: And after he had possessed it for 5 years was either killed in a battle with the Illyrians, or murdered by his Mother. He left a Son, an infant, under the Guardianship of Philip his brother, in the second year of Ochus, the first of the 105 Olympiad, when Callimedes was Archon. It is said that Philip was kept as an Hostage at Thebes for some years, and sucked in the first rudiments of his Military and Civil Virtues, in conversing with Epaminondas. After he had acted as Regent for some time, the Macedonians being threatened by War on all hands, which the authority and strength of the young King were not fit to encounter, Philip was declared King. 4. For the Macedonians had been sadly maul d by the Illyrians, who likewise threatened another Invasion. The Poeonians made incursions upon them, and the King of Thrace employed his interest to set Pausanias upon the Throne, as the Athenians did theirs for Argaeus, both of 'em being Sons to Aeropius who had usurped the Kingdom. But Philip got clear of those difficulties, by winning the affections of his people. He restored the military discipline, and instituted the Macedonian Battalia; he took off the Poeonians and the King of Thrace by Money, and repulsed Argaeus and the Athenians with the force of his Arms. Nay he gained the good-will of the Athenians, by setting Amphipolis free, and showing a great deal of Clemency to the Prisoners. 5. When he thought he had sufficiently confirmed himself in the Government, he subdued the Poeonians, conquered the Illyrians, took Amphipolis, and after he had possessed himself of Potidaea gifted Pydna to the Olynthians, in order to procure their friendship, which he thought would be useful to him. He christened Crenides which was mightily enlarged by the accession of new Citizens, by the name of Philippi, and improved the Gold-mines of that place to that degree, that they fetched a 1000 Talents every year; upon which fond he began to be very great. For he coined this Gold into pieces which from him were called Philippica, and hired a great number of Troops, and bribed most of the Grecians to betray their Country. In the mean time his affairs went on the better, that the Athenians were engaged in a Social War, so that they could not mind Amphipolis, and the other affairs of Greece. 6. This sociable War took its rise from the revolt of the people of Chios, Rhodes, Coos and Byzantium from the Athenians. It lasted for three years, and then was put to an end, by reason that the Athenians feared the Persians would join in with the Rebels. The famous Men in this War were Jph●crates, Chabrias, and Timotheus, with whom the glory of all the graecian Generals was sunk and butted. 7. In the preceding year Philip had married Olympias Daughter of Neoptolemus King of the Molossi, and Grandaughter( not Sister as Plutarch would have it) to Arymbas or Aribbas. The Kings of the Thracians, Illyrians and Poeonians, looked upon his success with an envious eye, and attempted to do with joint force, what they could not compass separately. But Philip attacked them when they were running up and down in disorder, and easily reduced them to obedience. 8. The same year being the first of the 106 Olympiad, the 6th of Artaxerxes Ochus, in the Archonship of Elpinices, Alexander the Son of Philip and Olympias, was born at Pella, in the Month Boedromion, for he was 32 years old and 8 months when he died on the last day of the month Thargelion, save one. On the very day of his birth, the Temple of Diana at Ephesus was set on fire by some sorry little fellow, that designed to transmit his memory to Posterity, by the heinousness of the action. But it was enacted in the Pannonian or public Council of Asia, that none should make mention of his name, so that it is not certain who it was; some calling him Herostratus and others Lygdamis. 9. The next year, Callistratus being Archon, the Phocian or sacred War broken out. The Amphictyones had fined the Lacedemonians, for seizing upon Cadmea without any colour of right; and likewise amerc'd the Phocians in a 1000 Talents, for possessing themelves of Cirrhaea, a piece of ground that belonged to the delphic Temple. But Philomelus animated the Phocians mightily, by offering to prove from two verses of Homer, that in former times the Temple was under their patronage: whereupon he was made General with an ample and unlimited Power, and brought in the Lacedemonians to join in the War, as being injured at the same rate. 10. This delphic Temple and Oracle of Apollo Pythius was a very ancient thing. For Homer says that Agamemnon consulted it before the Trojan War. The place upon which it stood was reckoned the center of Greece, and of the World itself; and a fable was given out that Jupiter started two Eagles, one to the East, another to the West, which met again in this place, when they had passed through equal distances of space. The Oracle took its rise from the Goats that were fed about the Den which made unwonted sounds and uncouth gestures. 11. At first indeed one gave responses to another, without any difference; but when many people in fits of madness crowded into the Cave, a three footed machine was invented, in which a Woman might stand securely. That Woman was called, Pythia, from being intorogated; the first of all was Phemonoe. Virgins were commonly appointed for the Office, till one of 'em was debauched by Echecrates the Thessalian, whereupon Women of 50 years of age were pitched upon, who gave the responses in Virgins habits. In former times this Temple was mightily celebrated, upon the account of the Oracle, the meeting of the Amphictyones, the Pythian Games, and its Riches: But in Strabo's time its glory was much eclipsed. 12. Philomelus covered his designs with the highest pretences of Justice and Honesty, and engaged the Lacedemonians and Athenians on his side; but most of the other Grecians thought it their duty to vindicate the honour of the Temple with their Arms, and with that view joined in with the Thebans; and the Amphictyones backed their resolution with a Decree, amercing the Lacedemonians in 1000 Talents more, for not paying the former Fine within the limited time. But Philomelus, finding that the Forces of his Allies designed to make head against the Thebans, seized upon the Treasure of the Temple, and hired Soldiers with it: But his attempts proved successless, for he either died in battle, or threw himself headlong over a Rock, in order to avoid the being taken Prisoner by his Enemies. 13. Philomelus was followed by Onomarchus, who aided Lycophron the Tyrant of the Phereans against the Thessalonians and Philip, whom he defeated twice, and took Cheronea: But was afterwards taken Prisoner by Philip and strangled. To him succeeded Phayllus his Brother, who after he had bribed the greater Cities of Greece to assist him, died of a Consumption, without doing any memorable action. In the mean time Philip took Methona, in the Siege of which he lost his eye by a Dart; and snatched the Power out of the hands of the Pherean Tyrants. Then having conquered some Cities of the Hellespont he attacked the Olynthians, thinking that he had strength enough to subdue those, whom both he and his Grandsires had dreaded, and whom himself had by all means endeavoured to oblige. 14. Having defeated the Citizens twice, the Magistrates betrayed the City into his hands, which he levelled with the ground, and sold the Inhabitants, together with the spoil, for a vast sum of Money; with which he made account to carry on his design of bribing the Grecians to betray their Country. And indeed he found Traitors in every City, and did not stand to own that Gold had aggrandiz'd him more than Steel. Demosthenes cautioned the Athenians to be upon their Guard against this art of Bribery: but notwithstanding all their remonstrances he gained ground every day, by virtue of his Silver or Golden weapons: and triumphed over the Athenians themselves, in obtaining a Peace for Seven Years, having distributed Money among the popular Men, and as some say to Demosthenes himself. His design in the Peace was to gain time to get clear of his Thracian concerns, in order to bend all his force upon the worrying of Greece. 15. After his return from Thrace, the Beotians solicited him for assistance. Whereupon he invaded Phocis, and put an end to the War without coming to an engagement: For the greatness of his name moved Phalecus the Phocian General, to desert the Phocians, he and his Army having obtained leave to go off clear. Thus was the Phocian War put to an end after ten years, and the way of punishing the Phocians was remitted to the determination of the Amphyctiones. They decreed that the two fines in which they were amerc'd should be transfered to the use of Philip, in consideration of his diligence in promoting the interest of the Temple; that they should be excluded from the Temple, and allowed neither Arms nor Cavalry, till they restored the Treasures they had carried off; that all their banished Men should be taken up by way of reprisal, and atonement; their Towns leveled with the ground, and their Inhabitants dispersed in Villages, each of 'em consisting of 50 Families, and lying from one another, at the distance of a Furlong; and in fine, that they should pay a yearly Tribute of 60 Talents, till the damage were repaired. 16. This was the sentence given against all the Phocians, excepting the Abaeans who were the only Phocians that kept' emselves untainted with the Sacrilege. In the mean time Philip's Glory increased apace; and he used alluring ways to get himself chosen Commander of the Grecians against the Persians. For he had designed a War against them a long time before. He conquered the Illyrians and Thracians, and built Castles to awe them to obedience. The next year, being the 18th of Philip, Arymbas King of Molossi died, and left a Son, namely Aeacidas the Father of Pyrrhus. Philip turned Aeacidas, who was then a Child, out of his Kingdom, and put Alexander Brother to Olympias in his place: Some say, this Alexander was made King in the life-time of Arymbas, he being outted. 17. Then Philip attacked Perinthus and Byzantium, but without any great success; for the Persian Satrapae relieved the former, and the Athenians and their Allies raised the Siege of the latter: And by the Athenian interest Greece joined unanimously in so firm a League, that Philip was obliged to make Peace with' em. About this time Ateas King of Scythia was assaulted by the Istrians, and called in Philip to his assistance, promising him the right of Succession to his Crown, as a reward: but when the Istrians retired, he ate in his promise. This incensed Philip so, that he invaded Scythia▪ and took up a great Spoil; but upon his return 'twas all taken from him by the Triballi, upon which occasion he received a wound in his Thigh that went quiter through and killed his Horse. Isocrates the Orator made use of this opportunity, to writ a second Letter to the King, persuading him to Peace, but all in vain. 18. For that defeat only encouraged him to go on more briskly; so that he entred into an Alliance with most of the Grecians, and since the Athenians were the only Grecians that thwarted him, he resolved to check them by force of Arms, and surprise 'em unawares. Accordingly he seized upon Elatea in Phocis, whereupon the Athenians were put into a great constirnation; however they fortified themselves as much as was possible for the time, and got the Boeotians to join with them. The K. invaded the Boeotians▪ with 30000 Foot and 20000 Horse, and being superior to his Enemy both in number of Forces and military prudence( for the Grecians at this time had no experienced Generals) routed them at Chaeronea. Here concludes the liberty of Greece and its ancient Glory. However, he made but a moderate use of his Victory over the Athenian Prisoners, and fortified Thebes: But according to Justin, was very severe to the Thebans. This battle was fought at Chaeronea in the third year of the 110 Olympiad, in the Archonship of Charonides or Charondas, and the first year of Arses King of Persia. 19. The up-shot of this Victory was, that he got himself declared General of the Grecians against the Persians, and a quota of Money and Men laid upon every City. The Lacedemonians were the only people that stood out, and contemned both him and his terms of Peace. But when he flourished so much abroad, his concerns at home were but in an ill condition, upon the account of his divorcing Olympias and marrying Cleopatra the Grandchild of Attalus: For she incessantly pushed on Alexander her Son to jealousy and hatred. Next spring the King received a response from the Oracles when consulted upon the War, which was as ambiguous as that given to Croesus in former times; whereupon he sent Attalus Amyntas and Parmenio before him into Asia, under the pretence of relieving the graecian Cities. 20. Himself was to follow at the head of the Army. But before his departure, he celebrated the Nuptials of his Daughter Cleopatra with Alexander of Epirus, with a great deal of magnificence. But while he displayed his Majesty, and by his shows and public Feasts ingratiated himself with the people; he received a wound in his side from one Pausanias, of which he died immediately. Attalus had made Pausanias drunk, and abused his body, and prostituted it to others: And the poor wretch finding that all his solicitations could not prevail with the King to redress the affront, took this way of resenting the injustice of the Judge. This was the exit of Philip, in the 24th year of his reign, and the 49th of his Life: A Man that surmounted unaccountable difficulties, and purchased to himself so great an Empire, and instructed so many war-like and renowned-Men, that both Mars and Mercury seemed to wait upon him, and he justly merited a great part of the Glory that ensued upon the Actions of his Son Alexander. 21. His Son Alexander succeeded him in the 20th year of his Age, the first of the 111 Olympiad, in the Archonship of Pythodorus, the first year of Darius Codomannus, A. M. 3669. He descended of Hercules on the Father's side, and Achilles on the Mother's. From his infancy his spirit was noble and magnanimous; Aristotle instructed him in Liberal Arts, and when he came to be of age, he gave signal proofs of his Valour. Having celebrated his Father's Funeral with a Royal Pomp, he took upon him the administration of Affairs, and first all took care to punish the Regicides. He surmounted all the difficulties that stood in his way by his singular humanity, and an incredible greatness of mind, that was never wanting in him through the whole course of his Life. 22. The Athenians conspired against the new King, upon the solicitation of Demosthenes; and Attalus, whom the monstrous cruelty of Olympias to Cleopatra and her young Son had incensed to the last degree, joined in with them. The Etolians resolved to restore the Acarnanians, whom Philip had banished. The Citizens of Ambracia turned out the Garrison that had been put in upon them, and those of Thebes endeavoured to recover Cadmea. The Arcadians contemned the Son as much as they did the Father before, and all the other Peloponnesians were ready to vindicate their liberty. All these evils were further inflamed by mutinies of the Nations adjacent to Macedonia, who were eager for shaking off the Macedonian Yoke. 23. But fate had decreed that Alexander should master every thing, either by Favour or Force. He took care to get himself declared General of the Grecians, first by the Thessalians, and then by the Amphyctiones, and after that, having marched at the head of an Army into Boeotia, did so fright the rest that a Council was called at Corinth, which elected him to be General in a War against the Persians. Next spring, tho he had conquered the Thracians, and fought successfully against the Peonians and Illyrians, yet some Cities revolted, and the Thebans having possessed themselves of Cadmea joined in with the Athenians, who were both of 'em pushed on by Demosthenes, who railed eternally against Alexander, as formerly he had done against Philip, and honoured him with no better Title than that of Boy and a Fool. 24. The King marched with full speed to Boeotia, whereupon the Athenians were discouraged; but the Thebans slighted all the offers that were made 'em, and made all prepartions for undergoing a Siege. Alexander indeed was nettled by being diverted from carrying on his designs upon Persia; and in order to avoid the loss of time, offered 'em very honourable Articles of Peace: But when he perceived that all his proposals met with no other return but rallying and contempt, he laid down a resolution to punish 'em severely for their obstinacy. He easily carried the Town, by entering at some Gate or Door that they had neglected. By a Decree of the Amphectyones, all the Captives were either Sold or put to Death, because they had conspired so often with the King of Persia; bating only the Family of Pindarus, whose houses were left standing by the Conqueror, and none else. By virtue of the above mentioned Decree, this celebrated City was levelled to the ground, on the last day of the Athenian Sacrifices called Eleusinia, the 20th of the month Boedromion, after it had stood 800 years almost in the same condition. 25. Alexander published an Edict prohibiting the Grecians to entertain the banished persons; which the Grecians did not comply with. Their disobedience revived the former heats, but upon their deprecating the anger of the Conqueror, who at that time had other things in his view, the difference was stifled, tho not quiter removed. This done the King return'd to Macedonia, and made all possible preparations for the Persian War, from which neither the weight of the Enterprise, nor the desire of having Children, could dissuade him. Accordingly in the Spring he marched to the Hellespont, at the head of 34000 Foot, and 4000 Horse, according to the computation of those who speak highest of the Expedition. Aristobulus says he had not above 70 Talents for the maintenance of all these Forces; Datis writes he had Provisions only for 30 days, and some other Author says, he owed 200 Talents at that time. 26. However before he set out, he divided almost all Macedonia among his Captains; and when Perdiocas put the question, what he would leave to himself, he made answer, that hope should be his Portion. He transported his Army to Troas in 60 Ships, and was the first who set foot in Asia, in a jumping capering manner, throwing his Spear upon the ground in the Second year of his Reign, the Second of Darius Codomannus, the Third of the 111 Olympiad, in the Archonship of Enaenetus( that is in the 3d Month before he resigned his office, on the behalf of Ctesides, under whose Government Diodorus Siculus says this Expedition was undertaken) A. M. 3670. 27. He committed the administration of his inland affairs to Antipater, and left 12000 Foot and 1500 Horse. After the King's departure the Lacedemonians waited impatiently for an occasion to make a new stir; and after the battle at Arbela most of the Cities resolved to vindicate their liberty to the last extremity, before the Persians should be totally cut off. Accordingly Antipater being engaged in quelling the Rebels that Memnon had stirred up in Thrace, the Lacedemonians made use of that opportunity to persuade the Grecians to revolt. But Antipater settled the affairs of Thrace at what rate he could, and having marched against the Grecians routed them in a bloody battle, in which Agis the Lacedemonian King and General of the Army died among many others. 28. After this success, Antipater thought it convenient to make an end of the War, lest he should seem to carry it further than was suitable to the modesty of a Subject. He was well acquainted with Alexander's temper, and knew that the Victory was only acceptable to him, when the Victor was not, and that he looked upon his own Glory to be eclipsed in proportion to the advancement of another Man's. And upon that account, when the Lacedemonians sought Peace, he remitted them to the Council of Greece, which received the complaints of both parties, and gave the King an account of the whole matter. The Lacedemonians gave Antipater 50 Hostages, and sent Ambassadors to Alexander to ask his Pardon. CHAP. III. The Affairs of Sicily contemporary to the Persian Monarchy. SECT. I. The names and Inhabitants of this iceland, together with an account of its affairs preceding the Persian Empire. 1. SIcily is an iceland in the Mediterranean Sea, that lies opposite to Italy. Thucydides says, it lies 20 furlongs off from the Continent, and that its Circumference is as much as a great Ship can sail in 8 days time. 2. It was first called Trinacria, from its triangular form, then Sicania, and afterwards Sicily. The Inhabitants of it were the cyclopss, or Lestrygones, as also the Sicani and Siculi; for the story of the one's coming from Spain, and the other from Italy, is justly looked upon as fabulous. For the Sicani and Siculi were not distinguished by their originals, but by the place of their residence. Several Colonies were carried thither by the Grecians, and these built several Cities. The phoenicians likewise possessed the maritime places, especially those about Lilybaeum: And the famous Sam. Bochart shows that both the iceland itself, and its chief Rivers and noted places had their names from the phoenicians. 3. Justinus writes, that when the cyclopss were extinct, Cocalus possessed the iceland, to whom Daedalus the famous Athenian Architect fled from before Minos of Crete. This Daedalus had killed his own Grand child and Disciple, that was like to out-do him in his Art, and went to Creet, where he incurred the King's hatred upon some business that related to Queen Pasiphae. Minos followed him to Inycum or Camicum the Palace of Cocalus, where Cocalus's Daughters enticed him to come into the House, and stisted him in a Bath. 'tis thought that Daedalus escaped in a Ship by Pasiphae's interest, and invented the use of Sails in the room of Oars, which were only known before; from whence the Fable goes, that he made wings to himself and fled away. 'tis likewise believed that Icarus his Son followed the Father in another Ship, and for want of skill to manage the new-invented Sail, was drowned in the Sea. Now the death of this younger Minos happened in the time of the graecian Hercules, in the age preceding the Trojan times. 4. After Cocalus, Justin says that the Cities came into the hands of Tyrants, of which no Country was more fertile than this. But for so much as the Tyrants who oppressed the graecian Cities were truly Grecians, and Cocalus lived in the age preceding the Trojan War, and that there was no graecian Cities founded in Sicily before the 11 Olympiad, it seems plain that there was an interval of 500 or 600 years between Cocalus and the Tyrants. For it is not possible but that these Colonies must have used the same form of Government for several years, that the Metropolitans had, till the times of Phalaris, who usurped the Tyranny at Agrigentum, about the 54th Olympiad. 5. Phalaris was born at Astypalaea, and lost his Father Laodamus when he was yet a Child. He married Erythia, and was banished a little before the birth of his Son Paurolas. After a great deal of adversity he was called in by the people of Agrigentum, at a time when they laboured under Sedition, and had the Administration of Affairs put into his hands. As he came to the Crown by fraud and cruelty, so he maintained it by the same methods. Perilius a famous Athenian Carver, presented him with a noble machine, or a Bull of Brass, for burning Men alive, and himself was justly doomed to make the first trial of it. 6. The Tyrant confesses in his Epistles, that he put 37 Men to death in this cruel manner. He was certainly a Monster of a Man, full of unheard of cruelty and hatred, but very bounteous to his friends, and one that had such a regard for virtue, that for the sake of that alone he would forgive offences. His Life was not laid wait for, as many of the other Tyrants were, but a company of the Agrigentins fell openly upon him, after he had displayed his Cruelty for 16 years. SECT. II. Of the Affairs of Sicily, Contemporary with the Persian Monarchy. 1. After the Death of Phalaris, the people of Agrigentum maintained their liberty, till Thoron the Son of Aenesidamus invaded the Tyranny. At the same time Panaetius made himself master of Leontium: And Cleander of Gela. After seven years this Man was followed by hippocrates, who subdued the Naxii, Zanclaei, the Inhabitants of Messana and the Leontines. He waged War with the Syracusians, from whom he took Camarina, and after seven years died in a battle with the Siculi. He committed his children to the care of Gelon, who neglecting his trust possessed himself of Gela, and afterwards, when a difference arose between the people of Syracusa and their Magistrates, he being solicited to assist the Magistrates that were then in exile, wheedl'd the common people, and by degrees appeased both parties, and usurped the Government, in the second year of the 72 Olympiad, in the Archonship of Hibrilis, in the 31 of Darius, the same year in which the battle of Marathon was fought betwixt the Grecians and Persians. 2. Syracusa was formerly the Seat of some Etolians, and went by the name of Ortygia. The Etolians were expelled by the Siculi, as the Siculi were by that Colony which Archias the Corinthian headed about the 11 Olympiad, in the reign of Romulus at Rome, and the time of the Messenian War. But that City was so much enlarged by confluences of people from all other places of the Peloponnesus, that Cicero called it the largest and the prettiest of all the graecian Cities. It consisted of four Cities, namely Insula, Acradina, Tycha, and Neapolis. It had two large Havens, besides the Suburbs. The Colony that Archias brought in were accustomend to Aristocracy, for at that time such was the form of Government at Corinth. Afterwards the fierce and turbulent people gave rise to several seditions and alterations, and the more they avoided Monarchy, the more they were galled by Tyranny. 3. But Gelon made such a moderate use of his power, that he was loved by all and hated by none, and did so ingratiate himself with all the Siculi, that he offered to assist the Grecians, when engaged in the bellum Medicum, with 200 Galleys, and as numerous an Army as Greece itself was able to make up against Xerxes, providing they would have given him the command either of the Fleet or the Army. But that being denied, he bended his force against the Carthaginians, whom the Egestans had called into Sicily, and routed them in a bloody battle, on the same day that the Grecians fought at Salamina, insomuch that he seemed to vie with Themistocles himself. But now that I have mentioned the Carthaginians, it will not be improper to give a short account of the original of their City, and trace its rising from such small beginnings, to be able to dispute the Empire of the World. 4. Carthage was built by the Tyrians, who in ancient times were Lords of the Sea, and transported Colonies to all the maritime places. It consisted of several parts, which were built at several times, from whence the diversity of their Epocha's arises. Appianus would have have it built about 50 years before the taking of Troy, and that by Tsorus and Carchedon, because Tsor and Zor are Phenician words for a Metropolitan, and Charchedon for the Town itself, and Carthada in the Phenician Language signifies a new City. Strabo alleges that the phoenicians transported Colonies to the Columnae Herculis or straits of Gibraltar, about the time of the Trojan War, in which time Virgil, either out of a poetic licence, or thro ignorance, makes Dido to live, and entertain Aeneas in his Pilgrimage. 5. Eusebius says that by some computations Carthage was built in the 143 year after the destruction of Troy; but Menander the Ephesian, who translated the Tyrian Annals into Greek, writes that Dido built the City in the 78 year of Pygmalion, 143 years and 8 months after the building the Temple at Jerusalem, and 300 years after the destruction of Troy; so that this computation makes it 164 years later than Eusebius's. It would seem therefore that Cotho or the 1st part of the Town adjacent to the Harbour was built before the Trojan War, but Megara or Magalia, and Magaria( which signifies dewlling in a strange Land) was built within 144 years after the destruction of Troy, and Byrsa or the Castle was built by Dido 166 years after that. For as soon as the Canaanites were outted of their Seats by the Israelites, and dwelled upon the Sea side under the name of phoenicians, they sent out Colonies, and continued ever after so to do, insomuch that they built several Cities besides this in Africa, particularly, Utica or Ityca, which in the Phenician dialect signifies Ancient. 7. Dido was the Sister of Pygmalion King of Tyre, and Wife to Sicheus herculeses Priest. When her Husband was put to death by the King, she fled with her Riches to Africa, and so disappointed the Parricide of his Booty. The story goes, that when she arrived, she bought as much Land from the Libyans, as she could surround with an Ox-hide, and having obtained her request, cut out the hid into small thongs, and with them measured out 20 Acres, upon which she built a Castle, that from thence was called Byrsa. But the learned world look upon that story as fabulous, and allege that the Fable took its rise from hence, viz. that Bosra, which signifies a fortified place, was euphoniae gratiae, turned to Byrsa, by reason that the graecian Langue will not suffer the conjunction of the two Letters S and R. 8. At last the Queen laid violent hands on her self, in order to avoid the necessity of marrying Hiarbas King of Mauritania. This Dido, which signifies Lovely, or as some will have it, Wandering, was formerly, called Elissa, or a Divine Woman, and Virago. Now Virago is a Latin word, which in Greek Letters was writ Ouirago, and in Eusebius we find it corrupted to Origo, which did mightily puzzle Joseph Scaliger and others, who thought it referred to the City, and not to the Woman. 9. Carthage therefore was repaired or enlarged by Dido in the 3132 year of the World, in the reign of Joas King of Judah, and Jehu King of Israel, 310 years after the destruction of Troy, 97 before the 1 Olympiad, and 120 before the building of Rome. At first it had Kings, but afterwards it shaked off the Monarchy, and after that groaned long under Sedition, and the other evils that retain to the boundless power of the people. The Philosopher compares this republic to the Cretian and Lacedemonian Governments, as being of a mixed kind. Polybius says it was compounded of a Regal, Aristocratical, and Democratical power: and Socrates says it was Oligarchical at home, and Monarchical in time of War. 10. In Carthage the administration of affairs was committed to two Men, who were called Suffetes or Sophetim, the same name that was given to the Judges of Israel. These two Suffetes, did in some measure resemble the two Lacedemonian Kings, and accordingly Aristotle, Polybius, and others style them Kings; however, they were only appointed for one year, upon which account Livy compares 'em to the Roman Consuls. Additional to them was the Senate, which Aristotle compares to that of lacedaemon; whose Derees had the authority of a Law, if backed by the Suffetes; but if otherwise, the matter was remitted to the Common Council. Now in this Common Council Aristotle finds fault with two things: one is, that every little fellow was allowed to give his Opinion and contradict the Magistrates; the other defect was, that nothing could be safely objected, against the unjustest act of that Common Council. 11. Over and above the Senate, there was another Court of 104 Members, who from the round number were called a Centumvirat: These are compared by Aristotle to the Society of the Ephori, and therefore are to be accounted Judges and Guardians of the liberty of the people. In this republic we likewise meet with Censores morum and Praetors, who took care of the Tributes and made Laws; besides several other Magistrates. Among other errors in the constitution of this republic, Aristotle takes notice of this, viz. That the Suffetes were chosen with regard to their Riches, and that one and the same Man had several Offices: To which we may add a barbarous custom of sacrificing their own Children in time of Calamity, which it seems they brought along with them from Phaenicia. 12. Another unaccountable thing was, that their Subjects were prohibited to understand Greek, by reason that one Suniator had discovered their secret designs to Dionysius mayor in the Greek Language. But their prohibiting Drunkenness, and presenting their Soldiers with golden Rings, was certainly laudable. The people were of a very morose temper, extreme obedient to their Magistrates, tryrannical to their Subjects, timorous in adversity, infinitely cruel in their anger, steady and unshaken in their Counsels, but withal so faithless that fides punica became a Proverb. 13. We are at a loss to know certainly, at what time, or upon what occasion the Carthaginians first invaded Sicily. Livy says, they were first invited thither by the Islanders, in the Consulships of T. Quintius Cincinnatus and Cn. Julius Mento, in the 323 year of the City of Rome, and about the 40th after Xerxes's Expedition, in the beginning of the Peloponnesian War; but he is strangely out in this point, for Gelon routed the Carthaginians at Himaera, at the same time that the Grecians defeated Xerxes's Fleet at Salamina. 14. Justin from Trogus, says, that after they had carried on a successless War in Sicily a long while, they turned the dint of their Wars upon Sardinia; and that God was angry with them for offering up human Sacrifices. In Sardinia they were likewise routed, upon which the Carthaginians were so incensed, that they prohibited Mazaeus and the remains of the Army to return. But the Soldiers could not brook their exile, but besieged and took Carthage, and punished the Men that advised it. 15. Mazaeus was put to death for affecting Tyranny, and Magus succeeded him, who introduced the Military Discipline, and by so doing laid the foundation of their Empire. He left two Sons, namely, Asdrubal and Amilcar; under whose conduct this Common-wealth carried on a War in Sardinia, and fought with the Africans, who required a yearly tribute as the ground-rent of the City, and then obtained it. Asdrubal died in Sardinia of his wounds, after he had made himself famous by four Triumphs, and being dictatory 11 times. After his death their enemies took heart, and the Sicilians, who had been incessantly injured by them, implored the assistance of Leonidas brother to the King of lacedaemon, which gave occasion to a heavy and doubtful War. 16. About this time Darius the Son of Hystaspes, prohibited them by his Ambassadors to offer up human Sacrifices, to eat Man's flesh, or to burn their Dead; and with all commanded them to sand Auxiliary Troops against the Grecians. Justin says they complied with all these his demands: But if it be so, 'tis plain from Plato, Diodorus and Pliny, that they afterwards altered their minds. Soon after, Amilcar was killed in Sicily, and left three Sons, namely, Amilco, Hanno, and Giscon: Asdrubal having likewise left as many, namely, Hannibal, Asdrubal and sapph. 17. This is that Amilcar, who died in the battle against Gelon, in the 6th year of Xerxes; and it was at the carthaginian disaster on that occasion that we stopped, and made this digression of the republic of Carthage. There fell together with Amilcar 150000 Soldiers, and thereupon the Carthaginians were obliged to solicit for Peace. Some allege that they engaged in this War with a design to hinder the Cities of Sicily to assist the Grecians. Afterwards the Kingdom of Sicily was proffered to Gelon, but he rejected it, and by so doing gained a great deal of glory. He continued in his Principality 13 years. 18. Gelon died in the third year of the 75 Olympiad, and his Brother Hiero succeeded, who rebuilt Catana and Christened it Aetna, their being a Mountain of that name, which at that very time did cast up fire, and break out into a flamme. This Prince was at first Greedy, Cruel, Jealous, and Turbulent; but the precepts of learned Men reclaimed him. He fought successfully with the Carthaginians: But afterwards incurring the hatred of the Citizens, went to Catana where he died in the 2 year of the 78th Olympiad, and after he had governed 11 years and 8 months. After Hiero Thrasybulus his Brother succeeded. He was the worst of all the Tyrants, and after 10 months being expelled by the Syracusans, fled to Locri in the borders of Italy, where he killed himself, and by that means the Citizens retrieved their liberty. 19. The Syracusans having thus recovered their liberty, were quickly infested with great Seditions, by denying an equality of right in the republic, to those whom Gelon had made free in the City, for the advancement of his own interest. But these were reduced by War, and at the same time all foreigners were expelled all the Cities in the Isle, and fled to Messana. This was the form of the republic of Syracusa in those days, which Aristotle gives out to be a composition of Oligarchy and Democracy; but the weakness of their foundation did soon after appear, when Tindarides having ingratiated himself with the common people, did almost establish a Tyranny over them; for tho he was killed in the crowd, yet others pursued the same design. Being surrounded with such evils, they imitated the Athenians in introducing the Petalismus, by which they doomed those who had an uncommon power or interest, to five years exile. The word Petalismus took rise from their writing the names of the banished persons on Olive Leaves or some plate of metal. But experience taught them that this remedy was more dangerous than the disease, because when the better sort of people and those that were fit for business were sent out of the way, the administration of affairs came into the hands of scandalous and impudent fellows. At last the people being sensible of its pernicious Consequences abrogated the Petalismus. 20. This was the state of the Syracusan's affairs at home, when they set their minds on War, in which they subdued several Cities. and in regard that Leontium affencted the Empire of Sicily, took it and leveled it with the ground, transporting their Gentry to Syracusa, and banishing the Mob. After these domestic commotions they engaged in a War with the Athenians, in the first year of the 91 Olympiad, of which above Syracusa was thereby so exhausted in their Blood and Treasure, that it was only owing to Gelippus the Lacedemonian, that they survived such heavy evils, and gave the Athenians a considerable overthrow. That victory did so puff up the people, that they were not contented with their present condition, but affencted greater power. 21. Diocles, an Austere Eloquent and prudent Man, advised the people to appoint their Magistrates, not by voting, but by lot. At this rate the Administration of Affairs sometimes came into the hands of unskilful Men, and in regard that so wise a Man as Diocles could not but foresee that inconvenience, 'tis thought he made that Law only to answer the present juncture, and when the Government was afterwards settled abolished it, However it is very remarkable, that he having made a law prohibiting any Man to come with Arms into the common Council, by an oversight committed the Crime himself, and least the Law should suffer by it, presently drew his Sword and stabbed himself. He was a rigid and implacable corrector of 'vice, but withal nicely just: and his Laws were so much esteemed that they were received in most places in Sicily: tho Cephalus and Polydorus were afterwards employed to make Laws, yet they were not reckoned Legislators, but only Commentators upon his Laws. 22. But all this was not sufficient to remedy the inconveniencies that attend Democracy, while Men of Sense and Prudence were kept under, and the heedless Mob were invested with power. This gave rise to jealousy, envy, and factious designs, and these to tyranny itself. For Dionysius the Son of Hermocrates, a great Master of the art of dissembling, did so wheedle the people with his harangues, that he obtained a Lifeguard for the safety of his Person, and by that means established himself on the Throne, in the 8 year after the defeat of the Athenians, the 4th of the 93 Olympiad, the same year in which Athens fell into the hands of Lysander. 23. He first ingratiated himself with the people in the Wars with the Carthaginians. Now the Carthaginians had fought successfully under the conduct of Amilcar, and Asdrubal, against the Moors and Numidians; and obliged the Africans to discharge the Tribute that they used to pay for the ground of their City. In regard that Amilcar's Family was very numerous, and seemed to threaten the republic, they pitched upon 100 Senators as Commissioners to inspect into the actions of their Generals. After Amilcar his Son Amilco succeeded, who after several Victories had the mortification to see his Army consumed by a Plague, and thereupon killed himself. He was followed by Hannibal, Son to his Brother Gisgon. 24. Hannibal exercised his spleen against the Grecians, in resentment of his Grandfather Amilcar's death; and accordingly invaded Sicily with a numerous Army, and took Selinus and Himera. But Hannibal died of the Plague, and Amilcar his colleague took Agrigentum, a City that was admirably well provided with Men and all other things; and transported a great many Ornaments to Africa, and among the rest Phalaris his brazen Bull, which, 'tis said Scipio Africanus Minor, returned to the Sicilians, upon the taking of Carthage, 260 years after. The destruction of Agrigentum seemed to imply the defeat of all Sicily; and thereupon the Syracusan Generals, who had been sent among others to assist the besieged, were arraigned of neglecting their duty. 25. But Dionysius openly charged them with Treachery, as if they could have raised the Siege if they would, and moved that they should be punished out of hand, without waiting the time prescribed by the Law. From Hence he took occasion to arraign the Nobility, as conspiring with the Generals to introduce an Olygarachy; and was proud of appearing to be a Patron of the Commons, and an asserter of their Liberty. By this means he ingratiated himself with the Soldiers, and first got himself made one of the Generals, and afterwards engrossed the Post to himself, having removed his Colleagues by false accusations. Then he complained loudly of a great Conspiracy against him, and so obtained a Lifeguard of 600 Men for the safety of his Person, which he afterwards enlarged at pleasure, and got his enemies condemned by a public Decree. By this means he raised himself from the station of a sorry little Clerk, to the quality of Lord of the greatest of all the graecian Cities. 26. However Amilcar, having razed Agrigentum, took Gela, and would have continued his march further, had not a grievous Plague obliged him to make Peace with Dionysius, and transport the remainder of his Army to Africa. The Syracusans opposed Dionysius to the utmost, but he made a brave defence; and having brought his affairs to a settlement, renewed the War with the Carthaginians, from whom he alienated several Cities. Next Spring the Carthaginians sent Amilco with a numerous Army into Sicily, who took several Cities, and laid Siege to Syracusa. 27. But the Syracusans defeated their Fleet, and took the Admiral-ship: by which Victory they were so puffed up, that they once more attempted the recovery of their Liberty. At length the Carthaginian Army was wasted with a wonderful Plague, and at the same time their retreat was intercepted by the Syracusans, insomuch that their General was obliged to purchase leave to retreat of Dionysius, at the rate of 300 Talents: for Dionysius did not desire to see the Carthaginians lower, for fear his Subjects being secure upon that side, should offer to cope with their Tyrant. 28. Afterwards the Carthaginians sent fresh Forces into Sicily, and renewed the War, in which Dionysius was again the gainer. The Tyrant being puffed up by such extraordinary success, attacked Rhegium thrice, in resentment of some affront that the Citizens had given him, and at last starved them out, and sold' em. Having thus settled his Affairs, and being in a manner idle, he gave his mind altogether to Poetry, and among other Philosophers invited Plato to come to him, who by speaking a little freely of the duty of a Prince, was in great danger of his Life, and at length was sold for five pounds, whereupon the Philosophers ransomed him. After this interval of Peace the War was renewed with the Carthaginians, with various success, but soon after a truce was concluded upon, and Dionysius died either through hard drinking, or by the Treachery of his Eldest Son, after he had reigned in Syracusa 58 years, in the first year of the 103 Olympiad, 366 before Christ, A. M. 3637. 29. This was that famous Tyrant, who committed his person, not to Friends but to Strangers, and to the most cruel and barbarous Men; who taught his own Daughters to Shave, in order to avoid the danger of trusting his Throat to a Barber; who took the razor from them when they came to be of age, and ordered them to burn off his hair with burning Walnut-shells; who came to his Wives at night, in such a manner that he tried and searched every thing before-hand; who did not dare to harangue the people from the ordinary Desk, but made use of a Tower for the purpose; and who shewed Democles the Parasit, the true nature of the felicity he had spoken of, by regaling him with all sorts of Plenty, and Instruments of Luxury and Pleasure, a glittering Sword being at the same time hung by a Horse-hair just over his Head. 30. Dionysius married two Wives, on one and the same day, namely, Doris a Locrian, and Aristomache Daughter to Hipparinus, and Sister to Dion. Dion was about to solicit the Tyrant, when a dying, on the behalf of his Nephews, that is, that they might succeed to part of the Kingdom; but Dionysius his Son by the former Wife, being then of age, smelled the design, and, as the story goes, obliged the Physicians to give his Father a Medicine, which set him a sleeping, so that he never waked. By this means Dionysius succeeded to his Father. 31. At first he made a show of Virtue, and was the object of all mens hopes: among other Philosophers he sent for Plato twice. Afterwards he gradually degenerated to Luxury and Laziness, and became an enemy to Virtue; he treated Plato with horrid indignities, and banished Dion. Dion drew together a body of hired Troops at Corinth, and with them invaded Sicily: when he came there, his Forces were daily enlarged, insomuch that he soon expelled the Tyrant. But the Syracusans made an ungrateful return to the asserter of their liberty, and defrauded the Soldiers of their Pay. Afterwards it happened that the Garrison which Dionysius left in the Castle, sallied out upon the Town, and mauled them sadly; whereupon Dion was called in to their assistance, who came and suppressed their Enemies, and then was made General. But he was always engaged in mortal feuds with his rivals, and at last was circumvented by one Callicrates a most perfidious and villainous Man, and was murdered by several assassins, in the 55 year of his age, and the fourth after his return from Peloponnesus. 32. After the Death of Dion, Callicrates made himself Tyrant, but after thirteen months was expelled by Hippacinus Son to Dionysius the Elder by Aristomache. Hippacinus governed two years, and then was followed by one Nasaeus, whom Dionysius outted in the midst of his security, and so recovered the Government of Syracusa in the 10th year of his Exile. In that interval of time he had made himself master of the Locrians upon the Sea cost in Italy, and had mightily oppressed the Citizens, for 6 years with murders and rapes. 'twas the republic of these Locrians that Paleucus the famous Legislator modelled, of whom elsewhere. 33. When Dionysius retrieved the Kingdom, the Syracusans were more inclined for Icetas the governor of Leontium: However the former retained the power. The Carthaginians took occasion to attack the Syracusans at a time when they were harassed by Seditions. The Syracusans finding themselves in great straits, implored the assistance of Corinth, who sent Timoleon to them, a Man that was an inveterate enemy to Tyranny, and had suffered his own Brother to be put to death for aspiring at it. When he came to Syracusa he repulsed the Carthaginians, and with ease expelled Icetas and Dionysius; the latter of whom came to Corinth, where he taught a School, and lived in great want. When Philip of Macedonia asked why he did not keep up the Power that his Father left him, 'tis said he made answer, that his Father indeed left him his Principality, but not his Fortune. This was the exit of the Tyranny of the Dionysius's, after it had lasted 64 years, in the second year of the 100 Olympiad, A. M. 3661. 34. However Icetas having a design upon Syracusa, brought back the Carthaginians, in order to attack the Town. Timoleon first raised the Siege, and cut 'em almost all off; and when Icetas and Mamercus Tyrant of Catana, had brought them back to the iceland, he routed their joint Forces, took and killed Icetas and his Son, and obliged the Carthaginians to solicit for Peace. Mamercus indeed fled, but afterwards surrendered himself and was put to death. Timoleon rescued all the rest of the Cities out of the hands of their Tyrants, and in regard that Syracusa was almost exhausted with the bloody War, took care to have it publicly proclaimed in Greece by a Herald, that the Syracusans offered grounds and houses to any that would live among them, whereupon many repaired thither, and the Inhabitants of the City became very numerous. 35. Timoleon being free from War, applied himself wholly to settle the state of the republic, and revived the Democratical form of Government, having employed one Cephalus and Dionysius at Corinth to interpret the Laws of Diocles. He ordered the people to choose a new Magistrate every year, who should be styled Servant to Jupiter Olympius, in memory of the restoration of their liberty. Afterwards he became blind, but still was not wanting in serving the republic. At last he was worn out with old Age, and solemnly interred by an unversal confluence of the Sicilians. He died in the 38 year of his Government, the last of the 110 Olympiad, the last of Philip of Macedonia, the 2 of Arses the Persian, the 7th before the Commencement of the Macedonian Empire, A. M. 3668. CHAP. IV. The Affairs of the Romans contemporary with the Persian Empire. SECT. I. From the Exile of their King, and Dissolution of the Kingdom, to the second alteration of the Government, introduced by the Decemviri. The space of 57 Years. 1. AEter the expulsion of the Kings, the Administration of Affairs was put into the hands of Consuls, who were so called a Consulendo. They were first called Praetors, afterwards Judges, and at last Consuls. 2. At first the Consular power was equal to that of the Kings; for Cicero gives it the title of Regia Potestas, or Regium Imperium; and the Grecians called the Consuls {αβγδ}, i. e. Most Excellent. This yearly power of the Consuls was much abridged by the Provocatio and Intercessio; the former being an appeal from the Consuls to the People, which owed its first rise to Valerius Poplicola; and the latter being the office of the Tribunes, who interceded for the people. While the Republican form continued, the Consuls were reckoned the head Magistrates, and all public business was managed by them. But when the Prince usurped the rights of the Magistrates, especially of the Consuls and Tribunes; their office was to call the Senate, pass Judgments, give Guardians, make Servants Free, Farm the Taxes, and to solemnize the public Games: And besides, their names continued to give the characteristic to the year, as before. While the republic was in a flourishing condition, if any surprising or dangerous accident happened, they were invested with full power to act as they thought fit, by virtue of an Act of the Senate, conceived in these words, Viderint consuls, ne quid detrimenti Resp. capiat, i.e. May the Consuls take care, that the republic come to no harm. 3. Those who first hansell'd the Consulship, were L. Junius Brutus, and L. tarqvinius Collatinus, who were made Consuls in the beginning of the 68 Olympiad, in which Ischomachus of Croaton was Victor, in the Archonship of Isagrus. These two new Consuls at first had Twelve Axes carried before them, as well as before the Kings, but in order to prevent Reflection and Envy, they ordered that one of 'em should have the Axes, and the other the Rods carried before' em. In the mean time a great Conspiracy was carried on, in order to restore tarqvinius; but Vindicius, a Servant, detected it, and Brutus beheaded Titus and Tiberius, his own Sons, as being concerned in the same; and left the other Complices to be punished by his colleague, whose Relations they were. 4. tarqvinius seemed to be a little too favourable to these other Conspirators, whereupon Publius Valerius took care to have 'em punished; and the Consul himself was outted of his Place and banished, either by reason of his Clemency, or because they suspected him upon the account of his Country. This Cicero, a Bigott for Democracy, defends, as being a just and fair Sentence, and conducive to the good of their Country, in extinguishing at once the Monarchy and the Memory of the Tarquinii. But S. Augustin says, tarqvinius was a Good and Innocent Man, and that his Banishment was Unjustifiable. 5. Tarquinius's Place was filled by Valerius, a Man that hated the King mortally. The Consuls exposed the King's Goods, to be plundered of the People, and levelled his Houses with the ground, and restored to the public the Campus Martius, which he had engrossed. The King finding that his Embassies and Stratagems were successless, marches against the Rebels at the head of a numerous Army of Etrurians, and came to a sharp Engagement, in which Aruns, his Son, and Brutus, were mutually killed in a particular Duel. But the Romans carried the Victory, and Valerius return'd in Triumph to Rome. 6. The People were angry with Valerius, for governing the republic by himself without a colleague, and for making such pompous Processions from his Stately and Princely House, as seemed to threaten their Liberty. Whereupon Valerius pulled down his House, removed the Axes from being a part of his Ensigns, came into the Common-Council and lowered the Badges to the People; and after he had done many things on the behalf of the Commons, and laid the Foundation of a Democratical Government, allowed any Man to put in for the Consulship, that pleased. He brought in appeals from the Consuls to the People; and made a Law prohibiting any Man, upon pain of Death, to invade the Magistracy, without the desire of the People. He relieved the poor, by making abatements of their Taxes. He made another Law for punishing the Contumacy of Consuls; he added 164 Members to the Senate, and gave every one free liberty to kill any man that affencted Tyranny, providing the Crime could be made to appear. And in regard that the People were to furnish the Charges of Wars, he appointed two under the title of Quaestores to manage the Treasury. 7. They were called Quaestores à Quaerendo, because they enquired into the public Accounts and Misdemeanours. Some date their Original yet higher, and allege, that both Romulus and Numa had their Quaestores. But if it was so, it would seem their Office was only to punish Criminals( as that of the Triumviri, who were afterwards appointed to inspect into Capital Affairs) and that after the Cessation of Kings they were ordered to take care of the Treasury, the riches of the public being then more enlarged. At first there were two for the Town, called Urbani; but afterwards their number increased as the Dominions of the Empire were enlarged, insomuch that Caesar made 40 Treasurers. Their business was to Collect and Dispose of the public Money, to keep the Gold and Silver Ensigns for War, to sell the spoil, and to entertain ambassadors upon the public Charge. 8. Augustus gave 'em likewise the charge of the Acts of the Senate. The Princes had Treasurers of their own, who were called Candidati or Quaestores Principis, from whom the Quaestores Palatii derive their Original, who were the keepers( as it were) or managers of the Laws, and are now adays called Chancellors. As for the Treasury itself, the Temple of Saturn was at first appointed for keeping the public Money, together with the Libri Elephantini, in which the 35 Tribes, and the Acts of the Senate were engrossed. But the Libri Lintei, or the Annals, were committed to the care of the Pontifices. Afterwards the Treasury was called Fiscus from the Fiscelli, and Adrian erected the first Advocatus Fisci. 9. This done, Lucretius, the Father of Lucretia, succeeded Brutus; but he died after a few days, and Marcus Horatius succeeded. Horatius consecrated the Capitol on the 13 of Sept. it being then finished, and his colleague being absent. In his Consulship the first League was made between the Romans and Carthaginians. The next year, Valerius, who was surnamed Poplicola, from courting the People, being then a second time Consul, along with Titus Lucretius Tricipitinus; Porsena, King of Clusium, besieged Rome with a numerous Army, in order to restore tarqvinius. Both the Consuls were wounded in some slight Skirmishes, and the Etrurians were pursuing the Romans upon the Bridge, when Horatius Cocles opposed the Crowds of his Enemies till the Bridge was cut down behind him, and then fell into the River, and swimm'd out to his own Men. 10. Poplicola and M. Horatius Pulvillus being Consuls for the next year, routed Porsenna in a bloody Battle, in which he lost 5000 men. But the honour of making an end of the War was truly due to Mutius Cordus, who having put on an Etrurian habit, designed to have stabbed the King with a Dagger, but unluckily killed the Clerk instead of his master, whereupon he put his hand into a burning fire before them all. The King was so astonished at his Courage, having heard at the same time that 300 more had combined to kill him, that he not only pardoned the Crime, but made Peace with the Romans, broken up the Siege, and refreshed 'em with plenty of all necessaries. 11. The War with the Sabines, who had plundered the Roman grounds, commenced in the 250 year after the building of the City, the 5 after the expelling of tarqvinius, the 1 of the 69 Olympiad, in which Ischomachus was victor, in the Archonship of Acestoris, in the 18 year of Darius the Son of Hystaspes, A. M. 3501. M. Valerius, brother to Poplicola, and P. Posthumius Tubertus being then Consuls. Valerius conquered 'em twice in two sharp Engagements; and next year Poplicola being Consul a fourth time treated 'em at the same rate, notwithstanding that the latins were joined with' em. After that, Poplicola, the darling of the Commons, died, and was interred upon the public Charges, within an Enclosure that was appropriated only to him and his Posterity. But none of 'em would make use of their right, for the Corps were no sooner brought to the Forum, and the fire put under, but the dead Person was carried off and butted out of Town. 12. In the heat of the War, Actius Clausus, the Greatest of all the Sabinean Noblemen, came to Rome with 5000 Families, after he had employed his interest with his Countrymen, to dissuade 'em from the War, but could not prevail. This Man was the original of the Illustrious Family of the Clausii or Claudii. In the same year that Poplicola died, the Sabines came up to the very Walls, and Posthumius the Consul, who opposed 'em, lost a great number of his Men. But afterwards the two Consuls joined their Forces, and carried an ample Victory, which would have ended in cutting off the whole Army of the Enemies, had not the night interposed. 13. Honours were decreed for the Consuls, upon the Account of their Noble achievements: Memenius indeed had a Triumph, but Posthumius had only an Ovatio, by reason of a defeat he had lately undergone. Now Festus derives the word Ovatio from the letter O, which the Soldiers used to redouble upon that occasion: But Dionysius derives it from the Corruption of Evastes the Greek Word. It differed from a Triumph in this, that the General entered the City at the head of the Army on foot, and not on Horseback; that he had only a Purple Gown upon him, but not a Garment, with Bars of Gold; that he had a laurel upon his head, but no sceptre in his hand; and if the War was either not declared, or put up without Blood, he was crowned with Myrtles. Next year the Sabines being routed again, desired a Peace. Camarina was likewise taken and levelled with the ground. 14. In the 1 year of the 70 Olympiad, in which Nicaeas Opuntius was Victor, in the Archonship of Myrus, and the Consulship of Posthumius Cominius and Titus Largius, or rather Lartius, did 30 Latin Cities conspire against the Romans, upon the solicitation of Manilius Octavius, Son-in-Law to King Tarquin. The Romans thought fit to secure themselves by besieging and taking Fidenae; which provoked the latins to engage more readily in the War. At the same time the Romans were troubled with Commotions at home, occasioned by the hard condition of poor Debtors, whom their Creditors treated as slaves. 15. In the midst of these Commotions, several were debauched by Bribes, and engaged in a Conspiracy for the King's Restoration. Notwithstanding that a timely discovery was made, and the Criminals punished, yet when they offered to levy Men for the Army, there were but very few that would list themselves in the Service. Now there was no remedying of this inconvenience, by reason of the Appeals to the People that Poplicola erected: Upon which account a new Magistrate was created who had an absolute and uncontrolled Power for six months. 16. This head Magistrate was called dictatory, either because he was Dictus, or nominated, by the Consul; or because he dictated and gave the word of Command. He was nominated by the Consul by the Senate's orders, without the Consent of the Commons, for carrying on a War, fastening a nail for a memorial in the time of a Plague, calling the Comitia Consularia, celebrating Games, choosing Senator's, or upon any other important occasion. Upon the nomination of the dictatory, the Power of all the other Magistrates, bating the Tribunes, was superseded. He nominated one of a Consular or Praetorian Dignity to be Magister Equitum, with an equal power over the Equites and Accensi. The dictatory himself had a full power over the People, and therefore was called Magister Populi: And all the other inferior Officers were called Magistratus and not Magistri, much after the same manner as Varro derives Albatus from Albus. But afterwards Appeals were brought in from him to the People. 17. T. Largius was the first dictatory, and Sp. Cassius, Magister Equitum. The dictatory frighted the People with his Maces and Axes, and having surveyed the People, raised a most numerous Army, which he lead into the Field, and then made a Truce with the Enemy for one year. This done, the latins took up Arms once more, upon the solicitation of tarqvinius and Manilius; but were sadly routed by Aulus Posthumius, the second dictatory, at the Lake Rhegillus, whereupon they desired a Peace, and with difficulty obtained it. At last tarqvinius having lost all, and being abandoned by the latins, Etrurians, and other free Cities, went to Cuma, to the Court of Aristodemus the Tyrant, where he died soon after, in the 90 year of his Age. 18. The Romans being freed from War, fell in with new disorders occasioned by the Exactions of Creditors, and the cries of the Poor, who said they were not able to pay. This gave rise to such heats, that the Plebeians refused to take the Oath against the Sabines, and threatened to relinquish their Country. And tho' at last they suffered themselves to be lead out against the Enemy, yet finding they had got no relief, they return'd home; and tho' the obligation of their Oath moved 'em not to fly from their Colours, yet they retired in their Arms to the Sacred Mountain. Then the Town was in a great perturbation, and the Senators were divided in their sentiments. At last, when they saw that a great number of Deserters went off to the Army, Menenius Agrippa prevailed so far, that Ambassadors were sent with a power to treat without being accountable to the Senate. 19. A promise was made to the Plebeians, that those who were not able to pay their debts, should be forgiven, and that hereafter things should be managed by the joint consent of the Senate and Commons. Then the People were very cheerful and ready to return, when Sicinius and L. Junius put it into their heads to ask Magistrates for themselves to protect them, and vindicate their rights. The Ambassadors finding that a business of the last importance, remitted it to the Senate, where after a vigorous and hot opposition, the request was granted and solemnly confirmed by an Act of the Senate. Accordingly the Comitia Curiata were called, and they elected L. Junius Brutus( that being the surname he desired) and L. Sicinius Bellulus, to whom they added C. and ●. Licinius and Spurius Icilius Ruga. They entered upon their new Office on the 13 of December, in the 16 year after the expelling of tarqvinius, according to the Computation of Dionysius Halicarnasseus. 20. These Magistrates( if I may so call 'em) were entitled Tribunes of the People, because they were chosen from among the Tribunes or general Officers in the Army. In the 297 year of Rome, their number was enlarged to 10. They were all Plebeians, tho' Livy excepts two. At first they were invested with the power of defending the Commons: And with an incredible measure of boldness, they enlarged the power they had received. They put a stop to the Senates Acts, and the Magistrates Edicts, in pronouncing only the word Veto. Afterwards they were made Sacro-Sancti, and took the liberty to call a Senate, convocate the People, make Laws, and haul the Magistrates themselves to Prison. The only relief against them was this, that one thwarted another: For their remonstrances did not avail unless the whole Society consented. 21. Turbulent Men being invested with so much Authority raised such Disorders and Commotions, that instead of vindicating rights, which was the end of their Institution, Lucan justly calls 'em turbantes jura, disturbers of rights. Sylla cramped their Power; but after his death their full Authority was fully restored by the Laws of Aurelius Cotta, Pompey and Crassus, and continued such till the Government came into the hands of Emperors, under whom they had only an empty insignificant name. They had neither the Purple rob nor Serjeants, nor the Chair of State. They did not enter upon their Office in the beginning of the year, neither were they superseded by the nomination of a dictatory, from whence some have conjectured that they were not Magistrates. Besides the Tribunes of the People, and those of the Celeres, there were likewise Tribuni Militum, and Tribuni Aerarii in the time of the republic. And under the Emperors, Tribuni Voluptatum, Tribuni Matrimoniorum, Chartariorum, Provinciarum, and Scholarum, of which see Cassiodorus's Epistles. 22. The Commons obtained this further privilege, that two should be chosen out of their number to serve the Tribunes, as it were; i. e. to take Cognisance of some Causes, and to take care of the Buildings and Corn. They were first called Ministri Tribunorum, and afterwards Aediles, from taking care of the Aedes or Houses, in which the Plebiscita or Decrees of the Commons were lodged. To these two Aediles Plebis, a long time after there were two added from the Noblemen, called Curules, from the Chair of State that was allowed' em. In the 710 year after the building of Rome, Julius Caesar added two more from the Patritii, called Cereales, because they took care of the Provisions. Now all these six continued to the time of Constantine. The Aediles, says Cicero, are those who take care of the City, of Provisions, and of solemn Games. It seems they inspected the Fables before they were Acted, and examined other Writings. After any Victory, the Provisions were delivered by the Generals to them, as the Prisoners were to the Praetor, and the Money to the Quaestores. Livy adds, that 'twas the business of the Aediles to see that none but Roman Gods were worshipped, and those in the Roman way. 23. After these Transactions, the Plebeians willingly listed themselves under the Consuls, and fought against the Volsci. They took Longula and Polustia with ease, as well as Corioli the Metropolis, by the Valour of Marcius, a Nobleman, that from thence was surnamed Coriolanus. This year the League with the latins was renewed, upon the account of their faithfulness, when the Romans were harassed by domestic Feuds and this War. The Senate decreed that Supplications should be made, and a third fair was added to the two latin ones, one of which was instituted by tarqvinius after the Conquest of Etruria, and the other by Populius in the time of Tarquinius's Exile. At this time a review was made, and 110000 Heads were assess'd. 24. Next year a great Famine prevailed in the Town which was occasioned by the late Seditions. That made a heavy stir among the Commons; and the animosities of the Poor could not be pacified, notwithstanding that a Law was made in the Convention, prohibiting the contradicting of the Tribunes when they harangu'd to the People. Ambassadors were sent to Sicily to buy Corn, and when they return'd with a considerable quantity, some were of opinion that it should be sold to the poor at low rates, others were more harsh and thought it more proper to treat the Common People some what roughly, in regard that idleness and too great indulgence had puffed 'em up. Among those of this opinion, Marcius Coriolanus spoken most freely; who was a great Assertor of the dignity of the Noblemen, and was disobliged by the refusal he met with in the Comitia Consularia. He alleged that they should not only cramp the Commons in allowing them no Corn, but likewise abolish the Office of the Tribunes. 25. Presently the Tribunes indicted him, and cited him to his trial before the Commons. Indeed the Noblemen were very loathe to suffer one of their number to be tried by the Commons, but when the Tribunes gave 'em to know that they charged him with Affecting a Tyranny, and would make good the charge; he offered of his own accord to stand trial. He easily cleared himself of that imputation, and several Persons, whom he saved in the War, gave such loud Enconiums of his good Offices, both to them and their Country, that 'twas plainly apparent, he would quickly be acquitted. 26. The Tribunes finding things in that posture, designed to attack him under-hand, whom they could not openly reach; and accordingly blamed him for not giving the spoils he took in War to the Treasurer, according to the Injunction of the Laws, nor bringing the Money into the Treasury, but distributing it among the Soldiers. They put such a construction upon his omission, as if he designed to cury favour with the Army, and obtain a lifeguard; And tho' 'twas certain what he did was to secure and encourage the Soldiers, and alleviate the common Calamity, at a time when his Country was sunk under Seditions and Divisions, yet such was the Fury of the People, that of 21 Tribes 11 sentenced him to perpetual banishment. 27. This was the first time that the Commons passed Sentence upon a Nobleman. And after this precedent, the Tribunes kept up the Custom of Arraigning whom they pleased; and the power of the Commons increased every day, while that of the Senators dwindled apace, till at last the Commons were admitted to the Senate, Magistracies and Priesthoods; the Noblemen being induced to comply with their demands, partly out of Necessity, and partly from a principle of Prudence. In the mean time Coriolanus fled to the Volsci, and raised a heavy War against his ungrateful Country, and took several Places, insomuch that he threatened utter ruin to it. And no Embassies could prevail with him; till at last he yielded with great difficulty to the intercession and tears of his Mother and Wife. Then he return'd to Antium and was killed by Tullius his Rival. Thus died a Man that out-strip'd all his Contemporaries in Warlike Glory, but by an unflexible stiffness brought his Country into great danger, and at last ruined himself. 28. Coriolanus being killed, the Volsci were obliged to sue for Peace, and the Hernici were conquered, and obtained a League, the Conditions of which were left to the determination of Cassius, the General. Cassius allowed 'em the freedom of the City, and endeavoured by all means to ingratiate the Plebs, in order to make his way for Tyranny. He proposed the Lex Agraria for distributing the Lands equally among the People; but the Noblemen joined together and prevented him, and condemned him to be thrown headlong over the Tarpeian Rock: Which accordingly was done in the 1 year of the 74 Olympiad, in which Astylus the Syracusan was Victor, in the Archonship of Leostratus, and the 1 year of Xerxes; Q. Fabius, and S. Cornelius being Consuls. 29. After the death of Cassius, the Noblemen became higher, but the Plebians at the same time increased their boldness. When the War broken out again, the Tribunes assisted those who refused to take the Oath; but in order to frustrate their intercession the Consuls translated their Bench to the Campus Martius, for without the bounds of the City they could assist none. Then they came to fifty blows and heavy threats; and a dictatory was nominated to appease the Commotion, namely, Sp. Largius, who in some measure alleviated their domestic Evils by making Consuls that were acceptable both to the Commons and Nobility. 30. Next year being the 1 of the 75 Olympiad, in which Xerxes crossed over to Greece, Callias being Archon, and Caeso Fabius and Sp. furious, the former the second time, and the latter the first time Consul, did the Aequi and Veientes rise up in Arms against the People of Rome. The Veientes induced all Hetruria to rebel, and defeated the Consuls oftener than once; making Excursions even to the City. Then the Senate thought it necessary to secure their Territories by Garrisons: But at the same time the Treasury was exhausted, and the Taxes were not equal to the public Charges; besides 'twas not to be expected that many would voluntarily list themselves in service for so tedious a War. Things being at this pass, the Consul moved that the whole concern should be committed to the care of the Family of the Fabii; accordingly these accepted the Commission, and fortified Cremera a Castle upon the out-lying Territories. 31. The Veientes being beaten had obtained a Peace: But now they revived the War, and cut off all the Fabii, to the number of 306. The story goes that all the Family and Kindred was cut off, excepting one young Boy, who survived that disaster, and propagated the desolate Family: But Dionysius plainly proves that to be false. Authors are divided upon the time of this defeat. Macrobius says it happened on the 16 of July; Plutarch says it happened after the Summer Solstice, in the month of Quintilis, about the New moon; Livius and Tacitus assign the 18 of July, and Ovid casts it on the 13 of February. 32. After the overthrow of the Fabii, the Veientes were much animated, and penetrated to the Janiculum: but in a year or two's time were so often defeated, that they again desired a Peace. This War was but a slight one in comparison to the Civil Wars. The City was in great want of Provisions, by reason that in the preceding year while the Veientes besieged the Capitol, the Romans could neither manure the ground nor keep up any Commerce. This gave occasion to great tumults. Genutius, Tribune of the Commons, made a heavy stir about the Lex Agraria, and Volero, his Successor, proposed another Law, enjoining the Tribunes to be created in the Comitia Tributa. Now the Comitia Tributa differed from the Curiata, in this, that in these the Curiae or Wards only confirmed what the Senate had luckily Enacted; but in those, every thing was transacted without the intervention of any decree of the Senate, merely by the separate Votes of the Tribes. 33. The States had a heavy debate concerning the making of this Law. The Noblemen were mightily offended by the impudence of the Tribune; and their resentment was further inflamed, in regard that he required the Aediles should likewise be nominated by the Comitia Tributa, and that all things relating to Plebeians, should be transacted there. Now the open tendency of this was to transfer the whole Power from the Senate to the People. Appius, the Consul, was one of the chief opposers; the temper of his Family was always against the Plebs; he interlin'd his public harangues with all manner of railing and opprobrious Invectives: and by that means put all again in confusion, when his colleague Quintius had by his meek and smooth discourses almost composed the differences. The Tribunes ordered the Consul to be imprisoned, but the Patritii stood by him, and at last they came to fifty cuffs and throwing of stones, in a scandalous manner. 34. Quintius, who was all for moderation, got the Tribunes to consent that the matter should be remitted to the Senates determination, the People being then posssess'd of the Capitol, where they kept a guard night and day. The Senate approved of the Law, and the Comitia confirmed it: Whereupon the Consuls marched out at the head of their Armies, Quintius against the Aequi, and Appius against the Volsci. Each of the Consuls met with such success as they deserved. For Quintius's Army was prompted by the Consideration of his equity and mildness, to obey him in every thing; and did of their own accord undergo several hazards, in order to purchase Glory and Honour to their General. But Appius's Army hated him, and were on purpose lazy; and when they were drawn out into the Field, refused to engage, and loudly demanded to march out of their Enemy's Country. 35. Appius being obliged to take his Men out of the Enemy's Country, before he return'd to his own, exercised the utmost severities upon the disobedient. For the Centurions, whose Companies had fled, and the Standard bearers that had lost their Standards, were either beheaded or whipped to death. And as for the rest, every tenth Man in the Army was drawn out by Lot, and put to death. That being the usual way among the Romans, of punishing Deserters, and those who lost or threw away the Standards. 36. Next year the Senate went upon the Lex Agraria, which the Consuls and Tribunes laid before them. But Appius being against it, wheedled almost all the Senators to side with him. Whereupon the Tribunes cited him to stand trial for his Life. The Patritii were ready to employ their interest for saving the Criminal, and entreated Appius to humour the times, and take upon him a habit more suitable to his present Circumstances. But Appius said he would not condescend to any thing that was sordid or below his Dignity. He did not abate any thing of his wonted Magnanimity; and when he saw that the whole City expected his Condemnation, laid violent hands on himself, a few days before the trial. Notwithstanding the Remonstrances of the Tribunes, the People allowed his Son to have a Funeral panegyric upon his Father, according to the Custom of their Ancestors. 37. The Romans fought successively for some years against the Aequi, Sabini and Volsci. But in the 80 Olympiad, in which Torymbas the Thessalian was Victor, Phrasides being then Archon, and P. Volumnius and Ser. Sulspicius Camerinus Consuls; The Tribunes made a new stir among the Commons, by suggesting to them, that in a free State that was the best form of Government, that gave equal liberty to every Man to speak and give his opinion, and proposed that the Administration of all things, both private and public, should be regulated by positive Laws: Designing by such motions to effect what C. Terentius, Tribune of the People, had offered at in the preceding year. Accordingly, without the consent of the Senate, they made a Law, ordering that ten Men, recommended by their Age and Prudence, should be chosen by the People in their Comitia, to publish written Laws upon all public and private Affairs; that their Laws should be proposed in the Forum; and that both the yearly Magistrates and the private Citizens should take the decisions of their mutual differences from them. 38. The Patritii would not suffer Laws to be made without a Decree of the Senate to that effect; whereupon they displayed all their force in hindering the meeting of the Comitia; and among other young Noblemen, one Caeso Quintius, Son to L. Quintius Cincinnatus, made a great figure. He spared no opprobious Invectives in railing against the Plebeians, and was thereupon Indicted by the Tribunes. His Father defended him but sorrily, for the Tribunes foreseing that the boldness of Insolent youths would grow to an unsufferable height, if he got off with impunity, arraigned him of a feigned Crime; the trial being put off he got out upon Bail, and fled from his Bail to Tuscany, but the Tribunes obliged the Bail to pay the Money they had engaged for. The Father sold most of his Estate and Goods, and paid to the Bail the Money they had laid out for his Son, and retired with a few Servants to the Country, to a little Farm that was all he had saved of his Estate, upon which he had a little sorry Cottage, and there manured the Land in a laborious and miserable condition. Grief and Want obliged him neither to see the City nor to entertain his Friends, nor celebrate Festival days, nor to be present at any public Solemnity. 39. However the Tribunes were very much disappointed; for Caeso's distress was so far from checking the insolence of the young men, that they became more insolent and haughty, and opposed the Law both in words and deeds. The Tribunes seeing they could not get the Law to bear, made a noise of a great Conspiracy against the Commons; but Claudius, the Consul, made it appear to be a Fiction. The domestic Evils were further inflamed by one Herdonius Sabinus, who at the had of 4000 men possessed himself of the Capitol, and invited the Servants to take their freedom. The Tribunes would not suffer the disorder to be redressed, till Valerius one of the Consuls, bound himself by an Oath to satisfy the demands of the Plebeians. Valerius was killed in the Siege of the Capitol, and Claudius would not rest till L. Quintius, Father of the banished Caeso, succeeded the deceased Consul. 40. 'twas with difficulty that L. Quintius Cincinnatus was induced to part from his Country retreat; however he at length accepted the Post, and by his Authority restrained the Sedition, and obliged the People wonderfully by his Equity and Justice. Next year he was created dictatory, to make head against the Aequi, who were possessed of Tusculum, and within sixteen days after his entry upon that Post, relieved the Consul's Camp from a siege, defeated a gallant Army of the Enemies, demolished their City and left a Garrison in it, and return'd in Triumph to Rome, with the Enemy's General and several great Men bound in Chains. Then he dimitted his Magistracy, and refused all the honours proffered him by the Senate, and retired again to his Country Seat. Thus did he prefer a laborious Life to that of a Prince, and was prouder of his poverty than others are of their riches. 41. Next year the Plebeians refused to fight against the Sabines and Aequi, unless the number of the Tribunes were enlarged to that of ten; which accordingly was granted. But even that did not satisfy them, for the Tribunes made a new stir by encroaching on the Authority of the Consuls for the next year. For whereas formerly the Tribunes were only allowed to harangue to the People, but did not pretend to call the Senate, or give their own Votes; that honour being peculiar to the Consuls; yet one Icilius, an Active and Eloquent Man, induced the Tribunes for that year to call a Senate. Icilius likewise moved, that the Aventine Hill, which was no less than 22 Furlongs in Circumference, and belonged to the public, together with the Wood which grew very plentifully upon it, should be given to the Plebs to build Houses upon. 42. The Tribune desired that his motion should be confirmed by a Decree of the Senate; and finding that the Consuls put it off, order d an Officer to follow them to the College and call a Senate, and was not far from throwing headlong over the Rock one of the Serjeants that repulsed the Officer, by the Consuls orders. For the Consuls could neither offer violence nor rescue the sergeant, tho' at the same time they were highly sensible of the Affront. Then they implored the assistance of the other Tribunes; but they had all combined to carry on the design with joint force. When the Consuls called a Senate, Icilius appeared and excused all that was done, and made it out that his Law was very useful for preventing the insurrections of the poor, who were moved to Sedition by the Patritii, their encroaching on the public grounds. So that he got a Decree passed on that behalf. 43. Tho' these Civil Commotions seemed to be thus laid asleep, yet next year the Tribunes revived 'em, and then Wars broken out which did not at all injure the republic; for this was a certain rule, that when they were engaged in Wars, they were free from domestic Quarrels, and when they enjoyed Peace Civil dissensions prevailed. The Consuls indeed were in the right of it, in proposing that the Mob should be kept under by Foreign Wars; but they were out in using the extremity of severity, and admitting of no excuse in levying Men. Upon this the Tribunes took occasion to raise the Plebs, and inveighed against he Consuls for ordering Roman Citizens that implored relief from the Tribunes to be put in prison. The tumult increased every day till at last they came to blows, and the Consuls were cited to their trial; for the Tribunes cried that not only their Authority was infringed, but their sacred persons affronted and violated. 44. The People were so furious and disposed to Civil Wars, that if the Tribunes had proposed any thing against the Consuls or the Senate, the City had certainly ruined itself: But at last the Tribunes called together the People, and told 'em that out of respect to several good and worthy Men, they forgave the Affront given to themselves, but would prosecute and revenge the injury done to the People, and promised to promote the Lex Agraria, which had lain by above 30 years. Among many who egged on the People in their Convention, none made more noise than L. Siccius Dentatus, a Man of a wonderful Aspect, and 58 years of Age, who by recounting a great many Exploits done by him, put the People in such a ferment that they would not so much as hear those who offered to speak against him. 45. This man had served in all Military Posts, and received all the degrees of Honour in that Capacity. He was strong to a Miracle, and in the time of 40 years continual service had fought in 120 Engagements. He had 45 Wounds upon the fore-part of his body, but none on the hinder; and 12 of those were received that day that Herdinius Sabinus took the Capitol. From the several Battels he had been in, he got several badges of honour. He had 14 City Crowns, which were put upon him by the Citizens that he preserved: and one Siege Crown, with three Wall ones, merited by scaling the Walls first and taking possession of 'em; and 8 other Crowns which the Emperors presented him with for his extraordinary service in the Field, besides 73 Gold Chains, 60 Gold Bracelets, 18 Spears, and 25 great Harnesses, 9 of which were taken from Enemies that challenged the Romans to particular duels. This is Dionysius's List, to which Gellius adds another Siege Crown, as many Bracelets as make in all 160, 4 Spears, and as many Harnesses. He calls him L. Sicinius Dentatus, and says he was surnamed the Roman Achilles. 46. Siccius told 'em he had served the republic in so many great Exploits, but the reward of his labours was anticipated by the Noblemen, who possessed the conquered grounds; and added several other Arguments for making the Law, and rejecting all suggestions to the contrary. The Assembly was presently in such a ferment, that one would have thought they would have run on in a Current; when Icilius the Tribune rose, and spoken much to the advantage of Siccius, but told 'em 'twas a very unjust thing for any to charge others with Crimes that they themselves were guilty off: And in regard 'twas highly just that every Man should have the liberty of speaking his mind, he adjourned the Convention to another day, on which every man might be in readiness. 47. The Patritii finding their requests ineffectual, designed to oppose the Law by open force. They hindered the People to meet in their Tribes, took away their pitchers and ballotes, and sparing the Tribunes who made a heavy noise and crowded in among 'em, resisted their followers, and so rendered their Offices of no effect. Among these, the young Gentlemen of the Families of the Posthumius's, Sempronius's and Claelius's, made the greatest stir, and hindered the Lex Agraria to be ratified by a Plebiscitum. 48. Tho' the Tribunes were mightily enraged, yet they resolved to Indite none but them, and put up the Quarrel by redeeming the Estates from the Noblemen, and restoring them to their proper owners. And were just going to ratify the Law, when the Aequi penetrated to the Tusculum, and obliged the People to drown their domestic Feuds in a Foreign War. Among others, Siccius marched out against the Enemy, at the head of 800 Veterans, who followed him by way of Compliment. The Consuls had a mind he should be lost, because the Nobility hated him for the Glory he had purchased by his achievements. Accordingly they employed him to attack the Enemy's Camp, in such a manner as would certainly have ended in his ruin. But he stormed their Camp another way, and then return'd to the field of Battle, where he contributed much to the obtaining of the Victory. After all was over he return'd to Rome, and laid open the whole story to the People, and procured the Consuls so much envy even from the Senators, that when they sought a Triumph, their demands were rejected. And in the next Convention the Commons made Siccius Tribune. 49. Siccius having celebrated the initiatory rites on the first day of his Magistracy, indited T. Romulius the Consul for the preceding year, before the meeting, before he entred upon any public Administration. Romulius had a haughty speech that was not suited to the occasion, whereupon the Tribes Voted against him; and his punishment was a fine of 10000 Asses, which Siccius had wisely advised. A few days after Venturius his colleague was likewise fined in 15000 Asses. 50. So that the Consuls for this year were sadly afraid that when they laid down their Consulship, the Commons would treat them at the same rate. Upon which account they openly favoured the Plebeians, and in the meeting of the Centuries made a Law allowing all Magistrates to fine those who were guilty of any misdemeanour with reference to their Authority, contrary to the Discipline and Laws of the republic. Now in former times none but the Consuls had that power. However the measure of the fine was not left to their discretion, but 'twas provided by a Statute that the largest fine should not exceed the value of 2 Oxen and 30 Sheep, and that Law was long observed by the Romans. 51. Then the Consuls remitted to the Senate the cognisance of the Laws, which the Tribunes laboured mightily to have writ for the common use of the People, and for a perpetual memorial. In this affair the opinion of T. Romulius prevailed, who altered his tune and alleged that the Commons should be humoured: To prevent their amazement at his turning, he said he was as much against 'em as before, but only since matters were come to that pass, that the power of the Nobility did plainly decline, he thought 'twas their duty to act comformably to their present Circumstances. So that he advised 'em to sand Commissioners, some to the graecian Cities in Italy, and some to Athens, in order to fetch from thence the best Laws and such as were most suitable to the Roman Customs and Statutes. And when they return'd, to leave it to the Senate to nominate Legislators and to determine what should be the extent of their power, and how long it should endure, and, in fine, to do in all the other Circumstances of that affair as they thought fit. 52. The greatest part of the Senators approved of Romulius's motion. And in pursuance of the same, by virtue of an Act passed in the Senate, and ratifi'd by a Plebiscitum, Sp. Posthumius, Servius Sulpicius, and A. Manlius were made Commissioners for fetching Laws from Greece; and were furnished upon the public cost with Galleys adorned with all the Ensigns of the Greatness of the Roman Empire. After three years they return'd, and the Tribunes pressed the Consuls to leave the Affair of the Laws to the Senate. But the Consuls being unwilling to sink the power of the Nobility, put it off till the Comitia, in which they choose App. Claudius and T. Gentius Consuls, much sooner than usually. And then laid aside all care of the public, as being thus committed to others, and gave no ear to the Tribunes, meaning to pass the rest of their Consulship without doing any thing. 53. The Tribunes being obliged to have recourse to the Consuls elect, inveigled Appius by the promises of new honours to side with the Plebeians. Appius brought his colleague to be of the same side, and did so egg on the people with his harangues, that P. Sestius the Consul was obliged to call a Senate by himself, and remit the affair of the Laws to the Senate, for his colleague L. Menenius was then a dying. Appius Claudius the Consul elect, being first asked, according to the custom, gave his opinion, that ten men of the noblest rank of Senators should be chosen, and invested with an annual Authority, as being entitled to the Administration of Affairs, together with the Consular Authority, which the Kings had formerly; and that all other Magistrates should be broken till they were restored again by the Laws; and that these Decemviri should take cognisance of private contracts, and manage the public Affairs. This was the opinion of the two elected Consuls; and was carried. 54. When the day of Comitia came, the 2 elected Consuls resigned their Consulship; and then the people cried 'em up, and elected them first, to whom they added P. Sestius Consul for that year, and the 3 Commissioners P. Posthumius, Servius Sulpicius and A. Manlius, together with T. Romulius, who was the proposer of the popular opinion, notwithstanding that the Commons had cast him before, besides C. Julius, T. Veturius and P. Horatius, in whose room Livy puts P. Curiatius: These were all Senators and of the Consular dignity. And then the Tribunes, Aediles and Quaestores, and all other Magistrates were broken. SFCT. II. From the Institution of the Decemviri to the end of the War with the Privernatians, which came to pass in the last year of Darius Codomannus. The space of 121 years. 1. THE second transformation of the Government of Rome, happened on the 15 of May, in the 302 year after the building of the City, according to Cato's Calculation, but in the 307 according to Tarrutius and Varro, which happened to be the 2 and 3 of the 82 Olympiad, the 14 of Artaxerxes Longimanus, the 449 before the Birth of Christ, A. M. 3554. 2. The Mace and Consular Ensigns belonged to one of the Decemviri, who called together the Senators, ratified the Decrees, and performed all the other offices belonging to the head Magistrate. The rest, to prevent Envy, were clothed much like the other Citizens, and had only an usher to walk before' em. After a certain number of days every one succeeded to the place of head Magistrate by turns. They governed the republic with Justice and Equity, and set up the Laws in ten Tables upon the most Conspicuous part of the Forum. Dionysius says they were engraven on Brass, but Pomponius Ictus says 'twas upon Ivory. So did Minos in ancient times, and long after him, Solon the Athenian, writ their Laws upon Tables, which were called Cyrbes and Axones. 3. Next year something seemed to be yet wanting, especially that the power of the Tribunes, which galled the Senators so much, should be abrogated. With which view the Senators moved that the Decemviri should be created again, and carried it. The Commons cheerfully consented to the motion, being seduced by the dissimulation of Appius, who bore the credit of the whole Administration, and gained the People by his Complaisance and fair speaking, and other Offices. The People were mightily for his continuing in the Magistracy, and he seemed with difficulty to comply with their requests; and then was openly partial to his Friends, and inveighed against every body else. However, he was again made Decemvir in the Comitia Centuriata, and with him Q. Fabius Vibulanus, M. Cornelius, M. Servilius, L. Minutius, T. Antonius, Manius Rabulejus, all Noblemen; together with Q. Petilius, Caeso Duillius, and Sp. Oppius, Plebeians, whom Appius took in, in order to ingratiate himself with the People. 4. Appius Claudius and his colleagues received the Consular power on the 15 of May, but at that time the months were calculated by the course of the Moon, and the full Moon happened on that very day. They entered into a private Conspiracy, to keep the Government for ever to themselves, matters being so ordered, that all of 'em should be equal in dignity and power, that whatever one liked should be ratified and confirmed by all the rest; that the Acts of the Senate and those of the Plebs should never be made use of without a pressing occasion; and that most things should be managed by the Authority of their Office. These Decemviri added two other Tables of the Laws to the former ten, and the whole number together were called leges duodecim tabularum. 5. The Decemviri managed all by force, and filled the City with Blood and Rapine. They continued their power next year and either killed or banished most of the richer Citizens. The Sabines and the Aequi made use of this opportunity to invade the Roman and Latin grounds; and the Decemviri being engaged in the War against 'em, were guilty of those Crimes which brought their Tyranny to an end; for Appius, who stayed in Town, finding that Siccius Dentatus, that Roman Achilles, kept a narrow eye upon the Estate of the republic, sent him to the Camp in the Quality of a Legate, and perfidiously sent secret Intelligence to his colleagues to kill him. Then he fell in Love with the Daughter of L. Virginius, a Roman Citizen, and in order to enjoy her, adjudged her to be the Servant of one of his Tenants. But the Father foreseing that his Daughter was about to be exposed to the Tyrant's Lust, cut her throat with a knife, and went strait to the Camp, where he induced the Army to revolt. 6. By this means the Decemviri came to be outted by the Senate, for the Army declared for it and the republic. And the Consulship fell to Valerius Potitus and M. Horatius, who were very much addicted to the Commons, as it appeared by the Laws they made. One of which provided that Laws enacted in the Comitia Tributa, should be universal, and have the same power with those made by the Comitia Centuriata. Now in the Tributa the Noblemen were out-voted by the Plebeians and poor Members; but in the Centuriata the former always prevailed, tho' the latter were much superior in number. A Capital punishment and the forfeiture of Estates, was provided against those who should offer to violate or abrogate that Law. 7. Virginius Tribune of the People Indicted Appius, and others did the same to the other Decemviri. But Appius either murdered himself, or was killed by the Tribunes, in Prison, before the trial. Oppius likewise laid violent hands on himself; the other 8 were banished, and Claudius who laid claim to Virginia as his Servant, was likewise sentenced to perpetual banishment. All the rest who served the Decemviri in their unjust designs were pardoned. Then the Consuls fought successively against the Aequi, Volsci and Sabini; but when they put in for a Triumph, their demand was rejected by the Senate. The Consuls took the refusal for a heavy Affront, and having called a meeting of the People, accused the Senate in a long harangue, and were backed by the Tribunes, who passed their Bill, so that the People gave 'em the liberty of a Triumph, and they were that first of all the Romans that introduced the custom. 8. From what has been said, 'tis apparent how the Commons of Rome hooked the Authority into their own hands, and almost turned the Nobility out of any share in the government. But they were not contented with that purchase, but the more they satisfied their thirst, the more it was inflamed; for they now pretended to a share of the Consulship, and when the Aequi, Sabini, Veientes and Ardeates threatened 'em with a heavy War, the Tribunes rescued all those whom the Consuls were about to list in the service, and would not suffer 'em to punish those who stood out. Nay, they threatened to thwart the Senate in every thing else, and to ratify no act of the Senate whatsoever, unless the Senate first made an Act in Confirmation of the Law they had promulgated to that effect. But Claudius, a Senator, found out a way of satisfying the Ambition of the Plebeians, and at the same time keeping up the dignity of the Patritii. 9. He persuaded the Senators, when they were reduced to necessity, to allow the Plebeians a share of the the greatest power and dignity, and for that end to create Magistrates who should be called tribuni militum, and consist of as many Noblemen as Plebeians. This project was first started privately; then the Tribunes and others hugged it, and liberty was given to as many Plebeians as pleased to put in for the Magistracy along with the Patritii. But Desire is a thing of so much levity, especially when lodged in a Mob, that those very Men who but now were unspeakably eager to be in the Magistracy, and, if the Noblemen had not granted their demand, would either have deserted the Town as before, or mastered it by force of Arms: That Crew, I say, when they had compassed their end, removed their desire from what they coveted before, and bended it upon a contrary thing. 10. For when many of the Plebeians put in with all their might for the Office of tribuni militum; the Senate thought none of 'em worthy of that Post, and having the Votes in their own power, preferred the Noble and Illustrious men that solicited for it, namely, A. Sempronius Atratinus, L. Attilius Longus, and T. Claelius Siculus. These were the first that got the Proconsular dignity, in the 3 year of the 84 Olympiad, according to Dionysius; but according to the computation of others in the 1 year of that Olympiad, the 310 after the building of Rome, and the 21 of Artaxerxes Longimanus, M. Genutius, and C. Quintius, or L. Papyrius and L. Sempronius, being then Consuls. 11. At first there were 3 tribuni militum, afterwards 6 and at last 8. Indeed Pomponius Jctus says there was once 20 or above, but either he is mistaken, or the word is corrupted from Seni to Viceni. When the number increased and the Plebeians crept in among them, tho' they had a Consular power, and were entitled to all the badges of their Authority, yet the Dignity was still reckoned to be of an inferior degree, and Proconsular, as' twere. Sometimes they, and sometimes Consuls were chosen, till the year 388 after the building of the City, that Q. Sextius, a Plebeian, was elected Consul, and so they came into disuse. The first three retained their Government only 73 days, by reason of the appearance of some signs. And then the People choose L. Papyrius Mugalinus, and L. Sempronius Atratinus to be Consuls. 12. Next year the People likewise thought it fit to elect Consuls; and accordingly M. Geganius Macerinus, and T. Quintius Capitolinus entered upon their Consulship on the 13 of December; the former being then twice and the second five times Consul. In their Consulship the Censores were instituted, whose office had been better known, had not the injuries of time robbed us of a part of Dionysius Halicarnasseus his account of the same. The Consuls remonstrated to the Senate, that the continual Expeditions of the Consuls occasioned the neglect of several useful things, particularly of the valuation of Estates, by which they knew both the number of those who were fit for Military Service, and the proportion of every Man's Estate, by which the public Taxes were to be adjusted: For there had been no survey or assessment for 17 years, from the Consulship of L. Cornelius and Fabius; by which means many good and useful Men were assess'd and employed upon Expeditions, when the idle and profligate sort were left unminded, and removed from one place to another, where they lived as they pleased. 13. Upon which account the Senators elected two of their Members, whom they called Censores, either because the People was surveyed and assess'd ( census) by them, as Varro will have it; or else because, as Festus says, every man's Estate was valued according to their judgement or report ( quanti illi censuissent.) At first they were created for 5 years, afterwards in the 320 year after the building of Rome, the term of their service was reduced to a year and a half. At first they only surveyed and assess'd the People; but afterwards they were employed to inspect into the manners and conversations of the Citizens, so that it was in their power to cut off those whom they found Criminal from any right to sit in the Senate or in the Tribes, and reduce them ad Aerarios, so called because they were only reckoned Citizens in so far as they paid Aera, by way of a Tax for their heads. In process of time the Censors likewise farmed the public Revenues, and took care of the public Buildings, and the High-Roads, and regulated the charges of the public Sacrifices. There were also Deputy Censors in the Colonies, who sent them an account of the number and the estates of the Inhabitants, to be inserted in the public Tables. After the second punic War, the Censors were invested with a Consular Dignity, and wore the Ensigns of that office, and indeed were reckoned a degree better than they. 14. In the mean time the Plebeians being pushed on by the Tribunes, took it very ill that they were not allowed inter-marriages with the Nobility, and laid claim to an equal right. This stirred up Sp. Maelius to aspire at the Kingdom by distributing Corn in the time of a famine; but L. Quintius Cincinnatus being made dictatory in the 80 year of his Age, employed C. Servilius Hala, mayor General of Horse to kill him, and pull down his House, in the 315 year after the building of the City. The Tribunes resented his death, and moved that they should choose the tribuni militum next year, that so the Plebeians might then creep into that Post; but they were disappointed. In this year, Fidenae a Roman Colony surrendered itself to Tolumnius, K. of the Veientes, and upon his advice maltraited the Roman Legates. Upon the War against them Mamercus Aemilius was made dictatory, and under his Command Corn. Cassus killed Tolumnius, and was the second that obtained the opima spolia. 15. Varro derives opima, ab opibus; but Plutarch, ab opere. They were Consecrated to Jupiter Feretrius, so called because the spoils were carried in a feretrum, or à feriendo. There were but three dignified with that honour before Plutarch's time; namely, Romulus who killed and pillaged Acron, K. of Caerina; Cassius who did the same to Tolumnius, K. of the Veientes, and Marcellus who obtained the like success over Britomartus or Virdumarus, K. of the Gauls. Fidenae was soon taken, but revolted again, and the tribuni militum were sent to subdue 'em, but being all invested with equal power, and dissenting from one another, they made but an ill hand of it. Whereupon Aemilius was made dictatory a third time, and Cassus, Master of the Horse: and these two defeated the Etrurians, and took Fidenae. 16. The Consuls and Tribunes of the Army succeeded mutually, according as the People pleased. Soon after the Tribunes got three Quaestores and one Tribunus militum, chosen out of the Commons. The Veientes having persuaded the Fidenatians to revolt, continued still in War with them, and the siege of Veii lasted 10 years. In the 10 year of that siege furious Camillus( who had been twice Tribune of the Army, and Censor) was chosen dictatory. Camillus easily carried Veii, and returned to Rome in Triumph, riding in a Coach drawn by 4 white Horses, which honour was reckoned peculiar to Jupiter, and he was the first of all the Romans that arrogated it to himself. By this action he drew an odium upon himself, which was much inflamed by his hindering the Commons to return to Veii, when they separated from the Nobility. Upon which the Commons were so incensed against him that they banished him, as if he had cheated the Treasury of the spoil taken in the Etrurian War, and fined him in 15000( or rather 1500) Aera, which were then only in use among the Romans. 17. Camillus being banished, extended his hands towards the Capitol, and prayed that if he was injured his ungrateful Countrymen might have occasion to repent, that it might be seen how much the Romans would miss him in his absence. Which happened not long after. The Galli Celtae being confined in too narrow bounds, sent out several Colonies in quest of new seats. The Posterity of those who settled between the Pyrenean Mountains and the Alps, having tasted the Italian Wine, had a mighty itch to subdue the Country that produced such noble liquour; and accordingly crossed the Alps, and removed to that part of Italy, which the Hetrusci were formerly possessed of; and afterwards being called Senones, came under the Command of their K. Brennus, and besieged Clusium, a City of Tuscany. The Clusians implored the assistance of the Romans, and they sent three Ambassadors all of 'em of the Family of the Fabius's, to bring the Affair to an accommodation. The Ambassadors finding that the Gauls could by no means be persuaded into Peace, without they got part of the grounds, were angry and marched out of the Town to fight. As soon as Brennus was informed of their motion, he cried out, that they violated the Law of Nations, and marched towards Rome. 18. He demanded that the Ambassadors should be delivered up to him, but 'twas refused. This he took for an Affront, and in resentment of the same, defeated the Tribunes of the Army, upon the River Allia. Finding Rome abandoned by most of the Citizens, he sacked it, and besieged the Capitol. Camillus being then at Veii, was chosen General by the banished Romans: and being confirmed by those who kept the Capitol, routed the Gauls and put 'em to flight. And thus Rome, which had been surprised and taken by the Gauls on the 15 of July, was recovered again on the 13 of February, in the 365 year after the building of the City, and the 16 of Artaxerxes Mnemon. 19. The Tribunes of the People made a noise again about separating and removing to Veii; and in order to remedy that evil, the Senators desired Camillus to retain the Dictators place for the whole year, tho' that was unprecedented. Camillus detained the Commons and induced 'em to rebuild the City; which being done in a hurry, it seemed rather to be a heap of houses one upon another than a regular City; and the Conduits which before were placed in the streets were then put under ground. Next year Camillus was made dictatory a second time, and conquered the Aequi and Hetrusci, and obliged the Volsci to surrender after they had continued the War 70 years. 20. Three years after that Camillus being made Tribune of the Army defeated 'em again, as also the latins who had continued true to the Romans from the battle at Rhegillum to that time. These things inflamed the envy of M. Manlius who had purchased great glory by defending the Capitol, and enlarged it by liberal Presents to the People, in order to win their Affections, and make his way for Tyranny. But Corn. Cassus the dictatory, or else Quintius Capitolinus, who, Livy says, was still mayor General of the Horse, killed him; upon which the Commons were much incensed. 21. Afterwards the War was carired on successfully against the Latins and the Volsci; but the Commons complained heavily of the debts. The Tribunes animated 'em, but Fabius Ambustus, a Nobleman, inflamed their ambition much more, for having married one Daughter to a Nobleman, and another to a Commoner, the latter took it ill that she wanted the honours that her Sister had, and he made answer that her Family would in time be likewise honourable. He likewise concerted measures with Licinius Stolo, his Son-in-Law, and L. Sestius, about giving the Plebeians a right to be Consuls. These two men being made Tribunes, raised such tumults, that for 5 years there was no head Magistrate. Indeed the Sedition lasted 9 years, and it had come to another separation, had not Camillus's Authority weighed in some measure with both sides. Then Camillus was made dictatory a 5th. time, and routed the Gauls again, upon the River Anien. 22. But upon his return to Rome he encountered great difficulties, for the Commons were up again about the Consulship, and were not far from doing violence to his Person, when dignified by the highest Magistracy, and shining with the Glory of his great achievements. So he persuaded the Senators to humour the times, and to make a Plebeian one of the Consuls. But at the same time the Patritii were allowed to choose a Praetor to judge Causes within the City, out of their own number. Matters being thus accommodated, a Temple was dedicated to Concord, which Camillus had formerly vowed. A 4th. day was added to the Latin-fair, and the greater games were celebrated, two noblemen being appointed to serve in the room of the Aediles, who refused to execute their office upon that occasion, and these Noblemen were called Curules from their Chair of State. Some will have that Chair to be called Curulis from the Coach upon which it stood; but others derive the occasion from Cures a Sabine City. The form of it, as 'tis stamped upon medals and Coins, resembles the Spanish Chairs, which at this day great men make use of. It had crooked feet, and steps to get up by; and was covered with Ivory, with several things engraved upon it. 23. The Praetor was so called à praeeundo, and at first the Consuls and most Magistrates went by the same name. The Consuls being for the most part taken up with military business a Praetor was appointed to sit as Judge. And about 112 years after the first institution, about the 500 year after the building of Rome, another was added, who was called Peregrinus, from taking cognisance of foreign Causes. Afterwards when Sardinia, Sicily and Spain became Provinces, the number of the Praetors was made equal to that of the Provinces, till it came to 18 and above. Afterwards it decreased again as the Empire declined, and by a Law made by Valentinianus and Marcianus was reduced to three. The Town Praetor was likewise called Governor, because in the absence of the Consuls he executed their Office, and took care of the Games, Sacrifices, and decisions of Causes. They had the same badges of honour with the Consul, bating that there were only six rods carried before' em. By reason of their power and dignity and the solemnity of their institution, Livy calls 'em colleagues to the Consuls. 24. The first Plebeian Consul was L. Sextius: The first Praetor was Sp. furious, Son to Camillus: The first Aediles Curules were Cn. Quintius Capitolinus and P. Corn. Scipio. L. Aemilius Mamercus was colleague with Sextius, for the Nobility. And thus the Consulship return'd to its former course after an interval of 23 years; and 'twas then the 88 in number from the Expulsion of the Kings. But the Tribunes of the Army were for ever kept out, after they had governed the republic 48 times, and the administration of affairs had been 15 times devolved from Consuls upon them, and from them upon Consuls. Besides these alterations, the Government was tossed from the Kings to the Consuls, from the Consuls to the Decemviri, and from them to the Consuls again, and 20 Dictatorships intervened, besides an infinity of interregnums, during which the Regents governed with a Consular power for five days. So many were the changes and alterations that happened after the banishing of tarqvinius their King, in the space of 134 years. 25. The Noblemen were so disobliged by the Plebeians their invading the Consulship, that the Senate made no preparations against the Gauls. The Plebeians on the other hand were angry that the Noblemen had 3 Magistracies in their power, and looked with an envious eye upon the power of the Praetor. Whereupon the Commons were allowed to be capable of the place of Aedilis Curulis. Next year a grievous plague raged, by which Camillus and many others were swept off. And no remedy being found, the Stage Plays were Instituted, and Actors were brought from Etruria, who were called Histri, from whence the word Histrio takes its rise. Soon after M. Curtius threw himself headlong, at a time that they fought successfully against the Hernici, Galli, Hetrusci and Latini. 26. After the Plebeians had enjoyed the Consulship 9 years, the Noblemen taking it ill that C. Martius Rutilius had been made dictatory in the preceding year, translated him to their rank. And this was so far resented by the Commons that the Nobility was obliged both to restore the Consulship, and to pay the debts of the poor out of the Treasury. And in the very next year a Plebeian was made one of their Censors. 27. Hitherto the Romans had not carried their Arms far; but now they began to reach beyond their wonted bounds, being solicited to assist the Campanians against the Samnitians, whom Valerius the Consul defeated and forced to make Peace. They likewise made War with the latins for assisting the Enemies of the Samnitians, who had thus become their Allies. In this War Decius. Mus sacrificed himself for the good of the Roman Army, by crowding in amongst the thickest ranks of the Enemies, who cut him to pieces. T. Manlius also( who was surnamed Torquatus, from defeatting and taking a Chain from a gall in a Duel) beheaded his own Son for fighting without his Command, notwithstanding that he came off with the Victory. From thence hard precepts were called Manliana; but when Manlius return'd after the defeat of the latins, the young men would not go out to meet him. 18. The Consuls for the next year mauled the latins again, who had revolted upon the taking of some grounds from them. The Senate being at that time somewhat unjust to Aemilius, one of the Consuls, and desiring to have a dictatory, he nominated Q. Publius Philo for his colleague, whose Magistracy galled the Senators sufficiently, especially upon the score of three Laws which he made. The first of which seemed to alter the whole form of Government, for its tenor was that the Plebiscita were obligatory upon the Quirites. The second provided that whatever was enacted by the Comitia Centuriata should be proposed by the Senators. The third appointed one of the Censors at least to be a Plebeian. These Laws were made in the 416 year after the building of the City, in the 1 of Arses King of Persia, and the 23 of Philip of Macedonia. 29. Next year all Latium was subdued, and the Ships belonging to the Antiates were taken from 'em, the beaks of which were put up in the Church where the harangues were made, from whence it was called Rostra. Next year after that, Q. Publius Philo, a Plebeian, was made Praetor, and the Nobility made but little resistance, having at that time lost all their privileges and the badges of their dignity. Soon after the Sidicini and Ausones were conquered and upon a new survey of the Citizens two new Tribes were made, viz. the Metia and the Scaptia, for receiving new Citizens. 30. At the same time 130 Women were convicted of Witch-craft, and put to death; and in regard that was reckoned a Prodigy, a dictatory was nominated to fasten a nail for a memorial of the same. Then a War broken out with the Privernates, who had been pushed on by Vitruvius Gallus, a great Man among the Faudani. In the first year they were worsted, in the next Vitruvius was taken, and Privernum came into the hands of the Romans. Vitruvius and his Complices were beheaded; and the other Citizens were allowed the freedom of the City. Now the first year of this War happened to be the last of Darius Codomannus, the last of the Persian Kings, the 424 after the building of Rome, in the Consulship of L. Papyrius Crassus for the second time, and L. Plautius Venox or Venon. THE ELEMENTS OF HISTORY. BOOK III. Of the Macedonian Empire, and Things Contemporary with it. CHAP. I. From the beginning of the Macedonian Empire, to the Death of Alexander the Great. The Space of Six Years and Ten Months. 1. WHEN Alexander looked upon the Corps of Darius, he wept over them. Having pursued Bessus to no purpose, he return'd to Hecatompolis, a City in Parthia, where he encouraged the Soldiers to go on; finding them very eager to return to their own Country. Then he marched against the Mardians, and forced them to give up Bucephalus, which Damaratus, the Corinthian, had gifted them. When he came to Zadracarta, the Metropolitan of Hyrcania, the Story has it, That he embraced Thalestris, Queen of the Amazons; but neither ptolemy, the Son of Lagus, nor any creditable Writer of those times, mentions that Adventure; and Alexander himself never mentioned it in his Letters, or other Interviews with Antipater. 2. From thence he marched into the Country of the Arii and Sarangaei, where a Conspiracy against him was discovered: And Philotas, the Son of Parmenio, lost his Head, either for declining or delaying to Reveal it. And Parmenio himself, governor of Media, who was then 70 Years Old, and had done the King many good Services, underwent the same Fate; because he was suspected, either to be Guilty, or to design the Revenge of his Son's Death. At that time, Bessus at Bactra had taken upon him the Title of Artaxerxes, King of Persia; whereupon Alexander set out, and having passed over the Mountain Paropamisus, came to Bactra, where Bessus was betrayed, and delivered into his Hands; and he gave him up to Oxyartes, Darius's Brother, to be tortured to Death. 3 About this time, he destroyed the City of the Branchidae, with all the Inhabitants; as a Punishment for the Crime committed by their Ancestors 150 Years before, in giving the Treasure of Apollo Didymaeus to Xerxes upon his flight, and following him to this Place where they settled. Having passed over the River Tamais, which falls from the Mountain Caucasus into the Caspian-Sea, he received a Wound in his Thigh; but after all, the Scythians were constrained to Surrender themselves by an Embassy, and he possessed himself of Marcanda, of which the People of Sogdiana had formerly made themselves Masters, by cutting off the Macedonian Garrison. At this place, being Drunk with Wine, he killed Clytus, who had checked him for slighting the Actions of Philip his Father, and with some warmth had spoken of his Glory in a lessening way. 4. Next Spring, in the beginning of the 10th Year of his Reign, he made himself Master of the highest Rock in Sogdiana, where Oxyartes,( a Lord of that Country) lived; whose Daughter Roxana he fell so deeply in Love with, that he married her out of hand. Having thus advanced the Condition of his Affairs, and reduced his Enemies, he arrogated to himself divine Honours, which calisthenes, the Philosopher, Son to Aristotle's niece, refused to pay him, and thereupon lost his Head. Afterwards, he marched towards India, and made himself Master of the Hill Aornos, which only Hercules before him was able to across. 5. In the 11th Year of his Reign, which was the 4th after the Death of Darius, he passed over the River Indus, and invaded India. Omphis, or Mophis, the King of this Country, presently surrendered himself, and Alexander allowed him to go by the name of Taxiles. Abisarus also, King of the Highlanders, by Embassy surrendered himself and his Kingdom. Then Alexander marched against Porus, who reigned beyond the River Hydaspes. He crossed the River without much difficulty; and soon after came to a Battle, in which the Indian King was mounted upon an Elephant, and made a terrible Figure; and Alexander had his Horse shot, lost many of his Men, and was saved by his Officers. Porus did not give over fighting till all his Men forsook him. The Conqueror admired his Valor, return'd him his Kingdom, and enlarged it with the Addition of other Countries. Alexander gave Orders for building two Cities, one called Nicaea, in the very place where he defeated Porus; the other near to the River called Bucephalaea, in memory of the Horse Bucephalus, who died at this place, being 30 Years Old. 6. Having conquered many Nations, he came to the River Hyphasis or Hyparis, the utmost limits of his Victories: For he could not by any means persuade his Men to across it. At this place he ordered the Camp to be made three times larger than usually; he caused Beds to be made five Cubits wide; and Mangers, Arms, Bridles, and other Accoutrements of a prodigious largeness. He return'd to the River Hydaspis, and sailed towards the Ocean; his Men being divided on the two sides of the River. He set out in the beginning of November, received Homage from the Sibari, killed several others that refused to submit, and marched against Malli and Oxydracae, with whom he had a bloody Battle, that put him in great danger of his Life: For he himself scaled the Walls of the Castle of Malli, and leaped down on the inside. Whereupon the Barbarians shot Darts at him upon all hands, and he received a Wound in his Lungs; And by the loss of his Blood and Spirits fell into a swoon, which stopped the Bleeding. 7. After the recovery of his Wound he sailed to the place where the Rivers Hydrao●is and Acesines meet, and from thence to the Indus. Together with the other Indians, he subdued the Brachmans, and proposed hard questions to them. After Ten Months sailing he came to the iceland Pattalena, where the Indus is divided into two Channels: From thence he set forward, and after encountering several Storms, arrived at length in the Ocean, where he sacrificed Bulls and performed other Acts of Devotion to Neptune, in order to procure a happy Voyage to the Fleet, which he ordered Nearchus to sail with thro' the Ocean and Persian Bay as far as to Euphrates and the Tigris. Having left his navy at Pattala, he passed thro' the Countreys of the Arabitae, Oritae, and Gedrosii. 8. He encountered Greater Difficulties in the Country of the Gedrosii, than in all his Progress in Asia: For thro' the scarcity of Water, Violence of heat and want of Provisions, he did not bring home one quarter of the forces he Transported to Asia. 'tis said, he was forewarned of those Difficulties; For he was informed that Semiramis escaped out of this Country only with 30, and Cyrus only with 7 Men, after they had offered to invade it. But that only whetted his Ambitious desires of outdoing their Glory. Having surmounted these Incredible Difficulties he arrived at Caramania. In the mean time, Nearchus being beaten by the Patalenians, made his way thro' a Rock to bring his Fleet into the Ocean, passed thro' the Countrys of the Arabitae, Oritae, Gedrosii and Iththyophagi, came into the Persian Bay, and arrivd at Ormus. There he had advice that the King was about five Days Journey off from that place: so he set out, and gave the King an account of his expedition, and then return'd to the Navy with Orders to continue his course to the mouth of the River Euphrates and from thence to Babylon. 9. The King sent his Army into Persia, by Sea, under the Command of Hephestion: and vent himself over Land: Upon the Road as he came to Chalquera, he distributed Money to the Women, according to the Custom of the Persian Kings; and repaired Cyrus's Tomb. During his abode in Persia, he punished many Criminals; he married Statira the Daughter of Darius, paid the Macedonians Debts, which did scarce amount to 10000 Talents; and bestowed gifts upon every Man, in proportion to his Merit. 10. But his own Soldiers were not at all satisfied: for after he had sailed down the River Eulaeus into the Ocean, and return'd along Tigris as far as Opis, he called together all his Soldiers, and allowed the invalids to return home, and promised mighty things to those that would continue with him to finish the War: Now this they looked upon as a contempt and slighting of them. They considered that he enured himself to the Persian Customs, and put on their habit; that the Barbarians, were listed into the Company of his Friends; that 30 young Men were pitched upon in the Provinces and bread to the Macedonian discipline, whom he called Epigoni. Upon these considerations they conjectured that their Country and Customs were slighted, and desired to be dismissed, entreating the King to carry on the War with the sole assistance of Jupiter Hammon his Father. 11. The King was mightily disturbed upon this Occurrence. He gave Orders that 13 of the Soldiers who were presently taken up, should be thrown headlong into the River. The rest he overlooked, and shut himself up in the Tent for two Days without seeing any Body. On the third day, having Ordered the Macedonians to keep within their Trenches, he filled the best Posts of the Army with Barbarians; which galled the Macedonians so sensibly, that for three days together they employed the heaviest lamentations in suing for a Pardon; which at length with great difficulty they obtained. Then he dismissed all those who were not fit for War, and not only paid down their Arrears, but furnished them with Provisions for their Journey, and distributed a Talent to every Man. He likewise sent Craterus to Govern Macedonia, as successor to Antipater, who was to bring up the Auxiliary Troops. At length he arrived at Ecbatana the Metropolitan of Media, where Hephestion thro' drinking was seized with a fever, and not complying with a thin spare Diet, dyed in 7 days time. The King was so afflicted with his Death, that he Crucified Glaucus his Physician, and appointed an universal Mourning, in which the City partak'd by removing the Ornaments off from their Walls. 12. Having conquered the Cosseans he went to Babylon notwithstanding the remonstrances of the chaldeans, who told him that Bel●● had foretold that his arrival in that place would be fatal to him. There he gave Audience to the Ambassadors that were sent to him out of Asia, Europe and Africa He apyly'd himself to the building of a new Fleet, in order to view Arabia, and caused a new Haven to be built at Babylon. In the mean time he went down the Euphrates to Pallocopa and from thence to the borders of Arabia, where he ordered a Town to be built; then he return'd to Babylon, deriding the Remonstrances of the Chaldeans, and designed to settle the seat of his Empire there. But soon after by hard drinking he was seized with a fever and died on the 11th Day. He lived 32 Years and 8 Months, and reigned 12 Years and 8 Months. He survived Darius 6 Years and 10 Months. He died the first Year of the 114 Olympiad, 322 Years before Christ, A. M. 3681. CHAP. II. Of the Affairs Transacted by Alexander's Officers after his Death, till the Empire was divided, and the respective Governours were styled Kings. The Space of 17 Years. 1. ALexander left one Son, namely Hercules his Bastard, by Barsine Daughter to Artabazus the Persian. Roxana Daughter to Oxyartes was with Child when he Dyed, and after some time brought forth a posthumous Son, whom they christened Alexander. He had likewise a Bastard Brother Arideus the Son of Philinna a Larissean; and Cleopatra his Sister King Epirus's Widow was also alive. After long disputes about the Election of a Successor, the Officers at last agreed, that Arideus should be declared King; and that Perdiccas, to whom Alexander gave his Ring when he Dyed, should be Guardian to the King, whose Intellectuals were but weak. 2. Then the Provinces were divided among the Officers, and Ptolomaeus the Son of Lagus made himself Master of Egypt without any difficulty. Perdiccas, envying his possession of so large a Country, gave the command of Cappadocia and the other Provinces to Eumenes, and marched at the Head of an Army towards Egypt, carrying Arideus and Alexander along with him. In crossing the Nile he took no care of his Soldiers, so that some of them were swallowed up by the Waves, and others devoured by Crocodiles; upon which he was killed by some Horsemen, at the end of a 3 Years Regency. By the interest of Ptolomeus, python and Arideus were Elected to serve in his room: but python was so disturbed with the Calumnies of eurydice Wife to Arideus, that he resigned his Government, and Antipater succeeded him. 3. Antipater gave Antigonus the Command of the Army, to make Head against the Eumenes, who being left in Asia by Perdiccas, had killed Craterus in the Field, and was declared an Enemy by the Army. Antigonus conquered Eumenes not by force but by stratagem, and besieged him in the Castle of Nora. But Antipater being Dead, and Polysperchon the ancientest of Alexanders's Officers, being left successor, Antigonus began to aspire at the whole Empire, and, in Order to make Eumenes his Friend, broken up the Siege, and took an Oath of him, which Emmenes, in Antigonus's absence, accommodated to his own meaning. Antigonus finding the Oath turned to his purpose endeavoured to reniew the Siege, but it was in vain. In the mean time Cassander the Son of Antipater concerted measures for possessing himself of Macedonia, and entered into a league with Ptolomaeus and Antigonus, the latter of whom promised to employ all his interest on his behalf, and pretended a great deal of Friendship, thinking thereby to have a fairer opportunity of making himself Master of Asia. 4. Polysperchon, in Order to make a stronger interest against Cassander, makes Eumenes his Friend, whom Olympias had frequently entreated by Letters, to stand by the Royal Family. Eumenes enlarged the number of his Forces, by Marching into the upper provinces, where the Governours joined him with an Army of 18700 Foot and 4600 Horse. Antigonus pursued him and came to an Engagement in the Country of the Paraeteceni, and lost several of his Men; but the Victory was doubtful because Antigonus's Men buried their dead first. After this battle the War was carried on by both Partys by stratagems till after some time, that they came to a second Battle, in which Eumenes obtained the Victory; but the Conqueror was basely delivered up by his own Men, with his Hands tied behind his back, and after 3 Days fasting was killed. He was a very cunning Man, and in Warlike affairs was inferior to none; he Dyed in the 8 year after Alexander's Death. 5. Olympias being brought back by Polysperchon and Aeacidas King of the Molossi, to Macedonia, together with Alexander her Grand-Child, made away King Arideus with his Wife Eurydice, the Daughter of that amyntas whom Phillip his Uncle and Guardian outted of his Kingdom, and Alexander robbed of his Life. Olympias did likewise Murder Nicanor the Brother of Cassander, and hundreds of his other Friends. Cassander marched from the Peloponnesus with an Army, and blocked up the Queen in Pydna; at last she was forced to surrender her self, and Cassander delivered her to those, whose Friends she had cruelly put to Death, to be punished with the loss of her life. In the mean time Antigonus does in the East what he pleases, he took off the Head of Pytho governor of Media, for Ploting against him, and so frighted Seleucus Deputy governor of Babylonia, with calling him to give account of his money, that he fled into Egypt accompanied by 50 Horse. 6. Seleucus was wellcomly received by Ptolomaeus, and managed Matters so, that an universal confederacy was concluded against Antigonus. They demanded that Cappadocia and Lycia should be given to Cassander the governor of Caria, Phrygia adjacent to the Hellespont to Lysimachus, all Syria to ptolemy, and Babylon to Seleucus; and to give the above mentioned Governors, together with the others that were outted of their Governments, a share of the Treasure that came into his Hands after the Death of Eumenes. Antigonus rejected 〈…〉 Conditions of Peace, and having enter 〈…〉 a league with Polysperchon, applied himself ●●olly to the management of his own Affairs. 7. Ptolomeus, having pacifi'd Cyprus and Cyrere, defeated his Son Demetrius in a Bloody Battle Fought near to Gaza a Town of Coelosyria. Seleucus return'd to Babylon with 800 Foot and 20 Horse, and with these made himself Master of the Town. After that, he enlarged his Forces, and possessed himself of Susiana, Media and other Countrys: So that he invested himself with the Power and Majesty of a King, and upon that account some Date the Aera of the Seleucidae or Grecians from this Year, it being the First Year of the 117 Olympiad, the 309 Year before Christ, the 12th Year after the Death of Alexander, A. M. 3694. 8. Antigonus sent his Son Demetrius against Seleucus; in Opposition to whom Ptolomeus sent calls to beat him out of Syria: but Demetrius defeated him, and by so doing wiped off the former Discredit. He took Babylon which the Enemy had forsaken, and possessed himself of one Castle, leaving Archelaus to Master the other Fortifications. The time prescribed by his Father being elapsed he return'd to the Sea▪ and as he lay before Halicarnassus was beaten by ptolemy, and so obliged to bid an Eternal Adieu to the upper Provinces. Upon which account the Chaldeans, and perhaps the Writer of the First Book of the Maccabees, Date the Seleucian Aera from this Year. 9. Soon after a League was concluded between Ptolomaeus, Cassander, Lysimachus and Antigonus, upon these Terms, viz. That Cassander should have the Command of Europe, Lysimachus continue Master of Thracia, ptolemy retain Egypt and the other Countrys he was already possessed of, till Alexander the Son of Roxana should be of Age, and that Antigonus should Command Asia and give Laws to the Grecians. This League quickly came to nothing, for every one catched what he could come at; which they were the more capable to do, because he who was their Master, and seemed to be over them all, was taken off. For. Cassander understanding that the People were best affencted to Alexander, and spoken openly of bringing him out of Prison and setting him upon his Fathers Throne, took care that both the Mother and the Son should be secretly made away. Thus was the Posthumous Alexander wickedly cut off, 13 Years after his Fathers Death. 10. Hercules the other of Alexander's Sons, whom the Macedonians looked upon as Spurious, being then 17 Years Old, was called from Pergamus to Macedonia, by Polysperchon, who envied the Principality of Macedonia to Cassander. But when it was drawing towards a battle, Cassander by large Promises persuaded Polysperchon to cut off the Youth. Cleopatra also having Rejected Antigonus who Courted her, as having a Greater Affection to ptolemy, and upon that account designing to flee from Sardis, was taken off by his means. Soon after Demetrius rescued Athens from the Clutches of Demetrius Chaleraeus; and defeated Menelaus Ptolomy's General in Cyprus, and pursued him to Salamina where he blocked him up. Ptolomaeus himself came to relieve him, but he had the Mortification lo loose 8000 Men with his whole Navy, bating 8 Ships, with which he fled to Egypt, leaving both the Town and iceland to Demetrius. 11. Antigonus puffed up by the Glory of this Victory, accepted of the Regal Title and Diadem, tendered to him by his Friends, and conferred the same Honour upon Demetrius. On the other Hand the Egyptians, that they might not seem to despair of their Interest, did likewise declare ptolemy their King. In like manner Seleucus, Cassander and Lysimachus, desired to be invested with the same dignity, the Off-Spring of Alexander being now totally extinguished. CHAP. III. From the Time that the Officers were called Kings, to the Death of Seleucus who outlived the Rest. The Space of 40 Years. 1 ANtigonus was encouraged by his late Success over ptolemy to entertain the hopes of turning him out of Egypt. Accordingly he drew together some Troops at Antigonia, a City in Syria standing upon the River Orontes, and marched with 'em to the Mouth of the Nile; But finding no Ford for the passage of his Army, and that his Men were in Danger of being Corrupted by the Enemy, he was obliged to return. Neither did he succced better in his Expedition against the Rhodians. But Demetrius being sent into Greece, rescued the Cities from the Yoke of Polysperchon and Cassander: The latter of whom was so struck with fear that he sent Ambassadors to sue for Peace, but finding that Antigonus would accept of no Terms, but that of delivering himself and all he possessed upon Discretion, he egged on Lysimachus, Ptolomoeus and Seleucus, to Repress the Boldness of the Tyrant. 2. Next Spring the Forces of these Princes were lead forth to a fatal battle. Antigonus appeared at the Head of an Army of 70000 foot, 10000 Horse, and 75 Elephants. The Confederate Army consisted of 64000 Foot, 1500 Horse; 400 Elephants and 120 Coaches. Antigonus boasted that with the throw of a ston he would disperse that Convention of Kings, like a flock of Birds; But in the Time of the battle he became very sad, and talked to his only Son, which he never did before, and Recommended him to his Army. The battle was fought at Ipsus a Town in Phrygia, in which Demetrius wretchedly ruined his Fathers Interest by his Temerity, in pursuing Antiochus the Son of Seleucus, whom he had put to flight, so far, that the Elephants intercepted his return; so that he could neither return to his own nor assist his Father, who waited long for relief, and at last was killed by Darts in the 23 Year after the Death of Alexander, the 6 Year after he had taken upon him the Title of a King, the 4 Year of the 119 Olympiad, A. M. 3704. 3. The Conquerors divided the Dominions of Antigonus among themselves; but it seems Ptolomaeus and Seleucus got the greater Part, and the differences they had concerning the Division of the spoil were left undetermined to their Successors. Ptolomaeus possessed himself of Syria, Cyprus, and soon after of Cyrene, and gave his Daughter Arsinoe in Marriage to Lysimachus. Seleucus built the Town Seleucia and Antiocha so called either from Father or Son, to which he Transported the Inhabitants of Antigonia. He Married Stratonice the Daughter of Demetrius. Next Year Cassander King of Macedonia died of a Dropsy, his Body being Terribly overrun with Lice, after he had reigned 19 Years, in the 26 Year after the Death of Alexander, A. M. 3707. 4. He left 3 Sons by Thessalonice Daughter to Phillip; Namely, Phillip, Antipater, and Alexander. Phillip succeeded his Father, but was quickly cut off by a Consumption. Antipater killed his Mother because Alexander was her favourite, tho' she conjured him by her Breasts to spare her Life: Upon this Wicked Action, the two Brethren fell out, and both of 'em called in Kings for their Assistance, and by this means were at once dispossessed of Macedonia and of their Lives: Thus it pleased God to Punish the Wickedness of Cassander, as the very Heathen Authors have observed. Demetrius, whom Alexander had called in, possessed himself of Macedonia, and was very bent upon beating Lysimachus out of Thracia. But Pyrrhus King of Epirus, by invading Thessaly, diverted him and gave him a great deal of Trouble. Afterwards Demetrius made Peace with him, having many Great Projects in his head, and applying himself warmly to concert Measures for the Recovering of his Fathers Dominions. 5. He made Greater Preparations for War, and raised a Greater Army, than any that had appeared in one Body from the Death of Alexander to that day. It consisted of 100000 Foot, and 12000 Horse, besides 1500 Ships. This frighted Seleucus, ptolemy, and Lysimachus, so that they entered into a Confederacy, and with joint entreaties persuaded Pyrrhus to break the Peace. Lysimachus invaded Macedonia upon the Thracian side, and Pyrrhus upon that of Epirus possessed himself of Byrrhea, and was declared King of Macedonia by Demetrius's Army. But Lysimachus coming up claimed a right to part of the Kingdom, and obtained it, Pyrrhus being Jealous of the Inconstancy of the Macedonians. 6. Demetrius being thus turned out of Macedonia, and tossed up and down by hard Fortune, was at last obliged to Surrender himself to Seleucus his Son in Law. Seleucus gave him a very Civil Reception, and allowed him his Liberty. At first he diverted himself with hunting; but afterwards forgetting his former dignity, he gave himself up to drinking and to the dice; and 3 Years after was seized with a distemper which killed him, in the 54 Year of his Age. Soon after Lysimachus turned Pyrrhus out of Macedonia, as being a stranger; and upon the solicitation of his Wife, killed Agathocles his Eldest Son. The Wife of Agathocles and others, whose Relations were killed for Regrating his Death, pressed Seleucus to Revenge it upon the Tyrant. Lysimachus, in order to avoid such an Inconvenience, crossed over to Asia, where he died in a sharp battle fought in Phrygia, and having lost 15 of his Children before, by his own Death, completed the ruin of his Family. He died in the 80th Year of his Age, 4 Years after his Possession of Macedonia, 40 Years after the Death of Alexander, in the 2 Year of the 124 Olympiad, A. M. 3722. 7. Seleucus was mightily puffed up by his Victory, especially considering that he was the only Man of Alexander's Officers then alive. He gave Asia to his Son Antiochus, and set out for Macedonia, designing there to make his Exit. But after he crossed the Hellespont he directed his course towards Lysimachia, and at a place called Argos was perfidiously murdered by Ptolomaeus Ceraunus, the Son of ptolemy by Eurydice the Daughter of Antipater. Ptolomaeus had fled from Egypt to Lysimachus his Brother in Law, upon his Younger Brother's being preferred to him; and upon the Death of Lysimachus made his address to Seleucus, who gave him a kind Reception, for which he did him this grateful turn. He distributed Money to Seleucus's Army, and was declared King. Afterwards in a Sea fight he defeated Antigonus Gonatas the Son of Polyorcetes, who attempted the Recovery of Macedonia; and so established himself upon the Throne. CHAP. IV. The State of the Kingdom of Macedonia: From the Death of Seleucus, to the Captivity of Perseus and the overthrow of the Kingdom. The space of 130 Years. 1. PTolomaeus, to Establish his own Crown, Courted the Friendship of the Neighbouring Kings. He Married his own Sister Arsinoe; Afterwards having murdered the Children in the Arms of the Mother, he likewise gave her a divorce. About this time several of the Gauls, finding the Bounds of their own Country too Narrow, sally'd out in quest of New Seats under 3 Leaders. One Company directed their course to Thracia under the Conduct of Cerethrius, the other came into Pannonia under the Command of Brennus and Acichorius, and the 3 settled in Macedonia being headed by Belgius or Bolgius. ptolemy rashly engaging with the last of these was taken prisoner by his Enemies, and miserable butchered, after he had been Master of Macedonia for a Year and a half. 2. Meleager Ptolomy's Brother succeeded him, but at the end of two Months the Macedonians turned him out as unworthy of the Crown, and declared Antipater the Son of Philip King in his Room, who was afterwards called Etesias, by reason that he possessed the Crown only 45 Days. Then one Sosthenes drew together a body of Men, and checked the Gauls, but declined the Title of a King, requiring only an Oath of fidelity to him as their Captain. In the mean Time Brennus having notice that Bolgius was possessed of such a goodly Spoil, invaded Macedonia with a Numerous Army, and defeated Sosthenes who opposed him. Having laid Mac d nia waste, he marched into Greece with 152000 Foot and 20400 Horse. Each Horseman had two Servants who followed him, and succeeded to his Post when he died. This Custom was called Trimarkasia or rather Trimarasia, for in the Anglo-Saxon and Teutonick Languages the word mere signifies all sorts of Horse. When the Gauls marched to Delphi, to pull down the Temple, as the Story goes, they were all knocked down Dead by Thunderbolts, downfalls of Rocks, and such other means. 3. Sosthenes died after he had governed two Years, and Antigonus Gonnatas, having made Peace with Antiochus Soter, obtained Macedonia, and routed the Gauls whom Brennus had left to secure the Country. At this Time the Gauls, who had left Brennus when he invaded Macedonia, and had made Incursions into Thracia, and had scattered themselves up and down several places of Asia; gathered into one Body, and assisted Nicomedes against Zypaeus who had possessed himself of part of Bithynia. Having conquered him, and pillaged the Countreys round about, they divided the Lands, and planted themselves upon the River Halys, at a place which they christened Gallograecia or Gallatia, in the 3d Year of the 125 Olympiad, A. M. 3727. 4. Pyrrhus, King of Epirus, having carried on a successless War in Italy and Sicily for Six Years, returned Home, and expelled Antigonus Gonnatas; but did not possess the Kingdom Two Years; for he endeavoured to restore Cleonymus the Spartan, whom the Citizens had expelled; and being at Argi upon that Account, was killed with a ston thrown by an old Woman, whose Son he was about to kill. By this means, Antigonus recovered Macedonia. Afterwards, the Soldiers revolted from Antigonus to Alexander, the Son of Pyrrhus, who expelled him: But his Son Demetrius re-instated him in his Throne, and expelled Alexander out of Macedonia, and kept him for some time out of his own Kingdom. Antigonus Gonnatas died when he was 80 Years old, 36 Years after his first accession to the Crown of Macedonia( but he was governor of some graecian Cities Ten Years before) the 2d Year of the 134 Olympiad, A. M. 3762. 5. Demetrius his Son succeeded. He alienated the Etolians from himself, by soliciting Agron, King of the Illyrians, to relieve the Mydionians, whom they at that time Besieged. He died Ten Years after. He left Philip his Son a Minor, and Antigonus the Brother, or else the Uncle of the deceased, was made his Guardian, who behaved himself so meekly and generously, that he was afterwards declared King. Upon the Death of Demetrius, the graecian Cities lifted up their Heads, and having shaked off the tyrannical Yoke, joined in with the Achajans, who were mightily esteemed by their Neighbours for their Prudence and Justice, having united into one Body, in the 124 Olympiad, and stirred up other Cities against the Macedonians. 6. Aratus the Sicyonian joined his own Country to Achaia, and proved a great ornament and support to the interest of the Achaians, in freeing Athens from the Macedonian yoke. But the Etolians were jealous of their Prosperity, and Cleomenes King of lacedaemon sided with 'em, who wanted any occasion of a War, in order to complete the ruin of the Ephori which he had already projected. In effect the War was too hard for the Achaians, so that they were obliged to beg assistance from Antigonus Doson. He restored their tottering interest, and put a stop to Cleomenes's progress, who had already taken several Towns, and after several successful attempts routed him in battle to that degree, that he threw off all hopes, and fled from lacedaemon to Alexandria. Antigonus used the Lacedemonians very civilly, and restored their Ancient Laws; but in the midst of his Glory was obliged to return to Macedonia, the Illyrians having invaded it. He went, and routed the Illyrians, but by shouting and crying aloud, fell into a spitting of blood, which threw him into a deep consumption, and Cut the thread of his Life, after he had governed Macedonia Ten Years, 100 Years after the death of Alexander, in the Second Year of the 139 Olympiad, A. M. 3782. 7. Antigonus being Dead, his Grandchild Philip succeeded. He was then 16 Years old. In him was the Sibylline prophesy verified, which foretold, that, as the Glory of Macedonia owed its first beginning to Philip, so Philip should one Day put an end to it. The Etolians were freeed of their fears when Antigonus died, and looked out for any occasion of renewing the War with the Achaians; and at last by continually affronting them and their associates, occasioned a confederat War. Aratus called in Philip to assist him. Philip took Ambracus which the Etolians had formerly taken from the People of Epyrus; then he invaded Etolia and laid the Country waste: Whereupon he was called home to defend Macedonia from the incursions of the Dardani, and the cruelty of Scopas the Etolian Praetor, who was then in Macedonia, and put all to fire and Sword. 8. The Dardanians were scared by the news of his return, and retired to their own Country. When he arrived he possessed himself of several fortified places, and carried on the War against the Etolians with a great deal of success. After all, when he heard that Hannibal the Carthaginian had routed the Romans at the lake Thrasimenus, he was over persuaded by Demetrius the Pharian, who had formerly fought for the Illyrians against the People of Rome, to neglect the Etolians, and mind the business of Illyricum, from whence he might pass into Italy, and by that means obtain the Monarchy of the whole World. Upon this project, he got an end put to that War, upon these terms, that each party should retain what they mutually possessed. Besides, Angelaus a Citizen of Neupactum solicited the Grecians to mediate for an accommodation, fearing they should become a prey either to the Carthaginians or Romans. Thus was that War concluded, after four Years standing, in the sixth Year of Philip, the first Year of the 141 Olympiad, A M. 3789. 9. Philip was altogether taken up with the Project of aggrandising himself, that Demetrius had suggested to him, and with that view, fitted out a Fleet, in order to attack the Romans: But, upon their Arrival, his Marrines were seized with such a fear, that he was obliged to retire. He sent an Ambassade to make a League with Hannibal the Victor, which was agreed to upon these Terms, viz. That Philip should sail towards Italy, with about 200 Ships, in order to lay their maritime Places waste; and to attack them both by Sea and Land; that Italy, when conquered, should wholly become a Prey to Hannibal and the Carthaginians, that Philip should have the Liberty to attack who he pleased of all that passed into Greece; and that he should continue Master of all the Places he possessed on the Continent, or in Islands. He was contented with these Terms. However, the Ambassadors, upon their return, were taken by the Romans; and others were afterwards sent, who brought the King certain Advice of the Confederacy. 10. Philip was so transported with this Scheme, that he became a downright Tyrant. He began to offer Injustice to the graecian Cities; being advised so to do by the above mentioned Demetrius, who told him, That he ought to possess himself of the Peloponnesus, especially the two Horns of that Beast, as he called it, meaning the Castles of Corinth and Messene. Pursuant to this Advice, he endeavoured to set the Messenians by the Ears among themselves, and used them unkindly; and poisoned Aratus for resenting the hard Treatment. Afterwards, he attacked the Cities of Illyricum: But Laevinus, the Roman Praetor, beat him out of Appollonia, and obliged him to return to Macedonia, with the Loss of 3000 Men. Upon his Retreat, he made himself Master of several Towns; but Laevinus made his Reprisals, by bringing the Etolians off from their Confederacy with him. However, he carried on the War against the Romans with tolerable Success, ever, till Sulpicius, the Roman Praetor, defeated him at Elis, and the disorderly Condition of his Affairs in Macedonia called him Home. 11. His Adventures against the Etolians were Successful for three Years. At length they being destitute of the Roman Assistance, which they trusted most in, were fain to accept of a Peace upon the King's own Terms. Soon after Sempronius, the Proconsul, succeeding to Sulpicius, did likewise make Peace with him in the name of the Romans, through the Mediation of the People of Epirus. The Articles of this Peace were, That the Cities Parthini, Diamasum, Bargalum and Eugenium, should continue in the Roman Hands; and that Attino should be under the Protection of Philip, pursuant to its own desire. In this League, the King included Prusias, King of Bithynia, the Achaians▪ Baeotians, Thessalians, Acarnanians, and those of Epirus: The Romans upon their side, included the Trojans, Attalus King of Pergamus, Pleuratus King of Thracia, the Eleans, Messenians, and Machanidas, Successor to Nabis, the Lacedemonian Tyrant. For the latter was killed in battle by Philipaemenes, who then began to defend his Country vigorously. 12. Philip being always accustomend to Action and fond of Glory, was uneasy under Peace. He envied the famed of Philipaemenes so much, that he sent Assassins to take away his Life; by which Attempt, he procured to himself many Enemies. He entered into a League with Antiochus Magnus, and both of them conspired to turn young ptolemy out of his Kingdom; but, as Polybius writes, they were scared by the Romans from pursuing their Design, and were afterwards punished for it. Being in Friendship with the Etolians, he scrupled not to snatch Lysimachia and Chalcedon out of their hands, without the least colour of Justice: He likewise subdued the Town of the Caunij, which the Rhodians took so ill, that, from that time, they became his Enemies, and joined in with Attalus. Notwithstanding the multitude of Projects he was engaged in, and the heavy Disasters he had met with; yet he kept up an invincible Spirit, full of great hopes, and had the Courage to wage War with the Romans, which they declared against him after the end of the second punic War, about 14 Years after his League with Hannibal, in the 23d Year of his Reign, the first Year of the 145 Olympiad. 13. The Romans charged him with the Violation of the League, in injuring the Etolians, and other Confederates, and succouring Hannibal and the Carthaginians in Africa. The Athenians being Besieged by the King, begged the Assistance of the Romans; Attalus and the Rhodians complained that he attacked the graecian Cities in Asia. P. Sulpicius Galba was sent into Macedonia, while Philip invaded the Chersonesus of Thracia, where the Abydians did a very memorable Action in standing out to the last Extremity. The King did not succeed in attacking Athens. In the mean time he endeavoured to make the Etolians his Friends, and made use of all Means to win their Favour; but they, who at first were doubtful, were easily determined to side with the Romans, when they saw the King twice routed by the Consul. 14. The next Year, Tapsulus being Consul, nothing was done. But Titus Quintius Flamininus his Successor, after an Interview to no purpose, defeated him, and took several Places in Thessaly. At length, Philip finding that the Achajans deserted him, and sided with the Ronans, and that the Consul went on in storming and taking Towns, obtained a Truce of Two Months, and sent Ambassadors to Rome to treat of Peace. The Grecians likewise sent their Ambassadors to complain, That the King would not deliver Chalcis, Demetrias and Corinth, which Towns he called the Fetters of Greece. Upon these Remonstrances, the Senate would not grant him Peace; but ordered Quintius to carry on the War. Quintius routed him at Cynocephale: Upon which Disaster, he desired a Truce of four Months, in order to sand an Ambassador once more to Rome. 15. At last, the Senate and People of Rome gave him Peace upon these Terms, viz. That he should restore all Greece to its absolute Liberty; deliver all the Prisoners and Deserters; give up all decked Ships, bating five and a great One; and pay half the Sum of one Hundred Talents that Year, and the rest within Ten Years. Ten Men were sent along with Flamininus into Greece, to adjust the Concerns of the Cities, who were all overjoyed with the Motion, excepting the Etolians, who censured the Decree, and cried out, That Greece had only changed her Masters, since Corinth, Demetrias and Chaleis were in the Roman Hands. 16. Philip finding himself pinched by Necessity and hard Times, was very uneasy under his Condition; especially considering, that he had not the Liberty of punishing the Rebels; that he was obliged to restore the Towns he had taken to their rightful Proprietars; and that he was forced to yield to the querulous Remonstrances of the Thessalonians, of the Athamanians, and of Eumenes King in Asia. He was mightily incensed, that the Romans were so very favourable to his Son Demetrius, whom he had sent thither as an Hostage; as if they had valued the Son's Friendship more than the Father's. This Jealousy was inflamed by Perseus, the elder Son, who suggested, that Demetrius aspired to the Crown; and by suborned Witnesses, carried the Charge so far, that the innocent Youth was put to Death, by the command of the jealous and credulous Father. About a Year or two after, the King fell into a fit of melancholy and Grief for the want of his Son; upon which occasion, the whole Conspiracy was brought to light, by the Care and Diligence of Antigonus his Kinsman. Whereupon he was so oppressed with Grief and Sorrow, that he recommended Antigonus to the Macedonians, and cursed Perseus, and then died after he had reigned 44 Years, 146 Years after the death of Alexander, the 2d Year of the 150 Olympiad, A. M. 3826. 17. Had Philip lived longer, he had settled Antigonus on his Throne. But Perseus being acquainted with his Father's approaching Fate by his Physician, took timely care to crush his Enemies, and possessed himself of the Government. His Father left every thing in readiness for carrying on a War against the Romans, so that Perseus was engaged in it by way of Heritage: And indeed, he made it his only Business to provide for it, making use of all Opportunities to keep under the Roman Allies. But when they appeared in Arms, he quickly recanted, and sued for Peace; but could not obtain it, the War being already decreed. 18. He engaged Genthius, King of the Illyrians on his side; but murdered the Opportunity of doing Things to the purpose, by denying him money, of which he had great store, to carry on the War. It had been an easy matter to rout Marcius Philippus the Consul, who then made head against him, by reason of the difficulty of his Passage, and want of all manner of Provisions. But Perseus seemed to be conquered before they came to Fight, and resolving to flee, deserted all the narrow Passes, and gave his Enemy liberty to advance. He gave Orders for burning his Fleet at Thessalonica, and throwing his Treasure at Pella into the Sea. Marcius was succeeded by L. Aemilius Paulus, a second time Consul, who routed the King and his Army, consisting of 39000 Foot and 4000 Horse, not far from Pydna; and took the King Prisoner, together with his Mother and Children, and carried him to Rome in Triumph. He died at Rome, after he had been two Years Prisoner, having reigned 11 Years. Then the Macedonians were made free, and this was the end of that Kingdom, in the 156 Year after the death of Alexander, the 2d Year of the 153 Olympiad, A. M. 3837. CHAP. V. The Kingdom of Asia and Assyria. From the Death of Seleucus, till Syria became a Roman Province. The space of 220 Years. 1. ANTIOCHUS, the Son of Seleucus, fell so deeply in Love with Stratonice his Mother-in-Law, the Daughter of Demetrius, that it threw him into a fever. Seleucus, being acquainted with the matter by Erasistratus his Physician, freely resigned his Wife to his Son, and put the Kingdom into their Hands, designing to return to Macedonia and die there. But Ptolomaeus Ceraunus, as I told you before, killed him by the way, in the 23d Year after his being Invested with the regal Dignity, the 42d Year after the Death of Alexander and the 73d of his Age. He was surnamed Nicanor, or Nicator, with regard to the Victories he obtained; and 'tis said, had an Anchor imprinted upon his Thigh, and his Posterity was noted by the same Mark. 2. Seleucus being Dead, his Son Antiochus succeeded. He was surnamed Soter, for repulsing the Gauls, who over-run a great part of Asia, when they were called in by Mithridates, King of Bithynia. He gave his Daughter Apamea in Marriage to Maga, King of Cyrene, and Brother to Ptolomaeus Philadelphus; Upon whose solicitation, he violated the Treaty of Alliance with the King of egypt; but was prevented in accomplishing his designed Invasion, by the Forces which ptolemy sent into Asia. He likewise waged War with Eumenes, King of Pergamus, but with little Success. 3. This Eumenes was Nephew to Philotaerus the Eunuch, who was Keeper of Lysimachus's Treasure at Pergamus, and revolted from him at the time when he ordered his Son Agathocles to be put to Death, and possessed himself both of the Place and the money, while the Kings were worrying one another. Afterwards, he converted his Lordship into a Kingdom, and left it to his Nephew. Antiochus built two Cities, called Apameae, from his Mother and Wife. He murdered one of his Sons, and left the other to succeed him. He Died in the 19th Year of his Reign, the 2d Year of the 129 Olympiad, A. M. 3742. 4. Antiochus Soter was followed by Antiochus his Son, whom the Milesians impiously sirnanamed Theos, because he rescued them from the tyranny of Timarchus. 'twas in his time, that the Parthians first revolted; who being originally banished out of Scythia( for Parthus, in the Scythian Language, signifies a banished Man) were in an obscure and contemptible Condition, when the Medes and Persians sat at the Helm of Affairs. They were conquered by Alexander, but after his Death slighted his Captains, and subjected themselves to the Government of one Stesagenor a Stranger, but a Friend to the Macedonians. They served Eumenes, Antigonus and Seleucus, and continued Obedient to the Successors of Seleucus, till now, that they Rebelled, being Headed by Arsaces; and slay Agathocles, the governor of these Countries, for offering Sodomy to Tiridates, the Brother of Arsaces; and expelled the Macedonians. About the same time, Theodotus, governor of 1000 Bactrian Cities, likewise Revolted, and in Imitation of his Example, the People of the East withdrew themselves from the Macedonian Yoke. 5. He waged War with Ptolomaeus Philadelphus, whose Daughter Berenice he married, having Divorced his Wife Laodice, by whom he had two Sons, namely, Seleucus and Antiochus. It is thought, that the prophesy of Daniel pointed to this Marriage, viz. That the Daughter of a Southern King should come to a King of the North for Peace, but should not retain the Strength of her Arm, neither should the first, or his Arm stand. For when Philadelphus died, Antiochus took in Laodice again, who, fearing the Levity and Inconstancy of her Husband, poisoned him in the 15th Year of his Reign. 6. Laodice concealed the Kings Death till the Kingdom was transferred to her Son Seleucus, and besieged Berenice her Rival in Daphne. The Cities of Asia were moved with Compassion towards the besieged Queen, and ptolemy set out with all Possible Expedition to Relieve his Sister; but she unfortunately surrendered before the Relief came up, and was perfidiously murdered together with her Son. The Cities detesting such a Barbarous Action Revolted and sided with ptolemy, who marched further into Syria, killed Laodice, made himself Master of Caelosyria, Syria and Seleucia, overrun almost all Asia as far as Bactra; and had certainly possessed himself of all Seleucus's Dominions, had not a domestic Sedition diverted him from so great an Enterprise. Seleucus had fitted out a Fleet in order to Retrieve his Cities, but it was all lost by shipwreck: By which misfortune the Cities were so much influenced, that of their own accord they surrendered themselves. 7. Seleucus finding that the loss of his Ships had produced such mighty Effects, declared War against ptolemy, and after a Successless adventure was obliged to flee into Antiochia, where he was again reduced to the same Straits, but did not meet with the same Relief. He called in Antiochus his Brother to assist him, who tho' very Young, was so eager in making use of this Opportunity, to possess himself of the whole Kingdom, that he signalized his courage in invading Countries and taking Places, and was thereupon surnamed Hierax. ptolemy having no mind to Engage them both at once, concluded a Peace with Seleucus for 10 Years. Peace being concluded Antiochus hired the Gauls, and with them marched against his Brother and conquered him. The Gauls, fancying that Seleucus was killed in battle, resolved to put to Death all the race of Seleucus, and to that End made an Insurrection against Anciochus himself, but at last they were gained by Arms of Gold. Asia being thus pulled in Pieces, Eumenes the Bythinian annexed part of it to his Dominions. 8. A●saces, upon the News of Seleucus's misfortune, completed the Revolt of the Parthians; for having made an Irruption into Parthia with a Company of Robbers, he killed Andragoras their governor; and possessing himself of that Country joined to it the Kingdom of Hyrcania; and brought his affairs to that pass, that after a few Years he routed Seleucus, and settled himself in the Government. The Parthians Celebrated the Day of that Victory every Year, and dated their Liberty from it; and Arsaces was as much esteemed by them, as Cyrus was by the Persians, or Alexander by the Macedonians; and succeeding Kings were called by his Name. Now the beginning of the Reign of Arsaces, is cast into the 1 Year of the 135 Olympiad, 510 after the building of Rome, the 2 of Seleucus, the 3 of Ptolomaeus Euerges, A. M. 3761. 9. Tho' the Interest of the Seleucidae declined every day, and the two Brothers were even almost outted of their Governments, yet they Neglected their foreign concerns, and renewed a Civil War, in which Antiochus was at last conquered, and fled first to ptolemy and then to Artamenes the Cappadocian his Father in Law; but but neither of them could secure him, so that he fell into the Hands of the Robbers and was killed. About the same time Seleucus being outted of his Kingdom, ended his days by a fall from his Horse, having reigned about 10 Years, in the 98 Year after the death of Alexander, the 3 Year of the 138 Olympiad, A. M. 3779. He was surnamed Callinicus from his Victories, and Pogon from his beard. 10. He left two Sons, Seleucus and Antiochus. The former( called Ceraunus) succeeded his Father in the 7 Year of Antigonus Doson. He endeavoured to recover that part of Asia on this side of the Taurus which Eumenes K. of Pergamus possessed, but was poisoned by Apaturius of Galatia, and Nicanor, when he had scarce governed Three Years. Achaeus his General, Nephew to Queen Laodice, punished the Parricides, and managed affairs so dexterously that he reduced all Asia to Obedience, and was so well beloved by the People, that he might have possessed himself of the Kingdom with ease, but he would not cheat Antiochus Seleucus's Brother of his Right. This Antiochus was afterwards surnamed the Great. While his Brother lived he resided in the upper Provinces; But now he was called to Babylon in the 15 Year of his Age, to take upon him the Administration of Affairs; Accordingly he came, and made Achaeus governor of the Country he had lately recovered, Molon governor of Media, and Alexander governor of Persia. 11. Antiochus was quickly pinched with great Troubles, upon the Account of the overgrown power of one Hermias, a Court-favourite, which Molon and Alexander, his Brethren, took so ill, that they alienated the upper Provinces from their Allegiance. The King designed to march against them; but Hermias over persuaded him to turn his Arms against Ptolomaeus Philopator, who thinking himself Secure upon the account of Antiochus's Youth, was entirely wrapped up in his Pleasures. But that War proceeded but heavily; and in the mean time Molon carried on his rebellious Designs, so that the King was obliged to return. Whereupon, he quashed the Rebels without any Difficulty, and took timely care to put Hermias to Death, finding him engaged in Seditious Designs. At the same time Achaeus, having laid by his former Modesty, took upon him the Diadem and regal Title. However, Antiochus renewed the War with ptolemy, upon the account of Caelosyria, which the egyptians continued Masters of, from the time that it was taken by evergetes when he went to rescue his Sister Berenice. 12. He got Seleucia by Treachery, and made himself Master of several other Places; but upon Advice of Achaeus his Advances, he agreed to a Truce, in order to an Interview concerning Peace. But many Objections being started on both sides, neither Prince would yield to the other; so that the War broken out again next Spring, and Antiochus reduced several Cities. After one Year, ptolemy advanced to Gaza with 70000 Foot, 5000 Horse, and 73 Elephants. Antiochus made Head against him with 72000 Foot, 6000 Horse, and 102 Elephants: And defeated the Enemy; but, out of a juvenile ardour, pursued him too far, and when he returned, found his whole Army routed, and was fain to retire to Raphia and go Home. All Caelosyria surrendered itself to ptolemy the Victor. Antiochus, fearing he would pursue the Victory, sent Ambassadors with Proposals of Peace. The Embassy found ptolemy very inclinable to Peace, and entirely devoted to his Luxury and other Vices, notwithstanding the Opportunity he was then presented with, of turning Antiochus out of his Kingdom. 13. Antiochus, being rid of all Fears upon that hand, marched against Achaeus, and blocked him up in Sardes. Achaeus being deceived by the hopes of Favour, and betrayed, fell into the hands of the King, and was brought to condign Punishment for his Rebellion. About a Year or two after that, Antiochus made a Progress into the upper Provinces, reduced several Countries, and mastered some Towns and Principalities on this side of the Mountain Taurus. He managed the Administration of Affairs with so much Prudence, that his Subjects had a great Opinion of him, and by that means were more easily kept in their Duty. When Ptolomaeus Philopator died, he and Philip K of Macedonia, conspired against the young King, possessed themselves of Judea, and quickly lost it again: He likewise invaded the Territories of Attalus K. of Pergamus, but the Romans commanded him Home. 14. He was resolved at this time to obey the People of Rom, because he found himself not able to cope with them: But soon after, there prevailed such Jealousies between him and them, as at last broken out into a War. For after the Conquest of Caelosyria, he attacked the graecian Cities in Asia, which the Romans took under their Protection, and ordered him to desist; thinking, that if he succeeded in Asia, he would extend his Conquests to Europe; especially considering that Hannibal, whom he had entertained, solicited him to invade Italy. Antiochus in order to Fortify himself by Alliances, gave his Daughter Cleopatra in marriage to ptolemy, with Caelosyria as her Dowry; and his other Daughter Antiochis to Ariathres, King of the Cappadocians. The Roman Ambassadors having pressed for Peace in vain, he joined in with the Etolians, who, after the Conquest of Philip, fell out with the Romans about the Division of the Spoil, and departed from their Alliance, and now stirred up all the Neighbouring Princes against them. 15. When he passed into Greece, he married a Woman of a mean Birth, and suffered his Army to be enervated by the Softness of the Place. At the Streights of Thermopylae he was routed by Glabrio, the Roman Consul, and fled to Ephesus. The Consul mastered Phoris, Baeotia and Eubaea. Then Antiochus, applying his mind to Sea Affairs, was often beaten at Sea, and obliged to break up the Siege of Pergamus, without doing any thing to the purpose. Upon the approach of Scipio with a great Army, he marched his Garrisons out of Lysimachia, which might have given the Romans a great deal of Trouble, and, like a Mad-man, suffered the Consul to have a free Passage into Asia. 16. Antiochus sent Ambassadors to the Consul with Proposals of Peace; but the Consul demanded, That he should reinburse the Charges of the War, and not only part with Aeolia and Jonia, but with all Asia besides, on this side of the Mountain Taurus. He looked upon these Terms as too hard, and therefore resolved to try the Fortune of a battle; but being overcome, was forced to submit to Terms that were much the same with those above-mentioned. After that Disaster, he was wont, as Cicero tells us, to say, That he was obliged to the People of Rome, for freeing him of too great a Charge,& leaving him the moderate Compass of his own Kingdom. Two years after, he made a Progress into the upper Provinces, and sacked the Temple of Jupiter Belus in Elymais; which Wickedness did so incense the Inhabitants, that they slay him and his whole Army. Some say, that after he crossed the Taurus, he was killed by his own Companions, for beating them in his Drink. He Died in the 36th year of his Reign, the 2d year of the 148 Olympiad, 185 years before Christ, A. M. 3818, in the Consulship of M. Aemilius Lepidus, and C. Flaminius. 17. Antiochus Magnus being Dead, his Son Seleucus Philopator succeeded, in the 35th year of Philip King of Macedonia. He kept close at Home for fear of the Romans, and after 12 years, was killed by Heliodorus. He left one Son, a Child, called Demetrius, whom he had sent to Rome as an Hostage, in the room of his Brother Antiochus; for sometimes the Romans obliged 'em to shift their Hostages. Antiochus, upon his return, possessed himself of the Kingdom. He was called Epiphanes by the Syrians, because he recovered the Kingdom of the Seleucidae from Heliodorus. Others called him Epimanes, with allusion to his fanatical Gestures. But the Angel of the Lord styled him a mean Man. 18. Antiochus Epiphanes, being the Uncle of Ptolomaeus Philometor, who had lately succeeded his deceased Father, declared himself Guardian to the young Prince: And in order to make away with him, and to fetch the Administration of Affairs into his own hands, made four several Journeys into egypt. But the Plot being discovered, the Romans, upon the solicitation of the Egyptians, sent C. Popilius Laenas, with two others, as Ambassadors to him. When they came to an interview, he demanded, in the name of the People of Rome, that Antiochus should depart from Alexandria, which he was just going to block up. Antiochus required time to consider of the Proposal; but Laenas made a circled of Sprigs round about him as he stood, and told him downright, that he must give his Answer before he stepped out of that Compass. He being well acquainted with the Power of the Romans, was thus frighted into a Promise of Peace. 19. As soon as he returned from egypt, he besieged Jerusalem, and carried it, and put 80000 Jews to the Sword, and sold as many, in Resentment of the Joy they had expressed upon the Sham-News of his Death. Having pillaged the Temple, and carried off 1800 Talents he left some Tyrannical Ministers behind him, who heavily oppressed the People. Two years after, he sent thither one Apollonius, a very cruel Man, with Orders to put to death all the Men that were of Age, and to expose the Women and Children to Sale. At last, being repulsed from egypt, he issued forth an Edict, enjoining all his Subjects, under the pain of Death, to observe the Religion of the Greeks; and sent some Men up and down the Countries, to oblige them to perform that sort of Worship. Into Judaea he sent an old Athenian, with Orders to consecrate their pillaged Temple to Jupiter Olympius, and the other Temple built on Mount Gerizim, to Jupiter Hospitalis; and to prohibit the Inhabitants to use the mosaic Law. Accordingly, the Idol of Jupiter Olympius was set up in the Temple, and the holy Scriptures committed to the Flames, which all the Inhabitants were prohibited to keep by them, or to approve of. 20. But many of the Inhabitants refusing to comply with his impious Demands, cheerfully suffered Death; and others followed Mattathias the Priest, who drew together a Company of Men, opposed the King's Tyranny, pulled down their Altars, and circumcised the Jewish Children. But a Year was scarce elaps d, when Mattathias died. He was the Son of John, the Grand-Child of Simeon, the great Grand-Child of Asmonaeus or Hasmonaeus, whose Posterity were called Hasmonaei after him. David the Psalmist, King, and Prophet, by Hasmannim means Ambassadors or Princes. And the Modern Jews call the Roman Cardinals Hasmannim or Hasmonaei. 21. Mattathias was followed by his Son and Successor Judas Maccabaeus, who conquered and killed Apollonius, governor of Samaria; whose Death the King resented so much, that when he could not perform his designed Journey himself, he sent several Officers against him with a numerous Body of Forces: But Judas, by Virtue of the Divine Assistance, routed them all, marched to Jerusalem, purged the Temple, which the Heathens had possessed for three years, offered Sacrifice upon a new Altar, and celebrated an Anniversary Feast of Dedication for 8 Days. 22. Antiochus having made a Progress into the upper Provinces in order to raise money, conquered Artaxias King of armoniac, and took him Prisoner. But upon the News of the defeat of his Men in Judea, being full of Wrath and Revenge, he made all possible Preparations for a speedy return. But it pleased the Divine Majesty, to Punish him with such a horrible distemper, that the Worms grew out of his Body while he was yet alive, and his putrefied Body became such a Nuseance that the Army could not bear the smell on't. Some say that he Repented out of a Sense of the Just judgement of God, and wrote very Civil Letters to the Jews. He Nominated Philip his School-fellow as Guardian to his Son, and died in the 12 Year of his Reign, the 149 of the Seleucidae, the 1 Year of the 154 Olympiad, A. M. 3841. 23. Antiochus Epiphanes was followed by his Son and Successor Antiochus, a Child of 9 Years of Age, whom the Syrians christened Eupator, with Regard to his Father's Virtue. Lysias, who formerly had the charge of his Education turned out Philip, and managed all as he pleased. In the mean Time Judas fought Successfully against the Neighbouring Princes and Governours. Lysias envying his Glory marched against him at the Head of a Numerous Army, thinking to blot out the Ignominy that the former Disaster had drawn upon them. But the adventure proving Successless, he made Peace with the Jews: which was afterwards Violated by Timothy and some other Captains, who renewed the war; but were routted, together with the Arabs, nomads, Edomits and Philistines. 24. These adventures did so provoke Antiochus Eupa●or, that he drew together a most Numerous Army, invaded Judea, took Bethsura, and besieged Jerusalem; but the Warlike Preparations of Philip who designed to make good his Right to the Regency with force of Arms, recalled him and obliged him to make Peace with the besieged. Indeed he quickly crushed Philip; but soon after he himself was forced to undergo the same fate by Demetrius the Son of Seleucus Philopator, who fled from Rome in order to possess himself of the Kingdom. Demetrius having gained the Kingdom was christened Soter, and endeavoured by all means to get into Favour with the Romans. He sent Bachides to make head against the Jews, and after him Nicanor, who at first Treated Judas with all manner of Civility, but afterwards being checked by the King proved Treacherous to him. He cast forth many Impious Expressions in the Temple, but being killed in battle was punished for his Blasphemy. The Jews Consecrated the 13 Day of the Month Adar to the Memory of so great a Victory, as the Author of the last Book of the Maccabees informs us, who in Recounting that Story Comprehends an Epitome of the 5 Books of Jason a Jew of Cyrene. 25. Upon the News of the Death of Nicanor, Demetrius sent Bachides to Judaea, together with Alcimus, who was willing to enterprise any thing against his Country, in hopes to obtain the Priesthood. The Army they brought with 'em was very Numerous; which Judas Engaging with a disproportioned force, was killed, after he had governed the People 6 Years, in the 2 Year of Demetrius Soter, the 152 of the Seleucidae, A. M. 3844▪ Jonathan his Brother being Elected in his Room, repulsed the Heathens and gave Laws to the People. In the mean Time Demetrius gave himself altogether to Luxury, and, by that Means, drew upon himself the Hatred of his People; which, assisted by the Interest of Attalus, Ariarathres and ptolemy, suborned a young Man of an obscure Birth, who pretended to be the Son of Antiochus Epiphanes, and aspired to the Crown. 26. His Name was Balas or balls; but his honorary Name was Alexander. Heraclides, whom the King had turned out of his place of being Master of the Babylonian Treasury, carries him to Rome, and procures a Decree of the Senate, for assisting him and Laodice, Daughter to the same Antiochus, in the Recovery of their Father's Kingdom. Balas drew together an Army, and routed Demetrius, who died valiantly in the Field, in the 12th year of his Reign, the 161 of the Seleucidae, the 2d of the 157 Olympiad, A. M. 3854. 27. While the Event of the War was yet undetermined, both of 'em courted Jonathan's Friendship, promising several privileges to the Jewish Nation. But Alexander promised him the Office of High-Priest, with the purple Dignity and a Crown of Gold. Accordingly, in the 7th Month of the 161 year of the Seleucidae, and 9 years after the death of Judas Maccabaeus, the Chair having remained vacant 7 years from the Death of Alcimus, was Jonathan invested with the sacred Robes. He was the first of the Asmonaei, descended of a priestly Family, tho' not of that of the High-Priest; the immediate Heir whereof was Onias, who, being devested of the Dignity of his Ancestors, caused a Temple to be built in the egyptian Province of Heliopolis. 28. Alexander Balas, having settled himself upon the Throne, married Cleopatra, the Daughter of Ptolomaeus Philometor. But his dissolute and luxurious Way of Living, furnished Demetrius Soter with an opportunity of aspiring to his Father's Kingdom. Jonathan the Jewish High Priest made Head against Demetrius, with some Forces brought from Apollonia, and routed him in a bloody battle. But ptolemy, who at this time was possessed of a great part of Syria, took away his Daughter from Alexander, and married her to Demetrius; and re-established him in the Kingdom of his Forefathers. Alexander being routed in the Field, fled to Aba, where his Head was cut off, and sent to ptolemy, after he had reigned 6 years. ptolemy received the compliment with a great deal of Joy, but died about three days after of a Wound in his Head. 29. Demetrius, having recovered his ancient Kingdom, was surnamed Nicanor or Nicator. He established Jonathan in the Priesthood, and slighted all the Charges given in against him. He disbanded his Troops, thinking that Syria was peaceable; but soon after, one Diodotus Tryphon, one of Bala's Captains, brought Antiochus, the Son of Bala, out of Arabia, and declared him King; and having routed Deme●rius and his Army, obliged him to retire to Seleucia. But Tryphon, after he had worsted Demetrius, took up a Resolution of transferring the Kingdom to himself; and in order to compass that end with less Opposition, put to Death all that were of contrary Sentiments, took Jonathan Prisoner, and killed him, and at last made away with the Child Anti●chus by the help of his Physicians. He courted many Allies all about, but obtained none. Jonathan being dead, his Brother Simon succeeded, who took the Castle of Jerusalem by Storm, sent an Embassy to Rome, and after he had officiated as Priest three years, was by a public Writ declared High-Priest, and Prince of the Jews( till such time as God should raise up a true Prophet) and invested with the regal Power and Dignity. 30. Demetrius, having fled to Seleucia, and having no mind to sit Idle, made War with the Parthians, by whom he was taken. During his Exile, Tryphon's Army mutiny'd and sided with Cleopatra his Wife. She, having received Advice, That her Husband was married to Rhodoguna, the Parthian King's Daughter, offered herself in Marriage, together with the Kingdom, to Antiochus, the Brother of Demetrius. This Antiochus was surnamed Sedetes. He was glad of the Opportunity of Reigning, and with that view married Cleopatra, and turned out Tryphon, who fled into Apamea his own Country, and was there murdered. Antiochus sent Cendebaeus into Judaea; whom John, the Son of Simon, defeated. Soon after, Simon was perfidiously murdered by ptolemy, the Son of Abub, whom he had made his Son in Law, and governor of the Province of Jericho. Upon these News, Antiochus came to Jerusalem and besieged it so vigorously, that, in a Sabbatick Year, the Besieged were reduced to extreme Want. At last, they petitioned for Peace, and had it upon these Terms, viz. That they should lay down their Arms, level the Walls with the Ground, and should pay 5500 Talents, together with Tribute for Joppa and the other outlying Towns. 31. Antiochus waged War with the Parthians, and obtained several Victories, and reduced several Provinces, which the Insolence of his Soldiers provoked to Revolt; after which, himself was killed in an Engagement with Arsaces. Arsaces, in order to divert him from Parthia, had set at liberty Demetrius his Brother; and after the Victory, endeavoured to recall him, but found it too late: For he made the best of his Way to Syria, and with ease mastered the Kingdom. But the Antiochians took it ill, and solicited Ptolomaeus Physcon to sand some Prince to take Possession of Syria. ptolemy suborned one Zabinas or Zabinaeus, Son to one Protarchus a Merchant, who gave himself out to be the Son of Alexander Balas. This Youth, who was named Alexander, defeated Demetrius near to Damascus. Demetrius being Rejected by his Wife Cleopatra and her Sons, fled to Tyrus, where he thought to take shelter in the Temple as being a Sanctuary, but was killed by the intrigues of Cleopatra or Zabina, in the 189 Year of the Seleucidae, the 1 Year of the 164 Olympiad, A. M. 3881. 32. Demetrius had two Sons by Cleopatra; Namely, Seleucus whom his Mother put to Death, for a spiring to the Crown without her leave, and Antiochus who was surnamed Grypus from his hooked Nose. Alexander demeaned himself meekly towards his Subjects, and by that means ingratiated himself with the People; but ptolemy being touched with his Ingratitude, gave his Daughter Tryphaena in Marriage to Antiochus his Sisters Son, and lent him Auxiliary Troops with which he Routed and slay Alexander. Cleopatra was not pleased with her Son's Victory, because it thwarted her design of Engrossing the Government to her self; upon which account she offered him a poisoned draft, but upon the discovery of the design, was obliged to drink it up her self. Antiochus reigned peaceably for 8 Years after his Mothers Death, till Antiochus Cyzicenus, his own Mother's Son by Antiochus Sedetes, turned him out of Syria. But the next Year he return'd, and possessed himself of half the Kingdom, and continued Possessor notwithstanding the Perpetual War between the two Brethren. At last Grypus was killed by the means of one Heracleon, in the 45 Year of his Age, and the 26 of his Reign, 15 of which he reigned Jointly with his Brother, 33. Antiochus Grypus left 5 Sons; The Eldest of whom, Namely Seleucus, cut off his Uncle Cyzicenus, after he had reigned 18 Years. But Antiochus pus Son to Cyzicenus, turned Seleucus out of Syria, and obliged him to retire to Cilicia, where he was burnt alive by the Mopseatae, for demanding Money of them. Antiochus and Philip his Sons, who were Twins, Resented their Father's Death, in leveling Mopsuestia with the Ground, but were afterwards defeated by Antiochus pus. Antiochus was drowned in the River Orontes, upon his flight. Philip put in for the Crown; But ptolemy gave it to Demetrius the Fourth Brother; with whom he waged a Bloody War, both upon the account of Syria and Damascus. The Syrians finding themselves galled by the Wars of the Seleucidae, called in Tigranes King of armoniac, who possessed Syria for 18 Years. 34. Antiochus pus being expelled Syria, lurked in Cilicia. Selene his Wife with 2 Sons, is said to have reigned in Phaenicia and some part of the lower Syria, till she was taken and put to Death by Tigranes. Tigranes governed Syria for 14 Years by the Ministry of Magadates, whom he was obliged to recall when Lucullus the Roman defeated him, notwithstanding the Assistance he had from his Father in Law Mithridates King of Pontus. Upon this Juncture, Antiochus Asiaticus, the Son of pus, was by Universal consent invested with the Government of Syria for 4 Years; at the end of which Pompey the Great, having conquered it, Tigranes, outted him of his Heritage, notwithstanding the Good Services he had done to the People of Rome, and confined him to Commagena. Thus was Syria reduced to the form of a Roman Province, in the 2 Year of the 179 Olympiad, the 250 of the Seleucidae, 270 after the battle at Issus, by which it was added to the Dominions of Alexander the Great, 61 before the Christian Date, A. M. 3942, in the Consulship of M. Tullius Cicero and C. Anon●us Nepos CHAP. VI. The Affairs of the Kingdom of egypt; From the Death of Ptolomaeus Lagus to the exit of Cleopatra; And the reducing of egypt to the form of a Roman Province. The space of 254 Years. 1. THo' ptolemy had several Children by his Wife eurydice, the Daughter of Antipater; Yet, he left the Kingdom to Ptolomaeus his Son by Berenice who waited upon Eurydice, and while he was yet alive took him in for share of the Government. This Ptolomaeus, who was surnamed Philadelphus for being in Love with his Sister Arsinoe, outstripp'd his Father in Riches and Greatness. He was a Man of Learning, and Erected a Library of 300000 Volumes, among which were the Holy Scriptures, which Eleazar the High-Priest, pursuant to the King's Orders, sent to him, together with the 72 Interpreters, who are said to have translated it into Greek in 72 days without any difference. 2. Ptolomaeus Philadelphus slay 2 of his Brethren. He had likewise a quarrel with Maga, his Mother's Son by one Philip of Macedonia, whom his Mother had preferred to the Government of Cyrene, He waged War with Antiochus Theus, which at last was put to an end by the Marriage of Berenice to Antiochus, as I intimated above. Then he gave himself up to a dissolute life, and entertained the vain hopes of Immortality: But Death disappointed him, after he had reigned 38 Years by himself, and one more Jointly with his Father, in the 2 Year of the 133 Olympiad, A. M. 3758. 3. In the 16th Year of Antiochus Theus, Ptolomaeus evergetes Son to Ptolomaeus Philadelphus by Arsinoe the Daughter of Lysimachus, succeeded his Father. This Prince invaded Syria, in order to Relieve his Sister then blocked up by a siege, and mastered all Asia, but, as I told you above, was obliged to return home to quell some domestic Mutinies. While he was in Asia, Berenice his Wife Daughter to Maga his Uncle, made a vow of giving her hair to the Gods if he return'd safe, which Conon a Mathematician that flourished at that time Fabulously gave out to be Translated to Heaven, and to Countenance the Fiction invented the Star that to this day goes by their Name. In this princes Reign Phoenix is said to have come to Heliopolis. Cleomenes King of lacedaemon being Routed and put to flight by Antigonus Doson, fled to him, and received from him a promise of Auxiliary Troops in order to the Recovery of his Kingdom; But the Death of ptolemy prevented the performance of his promise, when he had reigned 24 Years, in the 2 Year of the 139 Olympiad, A. M. 3783. 4. Ptolomaeus evergetes was followed by Ptolomaeus Philopator, ironically so called, if we credit justin, who says he slay both his Parents. This Prince was so drowned in Pleasure that he Neglected the republic, and from thence was christened Tryphon. Finding that his Brother Maga had obtained a Great Interest in the Army by his Mother's intrigues, he made away bo h one and the other. He defeated Antiochus Magnus in battle and recovered Caelo-Syria, Upon his return he Visited the Temple of Jerusalem, and had the boldness to approach to the Inner Places of Sanctity, where, by the Divine Vengeance, he was seized with such horror and Confusion, that it was with much difficulty that he came to himself again. When he return'd to his Kingdom he persecuted the Jews who dwelled there, and slay Eurydice his Sister that he might have the freer use of Agathoclea his Concubine. He laid aside all the badges of Majesty and listed himself a drudge to all manner of 'vice, while Agathoclea, together with Agathocles her Brother and Euanthe her Mother, managed the Government and disposed of every thing as they pleased. 5. Ptolomaeus had always the Good Fortune to surmount all difficulties. Cleomenes the Spartan, having escaped out of Prison stirred up the People to retrieve their Liberty▪ but finding the attempt Successless slay himself, which, according to Polybius, was a custom among the Lacedemonians. Afterwards the People Revolted, but were quickly reduced to their wonted Obedience, so that the King retained his Dignity. He persecuted the Jews, and in order to bring 'em off from the Worship of God, tortured several and put many to Death; and exposed the rest to be devoured by 500 Elephants, who were rescued from the Clutches of the Beasts by the Ministry of 2 Angels. Then the King altered his mind, and endeavoured to oblige them. He died in the 18 Year of his Reign, the 1 Year of the 144 Olympiad, A. M. 3801. 6. In the 20 Year of Antiochus Magnus, Ptolomaeus Epiphanes Son to Ptolomaeus Philopator by his Sister, being then 5 Years Old, succeeded his Father. The People put to Death Agathocles with his Sister and Mother, and made Aristomenes Acarnanes Guardian to the King, who was very happy in the Administration of Affairs. Philip King of Macedonia and Antiochus Magnus King of Asia conspired together against ptolemy. Antiochus possessed himself of Judea, Caelosyria, Phaenicia, and several other places in Cilicia and Caria: But being afterwards engaged in a War with the Romans, he gave his Daughter Cleopatra in Marriage to ptolemy, with Judea and Caelosyria as her dowry; designing thereby to secure an easy passage into Egypt, and to avoid the Inconvenience of leaving an Enemy behind him. 7. Scopas an Etolian, General to Ptolomy's forces, did likewise conspire against him, but he and his Complices were quickly cut off. At first he acted up to the Character of a Good Prince; But afterwards the flattery of Wicked Courtiers prevailed so far upon him, that he poisoned Aristomenes, after all the Good Services he had done to him and the republic, and by so doing incurred the hatred of his People. At last, in order to carry on a War with Seleucus Philopator, he entered into a league with the Achaians; But his Ministers fancying that the Charges of the War would Rob them of their profits, took him off by poison, after he had reigned 24 Years, in the 1 Year of the 150 Olympiad, A. M. 3825. 8. He left 2 Sons and as many Daughters. The Eldest of the Sons, named Philometor, succeeded the Father in the 18 Year of Seleucus Philopator. When this Prince was about to make good his claim to Coelosyria by force of Arms, his Uncle Antiochus Epiphanes prevented him, by making a descent upon Egypt, and turning him out of his Kingdom. Philometor being expelled, the Alexandrians declared his Brother King, and christened him evergetes, which Name was afterwards turned to Cacergetes by Reason of his Wicked Life. He was likewise styled Physcon, with Allusion to his big belly. Afterwards Philometor return'd, but the Citizens expelled him. Antiochus, under the pretence of restoring him, continued the War, but finding himself not able to carry Alexandria, went off to Syria; and left all Egypt to Philometor, excepting Pelusium, which he reserved as a door for him to enter by when the 2 Brethren should have exhausted their strength upon one another. But they packed up the Matter, and reigned together Peaceably. Antiochus took this so ill, that he made another descent upon Egypt, but was ordered by the Roman Ambassadors to quit both Egypt and Cyprus. 9. But the Brethren soon fell out, and Philometor being expelled by the other, repaired to Rome, where he obtained from the Senate an order for his Restoration. Euerget●s finding the Romans kind to all Suppliants, went in Person to Rome, and obtained the Addition of Cyprus to his Dominions. And even that did not satisfy him, for he afterwards undertook a Second Journey, but what the Result of it was we do not know. While Philometor reigned, Onas a Jew Son to Onias the 3 Priest, finding his Family turned out of the Priesthood, obtained a Decree for building a Temple in the Province of Heliopolis, which Resembled that of Jerusalem in every thing, bating that, instead of a Candlestick, it had a Lamp hung upon a Gold Wire, which darted its beams all about in Imitation of the Sun. The Jews and Samaritans disputed the antiquity of their Temples in the presence of ptolemy; And the Samaritan Orators being worsted, were punished with the loss of their Heads, pursuant to the Contract mutually agreed to before hand. At last Philometor received a wound in his head, in a battle with Alexander King of Syria, of which he died, after he had reigned 34 Years, in the 3 Year of the 158 Olympiad, A. M. 3859. 10. After his Death the Method of Succession in Egypt was altered. Whereas formerly the Son succeeded the Father, Physcon obliged Cleopatra his Brothers widow to mary him, and slay his own little Son in the Arms of it's Mother the very day of the Marriage. The progress of his Reign was all of a piece with the beginning; cruelty and barbarity shined thro' every part of it; every Place was filled with detestable Murders, and Mercy was shown to none. The Alexandrians took his Wicked Actions so much to heart, that most of 'em deserted the City, which he afterwards filled with New Citizens. But he quickly rendered himself so odious to them, that they set his Palace on Fire, and banished him, and put the Kingdom into the hands of Cleopatra his Sister. But afterwards he made Friends with his Sister and repossessed the Kingdom. He died, when he had reigned 29 Years by himself, in the last Year of the 156 Olympiad, A. M. 3888. 11. He left 3 Sons and as many Daughters. By his latter will he gave Cyprus in Legacy to Apion his bastard, and left Egypt to his Wife to be disposed of to which of his Sons she thought fit. She fancying that Alexander the Youngest would be most Obedient to her, designed to give him a share in the Government; but the People being against it, she sent for Lathurus, whom she afterwards expelled, and pursued with that Ardour, that all his enterprises in Judea and Coelosyria were rendered abortive. She made it her business for some Years to undermine Alexander; but he smelling the design killed her, and was afterwards punished for his parricide in being banished by the Alexandrians, The Citizens of Alexandria recalled Lathurus, from whom the Egyptian Thebes Revolted, but was afterwards reduced in the 3 Year of his Reign. Soon after that he died, about 37 Years after his Father's Death, in the 1 Year of the 175 Olympiad, A. M. 3925. 12. 'tis not certain who succeeded Lathurus. 'tis probable Alexander the Younger Son to the other Alexander, Married his Daughter Cleopatra, and reigned along with her 18 days, but, having killed her on the 19th, was expelled by the Alexandrians and fled to Tyre, where he ended his days after. 15 Years exile, having left the People of Rome his heir, in the Consulship of M. Tullius Cicero and C. Antonius Nepos. After Alexander was expelled, the Alexandrians declared the Son of Lathurus their King, who was called Dionysus and Auletes, because he was addicted to the Rites of bacchus, and to the Flute. This Auletes was a bastard, as well as his Brother the King of Cyprus; For Pausanias tells us that Lathurus left no Legitimate children, excepting one Daughter. After a few Years his Subjects outted him of the Kingdom, because he would not attempt the Recovery of Cyprus, which the Romans had taken from his Brother; or rather, because he exacted a great Sum of Money from them, with which he purchased the Friendship and Alliance of the Romans. 13. Auletes being outted of Alexandria came to Rome, but all his solicitations for Assistance were Rejected, by Reason that the Sibylline books did not seem to Countenance it. From thence he went to Ephesus, and with a goodly Sum of Talents engaged Gabinius governor of Syria to Restore him. After his Restoration he did no Memorable Action; bating, that after Four Years he died in the 2 Year of the 182 Olympiad, A. M. 3954. He had two Sons and as many Daughters, and ordered the Elder of both Sexes, who were joined in Marriage, to Reign together. After Three Years, this Prince, who was called Ptolomaeus Dionysus, turned out his Sister Cleopatra; but she returned from Syria at the head of an Army, and he marched out to make head against her, and pitched his Camp at the Mountain Cassium, and the Pelusian Mouth of the Nile, at which Time Pompey being Routted by caesar in the plains of Pharsalia, fled to him. But he, by the advice of Theodatus his Preceptor, received Pompey into a Boat, and slay him; Thinking thereby to win Coesar's good will. 14. But Caesar, by demanding the Money that Auletes owed to the Romans, incurred the hatred of the Alexandrians, and while he made it his business to bring the King and his Sister to a good understanding, Pothinus carried on a War against him. For Cleopatra's sake he encountered many difficulties. At last, the Alexandrians being worn out by many Successive Disasters, he mastered their Camp; and their King himself retiring into a little boat, was drowned in the River, by the crowds of People that poured into the boat and sunk it. Caesar carried Alexandria without any difficulty, for the Citizens surrendered themselves upon Discretion. However he did not annex Egypt to the Roman Dominions, but return'd it to Cleopatra his Miss. She Married her Brother, who was then 11 Years Old, and after 4 Years poisoned him, in order to engross the Government to her self. 15. She was mightily given to Amours; not only with Caesar to whom she bare a Son, namely Caesario; but after his departure with Pompey the Son of Pompey the Great. When Cassius and Brutus the Murderers of Caesar were cut off by the Triumviri, Antonius went into Syria; where she met with him, and persuaded him to go with her to Egypt, where they were both entirely wrapped up in Lechery and Debauchery. Antonius was so strangely bewitched that he divorced his own Wife, and was not ashamed to bestow the Roman Provinces upon Cleopatra and the Children she bore to him; And required that the Senate should ratify the gifts. The Senate justly received his Demands with Contempt and Derision, and at last resolved upon a War against them under the Conduct of Octavius Caesar. Cleopatra would needs be present at the Sea Engagement at Actium; And was the first that turned her back and fled. 16. Upon this Disaster she ordered her Ships to be carried over into the Bay of Arabia, designing by the help of them to avoid Captivity, when she came to be outted of her Kingdom. But Antonius, not having received the News of the Revolt of the Land Forces, dissuaded her from that Project. Then they return'd to their wonted Luxury, and invited all that were fearless of Death to enjoy themselves in the present use of all agreeable Pleasures. But she did not fail to Court the Favour of Caesar, by betraying into his hands Pelusium with the Navy and Cavalry. Antonius indeed suspected her Treachery, but was wheedled by the fair Insinuations of a Flattering Woman. When Caesar was just upon the borders of Egypt, she suborned People to tell Antony as if she had laid Violent Hands on her self, for fear of the conqueror: Upon which News Antony stabbed himself in the Belly. Then she bewailed his Death with many moans and heavy Lamentations. 17. Caesar had a strong mind to take Cleopatra alive; Which would have proved an unheard of Accession to his Triumph. And indeed she came into his hands alive, but as soon as she found that all her Artifices, which had subdued so many great Men before, could not prevail with the conqueror; and that he designed in a short Time to sand her into Italy; She concerted a way to bereave him of his prey, and to avoid the suffering of any thing unworthy of her Crown and Kingdom: That is, she died by the Application of Serpents to her Breasts, as if she had slept her Life away. She was a Woman of a Masculine Spirit, and richly endowed with the Gifts of Nature. She lived 39 Years, and reigned 22 Years after her Father's Death, and kept company with Antony 14 Years. Her Exit concludes the Kingdom of the Ptolomy's, which was then reduced to the form of a Roman Province. Thus was the Macedonian Empire quiter extinguished, about 300 Years after the Death of Darius Codomannus, and the Commencement of the Monarchy under Alexander the Great; 293 Years after Egypt was possessed by Ptolomaeus the Son of Lagus, in the 3d Year of the 187 Olympiad, 28 before the Christian date, A. M. 3975. in the Consulship of M. Licinius Crassus, and Octavius Caesar, who was then Consul the Fourth Time. Affairs Contemporary to the Macedonian Empire. CHAP. VII. The State of the Kingdom of the Jews, or the Principality of the Asmonaei. From the departure of Antiochus Sidetes out of Jerusalem to the beginning of Herod's Reign. The Space of 98 Years. 1. ANtiochus Sidetes marched from Jerusalem against the Parthians; and when he came to battle, received a wound of which he died. John the Prince and High Priest of the Jews accompanied him, and was surnamed Hyrcanus from defeating the Hyrcanians. At this time the Seleucidae were still disputing their right to the Kingdom; from whence he took occasion to settle himself in the Government and mastered several Cities in Syria, and subdued the Idumaei whom he obliged to comply with the Circumcision. He renewed the League which Judas Maccabeus made with the Romans, and took and destroyed Samaria. He had great debates with the Pharisees; and was much more Favourable to the Sadduces; Whereupon the People Revolted, but were quickly reduced to Obedience. He is said to have prophesied that his two Elder Sons would quickly be possessed of the Government. He was Celebrated, for being at once a Prince, a Priest, and a Prophet. He died in the 31 Year of his Reign, 104 Years before Christ, the last Year of the 160 Olympiad, A. M. 3899. 2. Since I have mentioned the Pharisees, I reckon 'twill not be improper to give some account of the different Sects of the Jews. The first mention that Josephus makes of the pharisees, is in the 9th Chap. of the 13 Book of his Archaeologia. 'tis not to be doubted, but that those Sects were revived after their return from Babylon. Some were of the Opinion, that they ought not to depart from the Letter of the Law; Those were called Karraim. Others thought it their Duty to add other Voluntary Performances, and were therefore called Hasidim or Saints. Out of this Sect, there Rose yet another, that were reckoned much holier than the other Hasideans, and by Reason of their Separation were called Peruschim or Pheruschim, and by the Grecians Pharisees. Now, as the Pharisees sprung from the Hasidim, so the Sadduces owed their Original to the Karraei, and took their Name from Sadoc. Antigonus the preceptor of Sadoc, and the Disciple of Simeon Justus, Taught, that we ought not to serve God, like Mercenary Servants that work for a Reward; meaning, that the Principle of our Duty should be Love, and not the hopes of a Reward. 3. But Sadoc( or Saiduc) and Baithus wrested this Pious Opinion to an ill meaning, as if they expected no Future Reward, and denied a Future State. This was the Original of that heresy, according to the Rabbi Abraham. But Montacutius our Countryman brands that account as Fabulous, and derives the word Sadduces from Sader, Justitia. There was a Third Sect that took rise from the Pharisees, called Essaei or Esseni; but we are at a loss where to fix its first date. Some are of the Opinion; they were called Essaei from {αβγδ}, or from the Syrian word Haesi, from whence the Greek word is derived. Now the Hebrew word signifies those who live retired from all Noise, which quadrates admirably with the Essaei, who affencted a Pythagorean Silence, and retreated to remote Solitary Villages. Others derive their Name from Asa, a Hebrew word that signifies to heal, because they studied physic. However this Sect was posterior to the Pharisees, and accounted holier; and seems to have taken its rise about this Time, when the Hyrcanian Sadduces retired to a desert, in order to avoid the anger and envy of the Pharisees. 4. However Hyrcanus left 5 Sons; the Eldest of whom was surnamed Aristobulus Philellen, and Succeeded his Father. He converted the Principality into a Kingdom, and put on the Regal Diadem, about 481 Years after the return of the Jews from Babylon. He starved his Mother to Death, who was sharer with him in the Government, and slay one of his Brethren, the rest being kept up by his Wife. He subdued the Ituraei, and obliged 'em to comply with the Jewish Rites; and in the space of one Year ended his days in great Trouble of Mind. Jannaeus or Alexander his Brother succeeded him, and slay one of his Brethren for raising Sedition. Having settled his Affairs at home, he besieged Ptolomais, but was routted by Ptolomaeus Lathurus, who invaded Judea. But after all, Cleopatra obliged her Son ptolemy, to make Peace with Alexander, and proceed no further. 5. After the departure of Lathurus, Alexander invaded Caelosyria once more, and carried several Places, and levelled Gaza with the Ground, which was betrayed into his hands. In a fight with the Arabs, he lost almost his whole Army, and narrowly escaped to Jerusalem; where his Subjects rebelled and made War with him; but at last were mastered and Severely punished. He enlarged his Dominions by considerable accessions in Syria, Phaenicia, Idumaea, and other Countries; Where he possessed himself of a great Number of Cities most of which are mentioned by Josephus. At last by a fit of drinking he was thrown into a Quartan fever, which continued upon him Three Years; but notwithstanding his illness he did not Neglect his concerns, till at the siege of Ragola in the Country of the Geraseni, it mastered him and put an end to his days, in the 27 Year of his Reign, the 49 of his Age, the 3 of the 173 Olympiad, 76 Years before the Birth of Christ, A. M. 3927. 6. When he was upon the point of Death, he advised his Wife Alexandra not to publish his Death, till she had taken the Castle; and after that to return in Triumph to Jerusalem, and deliver his Corpse to the Pharisees to be treated with what Indignities they pleased; and to give ear to their Counsel; because he and his Father had lost the good will of their People by quarrelling with the Pharisees. Alexandra following this Scheme Ingratiated her self with the Pharisees. Her Husband left her the Kingdom, notwithstanding that he had two Sons by her, namely Hyrcanus and Aristobulus. But the Pharisees were so indiscreet and over-forward in persecuting their adversaries, that a Rebellion ensued, and Aristobulus made use of the Opportunity of aspiring to the Crown, and accordingly took upon him the regal Title, his Mother being then sick. The illness she was then under, quickly took her off in the 9 Year of her reign and 73 of her age. She was a Woman of matchless Wisdom, Courage, and Application. 7. Hyrcanus was invested with the Priesthood in the 3 Year of the 177 Olympiad, in the Consulship of Q. Hortensius and Q. Metellus Creticus. But was routed and outted of his Kingdom by his Brother in a battle fought near Jordan. Then he retreated to a Private Life, and obliged himself by an Oath to lie still; but Antipater, governor of Idumaea, roused him from his lazyness, and for fear of Alexander's Power, persuaded him to flee to Aretas King of Arabia. Aretas was easily induced to invade Judea; and accordingly laid siege to Jerusalem, but was repulsed by Scaurus the Treasurer of Pompey the Great, whom Aristobulus had bribed for that purpose with 400 Talents. 8. Soon after, each of 'em sent Ambassadors to Pompey, who was then at Damascus; but the Jews wanted to be rid of the Kingly Government, and laid heavy charges against 'em both. Pompey was Favourable to Hyrcanus, being disobliged by the Violent Measures of Aristobulus; and by reason that he found him carrying on his Projects after the interview, pursued him to Jerusalem, and laid a siege to the Temple where his Friends took Shelter, tho' Aristobulus himself return'd to Pompey. The Temple was taken by Pompey in the Third Month, on the Day of the fast Celebrated in Memory of the Wheel which Jehojakim burnt, in the 179 Olympiad, 62 Years before Christ, A. M. 3942, in the Consulship of C. Antonius and M. Tullius Cicero. 9. Pompey Reinstated Hyrcanus in the Priesthood and Principality; but upon Conditon, that he should not meddle with the Regalia. He put to Death the Authors of the Rebellion, and made the Jews Tributary to the People of Rome. He took from 'em the Cities they possessed in Caelosyria; and set a Governor over them, and carried off Aristobulus. Thus was that Nation confined within its own Boundaries, which had been so lately Transported with their Victories. Vpon the Journey to Rome, Alexander the Son of Aristobulus gave his keepers the slip and return'd to Judea; Where he drew together a body of Men, and attacked Gabinius who defeated him and took him prisoner. Nay, Aristobulus himself fled from Rome, and retired to Judea, where he revived the same War; but was equally unfortunate, for Gabinius took him Prisoner and sent him back to Rome. Alexander got his Liberty, and in another battle lost his Army. Crassus succeeded Gabinius; And as he passed thro' Judea on his Journey to Parthia robbed the Temple of 20000 Talents; but was soon after punished for his Sacrilege by the Circumvention of his Enemies. 10. Caesar, having driven Pompey and the Senate out of Italy, sent Aristobulus at the head of two Legions to subdue Syria: But Pompey's faction got him poisoned on his Journey, and his Corpse lay long above Ground. Soon after Alexander was beheaded by Pompey's Orders. About this Time Antipater governor of Idumaea was much Redoubted and Fortified by Alliances with several Princes. He had 4 Sons by Cypris a Noble Arabian Lady, Namely, Phafaelus, Herod, Josephus, and Pherorah; and sent 'em all into Arabia, while he waged War with Aristobulus. 11. Antipater assisted Caesar who was then engaged in the Alexandrian War. Caesar rewarded him with considerable gifts, besides that of the Stewardship of Judea. He confirmed the priesthood to Hyrcanus who had done him Good Services, and overlooked all the charges laid against him by Antigonus the Son of Aristobulus; And allowed the Walls of Jerusalem to be repaired. Antipater, finding Hyrcanus to be a dull unactive Man, made Phasaelus his Son governor of Jerusalem, and set Herod over Galilee, who at that Time according to Josephus was not above 17( or rather 27) Years Old. 12. Herod, who from his Infancy gave proof of a Noble Spirit, slay Ezekias a Famous Robber that infested Syria, for which the Jews called him to account: He appeared, but with a guard of Soldiers, and was absolved by Hyrcanus. But he took their bringing him to a trial so very ill, that he would have Revenged himself upon the Judges, had not his Father and Brethren dissuaded him. Soon after Cassius being engaged in a War with the Triumviri, came to Judea; Where he exacted a Sum of Money. About that time Antipater was poisoned by one Malichus; and his Sons concealed Malichus's Crime, till the Criminal aspiring to the Principality of Judea, was, by the order of Cassius, brought to condign Punishment, both for his Ambition and Parricide. 13. Herod was the Person that put Malichus to Death: For which the Jews arraigned him before Antonius; but he with a Sum of Money got off, and turned every thing to the advantage of his Affairs. The Parthians having then made themselves Masters of Syria; Angonus the Son of Aristobulus hired 'em to Effect his Restoration, for 2000 Talents and 500 Women. Accordingly they laid siege to Jerusalem, and when Hyrcanus and Phasaelus were sent to them upon an Embassy, keep'd 'em Prisoners. 14 But Herod escaped out of Jerusalem and fled to Arabia, where he indeavor'd to procure succour; but finding his solicitations ineffectual, boldly went to Rome, and Represented his deplorable case to Antonius. Antony, out of Respect to his Father's Memory, but chiefly in Regard of the Money that was tendered, persuaded the Senate to give him the Kingdom; And was backed by Octavius Caesar. Thus was he declared King to the Consternation of all, who before was so sensible of his own Incapacity for the Post, that he had resolved to petition for the Crown on the behalf of Alexander the Son of Aristobulus, and brother to Mariamna his Wife. In Seven Days Time he set out from Italy, in the 1 Year of the 185 Olympiad, 37 Years before Christ, A. M. 3965. in the Consulship of C. Asinius Pollio, and Domitius Calvinus, who was then a Second Time Consul. 15. Silon and Ven●idius were ordered to assist Herod in procuring the Kingdom. He first laid siege to Jerusalem, but upon the approach of the Winter lodged his forces in their Winter Quarters; and being diffident of Ventidius, went to wait upon Antony, who at that Time was at Samosata upon the Euphrates. Antony gave him an Hon urable Reception, and Recommended him to the care of Sosius. So that about Five Months after Jerusalem was taken by 11 Legions and 6000 Horse. Antigonus being taken prisoner, Antony, upon the solicitation of Herod, ordered him to be beheaded at Antiochia. This was the exit of the Asmonaei, about 98 Years after Judea's freedom from the Syrian yoke; and the Administration of Affairs was put into the hands of Herod a foreigner. Jerusalem was taken in the Third Month, on the same fast day on which the Temple had been taken by Pompey about 27 Years before, the last Year of the 185 Olympiad, in the Consulship of M. Agrippa, and Canidius Gallus. CHAP. VIII. The Affairs of Sicily, Contemporary to the Macedonian Monarchy. From the Death of Timoleon to the Wars of Sicily; or to the first punic War. The Space of 73 Years. TImoleon's Laws and Constitutions tended so much to Encourage Democracy, that the Commonalty Arrogated a boundless Liberty; and Sicily did not long enjoy the Advantages of Peace; For when the due Authority of Princes was taken away, the Kingdom was exposed to the Impositions of Tyrants, among whom Agathocles stands highest in the Roll, both upon the account of his Sagacity, and Cruelty, and the Greatness of his Actions. His Father was one Corcinus a Potter who laid him out in his Infancy, by Reason that the Oracle had foretold he would be the Author of Great Calamity in Carthage and Sicily: But his Mother saved him. He was so handsome a Youth, that Dymas the General of the forces kept him, and at last made him Adjutant General; After that, he Married Dymas's widow. He attempted to storm Croto an Italian City; but being disappointed came to Syracusae, where he seemed to endeavour to make himself Tyrant, and was thereupon banished, But soon after he drew together an Army; which frighted the Citizens so that they recalled him, and obliged him by an Oath to offer at no Infringement upon the People's Power. 2. After his return he Wheedled the Vulgar People by his Harangues, which breathed nothing but downright Democracy; and was presently made General. Then he marched his Army into the City, and slay a Great Number of the Noble Men, charging them with the Affectation of Aristocracy. At this Rate 4000 were killed, and thereupon 6000 fled, and the unruly Mob Elected Aga●hocles to be Sole Commander. By this intrigue he got the Power into his hands, and pretended to a great deal of Humanity and Meekness. But having drawn together a most Numerous Army, overrun all Sicily, and declared War against the Carthaginians; and finding himself Worsted in the iceland invaded Africa as being naked and exposed, and as soon as he arrived set his Ships on Fire, designing thereby to cut off from his Men all possibility of fleeing, and oblige 'em to be brave upon the foot of despair. 3. The Carthaginians were astonished by his boldness; and he mauled 'em often, for now their Affairs went across in Sicily itself. for Amilcar their General was taken and killed before Syracusa, and his Army split into two Factions. Whereas Agathocl s stifled all the Mutinies in his Army, and frequently went off with the Victory; and perfidiously murdered one of the Officers of Alexander the Great, who had possessed himself of Cyrene, and improved all Opportunities of enlarging his Dominions; and whom he had Wheedled to come over to him upon the Prospect of sharing in the Common Spoil. Then he declared himself King, and having left Archagathus his Son in Africa return'd to Sicily, and reduced the Cities which had Revolted and entertained the banished Rebels. But soon after his Affairs took another Course. 4. For Dinocrates appeared in Sicily at the head of so Numerous an Army, that he durst not Engage him. And in Africa the Carthaginians cut off Bomilcar who usurped the Tyranny; and defeated Archagathus and recovered several Places. Whereupon Agathocles was recalled by his Son; but before he left the iceland, he put to Death most of those whom he suspected, in order to prevent their Future Insurrections. As soon as he arrived in Africa, he found the Carthaginians much too hard for him, and resolved to flee. But Archagathus smelling the design, and seeing himself upon the point of being left in the lurch, pushed on the Army to mutiny, so that they took hold of the Tyrant, and bound him with Chains: But afterwards he got 'em taken off, and made his escape to a Ship, in which he fled away. Upon the News of his Flight, the Soldiers slay both his Sons. 5. Upon his return to Sicily, he displayed all manner of cruelty upon the People of Aegesta; And among other Contrivances for Torturing, invented a Machine in which he burnt Men alive, as Phalaris had done before in his Bull. But soon after he found himself so pinched by Unsurmountable Difficulties that he designed to resign the Tyranny; but when Dinocrates offered to Usurp it, he made head against him and defeated him, He expelled Cassander King of Macedonia out of Corryra; He took and destroyed Croto, and killed a great many of the Citizens; but was fearfully mauled by the Brutii. He entered into a Confederacy with Demetrius Poliorcetes, who was then governor of Macedonia; and was Just designing another Expedition to Africa, when Archagathus his Grand Son killed him, as taking it ill that Agathocles the Tyrant's Son was preferred to him, whom he likewise made drunk and killed. Agathocles was not quiter expired, when Oxythenius Demetrius s Ambassador laid him in his Grave, in the 72 Year of his Age, the 28 of his Reign,( according to his own Brother Antander, as well as other Authors) in the 2 Year of the 123 Olympiad, A. M. 3718. 6. Agathocles being taken out of the way, the Syracusans retrieved their Liberty: Which Maenon Aegesthanus, who Executed the Parricide, endeavoured to invade and to Usurp the Tyranny; and likewise killed Archagathus: But his Measures were broken by the Conclusion of a Peace between the Citizens of Syracusa, and the Carthaginians with whom he joined. The Mercenary Troops were discarded by the Citizens, and thereupon overpowered the Inhabitants of Messene and possessed themselves of the City; which in their own Campanian Language was called Mamertina from Mars. This happened when a Campanian Roman Legion being sent to assist the Rhegians in the time of the War between the Romans and Tarentines, did with equal perfidy possess themselves of Rhegium. Not long after the Syracusans being engaged in a War with the Africans called in Pyrrhus King of Epirus from Italy: Who at first managed Matters happily; but at last grew cruel, and by that means was disappointed in his Measures and so return'd to Italy. 7. After the return of Pyrrhus to Italy, the Syracusan Army, without any precedent, choose two Praetors out of their own body, Namely Artemidorus and Hiero. Whereupon the People were much incensed, as taking it very ill that the Army should Usurp their Power. But at the same time confirmed the Magistracy to Hiero the Son of Hierocles, out of Regard to his Humanity and other Virtues. He exposed the Turbulent Mercenary Forces to the Excursions of the Mamertins, and by that means infeebl'd them so that he afterwards reigned in Security. After a few Years he Vigorously attacked the Mamertins, and defeated them to that degree, that they were thinking to surrender, when Hannibal the Carthaginian, envying Hiero's Prosperity, cunningly diverted him from carrying on the siege, and at the same time gulled the Mamertins. 3. However Hiero, upon his return to Syracusae was declared King, as a Reward for his Valor. But Hannibal possessed himself of the Castle of Mamertini; and joined with Hiero in attacking the City. Upon this Combination the Mamertines implored relief from the Romans: But the Senate having lately Resented the Perfidiousness of the Campanian Legion by putting them all to Death, refused to assist them who were guilty of the same Crime: But the People, whose Authority then prevailed, being advised by the Praetor, that it was their interest to possess themselves of Sicily, in order to gull the Carthaginians more sensibly and Enlarge the bounds of their Empire; and that the Soldiers whom the Tarentin War had quiter Exhausted, would be considerable gainers by this War; Upon these Suggestions, I say, the People gave orders for levying an Army, and sending 'em Auxiliary Troops 9. This was the first Original of the first Sicilia● or punic War, the account of which will come in under that of the Roman Affairs. It happened in the 22 Year after the Death of Agathocles, the 1 Year of the 120 Olympiad, the 490th after the building of Rome, the 19th of Antiochus Soter, the 21 of Ptolomaeus Philadelphus, A. M. 3741, in the Consulship of Appius Claudius Caudices and M. Fulvius Flaccus. CHAP. IX. The Roman Affairs Contemporary with the Macedonian Empire. Sect. 1. Reaching from the War with the People of Privernum to the 1 punic War, which was their First attempt out of Italy. The space of 66 Years. 1. AFter the taking of Privernum, the Romans declared War against the Palaepolitani. It was one and the same Chalcidensian Colony thut Inhabited both Palaepolis and Neapolis, upon the maritime side of Italy. The People of Palapolis trusted in their own strength joined to that of the Samnites; and were further encouraged, by a Plague that raged among the Romans. Accordingly they attacked the Romans who lived about Falernum, and frequently galled them: But were afterwards conquered and obliged to surrender, and the Samnites lost 3 Towns. But the Ta●entini stood out longer, and in the War with them L. Papyrius Cursor being made dictatory, moved that Fabius Rutilanus, mayor of the Horse, should be beheaded for Engaging the Enemy without orders, tho he came off successfully; and it was with difficulty that the entreaties of the People dissuaded the dictatory from putting the design in Execution. 2. Papyrius defeated the Samnites; whereupon they desired a Peace, but met with a Refusal. But not long after they surpris, d the Roman Army at the straits of Caudium, and obliged 'em to accept of such Terms, as were unworthy of the People of Rome; insomuch that the Senate refused to ratify 'em, and renewed the War, in which the People of Samnis were often worsted; and L. Decius Mus, being made Consul a 4th time, and being engaged in a battle with them and the Galli Senones, sacrificed himself for the Army, by Rushing in among the thickest files of his Enemies, about 44 Years after his Father in the War with the Sabins had by his own Contrivance undergone the same fate. 3. 'tis to be remarked that the Romans had 30 Triumphs upon the War with the Samnites; That is, the Consuls had 26; L. Papyrius the dictatory 2, P. Philo the Proconsul one, Fabius another Proconsul one, the Family of the Fabii 4, and that of the Papyrii 5. Now this War commenced in the 410 Year after the building of the City, and was put to an end in the 481; So that it continued 71 Years; and the Romans never engaged with an Enemy that stood out longer against them, and with more vigour. 4. In the mean time, while the Romans are engaged in foreign Wars, domestic Factions prevail at home, which were at last appeased by allowing the Plebs a share in the Priesthood and the Augural Dignity: And then the Lex Provocationis was renewed a 3 Time. But soon after the People mutiny'd upon the account of the Debts, and Separated from the Patricii, retiring to Janiculum. Q. Hortensius the dictatory in order to bring back the People Enacted a Law, investing the Plebiscita with a Legal Force Capable to Control the Quirites. Now this Concession had been twice Granted before, viz. in the 305 Year of the City when L. Valerius and M. Horatius were Consuls, and in the 416 when Q. Publius Philo was dictatory, Florus is certainly out upon this head, in saying that the 3d Separation of the Plebs was occasioned upon the account of Matrimony. 5. After a Few Years the Romans engaged in a War with the Tarentins. The Tarentins were descended of the Parthenii who settled in that Country when they were expelled Sparta▪ They rolled in Luxury and Pride; they attacked the Roman Fleet, they killed L. Valerius the Duumvir and offered Indignities to L. Posthumius their Ambassador. Whereupon the Romans declared War against them, and they called in Pyrrhus King of Epirus to their Assistance. This Pyrrhus was the first that brought Elephants to Lucania, from whence the Romans called them Lucanian oxen. By the help of which he routed Laevinus the Consul, took 1800 Romans prisoners, and having drawn together some Auxiliary Troops marched towards Rome, putting all to Fire and Sword, as far as Praeneste within 18 Miles of the City. But when he weighed the Matter seriously, he considered that the conquest of the Romans was a very difficult attempt, and thereupon in the next Year sent Cineas( a Man of Extraordinary Eloquence) as Ambassador to solicit the Senate to make Peace, and enter into a Confederacy with him. 6. The Senate was not against the Peace, till Appius Claudius, who was then blind and decrepit thro' Age, and had been Consul a Second Time 17 Years before, came into the Court, and Frighted them out of the thoughts of a Confederacy: So great was the Constancy and Vigour of that Man's Mind, that upon that occasion he was not wanting either in public or Private Officers: At the same Time C. Fabricius Luscinus, whom Cicero compares to Aristides the Athenian, did his Country very good Service. He was sent to Pyrrhus to Treat about the Ransoming of the Prisoners, and was solicited to Treachery by very large Offers and Promises; but Generously slighted 'em all. Nor was this all. A Deserter came to him, and told him he could poison the King, but he sent him back prisoner to his Master. Pyrrhus obtained some Victories over the Romans; but they did not avail him, for the Romans were still the more animated by their losses. At last the Sicilians implored his Assistance against the Carthaginians, and he willingly crossed over to the Isle, thinking there to meet with a Fairer Opportunity of carrying on his designs. 7. But finding himself disappointed, he return'd to Italy, where Maximus Curius Dentatus Routed him entirely and obliged him to Retire to his own Kingdom. The Romans purchased such Great and Extensive Glory, by the Noise of this Victory, which spread itself far and Wide, that Ptolomaeus Philadelphus sent Ambassadors to desire a Confederacy with them. The Tarentins finding themselves unable to carry the Castle in which Pyrrhus had left a Garrison, or to obtain Peace from the Romans; did, in the 3d Year after Pyrrhus's departure, Court the Assistance of the Carthaginians; but that did not avail them so much as to prevent their being conquered. For the Castle first surrendered itself, and soon after the Town came into the hands of the Romans, who allowed the Citizens to live in Peace, and levelled the Walls with the Ground, in the 482 Year after the building of the City, in the Consulship of L. Papyrius Cursor and Sp. Carvilius Maximus, who triumphed upon the Conquest of the Samnitians and Tarentins. 8. The Romans having lately subdued the Lucanians and Etrurians, were now Masters of almost all Italy. Soon after, the Campanian Legion that had possessed itself of Rhegium, was taken, and put to Death. The Picentes were conquered and allowed to live in Peace. Colonies were then carried out to Ariminum and Beneventum. At the same time the Silver money was first coined at Rome, upon the finding of a Great quantity of Silver in a Castle belonging to the Samnites. This happened 5 Years before the First punic War, in the 14th Year of Antiochus Soter, the 16th of Ptolomaeus Philadelphus, 267 before the Christian Date, A. M. 3736, 485 after the building of the City, when C. Fabius Pictor and Q. Ogulnius Gallus were Consuls. Sect. 2. From the Commencement of the first punic War, to the War with Antiochus Magnus, or the First Invasion of Asia. The space of 37 Years. 1. AFter the Conquest of Pyrrhus and the Tarentins, the Romans became so formidable, that they mastered all Italy and Sicily. They had lately subdued the Umbri and Salentini, and the Number of their Treasurers was thereupon enlarged to the Rate of 8. Then Appius Claudius crossed over with an Army to Sicily, and first Routed Hiero and then the Carthaginians, and so raised the siege of Mamertini. Next Year Hiero was so frighted by the Roman Preparations, that he made Peace with them upon these Terms, that he should deliver up the Captives and pay 100 Talents of Silver. 2. Marcus Valerius Maximus who was Consul along with Manlius Octacilius, took Messana, and from thence got the surname of Messala. He likewise brought a new Clock from Catana to Rome, about 30 Years after Papyrius Cursor was dictatory in the City. The People made use of this, tho' very Imperfect, for 99 Years, till the Time that M. Philippus the Censor brought another complete one and placed it just by it, much about the same Time that Scipio Nasica divided the day into hours, by the help of Water Glasses. Plinius tells us, from Varro, that Barbers were First brought from Sicily to Rome, by P. Sicinius Menas, about the 454 Year after the building of the City; and that before that Time the Romans never shaved their Beards. Scipio Africanus was the First that countenanced the Custom by shaving himself every day, and afterwards in Imitation of him, no Man used a razor oftener than Augustus. 3. Next Year the Roman Generals took Agrigentum after a long siege, L. Posthumius and Q. Mamilius being then Consuls. This success did so puff them up that they resolved to apply themselves to Sea Affairs; for hitherto they had never touched upon the Sea. And at first indeed the success that attended their Descents upon Sardinia and Corsica favoured the design; and at the same Time their Arms were Victorious by Land. But when Africa was made the seat of the War; Notwithstanding that the Consuls in their passage defeated the Enemies Fleet, and that one of 'em, Marcus Attilius Regulus, Routted the Carthaginian Army and took Tunis; yet the same Consul was soon after Routed and taken Prisoner by Xantippus the Lacedemonian who served the Carthaginians, and of his 30000 Men very few escaped. And the Consuls for the next Year, upon their return from Africa would needs make a show of their spoil and expose the Signs of Victory, and in gratifying that humour Counteracted the Measures of their Pilots; insomuch that a storm arising reduced the Number to 464 Ships to that of 80. And after all, those who were Consuls about 2 Years after, sailing towards Africa, underwent the same fate, and lost 150 Ships, upon an iceland called Meninge not far from the lesser Syrtis. 4. After so many and so Great Disasters at Sea, the Senate resolved not to attempt any thing further that way. The next Year L. Caecilius Metellus and Cn. furious Pacilus the Consuls, were sent at the head of the Legions: And the first of the two Routed the Carthaginians in a bloody battle and killed 20000 of their Men, so that they were obliged to sue for Peace. Accordingly the Carthaginians sent Ambassadors to Treat of Peace and the Ransom of the Prisoners; among whom was M. Attilius, who was doomed to this Sentence, that if he did not obtain their Demands, he should return to be laid in Chains. But when he came to Rome he advised the Senate to the contrary, and shew'd them that it was a thing unprecedented among the Romans: And after that, in order to make good his promise to the Enemy, return'd to Carthage, where he was quartered and tortured to the last degree. Some say he was Crucified; Eutropius says they used all sorts of Punishments upon him; and others say he was put to Death by being kept awake with various Instruments of Torment. 5. The Romans fitted out a Fleet, and besieged Lilybaeum; but their Navy was soon after shattered, and Amilcar Barcas the Carthaginian plundered Italy. After that the Romans did not meddle at Sea for Seven Years, till Amilcar provoked 'em to fit out a New Fleet, and try the last turn of Fortune. In this their forlorn attempt, they defeated the Enemy at the Aegates Islands so that they were obliged to sue for Peace, and accept of it upon these Terms; viz. that that they should quit Sicily and all the Isles between it and Italy; that they should not make War with the Syracusans or their Allies, that all the Prisoners should be delivered up, and 2300 Talents paid in a certain space of Time. This was the end of the first punic War after it had lasted 24 Years, 5 Years after Lilybaeum was first besieged, in the 513 Year after the building of Rome, the 4 of the 134 Olympiad, the 6 of Seleucus Callinicus, the 6 of Ptolomaeus euergetes, the 239 before Christ, A. M. 3764, when A. Manlius Torquatus was Consul for the Second Time together with Q. Lutatius Cerco. 6. The Carthaginians desired a Peace, only in order to make further Provisions for War; but they quickly fell in with Greater Dangers, than any that the War with the Romans could have occasioned. For the hired Soldiers gathered into a body, and before they would Separate required more Arrears than the whole republic was able to pay. They were pushed on by the Suggestions of some Profligate Fellows who raised Troubles in order to get off with Impunity: And a heavy War ensued which they called the Lybian and African; and which they could not get clear off till after Three Years, and that with difficulty. 'twas then that Experience convinced 'em, that no trust should be reposed in Mercenary Soldiers drawn up into one body, and that their own Subjects should not be so Cruelly Treated, as they had been formerly. 7. In the next Year after the punic War, being the 514 after the building of the City, the Year preceding the birth of Ennius, C. Claudius Centon and M. Sempronius Tuditanus being then Consuls, the first Comedies and Tragedies were made by Andronicus a Greek Poet, who was called Livius, from Livius Salinator, in 160th Year after the Death of Sophocles and Eurypedes. Before the invention of Comedies and Tragedies Satyrs were in use among the Romans, and before the Introduction of Satyrs the Verses usual among them were those called Fescennini. In the 4 Year after this, the Secular Games were Celebrated a Third Time; they were called the Great and Terentine Games from Terentum a place in the Campus Martius where Manius Valesius did first Celebrate the same. In the mean time it is observed that all Secular Games were called Terentini, but all the Terentini were not Secular; or else there were two sorts of Secular Games, one the Greater which were Celebrated every 110 Years, and the other the Lesser, which were Celebrated every 100 Years, of which more at large in our larger History. 8. In the 6th Year after the punic War, the Temple of Janus was shut a Second Time, for Titus Manlius Torquatus had lately conquered Sardinia, and the Romans were altogether free from War. The next Year, being the 520 after the building of the City, Sp. Carvilius Ruga divorced his Wife which was the first divorce that happened in Rome. Carvilius pleaded that he did it in order to have Children by another Woman; but notwithstanding the Plausible Plea, the People Resented it with a great deal of Displeasure and Hatred. In the same Year M. Porcius was born in the confines of Tusculum; he was called Catus and diminutively Catulus with Allusion to his Sagacity and Parts. The same Year, Cn. Naevius, who wrote the first punic War in Saturnian Verses, published Fables to the People. 30 Years after that, he died having made his own Epitaph himself, with Arrogance enough, which Gellius takes notice of together with those of Plautus and Pacuvius. 9. After 6 Years a War broken out with the Illyrians, and the Temple of Janus was opened. Teuta the Queen of the Illyrians, and Widow of Agron who had thrown himself into a Mortal pleurisy by hard Drinking, gave her Subjects the Liberty of Pirating; accordingly they took Phenice a Town of Epirus, and robbed the Italian Merchants. Now the Queen was so far from Remedying the Disorder, that she ordered one of their Ambassadors to be killed for discoursing the point freely with her. Whereupon War was declared against her, which Fulvius the Consul carried on so Dexterously, that the Cities of Illyricum were either surrendered or stormed, and Teuta was put to flight, who sued for Peace, and obtained it upon these Terms, viz. that she should pay a Yearly Tribute, that she should quit all Illyricum excepting a few Places, and that she should not sail beyond the River Orissus with more than 2 barks and those unarmed. 10. The Illyrians continued their allegiance for 9 Years, till the 535th Year after the Building of the City; in which they revolted, and were subdued by Aemilius Paulus and Marcus Livicus then consuls, and Demetrius Pharius, who had usurped the Kingdom, was outted, and a certain Sum of money was laid upon the People to be paid Yearly to Pineus the son of Agron. This was the end of the War with Teuta, which Florus pursuant to his usual custom misplaces in bringing it in after the gallic Cisalpine War. For in the very Year in which Peace was concluded upon, with Teuta; C. Flaminius the tribune of the People moved that a Law should be made adjudging the Land of the Cisalpine Gauls to be distributed among the People; upon which they were so incensed that they resolved to undergo all extremities, rather than be outed of their seats and banished their Country. This War happened, in the 526th Year after the Building of the City( not the 522d as Polybius writes) when Q. Fabius Maximus and Sp. Carvilius Maximus, were both of 'em a Second time consuls. 11. The Gauls called in the Insubres to their assistance, who brought in the other Transalpine Gauls upon the Rhosne, who were called Gesatae, upon the Foot of a national War. Presently 50000 Foot and 20000 Horse made an irruption into Tuscany. Upon the News of the invasion, Rome was Thunderstruck with fear and grief, for they looked upon the Gauls as their fatal Enemies. Then Lists were taken of all those that were fit for War, and all the Italians made such preparations for the War in which not only the Roman Empire, but their own Houses and Families were in Danger; that with incredible expedition they drew together an Army of 700000 Foot and 70000 Horse. Thus writes Polybius; but Fabius Pictor who was then present says the Romans had 880000 Men in Arms. 12. The Roman Generals surprised the Gauls when they were putting all to Fire and Sword in Tuscany, and engaged them on all sides. And the Gesatae, whose Bodies were Naked and exposed, immediately fled and disordered the rest. In this encounter there were 40000 Gauls killed and 10000 taken Prisoners, among whom was Concolitanus the King, the other King, namely Averoestus, having laid Violent hands on himself. Upon this disaster the Gauls desired a Peace; but M. Claudius Marcellus and Cn. Cornelius Scipio, being consuls for the next Year, opposed them, as designing to reserve to themselves the Glory of carrying the War further. 13. Accordingly the consuls besieged Acerrae in the Country of the Insubres, and the Gauls laid siege to Clastidium, where they came to a Hot Engagement, and were sadly mauled Marcellus having killed Dardomaras the Gesatian King was the Third Man that brought off the Opima Spolia, which he consecrated to Jupiter Feretrius, notwithstanding that Numa had ordered them to be consecrated to Quirinus. The triumphal motto implied that the Germans together with the Galli Insubres were conquered, so that it seems the Gesatae were called Germani by some mistake. Some allege they were called Gesatae, from a particular sort of Dart used among them, because in the Teutonick Language, their Name was Gaests, that is Geusts, for they served upon Pay. Thus was that War brought to an end after 6 Years. 14. The Second punic War begun 3 Years after the gallic War. Hannibal the Son of Amilcar Barcas was made Carthaginian General: When he was 9 Years of age his Father took him along with him into Spain, and bound him by an Oath upon a Sacrifice never to befriend the Romans. Hannibal subdued all Spain on the other side of the River Iber excepting Saguntum. The Saguntians acquainted their Allies the Romans with the Progress he he had made; and thereupon Ambassadors were sent but they could not dissuade him from attacking Saguntum. For he saw very well thro' their design, viz. that they hoped to make that place the Seat of the War, and so keep it at some distance, to the end that Italy, might be secured, and they might have leisure to get clear of the Illyrians. 15. The Saguntians endured all sort of extremities, and shew'd in themselves a Noble instance of valor and constancy; but at last it was taken. Then the Romans sent Ambassadors to Carthage, to demand Hannibal as being Guilty of Violating the league, and in case the demand was not satisfied, to declare War, which accordingly was declared and accepted. So that the 2d punic War commenced in the 536th Year after the building of the City, the 6th of Antiochus Magnus, the 5th of Ptolomaeus Philopator, in the 24th Year after the conclusion of the Peace, in the Consulship of P. Cornelius Scipio, and Tib. Sempronius Longus. This War is described by Polybius, from whom Livy Copied out the 23d Book of his History, almost word for word. 16. Hannibal in the 26th Year of his Age, having subdued all Spain, marched thro' France at the Head of 50000 Foot and 9000 Horse, and crossed the Alpes, and in the 5th Month arrived in Italy, having left Hanno to Guard the upper Countries. Upon his Journey he lost a great part of his Army, the number being reduced to 18200 Foot and 6000 Horse. He routed Scipio and Sempronius the Consuls upon the Ticinus and Trebbias, and afterwards Flaminius at the Lake Thrasimenus. These disasters put the People of Rome into a consternation, whereupon they nominated Q. Fabius Maximus to be Vice-dictator, the consul being then absent so that a dictatory could not be nominated. Fabius by his delaying and putting off, put a stop to the Violence and fury of the Enemy, but upon his return met with a sorry reception from the Tribunes and some others, who were Angry with him for protracting the War. Whereupon they took occasion to make Terentius Varro Consul; Who was an imprudent forward Man, and in Spite of the remonstrances of the Wise L. Aemilius Paulus his colleague, would needs engage Hannibal at Cannae, where the Roman Army was almost totally cut off. 17. This defeat occasioned such a consternation in the City, that the richer Citizens thought of Fleeing and departing Italy, but P. Cornelius Scipio, Son to P. a Youth of a brave Spirit, who was then scarce 24 Years of Age, encouraged 'em to stay. Nay all the estates gathered into a Body, and went out to meet Varro the Author of the defeat, and thanked him for gathering up the scattered remnant of the forces, and not despairing of the state of the republic. 18. Had Hannibal marched strait to Rome, he might easily have stormed the Castle of the War, and so made an end of his business. But, as Maherbal the General mayor of the Horse did not stand to tell him, he knew how to obtain a Victory but did not know how to use it. For he lead his Army to Capua, where he suffered 'em to be debauched and enervated by Luxury and the redundancy of all necessaries: insomuch that the saying was not a miss, viz. Capua was a Cannee to Hannibal. 19. While Hannibal was thus negligent of his concerns, the Romans took courage, and the Carthaginian interest began to decline. Hannibal himself was obliged to break up the Siege of Cumae, and to retire from before Nola. The Romans acted successfully in Spain, Sicily and Sardinia. In Sicily M. Claudius Marcellus Besieged Syracusae; for after Hiero died in the 90th Year of his Age, the Syrcacusans had revolted from the Romans. However they stood out a long while by virtue of the Machines which Archimedes the Famous Mathematician made to keep off the Enemy. At last after a 3 Years Siege the Romans mastered the City at a time when the Citizens were careless; and among others Archimedes himself was killed, who was so taken up with writing some things in the sand, that he was not sensible that his country was in the hands of its Enemy. 20. Marcellus lamented his Death so soon as he knew of it, and ordered him to be buried. Cicero says he not only spared the Town, but adorned it, insomuch that he left it at once a Monument of his Victory Meekness and Clemency: but Livy says that he acted a great many ugly things, as being instances of extreme Anger and Peevishness. At the same time the Scipio's, designing unseasonably to put an end to the Spanish War, divided their forces; and were cut off, together with almost the whole Army by the Celtiberi. But their Death was handsomely resented by L. Martius the General, who took the like occasion of attacking the Carthaginians when they were divided and secure, and routed 'em to that degree, that 37000 of 'em were killed, 1830 taken prisoners, and a great booty carried off. 21. In Italy the Romans besig'd Capua, and Hannibal fruitlessly attacked the Castle of Tarentum; but finding himself unable to raise the Siege of Capua, marched towards Rome itself, where Thunder and Lightning prevented an Engagement; so that he complained much of himself and his hard Fortune and return'd to Rhegium. By this means the Campanians were deprived of all hopes of relief, and Capua was surrendered to the Romans. 22. It was Warmly and Tediously disputed, whether the Town should be destroyed or not: But after a long debate they agreed to preserve it: but in order to prevent any possibility of their Future Rebellion, they were deprived of their Land, Magistrates, Senate, and public Councils, without leaving it the Face of a republic; and 'twas appointed to be a place for buying and preserving of Fruits, a Receptacle of Husbandmen, and a Magazine for the product of the Campanian Ground. This Misfortune happened to Capua, after it had stood about 260 Years, in the 8th Year of the War, the 543 of Rome, the 13th of Antiochus Magnus, the 12th of Ptolomaeus Philopator, in the Consulship of P. Sulpicius Galba and Cn. Fulvius Centumalus. 23. About the same Time P. Corn. Scipio was appointed Successor to Claudius Nero who had suffered himself to be overreach'd by Asdrubal. When every body else declined the Office of Proconsul by Reason of its Weight and importance, Scipio of his own accord Listed himself a Candidate for it in the 24 Year of his Age. Next Year Laevinus the Consul took Agrigentum and subdued all Sicily, but his Colleague Marcellus was afterwards surprised and killed by the Carthaginians. 24. Soon after Asdrubal Hannibals Brother, marched at the head of Auxiliary Troops from Spain to Italy, and was beaten and killed upon the Road by M. Livius Salinator and C. Claudius Nero at the River Metaurus. But Hannibal was Ignorant of what happened: For tho' Nero was encamped just over against him, yet he was not sensible that he had marched off, to the Assistance of his Colleague, till the Consul Return'd and threw Asdrubals Head into the Carthaginian Camp. 25. In the mean Time P. Scipio went on successfully in Spain, where his Father and Uncle had lost their Lives before. After he had recovered the whole Province he Return'd to Rome, and being made Consul desired of the Senate that Africa should be allotted to him for his Province, to the End that he might carry the War into their own Territories. Q. Fabius Maximus, an Ancient Gentleman, was mightily against the motion; his Opinion was that it was not proper to go to Africa but to fight Hannibal where he was. On the other hand Scipio's Plea was, that if the Carthaginians were attacked within their own Territories, they would be obliged to recall Hannibal from Italy, since their hopes and Security were founded upon him. After a long Debate the Senate allots Sicily to Scipio, and allows him to across over to Africa, if the Interest of the republic required it. 26. Next Year Scipio went from Sicily into Africa, and made good his promise to the Senate; for he defeated the Carthaginians several Times, and mauled 'em so much, that they recalled Hannibal. So that he who had ranged over Italy full 16 Years, and had pitched his Camp under the Walls of Rome, was obliged to return home, tho' unwilling and full of sorrow; and afterwards being routed by Scipio advised the Carthaginians to ask a Peace. Scipio was very much concerned for Fear the Consuls of this Year, who had an Eye upon Africa, should rob him of the Glory of concluding the War. 27. A Peace therefore was concluded upon, by the Consent of the Senate, upon these Terms; viz. that the Carthaginians should enjoy their Liberty and their African lands; but should quit Spain and all the Isles of the Mediterranean Sea that ever were disputed; that they should deliver up all the Deserters, all their Ships bating 10 Galleys, all their Tame Elephants, and should Tame no Elephants for the Future; that they should Wage War with none without the consent of the People of Rome; that they should restore all to Massanissa King of Numidia, and enter into a Confederacy with him; that in the space of 50 Years they should pay 1000 Talents of Silver, and pawn 100 Hostages for Security. Thus was the Second punic War brought to an end after 18 Years, and from thence Scipio was surnamed Africanus. 28. Peace being concluded with the Carthaginians, the Romans not only carried on their Wars in Italy, Istria and Lusitania; but were likewise engaged in a heavy War with Philip King of Macedonia, being called into the Assistance of the Grecians, whom he oppressed: Besides, Philip had given the Romans occasion to be angry 10 Years before, by entering into a League with Hannibal. Galba and Tappulus the Consuls were first sent against him; and after them Quintius Flamininus, who at the End of his Consulship had his Command continued to him, for the Tribuni Plebis did justly allege that the shifting of Generals every Year was a great obstacle to the success of their Affairs. Flamininus defeated Philip at Cynocephalae, whereupon he asked for Peace, and upon the Senate's desire the Liberty of Greece was restored. Sect. 3. From the War with Antiochus to the overthrow of Carthage; from which Time the Romans thinking themselves secure began to Degenerate. The space of 45 Years. ANtiochus King of Asia and Syria had invaded the Kingdom of Attalus the Roman ally; he had attacked Egypt and assaulted the graecian Cities upon the Pretence that they were once Subject to the asiatic Kings. The Romans taking these motions into their Consideration, began to entertain some Jealousies of him, which were further inflamed by Hannibals's proceedings. For, he Visited the King, and egged him on to the War. Besides, the Etolians had a great Hand in pushing on Antiochus, for when Philip was beaten they and the Romans had some dispute about the Spoil, and finding their avarice baulked, were found of an opportunity of resenting it. 2. M. Acilius being sent against Antiochus defeated him at Thermo●ylae: but the Honour of putting an end to the War was reserved for L. Cornelius Scipio; who was chosen consul, and tho' his colleague C. I aelius Nepos, did earnestly desire the province of Greece, yet he obtained it, and withal, leave to go into Asia; by the interest of his Brother Africanus, who promised to go along with him in the quality of Lieutenant General. Scipio having conquered Marius, defeated the King in Asia, and obliged him to ask for Peace, as I Intimated at large above. He likewise subdued the Etolians and made Peace with them. About that time the the Romans waged War with the Galati under the conduct of Manlius the consul, and his Army upon their return brought home the first seeds of Luxury to the City. 3. After 3 Years Scipio Africanus was arraigned of cheating the State, by impropriating the spoil taken in War; and the Tribunes appointed a day for his Trial. This great Man who had done so many and such great services to the public, was afraid to stand Trial, and having forbid the Court, went up to the Capitol to return thanks to the Gods for his Victory; and then retired to Linternum, where he died in the 4th Year of his exile, in the same Year that Philopaemenes the Achaian General died, as also Hannibal himself who had fled to Prusias King of Bithynia. For Philopaemenes being taken by the Messenians was constrained to take a draft of poison: and Hannibal finding that Quintius demanded him; and that it was not possible for him to escape, killed himself with poison that he carried in his Ring. 4 About the same time L. Scipio( who from his Victory over Antiochus was surnamed Asiaticus) was likewise charged with cheating the State. Next Year the wicked mysteries of the Bacchanalia were brought to light, by which many were offered up as sacrifices, and several other Monstrous Crimes were committed. Afterwards a War broken out with he Ligurians▪ and Corsica was subdued. Soon after, the Second Macedonian War or that with Perseus, commenced in the 583th Year of the City, 24 Years after the conclusion of the Peace with Philip, and 17 after that with Antiochus. 5. Philip King Macedonia had taken it very ill that the Romans should pinch him so much, and designed to revive the War: but Death prevented him, and Perseus his Son succeeded. Perseus had formerly been disobliged by the Romans and willingly embraced the War, as part of his heritage. But L. Aemilius Paulus in his Second Consulship, defeated him and took him Prisoner, together with his Wife, Mother, and Children; and lead them in triumph, from whence he was surnamed Macedonicus. At that time Macedonia became a Roman Province, as I intimated above, in the 586th Year of the City, in the Consulship of L. Aemilius Paulus and L. Licinius Crassus. 6. Soon after, one Andriscus, of a mean descent, gave himself out for the Son of Perseus and declared War against the Romans, but being routed by Q. Metellus the Praetor, fled to Byzus King of Thrace, who delivered him up. At last the 3d punic War broken out; for the Romans took hold of any occasion of quarreling with the Carthaginians. Indeed the Carthaginians could not sit with Idleness, but started disputes concerning the property of some Neighbouring Lands, and had thereupon declared War against almost all their Neighoeurs, especially Massanissa King of Numidia, who was an ally of the People of Rome. The Romans being chosen Arbitrators were partial to the King, and upon Massanissa's solicitation declared War against Carthage. But were divided in their Opinions, whether the City should be destroyed or preserved. 7. Some were of Opinion that they should not destroy it, by reason that if Carthage were out of the way, civil and domestic feuds, would prevail amongst them. But M. Porcius Cato was of another Opinion, viz. that the republic of Rome would ever be in Danger, if that City were not totally destroyed; and this Opinion was most approved of. But Cato himself being then 85 Yea'rs of Age died while they were yet debating the point. Cicero lists him among the Ancient orators, and places him next to M. Cornelius Cethegus, who, he says, is cried up by Ennius. 8. Among many other injunctions, given by the Romans to the Carthaginians, this was one that they should abandon the City, and build another if they pleased at 10 Miles distance from the Sea. The Carthaginians were resolved to undergo the last extremity rather than comply with so hard a precept. Several consuls were employed against 'em; at last the business of destroying Carthage was committed to the care of P. Scipio Aemilianus, Son to P. Aemil●us Macedonicus, and Grandson to Scipio Africanus. This Scipio having restored the military discipline laid a close Siege to the City▪ and when he had taken it set it on fire, and levelled it w th the Ground. This exploit gave him the surname of Africanus, in the 3th Year of the War, after Carthage had stood 700 Years, in the 608 Year after the Building of Rome, the 3d of the 158th Olympiad, the 1 of Ptolomaeus Physcon, A. M. 3859, in the Consulship of Cn. Cornelius Lentulus and L. Mummius Nepos. Sect. 4. From the overthrow of Carthage to the War with Mithridates, which gave occasion to the first civil War. The Space of 58 Years. 1. ABout the same Time, the Romans declared War against the Achaians, because they offered Indignities to the Legates that were sent to dissolve the republic of the Cities. Metellus being then in Macedonia was the first that attacked them After him L. Mummius the Consul came, and being Conqueror in a battle, had all Achaia surrendered to him, and by Virtue of an order from the Senate burnt and razed the City of Corinth, which Cicero called the Glory of Greece. About the same Time Viriatus possessed himself of Lusitania. This Man from a Shepherd was made a Huntsman, from a Huntsman a Robber, and from a Robber a Commander of a Gallant Army, with which he waged War with the Romans for some Years, and on some occasions very successfully: But at last was killed by Caepio the Consul, and after that D. Junius Brutus reduced all Lusitania as far as to the Sea. 2. In the mean Time the Romans were sadly mauled by the Numantines who Rejected the Articles of Peace given in by Mancinus their Consul as being Ignominious. Whereupon the Romans made P. Scipio Aemilianus Africanus Extraordinary Consul, and Committed the charge of the War to him. He went to the Army, and finding them softened by Luxury and averse to hardships, revived the Ancient Severity of their Discipline; and by that means took Numantia and razed it, after it had sustained the Shock of 40000 Romans for 20 Years together, and had exposed both themselves and their City to the Flames, in the 14th Year after the Destruction of Carthage, the 621 after the building of the City, A. M. 3872, in the Consulship of P. Mutius Scaevola and L. Calpurnius Piso. 3. About the same time the Slaves in Sicily revolted, and gathered a great body of forces, and it was with some difficulty that P. Rutilus Nepos the Consul quelled' em. Hitherto the singular Modesty and virtue of the Roman Generals, and the Formidable Power of the Carthaginians, had so overawed the People, that all their feuds and Differences never went to the height of blood or Slaughter. But now the asiatic Triumphs tainted them with so much Security and Luxury, that envy, feuds, factions, and private Hatred gradually prevailed upon them, and at length broken out into civil Wars. 4. For in the forementioned Year, at the same time that Numantia was subdued by Scipio, Tib. Sempronius, Tribune of the People, occasioned great disorders in the City by making a Law prohibiting any Man to possess above 500 Acres of public Land, and adjudging the overplus to be equally distributed among the Poor. The Noblemen were mightily incensed at this Law; but he proposed yet another, adjudging all the money left by Attalus King of Pergamus. by way of Legacy to the People of Rome, to be distributed in like manner. This Juncture staggered the Senate, insomuch that they did not see how to get rid of the difficulties that attended it. But Scipio Nasica calling upon every one that tendered the good of the republic to follow him, went up to the Capitol, and slay Gracchus when haranguing to the People, together with many others. This was the first Blood that was shed in Rome thro' Sedition, and the source of their Civil Wars. 5. At the same Time the Romans were Engaged in a War with Aristobulus in Asia, who being the Bastard Brother of Attalus the King of Pergamus, that left the People of Rome his heir, possessed himself of the Kingdom, and Defrauded the Romans of their Legacy. But M. Perpenna the Consul Defeated him, and having blocked him up in Stratonice, took him Prisoner; and Aquilus carried him to Rome, where he was strangled in Prison. Next Year being the 626 after the building of the City, Paulus Scipio Africanus minor having seemed to Rub hard upon the People in the Lex Agraria, was killed in the night time as he lay a bed in his own House, and that by his own Relations; as it was believed; and was privately butted; and notwithstanding the Greatness of his Character there was no inquiry made into the manner of his Death. Cicero entitles him to Eloquence and singular integrity. 6. About 12 Years after the Murder of Tiberius Gracchus, his Brother Caius underwent the same fate. For being made Tribune of the People, he not only justified the Lex Agraria with a great deal of Warmth, but transferred the right of public judgement from the senators to the Equites, who now began to appear in a Distinct Rank, which was afterwards brightened by the care and glory of Cicero. Besides Caius being frustrated in his design of carrying a Colony to Carthage, Return'd to the City and endeavoured to sow a New Sedition among the People; but Opimius the Consul with his Friends fell upon him and killed him in the attempt. But his head was not at all sacred as Florus writes, for he had laid down the Tribuneship before he was killed. Cicero crys up both the Brethren for Eloquence, but especially Caius, whom he gives out for the most Ingenious and Eloquent of all the Romans, and whose Orations he advices the Youth to peruse, as being proper not only to what, but to feed and nourish their Minds. 7. About the same Time Fabius Maximus Grandson to Paulus Aemilius by a Son of his that was adopted into the Family of the Fabii, subdued the Allobroges, Arverni and Ruteni in Gaule; and Metellus together with Minutius triumphed over the Sco●disci, a People that were Originally Gauls and inhabited Thrace, and had Routed the Roman Army Commanded by Cato. But soon after a heavy War broken out with Iugurtha King of Numidia, who had killed Adherbal his Cousin after he had taken him in to be partner in the Kingdom. Iugurtha gained both the senators and many of the Generals by his money; L. Caecilius Metellus made head against him, and when the War was almost brought to an end, Caius Marius his Legate cunningly got himself made Consul, and Numidia allotted to him for his Province, and so made an End of that affair. Bocchus King of Mauritania, being Father in Law and an Ally to Iugurtha, was first conquered. Then Iugurtha was taken by Stratagem and lead in Triumph, and by the Senate's orders was killed in Prison, after he had carried on the War 7 Years. 8. In the time of this War with Iugurtha, the Cimbrsi who inhabited the Chersonesus Cimbrica or Holsatia, joined in with the Germans who were called Teutones from Teuton or Tuiscon the Patriarch and Native God of their Country. These Two Nations joined together, made up a body of incredible force, which made incursions into Illyricum, Italy and Spain, and galled the Romans mightily. But after they had defeated sometimes the proconsuls, and sometimes the Legates, they were at last cut off by C. Marius who was then a 5th time Consul. And such was the end of the C mbrian War after it had lasted 12 Years, in the 3d Day of August, in the 653d Year of of the City, in the Consulship of C. Marius and M. Aquilius Nepos. 9. About the same time L. Apuleius Saturninus, whom the Senat had removed from being Treasurer, took occasion to resent the affront,( being made Tribune of the People) by starting new Mutinies upon the Lex Agraria. But the Consuls took him Prisoner, and the Equites fell upon him and his complices, in the very Court, and killed' em. About 8 Years after that, Drusus the Tribune, endeavouring to oblige both the Senators and the Equites, by making a new Law giving to either state the Power of passing Judgments, incurred the hatred of them both; and when he endeavoured to promote the Lex Agraria, and give the Italians the Freedom of the City, was murdered by an unknown Hand in the entry of his own House. 10. The Italians had undergone many difficulties, and done considerable services to the Empire of Rome; for which they were continually fed with the hopes of being admitted into the City, but the execution of it was still put off. This gave rise to such animosities, that a heavy War broken out, which they called Sociale, Marsicum and Italicum. The War continued 2 Years with Various success; till at last the Italians were reduced and conquered by Sylla the Consul, and allowed the Freedom of the City, in the 666 Year after the building of Rome, in the Consulship of L. Cornelius Sylla and Q. Pompeius Rufus. Sect. 5. From the War with Mithridates, and the first civil War, to the conspiracy of Pompey, Crassus and Caesar, which sunk the Popular form of Government. The space of 28 Years. 1. MIthridates was King of Pontus, a Country in Asia so called from the Euxine Sea, upon which it was adjacent. This Prince is said to be descended of one of the 7 Persians, that cut off the Magicians who usurped the Kingdom after the Death of Cambyses. He was surnamed Eupator and Dionysus. He slay his Brother, and his Mother that was left partner in the Government. When the Romans were engaged in the Cimbrian and Italian War, he did not stand to affect the Empire of Asia. He first possessed himself of Paphlagonia, and then of Cappadocia, having killed Ariarathes their King, and put one of his own Sons in his place. 2. But the Cappadocians could not brook the yoke, and therefore called in Ariarathes Son to the late Ariarathes; but he was soon after expelled by Nicomedes King of Bithynia and thereupon died. Nicomedes suborned a Youth that gave himself out to be Ariarathes's Brother: and sent his Wife( who was Ariarathes's Mother) to Rome to be evidence that she bore 3 Sons to Ariarathes. Upon these News Mithridates likewise sent People to Rome, to make it out that the young man who had lately governed Cappadocia was the Son of Ariarathes. 3. The Senate of Rome, thought it fit to interpose in these matters, and accordingly restored the Kings that Mithridates had outted. But he continued to carry on his design, possessing himself of Bithynia, Phrygia, Mysia, Lycia and Pamphylia and the other provinces, as far Jonia. He took Oppius and Aquilius the Roman Legates, the latter of whom he put to Death by pouring melted Gold down his Throat, for he took all occasions to twit the Romans with their avarice. The Romans were so incensed at this action, that they declared War against him, under the conduct of Q. Conelius Sylla; but Sylla being then engaged in putting the Italian War to an end, C. Marius, who was the 6th Time. Consul, obtained another Act, committing the War to his care. Upon the News of this, Sylla came to Rome, and got Marius expelled the City and declared an Enemy. Marius lurked for some time in the Marshes about Mintu●nae, and afterwards crossed over to Africa in a little sorry Boat, in great Danger of his Life. 4. While Sylla was absent in Asia, L. Cornelius Cinna the Consul began to make a stir, and carry on seditious designs. But Cn. Octavius his colleague turned him out, and expelled him the City. However Cinna after he was expelled strengthened his party, and joined in with C. Marius who upon that occasion had return'd from Africa. Insomuch that with joint forces they besieged Rome upon the side of the Ianiculum, and by reason that the Citizens were both Lazy and treacherous, got into the City, and filled the streets with blood and rapine. Then they declared themselves Consuls, and displayed a great deal of cruelty in the execution of that Magistracy. Cinna gave orders for the Death of M. Antonius an excellent orator; and Marius served Q. Catulus at the same rate; but after all, he died, about a Month after the commencement of his Magistracy. 5. In the mean Time Mithridates slay 80000 Romans and Italians in one Day, and made all Necessary Preparations for War. But Sylla came into Greece, and took Athens together with the Piraeum, and obtained 2 Victories over Archelaus the King's General, so that Mithridates was under a Necessity of desiring a Peace. Accordingly Sylla made Peace with the King and so put an End to the War. Then he Return'd into Italy, but, a little before his Return, Marius being Consul a 7th Time died. After the Death of Marius, Cn. Papyrius Carbo stood by Cinna: And both of 'em joined in with the adopted Son of Marius in order to thwart Sylla, but they were, all of 'em, put to flight. 6. Sylla having compassed his End pursued his Enemies with a great deal of Warmth; and after he had exposed to public view the List of the banished Persons, sold their Estates, and deprived their Children of any Right to Places of honor and trust. Then he was made perpetual dictatory, and disposed of every thing at Pleasure, and clipped the Power of the Tribunes. When he sold the Citizens Estates, he said in the public Meeting that it was his own spoil that he sold. He was so Inveterate against C. Marius, that he ordered the remains of his Corps that lay by the River Anio to be scattered▪ and after that was the first of all the Patricii that ordered his own Body to be burnt, perhaps out of fear that the like affront might be done to himself after Death. After so many and so great exploits, he resigned the Magistracy and said that he was ready to answer for all he had done. Then he retired to the Country to led an unactive Life, and died at Puteoli of the Lousy distepmer. 7. Q. Sertorius was one of those who were banished; a Man Famous for his Steddyness and Knowledge of War. This Man raised a heavy War in upper Spain, and defeated several Roman Generals, and mastered several Cities. After the defeat of Metellus, the Administration of the War was committed to Cn. Pompeius, a Youth of a brave Spirit: After several dubious encounters, Sertorius was perfidiously murdered by Perpenna his own General, and Pompey became Master of Spain in the 10th Year after the commencement of the War, the 681 after the building of the City, in the Consulship of C. Cassius Varus, and M. Terentus Varro the most learned of all the Grecians and Romans 8. In the mean time Murena being left in Asia, and coveting a Triumph, renewed the War with Mithridates upon slender grounds; but was ordered by Sylla to forbear, and thereupon Peace was concluded for 3 Years with the King, and his Son of 4 Years of Age was given as an hostage, and part of Cappadocia was allotted him. 7 Years after that were scarce elapsed, when the War broken out afresh, and that upon this occasion. Mithridates had often desired of the Romans that their league with him should be engrossed, but finding that his solicitations were not regarded, persuaded Tigranes King of armoniac his Son in Law to invade Cappadocia, who carried off 300000 Men from thence and built Tigranocerta the Metropolis of that Country; and when he found that he could not obtain a Pardon, entered into a league wirh Sertorius, and possessed himself of Bithynia, whose King Nicomedes had made the People of Rome his Heir. 9. In the 680th Year of the City, while Licinius Lucullus and M. Aurelius Cotta were Consuls, Lucullus fell upon the King who was then besieging Cyzicum, and having cut off his Army turned him out of Bithynia and Paphlagonia, and obliged him to retire to Pontus, from whence he fled to Tigranes. Lucullus continuing to pursue his Enemy, defeated the joint forces of both the Kings in several Battels; but the Mutinies that were cunningly Fomented in his Army, hindered him to put an end to the War. For he was recalled, and the War committed to the care of Glabrio. The next Year being the 9th after Lucullus had come to that province, it was devolved upon Pompey, he being strengthened by Cicero's interest, who made a Noble harangue to the People in praise of him. 10. While Lucullus was carrying on the War in Pontus, one Spartacus a Thracian, a fencer, being joined by 70 more of his own Station, possessed himself of Vesuvius a Hill in Campania, and gave a Free reception to all fugitives, and committed Robberies in the neighbouring places. He routed Claudius the Praetor and P. Varinus, and having drawn together an Army of 70000 Men, had some thoughts of storming Rome itself; but M. Licinius Crassus the Praetor defeated him in a battle, and brought him to condign Punishment for his ambition. Pompey suppressed the remainder of his forces, when they were beginning to make head again, in the 3d Year before he engaged in the Piratick War. 11. A great company of Pirates did so infest the Mediterranean Sea, that neither sailors nor those who dwelled on the Sea-side were safe. These pirates were first set up by Mithridates; but when Peace was first made with him, the advantage they made by their way of Living moved them to continue in it. They consisted of Syrians, Cyprians Pamphylians and others, who were called Cilices because they sculk'd in some Creeks of Cilicia. Murena and Servilius had appeared against 'em, but to little purpose; for their impudence grew to that height, that they made a descent upon Italy, and carried off several Noble ladies, and, what was yet more Disgraceful to the Romans, two Armies together with the Standards. 12. Then Gabinius Tribune of the People made a Law appointing Pompey to make Head against 'em with full power for 3 Years. And allowing him 500 Ships, 120000 Foot, 5000 Horse, 25 legates, 2 Treasurers, and 6000 attic Talents. Pompey did so cover the whole Sea, that when one Legate gave chase to the pirates, the others fell in with 'em so that they could not escape; and himself sailed up and down like an Emperour of so many Kings, overseeing the whole work. By his singular diligence and application, he cleared the Sea in 40 days, and obliged all the pirates to put in to Cilicia, where he stormed their forts, and took almost 400 Ships and 120 Castles, and slay 10000 Men, and so made an end of the War in less than 3 Months time. He carried himself civilly enough to the conquered, Prisoners who were Translated to other seats at a considerable distance from the Sea. But Q. Metellus was very cruel to those who lurked in Creet; for Metellus subdued that iceland, which boasted before that it was never conquered; and thereupon got the surname of Creticus. 13. When this War was almost at an End, C. Manilius Tribune of the People, made a Law, giving to Pompey the Command of all the Roman Armys, the Province of Asia, and the Management of the War with Mithridates and Tigranes; Notwithstanding all the Grudges of the Noble Men, who took it very ill that the whole Roman Empire should without any Precedent be put into the hands of one Man. However Pompey put Mithridates to Flight, and took Tigranes King of armoniac, whom he raised from a suppliant and dejected Condition, and set the Diadem upon his head after he had laid it down, adding some few Injunctions for him to observe. He likewise checked his Villainous Son that had conspired against his Father's life, and at last put him to Death. Then he conquered the Itureans and Arabians, and reduced Syria to the form of a Roman Province. 14. Mithridates fled to Colchis and at last to Scythia. But at the same Time that he was projecting great things, and making a descent upon Italy, Pharnaces his Son whom he doted much upon debauched the Army from him. When he found himself beset with Unsurmountable Difficulties, and that he could not Reclaim his Son, he laid Violent hands on himself. Cicero says, he was the Greatest King since Alexander. The War with him commenced about 20 Years before, when Cn. Pompeius Strabo and L. Porcius Cato were Consuls; and was put to an end when M. Tullius Cicero and C. Antonius Nepos were Consuls, in the 691 Year of the City, the 2 of the 179 Olympiad, the 61 before Christ, and the 3942 of the World. 15. The News of his Death were brought to Pompey, upon his March towards Jerusalem against Aristobulus. When Pompey had adjusted the Affairs of Judea, Pontus, and the other places in the East, 5 Years being spent in the Expedition, he return'd to Rome crowned with Glory, and triumphed for 2 Days together. L. Catilina and several others entered into a great conspiracy against the republic; in the same Year that Mithridates died, and the Temple of Jerusalem was taken. This Catilina was a Profligate Nobleman, that had spent all his Estate in gratifying his lust, and followed this new way of plotting in order to repair his Fortune. 16. Cicero pumped the account of the whole Affair out of Fulvia, with whom Catilina kept Company. After the Crime came to Light by Cicero's Singular Industry, Catilina was expelled the City; then he drew together a body of Profligate Fellows in Etruria, and was Routed by C. Antonius Cicero's colleague in a battle, wherein he fought stoutly and was killed. public thanks were return'd to Cicero for his Diligence and Service in that Affair, and by Cato's interest he was first Saluted Pater Patriae. Cicero in his Writings frequently crys up the Service he did to his Country on this occasion; but when he speaks of Catilina's Genius, he says there never was such a Monster upon Earth, patched up of such contrary Humors and Appetites. 17. 2 Years afterwards C. Julius Caesar was sent as Praetor to Upper Spain. This Julius was born, in the 654 Year of the City, on the 12th Day of July, in the Consulship of C. Marius and L. Valerius Flaccus. He married the Daughter of Cinna by whom he had Julia, which mightily disobliged Sylla insomuch that he scarce ever forgave him▪ He sucked in his first knowledge of War under M. Thermus the Praetor, by whom he was sent to Bithynia to fit out a Navy, and is said to have been overfamiliar with Nicomedes the King. Having made a Considerable Progress in the art of War he went to Spain in the quality of Treasurer; and as he went round the Country in the Execution of his Office, came to Cadiz, where he met with the Statue of Alexander in herculeses Temple, and after he had viewed it, was much troubled that he had done no Memorable Action at that Age in which Alexander had made himself Master of almost the whole World. After this he longed extremely to return to his own Country, thinking to have the Opportunity of advancing his Fortune in Rome. 18. When he return'd to Rome, he kept company with seditious men; but finding that their projects did not take, got himself made Aedilis, and put in for the Post of being sent to Compose the affairs of Egypt: but the Noble Men opposed him, and baulked his design. Soon after, by Virtue of his liberal presents he got in to be Pontifex. In his praetorship, 'tis thought he favoured Catilina, and assisted Caecilius Metellus in making of seditious Laws. Being burdened with Debt, he gave security and got away to Spain, where he spent his time, not in adjusting the Affairs of the Country, but in extending his conquests and purchasing to himself a large Field of Triumph. But his itch for Honour was so precipitant, that he wanted mightily to be made Consul; and for so much as the Sessions of the Consular Convention approached, desired leave to return to the City before his triumph. But that could not be granted to one that desired a triumph; so that he preferred the Consulship to it, and came to the City, and put himself up for a Candidate. 19. After many Debates, and Factious advances, he obtained the Consulship by Pompey's Interest. For Pompey, mortally hated the Magnates, who favoured Lucullus in every thing. Lucullus cried out, that he was injured, and censured Pompey's actions, desiring a ratification of what himself had done in the Province. Things being at this pass, Pompey was sorry that he had dismissed his Army, but since his repentance was too late, struck up with Caesar, and assisted him in procuring the Consulship, upon condition that if he compassed his end, he should ratify what Pompey had done. 20. Pompey and Crassus had been at odds from the time of their joint Consulship: but Caesar reconciled them, and all the 3 conspired together to suffer nothing to be done in the republic, that they did not agree to. Varro wrote a Book upon the conspiracy, and styled it conspiratio tricipitana. This was the original of the Civil Wars, for as much as it sunk the Authority of the Senate and Noblemen. Acinius Pollic. begins his Book of the Civil Feuds, and Diodorus Siculus dates the original of Caesar's greatness from this Year, which was the 694 after the building of the City, the 1 of the 180 Olympiad, the 58th before the Birth of Christ, A. M. 3945, when Herod was Archon, and Q. Caecilius Metellus and M. Afranius Consuls. Sect. 6. From the commencement of the first Triumvirate to the perpetual dictatorship of Iulius Caesar. The space of 16 Years, 1. Caesar being made consul by Pompey's interest, and his presents of money, exposed the alliance and Kingdoms of the People of Rome, to Sale. To appease the Plebs, he distributed the public grounds in Campania among them; and by force introduced a Law for the purpose obliging every one to swear to the observation of the same upon pain of Death He seldom consulted the Senat upon any thing; but applied himself for the most part to the People, and endeavoured by all means to oblige them, insomuch that he obtained the Province of gall for 5 Years. In order to unite Pompey more firmly to his interests, he married his Daughter Julia to him. L. Calpurnius Piso and A. Gabinius who were chosen Consuls for the next Year, were entirely devoted to his interest. Vatinus and Clodius were made tribunes. Tho Clodius had debauched Caesar's Wife, he not only forgave the adulterer, but assisted him in procuring the tribuneship, out of spite to Cicero, who incessantly railed against the Triumviral conspiracy, and by way of a thankful return, for the good services he had done him in procuring the province of France. 2. Clodius being a Nobleman could not be a candidat for the trbuneship; till, in order to be revenged upon Cicero, who arraigned him of adultery with Caesar's Wife, he got himself adopted by a Plebeian; and being by that means made tribune, enacted a Law, entailing banishment upon whoever had given orders for the Death of any Roman Citizen, before he was Tried. Then he arraigned Cicero, who by the Senat's consent had killed Cethegus Lentulus and Catilina's other complices, in prison; so that Cicero being forsaken by Pompey was banished; but before he went off made a harangue to the People and the Equites, in which, 'tis said, he recommended his Family to their care; but that Oration which commonly passes under Cicero's Name, is a taudry impertinent discourse and scarce suited to the Spirit of the Latin Language. Accordingly Gothofredus thinks, that whoever attributes that Harangue to Cicero, does, as if he put a coarse and ragged Garment upon the Shoulders of a rich King. 3. Cicero being banished, Clodius had likewise a spite against Cato, and by virtue of a Law for the purpose, sent him to turn ptolemy King of Cyprus out of his Kingdom. Cato made a large treasure of money out of the Estate of the King, who upon approach of the Roman General laid violent hands upon himself. However Clodius began to twitt the Noblemen, and then Pompey repented of his deserting Cicero; and solicited for his return. After 16 Months banishment, Cicero was recalled with an universal joy, and made a Harangue to the Quirites, in which he return'd thanks to his Friends. Then he charged L. Piso and A. Gabinius with his banishment, and made it out that they betrayed him; and pronounced two Harangues against them, in one of which he advised the Senate to take the provinces of Syria and Macedonia out of their hands; and withall, not to recall Caesar who was then riding at the Head of success in France; but to offer him the Empire, in order to enable him to put the War to a happy end. 4. For Caesar had engaged and routed the Helvetians who had shifted the place of their residence, and planted in France, as being a more fertile Soil: after that he defeated Ariovistus King of the Germans in a Battle not far from the Rhine; For that Prince was very troublesone, not only to Gallia Celtica, but to the Haedui who were the Roman Allies. Having reduced all Gallia, he crossed the Sea, and invaded britain: for when the first 5 Years were expired, Pompey and Crassus having by a mutual Compact possessed themselves of the Consulship, enlarged his time to other 5 Years. Crassus had Syria and the management of the Parthian War allotted him; and Pompey had Africa and Spain with the 4 Legions. 5. the iceland of britain, was called by the Latins Albion and Romania, by the Grecians {αβγδ}, and {αβγδ}. It was known to the Phaenicians who used to export great quantities of tin from thence, whereupon among the Grecians, the britannic Islands went by the Name of Cassiterides; and among the Phaenicians Barat Anac, or the Land of tin. Caesar gave out this for the cause of the War; that the britons had sent assistance to the Gauls. He first obliged them to surrender, and engage to pay a Yearly Tribute; but next Year they rebelled, and he return'd and reduced 'em to obedience. Cicero says, Caesar sent him Letters from britain dated the 1st of Septr. which came to his Hands on the 27 of that instant. Caesar's first Expedition into britain happened in the 699th Year after the building of the City, the 53th before the Birth of Christ, the 3950 of the World, when Cn. Pompeius Magnus and M. Licinius Crassus were, both of 'em, a second time Consuls. 6. When Crassus marched against the Parthians, the People expressed a great deal of anger, and their Tribunes cursed him. Upon the Road he pillaged the Temple of Jerusalem, and committed a great many heinous Crimes: but when he crossed the Euphrates he was beaten, and perfidiously killed in an intervew; thus was he brought to condign punishment for his Sacrilege. 'twas this Crassus who was wont to say, that no Man was rich but he that could maintain an Army of 4 Legious upon his own Incomes. While he waged War with the Parthians, Ptolomaeus Auletes King of Egypt being forced out of his Kingdom by his own Subjects, came to Rome, where he stayed a long while, but could not obtain assistance, because the Sibylline Books seemed to prohibit the Romans to make War in Egypt. Then he return'd to Ephesus, and with a round Sum of money engaged Gabinius, Under-Consul of Syria to effect his Restoration. Gabinius saved his Life by bribing the Judges; but was arraigned of cheating the State, and banished. 7. The Romans, at this time, were arrived at that height of Avarice and Wickedness, that they had quiter departed from the measures of their Ancestors; and all their Magistracies either sold, or come at by the means of Scolding, Cudgells, Stones, Daggers or Swords. The Consuls were eclyps'd by the Heads of the triumviral Conspiracy; Both the Provinces and the Administation of Affairs were out of their Hands; so they even minded nothing but enlarging their Estates by selling the republic. Upon a warm Debate among the Candidates for the Consulship, T. Annius Milo, who was one of the Number, slay Clodius as he met him upon the Road. Pompey was not moved with all this: He hoped to be made dictatory; and Cato observing that all their Eyes were fixed upon him, got him made sole Consul; designing thereby to bring him in as accountable for his Actions. 8. In his presence Cicero pleaded for Milo, or rather would had pled for him; for 'tis said that he was so overawed by Pompey's Soldiers and Clodius's Friends, that he wrote that Oration afterwards, which is now extant. However Milo was banished. The Gauls who but lately had been reduced, took occasion to rebel again, upon the news of these Commotions in the City, and the hopes that Caesar would be detained in Italy; but Caesar punished 'em again for their boldness. After the conclusion of the gallic War, which happened in the 8th Year, the Civil War between C. Caesar and Pompey broken out. 9. Julia the Wife of Pompey, and the Bond of Peace, if not of Friendship, died in Childbed together with her Child. Caesar was hated by the Senat for carrying things by violence; but Pompey gained a great Interest among them by his Humility and civil Carriage. Caesar apprehending what circumstances his Affairs were in, desired leave to put in for the Consulship: but that could not be Granted, without he dismis'd his Forces. He thought he was not safe if he quitted the Army; however he made this proposal, that both he and Pompey should give up their Armies together; but that being rejected, he marched with incredible expedition at the Head of his Forces from France to Italy, and mastered several Towns in Flaminia, partly by favour, and partly by storm. 10. Upon the News of this, Pompey, together with C. Marcellus and L. Lentulus, fled from Rome to brundisium a Town of Apulia, upon the Seaside. Caesar marched thither; but before he came up, the Consuls had crossed the Sea to Dyrrhachium; and soon after Pompey followed them. Caesar considering that he had not a fleet fit for pursuing them, came to Rome, and called together the Senate, to whom he complained of his Enemies, and proposed terms of Peace. The Senat being a little slacken on the matter, he went to Massilia, where the Gates were shut upon him. Whereupon he fitted out a Fleet and besieged it by Sea and Land; and having left Deputy Generals to manage the Siege, marched himself into Spain where Petreius Afranius and Varro Pompey's Generals surrendered themselves together with the whole Army. 11. Then he return'd to Massilia, which was then reduced to a desperat Condition, and surrendered itself. In his absence; M. Lepidus the Praetor made him dictatory, whereupon he went to Rome, called a Convention, and was made Consul along with P. Servilius Isauricus. Then, having settled his Affairs in the City, he crossed over to Greece, and at last gave Pompey a signal overthrow in the Pharsalian Plains in Thessaly, and turned him out of his Camp, notwithstanding that Pompey's Forces did much out-number his. Pompey fled to Egypt, to Ptolomaeus Dionysius the Son of Auletes, the Guardianship of whom had been allotted to him by the Senat. He hoped to find assistance in that Kingdom, upon the score of his guardianship; but the King being under age, his Relations were influenced by Theodotus, his Preceptor, to receive him into a Boat and kill him, either because they dreaded some Commotion might ensue upon assisting, him, or else because they contemned his mean Condition. 12. Caesar pursuing Pompey, came to Alexandria with 3200 Men; where he received the first News of Pompey's Death. ptolemy was at that time engaged in a War with Cleopatra, his Sister. Caesar being at Alexandria fell in Love with Cleopatra, and advised her and her Brother not to dispute by force of Arms, but to remit their Differences to his determination, upon the consideration that he was made Consul for 5 Years, dictatory for one whole Year, and Tribune for Life, and that in former times an alliance had been contracted with Auletes the King's Father, with the Authority of a Law and a Decree of the Senate. 13. But the Kings favourites disliked the Motion mightily. They cried out, that it was unworthy of the King's Majesty to pled his cause at another Tribunal. Insomuch that War was declared against Caesar under the Name of the Alexandrian-War: but Caesar after several Encounters obtained the Victory, and did not indeed turn Egypt into a Province, but gave it to Cleopatra( who bore Caesario to him) in conjunction with her Younger Brother, for the King was drowned in the River upon his flight. 14. From thence he marched into Syria, and after that to Pontus, where he routed Pharnaces the Son of Mithridates, and pacified Cappadocia, armoniac, Gallograecia, Pontus, and Bithynia. Then he return'd to Rome, and at the next Winter solstice crossed over from Lilybaeum to Africa; notwithstanding that the Head Sooth-sayer had advised him not to go before the middle of Winter. After the Pharsalian battle, Scipio and Cato, Great-Grand-Son to M. Porcius Cato, had fled thither, and drawn together a considerable body of Horse, and engaged Juba the King in their Quarrel; Upon which account Caesar, went upon this Expedition, and cut them all off. 15. But Cato laid violent Hands upon himself, in order to avoid his being taken Prisoner. Cicero defends the Action, and in regard that Nature had given him an incredible measure of gravity, says, 'twas better for him to do so than look a Tyrant in the face. Cato was a stoic, and sometimes defended very akward Opinions in the Senate, as if, says Cicero, he had been bread up not upon the dregs of Romulus but upon Plato's politics. Afterwards Caesar came to Rome, and had a triumphal Procession upon his Conquests of France, Egypt, Pontus, and Africa. Then he engaged in the War against S. Pompeius, and marching to Spain defeated him. 16. But before he went into Spain, he took care to have the model of the Year corrected, which from him was called Julian. When he return'd from Spain to Rome, he dimitted his Consulship a third time, and appointed Consuls elect for 3 Months. The first were Q. Fabius Maximus and C. Trebonius; the latter of whom died on the last day of the Year, and Caninius Rebilus succeeded for the few Hours that remained, whom Cicero jestingly calls a most watchful Consul, because he did not sleep during the whole time of his Consulship. Then the Senators indeed appointed Caesar to be perpetual dictatory, and Emperor indeed, in so far as that word implies the greatest power in the Common-wealth. For the military Affairs and the raising of money depended entirely upon him; and all the magistrates were at his beck, and obliged by Oath not to oppose his Decrees. Sect. 7. From the perpetual Dictatorship of Julius Caesar to the end of the second triumvirate, and the Reign of Octavius Caesar or Caesar Octavianus. The space of 15 Years. 1. Caesar was a 4th time Consul along with M. Antonius, who, being Tribune of the People, had employed all his Interest for his advancement, and made a Law, changing the Name of the Month Quintilis to Julius, for Caesar's Honor. But now that Caesar began to affect the title of King, and to change the form of the republic, and take the administration of Affairs wholly into his own hands; Conspiracies broken out against him, and in the 5th Month after his return to Rome, on the 15th day of March, was he killed in Pompey's Court, by those very Men whom he had lately obliged by his favour, and pardoned for appearing against him in the War with Pompey; namely Marcus and Decimus Brutus, C. Cassius, Cn. Domitius, C. Trehonius, Q. Tullius Cimber, the 2 Servilus's, Casca, Hala, and several others. 2 Cicero giving a Character of Caesar and Pompey delivers his Opinion thus: In the late War, had Pompey relented somewhat of his gravity, and Caesar a great deal of his ambition, we might have had a solid Peace and the form of a republic: All agree that Caesar was justly entitled to Clemency: and Cicero himself( tho' upon this point he is very wavering and inconstant) allots him the qualities of a ready Wit, a good Memory, Literature, thought and application. However when the case of his Murder came before the Senate, Cicero took care that all were pardoned, and Provinces given to the Assassins. 3. When Caesar's latter will was opened, 'twas found that Decimus Brutus was nominated among his Heirs of the 3d Form, providing the rest did not Administer; and that he left a vast Sum of money to be distributed equally among the People. He left Octavius the son of C. Octavius who had married the Daughter of M. Attilius Balbus by Julia Caesar's Sister; this Octavius, I say, was left Heir to the thirds of his Estate. He was born when Cicero was Consul, and lost his Father when he was 4 Years of Age. He studied Philosophy at Apollonia, and was about to be called home by Caesar in order to go upon the Parthian War, when he got notice of his Death, and the Heritage that was left him. When he came to Rome, he expected that Anthony would assist him in resenting the murder of his Father; but when he went to wait of him, met with a disdainful reception; and when he found that he would not advance him the money to be given to the People according to Caesar's Will, sold his own Heritage, and by so doing did mightily ingratiate himself with the People. 4. 'twas apparent that Antony minded nothing but promoting his own Interest and making himself King: upon which Consideration the Senat loaded Octavius Caesar with marks of Honour and Respect, designing to make use of him in opposition to the Tyrant: but when Antony was worsted, slighted and affronted him, most of the Senators being of Pompey's faction. Caesar resented this affront so much, that he shared the Government with Antony and M. Lepidus, and erected a Triumvirate, in which it was mutually agreed upon, that they should ruin their Enemies. The greatest scruple was upon the murder of Cicero; for Anthony would do nothing unless that were agreed to in regard that Cicero had ●ail'd against him in his Harangues in a very provoking manner; and Caesar indeed stood out for two days, but at last consented to Antony's motion. 5. The Triumviri banished 300 Senators and Equites under the pretence of resenting Caesar's death: and among the rest Cicero, the greatest Pattern and Glory of the Roman Wit and Eloquence, was put to death, when he had lived 63 Years, ten Months and 5 days He was born at Arp●num the 2d day of January, the 648th Year after the building of the City, in the Consulship of C. Attilius Seranus and Q. Servilius Cepio, Pompey being born on the 1st of October in the same Year His Father was a Gentleman descended of Tullius Attius King of the Volsci. Many others were cruelly murdered, and their Estates worried by the Triumviri; and in regard the Men's Estates, did not satisfy 'em, they fell upon the Women's. In the mean time Cassius and Brutus, who seemed to stand for the republic against them, were worrying their Provinces in Asia, in order to fetch Money for the Charges of the War 6. At last, the two Armies engaged at Philippi, a Town of Macedonia. Cassius fought unfortunately, and stood upon a Hill attending the event of the Day, but having sent a Messenger to see how things were, and he not returning so speedily as he expected, he apprehended that his Colleague was likewise defeated, and ordered one of his own Servants that he had made Free, to cut off his Head: but was scarce expired, when the Messenger return'd with the News that Brutus was Conqueror. Brutus ordered his Corpse to be interred, for fear his men should be discouraged by such a Spectacle; and being cast down himself, resolved to starve out the Enemy, whom he then besieged. 7. But Antony, who was reduced to great Want, was under a necessity of fighting, and challenged him to Battle. Brutus could not in Honour decline Battle, so that they came to an Engagement, in which they were so eager, that they laid aside their Darts, and disputed the point with their Swords. Brutus seeing his Army routed and put to flight, killed himself, and with him fell the popular form of Government, which seemed to have yet a Being while and he Cassius did not despair of the Victory, as being possessed of the whole Roman Empire from Macedonia to the Euphrates, with 20 Legions of Foot, 20000 Horse, 200 long Ships, and an infinite Sum of Money. 8 After the Triumviri had carried this Victory, Caesar being sickly return'd to Italy; Antony being met by Cleopatra in Cilicia went along with her to Egypt. Caesar being in Italy distributed Grounds to the Soldiers: but Fulvia Antony's Wife, and Lucius her Brother being then Consul, were touched with Envy upon his ingratiating himself so much with the Soldiers, and declared a War against him, which was called Perunsium from Perusia the Seat of the same However Caesar got over this Difficulty, and being Jealous of Antony, possessed himself of Spain and gall, which were his Provinces, and the Feuds were inflamed by daily Emergencies, till by the intercession of Pollio and Maecenas they were either removed or laida sleep. 9. For Antony having entered into a new League, married Octavia, Caesar's Sister; whereupon there ensued a new division of the Roman Empire, by which Caesar possessed all the Western parts on that side of Codropolis a City of Illyricum; and Antony got all from thence to the Eastward. Antony engaged in a War with the Parthians, and Caesar in another with Q. Pompeius who was master of Sicily and a gallant Fleet, by Virtue of a Law made by Antony, which ingratiated him much with the People. Africa was allotted to Lepidus, but in regard he had offended Caesar, he was confined to the boundaries of that Province. 10. Sextus Pompeius infested the Sea, and did so straighten the Town for Provisions, that the People were in a great ferment, and the Triumviri were obliged to make Peace with him, in the same Year that Herod was declared King of Jewry. But soon after that Treaty came to nothing, upon Antony's keeping the Peloponnesus which by right belonged to Pompey: and the Feuds between Antony and Caesar broken out a-fresh, but by Octavia's intercession were composed for that juncture. Caesar attacked Pompey several times to no purpose, but at last defeated him and turned him out of Sicily. Whereupon Pompey fled to Phrygia, and was killed by Antony's Friends. Pompey being out of the way, Lepidus endeavoured to make himself Master of the Army and the whole iceland; but his own Men betrayed him into the hands of Caesar, who divested him of all Authority: and thus was one of the Heads of the Triumviral Conspiracy loped off. 11. In the mean time Antony had presented Cleopatra( whom he had fetched into Syria) with Phaenicia, Caelosyria, Cyprus, a great part of Cilicia, Arabia, Nabathaea, and that part of Judaea which brings forth Balm; and he was fallen into such a luxurious way of living, that the People were mightily incensed against him, and Caesar did not fail to inflame their indignation, especially considering that he desired the Senate to ratify his Gifts to Cleopatra. Whereupon War was declared against Cleopatra, but not against Antony himself, for fear least the Romans, who were along with him, being reduced to desperate Circumstances, should attempt any thing against the republic. After several Defeats, Antony was ruined in a Sea-fight at Actium, upon the News of which, the Land Forces seeing no body to head them, went over to Caesar. 12. Antony was oppressed with sorrow for some teime, but soon after got over it, and return'd to his former Luxury. At last when he found that Caesar rejected all proposals of Peace, and that Cleopatra had betrayed the Cavalry, together with the Fleet; and that Caesar was approaching to Alexandria; he laid Violent Hands on himself; and afterwards when Cleopatra understood that Caesar was proof against all her Charms, and designed to carry her to Rome in triumph, she finished her das in like manner. By this means Egypt became a Province of Rome, and was committed to the Government of Cornelius Gallus. Authors tell us, that in the Reign of Ptolomaeus Auletes, the Yearly produce of this Province amounted to 12050 Talents; but when it came into the hands of the Romans, it was reckoned to be yet more fertile, by reason of their Commerce with India, and Aethiopia. 13. Coesario, Son to Julius Caesar and Cleopatra, was put to Death upon the advice of Arius a Philosopher, who thought it not safe to have more Caesar's than one. Caesar took in M. Tullius Cicero, Son to the Orator, as colleague to him in the Consulship, designing thereby to stifle the resentment of his Fathers Death. Cicero exposed to public view Caesar's Letters concerning his Victory over Antony, in the same place where his Fathers Head and Hands had been exposed. However the Macedonian Empire sunk with Cleopatra, and therefore the Affairs contemporary to that, end at this Period, viz. in the 294th Year after the Death of Alxander the Great, the 3d of the 187 Olympiad, the 724 after the building of the City, the 14th after the Death of Julius Caesar, the 28th before the birth of Christ, A. M. 3975. THE ELEMENTS of HISTORY, BOOK IV. The Roman Monarchy. CHAP. I. From the Monarchy of Octavius to the Death of Tiberius. The space of Sixty Six Years. 1. THe Roman Empire had now swallowed up the Macedonian, together with all the Kingdoms, republics and Principalities, Contemporary to it, excepting the Parthian Kingdom, which had not yet subjected itself; but when its domestic Divisions brought it under, they, did not long continue in obedience. Rome was now oppressed with it's own weight, and being of a full rank complexion, stood exposed to danger; every one made a noise of Liberty, but no body enjoyed it. Every man endeavoured to procure a Principality to himself, according as his Wit, Power, or Riches could carry him out. In their Councils and Conventions, every thing was exposed to Sale; their Magistracies were obtained either by Money or open Force. Now there was no way of remedying those Evils, but only a Monarchy, which could kerb the boundless Power of the Mob, and the aspiring temper of seditious Men. 2. Caesar Octavianus had weighed all these things with himself; and was very anxious for his own Safety and Honour. When he return'd to Rome he consulted Agrippa and Maecenas upon the form of the Government. Agrippa alleged that the full Authority ought to be put into the hands of the People; that whoever invaded the Popular Power had been punished for their Ambition, and that it was a very considerable Argument, that the Grecians and Romans, under a popular form of Government, had done such mighty things. But Maecenas plainly made it out that the shapeless form of Democracy had lately derived disgrace upon the republic; that all their domestic Losses and civil Wars, were only owing to the overgrown Power of the People, which Ambitious and Turbulent Men had made use of for their own ends; and by that means all were debauched by Faction, Partiality and Bribes. 3. And after all, this was the true state of the matter, with reference both to the Grecians and Romans: For after the Grecians disclaimed Monarchy, they never knew where to fix. The Harangues of Factious Men tossed 'em to and again, as the Winds do the Sea; and the Constitutions of all their Cities were such, that Aristotle approved of none of' em. For now and then Innovations still prevailed, and Barbarous Murders were committed, while one Party stood for Oligarchy, and the other for Democracy. Besides, while they butchered one another in Civil Wars, they never did any thing of moment abroad, till at last Aelxander's Yoke united them. 4. In like manner the Romans had no sooner expelled their King but Sedition prevailed among them, and grew to that height, that the Commonalty separated thrice from the Nobility; and in the space of 134 Years there happened 37 Innovations, and for 5 Years together there were no magistrates. All their great achievements were accomplished by Generals that were entrusted wholly with the charge of the War, and a full Authority; who were not thwarted by Colleagues of different Sentiments, but used rather to give then receive Laws. In the beginning, the Government was still in the hands of Kings, till Ambition and Seditious Heats invented other ways of living. So that Monarchy seems justly to be derived from the Power of Governors, and that from the paternal Authority. 5. Octavius was not very eager in taking the Government into his hand; but Maecenas pushed him on; proving by the Instances of Pompey, Marius, Sylla, and others, that if he quitted the Government, his Person was not safe. He added many Arguments, which contained a lively description of the ensuing Administration. Caesar subscribed to his Opinion, and invested himself with the Title of Emperor, which signifies the suprem Power, and in that sense was given to his Father and all his Posterity. He was made Censor along with Agrippa; and in his 6th Consulship made a review of the People, in which the number of the Citizens was reckoned 4063000. He endeavoured, by all means to ingratiate himself with the People, and in regard that several unjust and harsh things had been enacted in the Civil Wars, especially in the time of the Triumvirate, repealed them all in one Edict. 6. Being made Consul a 7th time, he acquainted all the Senators of his Party, with his Design, and came into the Senate-House, where he recited a Harangue from his Papers, and pretended to lay aside all manner of Authority: Whereupon all the Senators pressed him to continue it, and at last, with great difficulty, he seemed to comply with their earnest Demands. By this artifice he established himself in the Government, and then distributed most of the Provinces, reserving the strongest and best fortified to himself. 'twas moved in the Senate, that a more honourable Title than that of Caesar, should be thought of for him; and Manacius Plancus pitched upon Augustus, which all of 'em approved of. Then they made a Law, which the Laywers call Lex Regia, transferring the whole Authority of the Senate and People to him. The Provinces were distributed on the 23th day of January; and upon the fourth day after that, was he surnamed Caesar Augustus: But the Romans date the Epocha of the Augustus's from the 1st day of that January, in the 7th Consulship of Octavianus Caesar, the 727th Year after the building of the City, the 2d of the 188th Olympiad, the 13th of Herod the Great, the 25th before the Birth of Christ, A. M. 3978. Octavius Caesar and M. Vipsanius Agrippa being then Consuls. 7. Augustus being thus entrusted with the Government by the consent of the People, applied himself much to the modeling of the State, and made several new Laws. He often imparted his designs to others, and in some things followed their Advice. But he chiefly consulted the Consuls; or his Colleague, when he was Consul himself. He pitched upon one Man from each Magistracy, and by Lot drew 15 of the Senators, to assist him for 6 Months in the administration of Affairs. Some things indeed, he laid before the Senate: but he choose to communicate the Difficulties and Mysteries of State, only to a few. Some Causes were remitted to the Senate, who gave their response by Legates, but the greater number was left to his Privy Council. Sometimes he called a Common Council, but his Will was there a Law. He nominated some magistrates himself, and left the nomination of others to the People; but only took care that none crept into Offices by Fraud and Circumvention. 8. Next Year Augustus pacified Spain, and shut the Temple of Janus the second time; but the commotions of Egypt quickly opened it again. After that, he marched into Greece, and then into Syria, and recovered the Standards from the Parthians which Crassus and Antony had lost, and likewise obtained the delivery of the Legates from Pandion and Porus King of the Indians. While Augustus stayed at Athens, he met with Virgil the Poet, who had retired to Greece, to perfect his Aeneids. Augustus brought him back with him; but in taking a view of Megara, in a very hot Season, he was seized with an Illness, which the navigation inflamed, so that he died at brundisium, on the 22d day of September in 52d Year of his age, the 735th after the building of Rome, in the Consulship of C. Sentius and Q. Lucretius. 9. Augustus had a Daughter named Julia, by Scribonia his Wife. He divorced Scribonia, and too kin livia Drusilla, Wife to Claudius Nero in her Room, tho at the same time she was big-belly'd; for within three Months after the Marriage, he brought forth Drusus, having formerly born Tiberius to Nero. Augustus had no Issue by Livia that lived any considerable time. He gave his Daughter Julia in marriage to Marcellus Son to Octavia his Sister; and after his Death, to Agrippa, to whom she bore three Sons, namely Caius, Lucius, and Agrippa Posthumus, besides Agrippina and Julia two Daughters. Agrippa had a part of the Authority of a Tribune, and governed Syria ten Years; and after he had pacified Pannonia, return'd to Campania, where he died. Then Tiberius was ordered to mary Julia, and to divorce his Wife Agrippina Daughter to Agrippa. 10. Tiberius and Drusus( two brethren) subdued the Rhaeti and Vindelici in Germany, as also the Pannonians and Frisians. But Drusus having penetrated a great way into Germany, and just entered upon his Consulship along with L. Quintius Crispinus, sell off from his Horse and died in the 745 Year after the building of Rome. He left two Sons namely Germanicus and Claudius. In the same Year, Augustus reformed the Model of the Year given by his Father Julius, and choose rather to have the mouth Sextilis in which his first Consulship commenced, to go by his name; than September, in which he was born. Soon after, Tiberius conquered the Germans by Stratagem, and retired to Rhodes, upon the account of his Wife Julia's wantonness, which was then arrived at such a pitch of Impudence, that her Father banished her to the Isle Pandataria; for he was so much out of humour upon her Debauchery, that he imprudently exposed it to the Senat. Indeed he was afterwards conscious of his Error in so doing, and used to say, that, had Maecenas or Agrippa been alive, he had ne're been guilty of such an oversight. Now Maecenas had died, about 4 Years after the Death of Agrippa. 11. Augustus had just pacified all the Nations about, and shut the Temple of Janus a third time, and made a review of the People within his Empire, when Jesus Christ, Lord of all things, came to the World. Authors are not agreed upon the time of his Incarnation, by reason of the great difficulties that arise from the various versions of the Scripture, the uncertain succession of the Judges, the different forms of Years, and various computation of those periods of Years mentioned in the Scripture. However, the Evangelist teaches us, that Christ was about 30 Years of age in the 15th Year of Tiberius. So that Caesar Augustus lived 15 Years after the birth of Christ; and if we date the Commencement of his Empire from the Death of Julius Caesar, he reigned in all 57 Years, and our Lord was born in the 42 of his Reign; but if we date it from the Death of Antony and Cleopatra, the Birth of our Lord must be cast into the 28th of his Reign, that is, the 4003 Year of the World, the 752 of Rome, the 3d of the 194 Olympiad, in the Consulship of Caesar Augustus( for the 13th time) and M. Plautius Silanus. 12. Herod who had then reigned about 37 Years, designed to make away with Christ, by giving orders to kill all the Children in the Neighbourhood, under two Years of age; but missed his Aim. Now to carry down the thread of the Jewish History after this interruption; Herod had possessed himself of the Kingdom, and took care to have Aristobulus slain as he was a swimming. This Aristobulus was brother to mariam his Wife, and Heir to the Kingdom of Jewry, whom Herod had turned out of the Priesthood. Tho' Herod sided with Antony, yet after his defeat and Death, he gained Caesar's favour by his magnificence. Soon after he murdered mariam his beloved Wife; and repented of the Action too late; upon which occasion he became Mad, and acted unspeakable cruelty. 18. In the 7th or 8th Year before the birth of Christ, he repaired the Temple of Jerusalem very magnificently. He likewise razed Davids Tomb, after which time his Interest began to decline. He put his Brethren Aristobulus and Alexander to death, upon their being arraigned of a Conspiracy, by those who mean'd to rise upon their ruin. After their Death, Antipater the Son of another Wife, and Pheroras the King's Brother, conspired against him. Not long after the King was seized with a horrid Distemper of which he died, after he had given orders for the Death of Antipater, and attempted to lay violent hands on himself. He died in the 72d Year of his age, the 27th of his Reign, about 2 Years after the birth of Christ, in the 1st Year of the 195 Olympiad, the 754th after the building of the City, Caius Caesar and L. Aemilius Paulus being then Consuls. 14 He left his Kingdom to his Son Archelaus. But Augustus gave him only the half of it, and adjudged the other half to Antipas and Philip, his brethren. So that Archelaus possessed Idumaea, Judaea, and Samaria, together with the Cities of Caesarea, Sebaste and Joppa; out of which he raised a yearly tribute of 500 Talents. Antipas possessed the Country beyond Jordane and Galilee, which fetched him 200 Talents a Year. And Philip got Bathanaea and Trachonitis, with 100 Talents. While things were thus concerted at Rome; the Jews being destitute of a King, were conjointly disordered by Seditions and Tumults, which were afterwards put down by the arrival of Varus from Antiocha. There was a Young Man, that gave himself out for Alexander the Son of Herod by mariam; but Augustus discovered the Cheat. After ten Years Archelaus was banished to Vienna in gall, upon the account of his Tyranny; and his whole Estate was confiscated: Then Cyrenius being sent into Syria possessed himself of the same; and from thence one Judas a Gaulonite, and Sodoe a Pharisees, took occasion to rebel. At this juncture the Princes of Judaea failed, and it began to be governed by Procuratores; the first of whom was Coponius, to whom succeeded M. Ambiriotus, and after him Annius Rufus. 15. Augustus adopted Caius and Lucius his Grand-Sons, and gave 'em the Title of Princes of the Youth. But Lucius being sent into Spain died there; and about 18 Months after, the like fate happened to Caius upon his return from armoniac in Italy. Then Tiberius and Agrippa Posthumus were adopted in their room. The former of whom was ordered to adopt Germanicus the Son of Drusus, in order to prevent his ambitious Attempts. Tiberius conquered the Germans, and reduced the Panonians and Dalmatians; but was denied a Triumph, by reason that the Legions were almost all cut off in Germany by Arominius General of the Cherusci, under the conduct of Quintilius Varus, which Augustus took so much to heart that among other marks of his Grief, he used to dash his head against the Gate, and Cry out, red Legiones Quintili Vare. 16. Tiberius was then sent to put things to rights in Germany, and after 3 Years, Germanicus Caesar succeeded him. Tiberius triumphed thrice, and was invested with a power over the Provinces and Armies, equal to that of Augustus; and after he had exercised that Power three Years, obtained the Monarchy itself, upon the Death of Augustus, which happened on the 19th Day of the Month of August,( the same Day that gave date to his first Consulship) in the 76th Year of his age, the 767th of the City, the 2d of the 198th Olympiad, the 57th after the Death of Julius Caesar, the 15 after the Birth of Christ, when Sextus Pompeius and Sextus Apuleius were Consuls. 17. Notwithstanding that Tiberius had sufficiently fortified this Government, by the interest of his Mother Livia, who by some was charged with poisoning her Husband; yet he seemed to be very unwilling to take the Government upon him, and 'twas after the repeated entreaties of the Senate, that he at length complied. At first, he made a show of Modesty and Singular Temperance; and did nothing upon his own bottom, but had recourse to the Senate, upon things of any importance. He envied Germanicus mightily; who had purchased much Glory by his achievements; and banished him under the pretence of sending him to compose some Tumults in the East; and afterwards made away with him by the Ministry of Piso. Germanicus was an excellent Man, and the Darling, not only of the Romans, but of the Barbarians themselves. He had three Sons by Agrippina the Daughter of Agrippa and Julia, namely, Nero, Drusus and Caius, with as many Daughters. He died in the 34th Year of his age, the next after that of his Consulship, M. Junius Silanus and C. Norbanus Flaccus being then Consuls. 18. After a few Years, Tiberius was punished for this his Patricide, in the Death of his Son Drusus, of which Sejanus was the Author. Now he had raised this Son of his to an indiscreet pitch of greatness, and Loaded him with unripe and unseasonable Dignities. At last he laid aside his Mask, and took up his undisguis'd temper; and without minding the Government of the Repulick, gave himself wholly to cruel and voluptuous measures; and in a word, behaved himself so, that, 'twas apparent Theodorus Gadareus his Preceptor, had not spoken amiss, when he said that his pupil was {αβγδ}, that is, a Lump of day steeped in Blood. 19. In the 12th Year of Tiberius, Pontius Pilat succeeded Valerius Gratus the fourth Governor of Judaea; who by exposing the Image of Caesar in the public places, occasioned so much Sedition in Judaea, that he could not appease it, till he sent away the Images to Caesarea. In the beginning of the 15th Year of Tiberius's Reign, Pontius Pilat being then Governor, did John the Baptist begin to preach in the Spirit of Elias, and besides many other deeds, baptized our Lord Jesus Christ, who being full of the Holy Ghost, entered immedieatly upon the office of our Saviour. Having seen three Passovers in the course of his Ministry, he was sacrificed at the fourth, and so became our true Passover. 20. Upon the death of Christ, the Sun was darkened, either by the interposition of the Moon,( tho' indeed the Passover was always solemnized at Full Moon) or else by the Imprisonment of its own Light. This Eclipse is mentioned in the Heathen calendars, and among other Historians by Phlegon Trallianus, Adrianus's servant made Free. Josephus, that noble Jewish Historian, gives a Memorable Testimony of Christ; and several Heathen Authors writ of him. Upon his coming into the World, the Oracles were silenced; and in regard that, according to Plutarch, the great Pan was said to die in the time of Tiberius, by him we are to understand Christ, our great Shepherd. The Sybils spoken of Christ; and Pilat acquainted Tiberius with his Miracles. 21. After our Lords Ascension, the Apostles, among other things, appointed 7 Deacons. James the brother of our Lord, surnamed the Just, was first made Bishop of Jerusalem, and Saul, who persecuted the Christians with extreme cruelty, was converted to the Christian Faith. Then Pilat was sent to Rome to be tried upon the disaster of the Samaritans. And the Jews were banished Rome by reason of their unsufferable avarice. 22. About 2 Years after the Death of Christ, Philip the Tetrarch( a modest sort of Man) died without Issue; and his Principality was added to Syria. Tho Aartabanus King of Parthia contemned and derided Tiberius, yet Vitellius was ordered to make peace with him. Vitellius came to Jerusalem and turned Josephus, who was surnamed Caiphas, out of the Presthood; to whom Jonathas the Son of Aninas, succeeded. Artabanus sent Darius his Son to Rome, as an Hostage: but before his arrival Tiberius died, to the great satisfaction of all the People, who triumphed as much upon his Death as upon the conquest of an Enemy. His Death happened on the 16th day of March; after he had reigned 22 Years, 7 Months, and some days; in the 78th Year of his age, and the 790th after the building of Rome, Cn. Acerrenius Proculus and C. Pontius Nigrinus being then Consuls. CHAP. II. From the Death of Tiberius to the Death of Nero, the last Emperor of the Family of the Caesars. The Space of 20 Years. 1. TIberius left one Grand-Son, named Tiberius, by his Son Drusus: but preferred Caius the Son of Germanicus, either for some Astrological Reason( for that Prince was much given to Astrology) or else thro' the interest of Macro his Libertus, with whom Caius had ingratiated himself; tho' at the same time, 'twas thought, that Tiberius was took off by Macro's assistance. 2. Some allege that Tiberius cunningly nominated Caius as Successor, to the end that his own wickedness might be drowned in the Monstrous Crimes of his Successor. The Army were very ready to receive their new Prince, as being come of a Family, which they Pitied upon the account of the injuries and affronts put upon it by Tiberius; for indeed Caius had only avoided the Effects of Tiberius's Cruelty by dissembling his anger, and tamely sitting with affronts; so that 'twas a very true saying, that was bandy'd about, viz. That there never was a better Servant, nor a worse Master than Caligula. 3. Caius made Agrippa Son to Aristobulus, and Grandson to Herod the Great, King of that Country which Philip the Tetrarch possessed. He banished Antipas together with his Wife Herodias, to Lions; and Pontius Pilat to Vienna, where he laid violent hands on himself after two Years exile. At first Caius behaved himself meekly; but afterwards he became a downright Monster. In the very first Year, he spent all that infinite Sum of Gold, that Tiberius had gathered in the 23 Years that he reigned: He arrogated to himself divine Honours, and displayed incredible cuelrty. 4. When he sentenced Persons to die, he ordered 'em to be put to Death gradually, that they might be sensible they were dying; and wished that all the People had but one neck, that he might cut it off. Many had designed to kill the Tyrant; but at last Cassius Chaereas, Captain of the Life-guards, put the design in execution on the 23d of january, after he had reigned 3 Years, two Months and 8 Days, and lived 29 Years, in the 794th Year after the Building of the City, the 42 after the Birth of Christ, when himself was Consul a 4th time along with C. Sentius Saturninus. 5. After the Death of Caligula, the Senators indeavor'd to revive the Power of the People and Senate; every one designing to make himself great, by throwing the republic into its former difficulties. But the Army was of another mind, and were in the right of it, in asserting that a Monarchical Government was conducive to the interest of the republic, tho at the same time, all of 'em had an Eye to their private Interests. However the Praetorian Soldiers had a mighty itch to dispose of the Empire, and accordingly gave it to Tiberius Claudius Drusus, Brother to Germanicus Caesar, and Son to Drusus, who had despaired so much of his Life, that he kept himself incognito. 6. Claudius beheaded Chaereas, and enlarged the dominions of Agrippa, who put the Apostle James to Death, and died himself miserable by the Hand of an Angel. He restored some Princes, and took the right of Freedom from the Rhodians, and Lycians. In his Reign the britons rebelled, and he went upon an Expedition against them, and after he had mastered part of the iceland, return'd in Pomp to Rome, and had a most splendid Triumph. He inflicted just Punishment upon Messelina his Wife, and the Leudest Woman that ever was; and married Agrippina his Grandchild, who had born Domitius Nero to Domitius Aenobardus her former Husband. Afterwards, upon his Wife's solicitation, he adopted this Domitius whom he had made his Son in Law; notwithstanding that he had a Son of his own, namely Sritannicus, about 2 Years Younger than Nero. The britons, after his departure, rebelled, oftener than once, but were soon conquered, and Caractacus the greatest of the british Kings, was brought Prisoner to Rome. 7. Claudius, in the 12 Year of his Reign Gifted the Provinces of Philip and Lysanias to Agrippa junior; and took Chalcis from him, after he had possessed it 4 Years. He restored the Rhodians to their former Freedom, and freeed the Trojans of all Taxes, as being the original of the Roman Nation. Not long after, his Wife poisoned him. He was a dull foolish Man, always afraid when alone; and a downright Slave to his Servants that he made Free, especially to Narcissus and Pallas. And this was the exit of a Prince, that in a narrow compass of time, put to Death 35 Senators and 300 Gentlemen. He died after he had reigned 13 Years, 8 Months, and 20 days, in the 807th Year of the City, the 55th after the Birth of Christ, M. Acilius Asinius Marcellus, and M. Acilius Aviola being then Consuls. 8. Claudius's Successor was Domitius Nero, whose Mother Agrippina had concealed the Death of her Husband, till she confirmed the Empire to her Son. The beginning of his Reign was attended with such high panegyrics upon him, that Trajan the Emperor said that none had come up to the due measure of Praise that Nero merited in the first 5 Years of his Reign. But at length his Mother endeavoured to engross the Empire to herself, whereupon he embarked in a Quarrel with her; and laid aside his Mask. He poisoned his Brother Britannicus, as being a Rival. He fell in Love with Poppaea Sabina Daughter to P. Ollius, and upon her desire ordered his own Mother to be killed; and such was the meanness of the Roman Spirits at that time, that both the Senate and People approved of the Execrable Murder. 9. After this piece of wickedness, he stood at nothing. He sent Curbulo to armoniac, where his Arms were successful; and he set upon the Throne Tigranes Grandson to Archelaus the Cappadocian. Next Year the britons revolted, and Threw down Camalodunum a Roman Colony, and Verulam one of their free Towns; and 'twas with difficulty that Suetonius reduced' em. Turpilianus succeeded after Suetonius, and cloaked his own Lazyness with the specious Name of a Peace. Next Year Albianus succeeded Festus Governor of Judaea who followed Felix. About the same time Agrippa gave the Priest-hood to Ananus the Son of that Annas, who not only served in that Office himself, but left 5 Sons that succeeded, in order, to the same post; tho' such a thing was never precedented before. This Ananus Junior, put to Death James the Just, the Brother of our Lord; and by so doing disobliged all good Men, as Josephus testifies; and in consideration that the Priests had no Power of Life and Death, Agrippa turned him out of his Office. 10. Not long after, Nero married Poppaea, and addicted himself to such wicked Lusts, that he served Pythagoras as a Wife, and Married Sporus another of his filthy Companions, as if she had been a Woman. He set Rome on fire, and in the habit of an Actor sung the destruction of Troy about Streets; and raised the first persecution against the Christians, having arraigned 'em of all Criminal Actions. While the Prince went on in this fashion like a Monstrous Beast, a Conspiracy was carried on against him by Cn. Piso; but the Conspiracy being detected, the Author of it was put to Death, together with the Poet Lucanus and his Father Mela; wtih his two Uncles namely Annaeus Novatus or Junius Gallio, so called from his adopting Father, and L. Annaeus Seneca, Nero's Praeceptor, the History of whose Life is more credibly given by Lipsius than by Dion the Historian. 11. Nero being derided by his Wife Poppaea for Acting kicked her to Death tho' Bigbelly'd. He wanted neither Luxury nor 'vice sufficient to verify that saying of Domitius, when he received the news of his Son's Birth, viz. That nothing could spring from him and Agrippina but what would be Execrable and Monstrous, and pernicious to the republic; for one would think that he was a compound, not only of the Vices of his Family, but of all the Vices of his Nation. He built a Noble and Magnificent House, and laid out a prodigious Sum of Money upon it. He begun likewise to dig thro' the Isthmus of the Peloponnesus. 12. As he passed thro' Attica upon his return from the Olympians Games, in which he gave the Grecians proof of his being a strong Singer and a good Coachman; he received advice from Cestius Gallus governor of Syria of the Rebellion of the Jews; who lying under the guilt of Christ's blood, were almost crushed by the Tyranny of their Governors, especially of Florus, who arrived to that Pitch of Impudence and Impiety, that he ordered a Herald to proclaim throughout the Country, that any Body might Freely Rob and Murder with impunity: designing thereby, to push the Jews to a Rebellion, in which he might better cover his own Crimes. 13. By this means the Jews were provoked to rebel, and were killed in several places; and those of Jerusalem choose Generals to themselves in order to an open War. Nero was long undetermined who to sand against them, but at last pitched upon Vespasian who had been brought up among military Affairs from his Infancy, and whom he had but lately removed from his presence, for censuring the princes Acting, as being unworthy of the Majesty of Nero. But after two Years stay in Greece, as Nero was returning to Italy a Conspiracy was hatched against him by C. Julius Vindex, originally a gall, of the rank of a Senator, and Ser. Sulpicius Galba. who governed the Province of Tarracona in Spain. Galba accepted of the Imperial dignity offered him by the Soldiers, and marched strait to Rome. In the mean time Nero was declared an Enemy by the Senate, and with great difficulty complied with the Advice of his Friends, in ordering Epaphroditus his Libertus to be his executioner. This was the fatal exit of one that had plainly intimated that one day he would sink the whole rank of Senators. He killed himself on the 10th of June, when he had reigned 13 Years, 7 Months and 28 days, in the 32 Year of his Age, the 821 after the building of the City, the 69th of Christ, in the Consulip of C. Silius Italicus the Poet, and M. Valerius Trachalus. 14. Nero being the Author of the first persecution of Christians, Paul the Apostle was Beheaded at Rome in his reign; and Peter was crucified. Linus is said to have succeeded Peter in the Chair of Rome. And Simon Cleopas to James the Just Bishop of Jerusalem. After the Apostles, Euodius was the first that governed the Church of Antiochia, to whom succeeded Ignatius the Disciple of John the Apostle. In the Chair of Alexandria, Anianus succeeded Mark the Evangelist, in the 8th or 9th Year of Nero's reign. CHAP. III. From the Death of Nero, to the Death of Domitian, the last of the Vespasian Family. The Space of 27 Years. 1. AFter the Death of Claudius, the Roman Empire was reduced to such wretched Circumstances, that 'twas in the Army's Power to nominate the Emperor. From whence by an odd Catastrophe the credit and Glory of the imperial Station was transferred from the Ancient Roman Families to Strangers; and Fellows of a Scandalous rank were perfer'd to that dignity. Some of 'em were Spaniards, some derived their Original from Pannonia, Dacia, Dardania, Dalmatia, Gallia, Thracia, and some from Cappadocia. 2. Besides, the Emperors themselves were in a doubtful condition, for their dignity and safety depended upon the Legions and the Army, and not upon the Senate and People. Insomuch that it may be reckoned a Wonder, that any were found to engage in so Hazardous and uncertain a post. For between the Death of Caius Caesar who was murdered in the presence of the Senate, and the reign of charlemagne, there were about 30 Emperors killed, and 4 more laid violent Hands on themselves. The Soldiers had always something to charge upon them; they were equally uneasy under the good and the bad; and upon the least occasion gathered into a Body and cut the Throats of those whom they themselves had forced to accept the Diadem against their Wills. Indeed the Senate dreaded the Emperor, but the Emperor himself was altogether at the beck of a heedless Army. 3. This masterly humour did chiefly prevail after the Death of Caesar, in those Veteran Legions which he made use of in gall, Spain, and Africa: And Cicero regreating the case, says, 'tis true, these Legions are brave; but the sense of the services they've done in ensuring the Liberty of the People of Rome, and enlarging the Honor of the State, has made 'em too presuming, and inspired 'em with a humour of leveling all our Counsels to their force. But Galba, who by this method was preferred to be Emperor, did not make good the hopes that were conceived of him, when in a private Station. Indeed had he never reigned, he had been reckoned worthy of an Empire: for he seemed rather to be Free from 'vice, than to be entitled to virtue. His severity procured him the Odium of the Army; so that Otho took care to have him slain on the 14th day of January, in the 73 Year of his Age, after he had reigned 7 Months. 4. Galba being killed, M. Salvius Otho was declared Emperor by his Soldiers; and in regard that Vitellius was at the same time chosen Emperor by his Army, laid violent hands on himself, in order to prevent the damage that might accrue to the State from their mutual Contention. Vitellius usurped the Empire, and minded nothing but gratifying his Appetite; he cried up Nero in all his Actions, and imitated him as his Pattern. He was so drowned in his Pleasures, that he would neither speak, nor hear any Person speak of War; Nay, he prohibited the spreading about of any Reports to that purpose; till at last he was frighted out of that humour by the arrival of Vespasian, who upon the desire of the Legions in Judaea, had made himself Emperor. This Vespasian, had mauled the Jews in several Encounters, who were miserable divided into many Factions; Nay, he had subdued the whole Country, excepting three Castles and Jerusalem. After that, the Armies of several Provinces invited him to take upon him the Government of the Empire, and at last he complied with their Requests, and marched towards Italy. Whereupon Vitellius was affronted, killed, and Thrown into the Tiber, in the 57th Year of his Age, after he had reigned 8 Months and 5 Days. 5. In the mean time some Commotions happened in Germany and gall, which at length were composed by the conduct of Petilius Cerealis. The Sarmatians also had crossed the Ister, and put the Roman Provinces to fire and Sword; but Rubrius Gallus beat 'em off, and killed many of' em. Titus, the Son of Vaspasian, being left by his Father in Judaea, continued to carry on the War, and after a long Siege took Jerusalem. Josephus, who was an Eye-witness, gives us strange Accounts of the Divisions of that miserable People; and the Calamity and extreme want they were in. The City and Temple were set in a flamme, on the 8th of September, in the 2d Year of Vespasian, he and his Son Titus being then Consuls; 38 Years after the Death of Christ, whose blood lay heavily upon them. Now Jerusalem was taken six times. viz. by Asochaeus the Egyptian, Nebuchadnezar, Antiochus Epiphanes, Pompey, Herod and Sosius, and at last by Titus: and it was twice razed, namely, once by Nebuchadnezar, and at last by Titus. Between this' its last overthrow, and David's first taking the City from the Jebusites, there intervened 1179 Years, but the City was of 2177 Years standing. 6. The number of the Jewish Prisoners amounted to 97000, and 1100000 besides died in the time of the Siege. Vespasian sold the Ground, and laid upon the People a Yearly Tribute to be paid to the Capitol instead of the Temple. At length the War was put to an end by P. Sylva, who took the Castle of Messada; and when the Jews in Egypt and Cyrene rebelled, their Temple, which Onias had built, was shut up, and the Rebels were presently crushed, Jonathan their General being taken, who among others laid a false Accusation against Josephus the Historian, and thereupon was whipped and burnt alive. Josephus has carried down the thread of their Wars to this time, and had a Statue erected for him, his Books being thought worthy to be kept in the public Library at Rome. At last he finished his Volumes of Jewish Antiquities is the 15th Year of Dominian, and the 56th of his Age, according to his own relation in the close of that work. 7. The Lex Regia was renewed on the behalf of Vespasian, by which the Power of the People was transferred to Augustus, and his Successors. He made Achaia, Lycia, Rhodes, Byzantium, Samos, Cilicia and Comagene, Provinces of the People of Rome. He was entitled to Moderation and Clemency, but reckoned a little greedy; he was a great Promoter of Liberal Sciences, and was the first that ordered Plublick salaries the Teachers. He died of a bloody-flux in the 69 Year of his Age, the 10th of his Reign, the 832 after the building of Rome, and the 79th of Christ, Titus being then Consul, together with his Father, who had been Consul six times before. 8. Titus succeeded his Father on the 23th of May, having been educated along with Britannicus. In his private capacity he was suspected of Ambition, Luxury, and other Vices; and in a word was looked upon as another Nero. But when he became Emperor he dispelled all their Jealousies by the agreeableness of his Conversation, and by a Lucky Turn became the Darling of Human kind. He died to the infinite loss and Grief of the whole Empire, after he had reigned two Years and 20 days, in the 42d Year of his Age, the 834th after the building of the City, and the 81st of our Lord, M. Plautius Sylvanus and M. Annius Verus being then Consuls. 9. After Titus, Domitian his Brother succeeded, who was deemed for killing him, tho' he had formerly obtained a Pardon for designing the same Crime. He resembled rather Nero, Caligula, or Tiberius, than his Father and Brother. At first his cruelty was only displayed upon the Fliees which he used to run through with a Bodkin, but afterwards he laid aside his modesty and became very cruel; and Antony being fretted by his Affronts and Vices, rebelled in upper Germany. Domitian fought successfullly with the Chattians, Dacians, and Sarmatians, and triumphed over them. At last being hated by all, he was killed by his own Servants, on the 17th of September, in the 55 Year of his Age; the 15th of his Reign, the 849th after the building of the City, and the 96 of our Lord, T. Fulvius Valens and C. Antistius Vetus being then Consuls. In his time, Statius Juvenal, and marshal, the Poets, flourished. 10. Dionysius the Arcopagite was made first Bishop of Athens by the Apostle Paul. After Linus the Martyr, Cletus or Anacletus and Clemens succeeded in the See of Rome; Abilius succeeded Anianus first Bishop of Alexandria; then Andrew the Apostle, Stachys, Onesimus, Polycarpus and Eleutherius, who was chosen in the 2d Year of Domitian. Domitian was the Author of the 2d Persecution of the Christians in which John the Apostle was banished to the Isle of Patmos, where he writ his Revelations; and in that Book makes mention of the Nicolaites; for many heresies prevailed in the Church at that time. Eusebius would have Simon Magus to be the first Head of the heretics. However not only the Nicolaites, but the Cerinthians, Menander, Basilides, and their Disciples, and Carpocrates with the gnostics, his Retainers; and the Ebionites, did then disturb the Church of God. CHAP IV. From the Death of Domitian to the Death of Pertinax and the Sale of the Roman Empire. The space of 97 Years. 1. 'tis said that Domitian dreamed that a Golden Head and Neck grew out of his Shoulders; which was plainly verified by the Virtue and modesty of the succeeding Princes, tho' they were foreigners. Next to Domitian was Cocceius Nerva who joined the People's Liberty to his Government, which none had done before him. He adopted M. Ulpius Trajanus and scarce lived 3 Months after, for by a violent fit of Passion he was thrown into a Fever, of which he died on the 26th of January, after he had lived 65 Years, and reigned one Year 4 Months and 9 Days; in the 851 Year, after the building of the City, and the 98 of our Lord; Trajan being then a 2d time, and he a 9th time Consul. 2. The Emperor Trajan reduced the Dacians twice. He went upon an Expedition into armoniac and Parthia; and the Parthians surrendered themselves to him, from whence he was surnamed Parthicus. He extended the Limits of the Roman Empire very far. But when he waged War with the Church of Christ, his Interest began to decline, and most of the People he had subdued, rebelled against him, especially in armoniac and Mesopotamia. The Parthians also rejected the King he gave' em. Upon his return to Italy, the Jews rebelled in several Places, and committed horrid Murders, and great Earthquakes happened. At last, he died in Cilicia of a Bloodyflux, after he had reigned 19 Years, 6 Months, and 15 Days, in the 870 Year of the City, and the 117 of our Lord. In his Reign Plutarch, Lucian, Pliny the 2d, Suetonius, L. Florus and Cor. Tacitus flourished. 3. Trajan was followed by Aelius Adrianus Son to his Cusin German, who was perfer'd by the Interest of Plotina the empress. He conquered the Jews, who had rebelled upon the account of a Temple built to Jupiter Olympius at Jerusalem, which he had allowed to be inhabited. He visited gall, Germany, britain, and Spain; then Mauritania, Parthia, Asia and Greece, and return'd by Sicily to Rome. Then he went the 2d time to Africa and return'd to Rome; and after that went thro' Greece and Asia to Arabia and from thence to Egypt. In Adrian's time the Church underwent some persecution, which was afterwards taken away upon the Remonstrances of Quadratus and Aristides, by Letters sent from the Emperor to Minutius Fundanus proconsul of Asia, which are published by Justin Martyr in his 2d Apology. This Emperor was extreme curlous, and a great pursuer of Knowledge, but very illnatur'd to Men of better Learning. He died of a dropsy which threw him into a violent fit of Anger, on the 11th of July, after he had reigned 2 Years and 11 Months, and lived 62 Years, in the 981st Year after the building of Rome, and the 138 of Christ, Sulpitius Camerinus and Quintius Magnus being then Consuls. 4. There flourished in his time Ptolomaeus of Alexandria the Prince of Astronomers, A. Gellius or Agellius, Justinus the Epitomiser of Trogus, and several other Learned Men. The Lawyers in his time were Alburnius Valens, Tuscianus, Vindius Verus, Ulpius Marcellus, Arrianus, Tertullianus, Salvius Julianus, L. Volusius Metianus. Adrian did first adopt L. Verus who died in the Year preceding his Death, on the first of January, being the first Day of his 2d Consulship, L. Verus had a Son called Lucius, and was ordered to adopt Marcus; but these two being very Young, Adrian himself adopted Antoninus whom he ordered to adopt Lucius and Marcus. So he called a Senate, and recommended Antoninus to them. 5. Antoninus was surnamed pus, with reference to his regular conversation. He courted Peace, and endeavoured to oblige every one: and by the means of his humanity and letters kept the foreign Kings and People in order. He was an excellent Philosopher, insomuch that he was called Cymini Sector. He was kind to the Christians upon the remonstrances of Justin Martyr and some others; and published an Edict on their behalf. He died on the 7th of March, having reigned 22 Years 7 Months and 26 Days, in the 1 Year of the 235 Olympiad, the 914th after the building of Rome, and the 161st of out Lord. In his time, besides several Lawyers and Justin a Christian Philosopher, there flourished Polycarpus Bishop of Smyrna, Galen a Physician of Pergamus, and Aelianus the Historian. 6. Antoninus pus was followed by Marcus the Son of Annius Verus, who was surnamed the Philosopher, and took in L. Aurelius Verus his Cousin, to be Partner with him in the Empire. This was the first time that two with equal and joint Authority governed the Romans: But they were of very different tempers. Lucius carried on the Parthian War with success. Marcus managed things at home: But at last upon the Death of Verus, got the whole Empire to himself, and Fought successfully against the Germans. He likewise defeated the Marcomanni, Sarmatae, Vandali and Quadi, who invaded Pannonia. For at that time most of the Nations from Illyricum to gall had conspired against the Romans. The 4th Persecution of the Christians was rather owing to Verus than to Marcus. When the Roman Army was almost choked with Thirst in an expedition against the Quadi, the Legio Melitina which consisted of Christians, obtained rain by virtue of their Prayers, and carried the Victory by the Thunder and Lightning that Heaven poured down upon their Enemy, from whence they were surnamed Fulminatrix. 7. This moved Marcus to favour the Christians; and to writ Letters to the Senat and People, vouching for the truth of the Story. Aurelius Victor writes that this Emperor gave the Freedom of the City to all the Subjects of the Empire; but others attribute that Action to Antoninus pus. Now the Romans used to present their Subjects with 4 Degrees of Privilege, viz. Jus Latij, Jus Coloniae, Jus Municipij, and Jus Civitatis. of which see our Institution of History. However Marcus died at Vendibona on the 17 of March, in the 58 Year of his age, and the 19th of his Reign, the 932d after the building of the City, and the 180th of our Lord; Arrius Praesens being then a 2d time, and Aelius Gordianus the first time, Consul. 8. After Marcus Aurelius an excellent Prince, Commodus Antoninus his profligat son succeeded, upon whose solicitation some allege the Father was killed by his Physicians. For some time he made use of the Counsellors that his Father had recommended to him, but soon after listened to Flatterers, and fell in with scandalous and Naughty Measures. He employed Generals to conquer the Mores and Dacians, and to pacify Pannonia, Germany and britain, while himself spent his Life in all manner of filthiness and cruelty. At last a list of the Names of those whom he had pricked down for to be put to Death, fell into the Hands of some, who killed him on the last Day of the Julian Year, in the 22d Year of his age, the 13 of his reign, the 945th after the building of Rome, and the 192d of Christ; himself being then a 7th time, and Helvius Pertinax a Third time Consul. 9. After Commodus, his Son Helvius Pertinax succeeed, whom the Assassins had chosen, before the publication of the Emperor's Death. Helvius was unwilling to take the Empire upon him. He gave great hopes of an excellent Prince. But by discouraging the Raps and Violence committed by the Soldiers, incurred their displeasure; and they calling to mind the Liberty that was indulged 'em under Commodus, fell upon him and slay him, on the 85th Day of his reign, in the 69 Year of his age, Q. Sosius Falcon and C. Julius Erucius Clarus being then Consuls. 10. John the Apostle died at Ephesus in the reign of Trajan, Simeon Cleophas being crucified, was followed by Justus Judaeus, Zachaeus, Tobias, Benjamin, and John. In the 11th Year of Trajan, Alexander succeeded evaristus Bishop of Rome, who suffered Martyrdom; and when Alexander underwent the same fate Cistus succeedcd him; then followed in order Telesphorus, Hyginus, Pias and Anicetus. From the Death of Christ, to the 18th Year of Adrian, there were 18 Bishops in the See of Jerusalem, and all of 'em Jews. Marcus was the first gentle Bishop. After Abilius, Cerdo began to Govern the Church of Alexandria in the first Year of Trajan, who was followed by Primus, Justus, Eumenes, Marcus, Celadion, Agrippas, Julianus and Demetrius, In the See of Antioch Ignatius the Martyr was followed by Heros, and he by Cornelius in the 12 Year of Adrian. 11. About the 110 Year of Christ, Thebulis was the first Patron of Heresy in the Church of Jerusalem. At the same time, the Church was disturbed by the Ophites, then by the Caini, Cerdon, Valentinus, martion, Marcellina, Montanus; the Secundiani, Ptolomaei, Marcosij, Colobasij, Heracleonitae, Archontici, Encratitae, Severiani, Marcionitae, Pepuziani, Artotyritae, Atogi, Adamitae, Theodotus, Artemon, Marcianus and Noetus. CHAP. V. From the Death of Pertinax, and the exposing of the Kingdom to sale, to the Murder of Maximinus, the first Emperor that was confirmed without the consent of the Senate. The space of 45 Years. 1. PErtinax being slain, the Soldiers exposed the Kingdom to sale, and one Vidius Julianus, a Lawyer of the Consular Dignity and a very rich Man, purchased it at a great rate. At the same time L. Septimius Severus reigned in Pannonia; he was originally an African, an active Sagacious Man. Upon the news of the Murder of Pertinax he was saluted Emperour by his own Soldiers, and invaded Italy. Then the Senate being called, adjudged the Empire to him, and death to Julian, after he had reigned 7 Months and paid an over-purchase for his Death. 2. Severus being made Emperor resolved to crush Niger governor of Syria his Rival: And in or-order to avoid the inconvenience of leaving an Enemy behind him, wheedled Clodius Albinus with the Title of Caesar; this was a Person of noble descent, who governed britain and affencted the Principality: However Severus pleased him with that Title till such time as he had routed Niger in the East, and upon his return defeated him likewise. He invaded Arabia but did not compass his end; but upon his return marched into Parthia and took Ctesiphontes the Metropolis. He subdued the Jews in Syria and conquered Abagatus King of the Persians. He fortified Britain by running a Wall a across the iceland to the Sea; and having subdued the People of that Country, at last ended his Days at York. This Emperor was admirably well versed in Military Affairs and seemed to match the most renowned achievements of the greatest Emperours. He raised himself from the lowest degree to the highest pitch of Honour, and upon his Death-Bed was wont to have this Expression in his Mouth, I have been all things and nothing avails me. He died on the fourth of February, after he had reigned 18 Years and lived 66, in the 964th Year of the City, and the 211th of Christ, in the Consulship of Q. Epidius Rufus and Pomponius Bassus. 3. Severus left 2 Sons, as joint Successors, namely, Antoninus Bassianus who was called Caracalla from a Barbarian Habit that he gifted to the People, and Geta. But Antoninus killed his Brother in the Bosom of his Mother, for he had always been at variance with him even in his Father's Life-time. Then he displayed his cruelty upon all the rest, and made War against the Parthians and Armenians, and is said to have killed Papinianus president to the Praetorium, because he would not justify the Parricide. About this time there flourished several Lawyers, most of 'em Papinianus's Scholars. At length Opilius Macrinus, being afraid that Antoninus had a design upon him, made away with the Emperour on the 9th Day of April, after he had reigned 6 Years and 2 Months, in 1st Year of the 249th Olympiad, the 970th after the building of the City, the 217th of Christ, Brutius Praesens and Extricatus being then Consuls. 4. After the Death of Bassianus the Throne was vacant for 2 Days; then the Empire was given to Macrinus, who made Peace with the Parthians, and wrapped himself up in Luxury and Softness at Antiochia, insomuch that the Soldiers contemned him, and were induced by the promises of Maesa Sister to Julia Severus's Wife to give the Empire to Bassianus his Grandson by Soaemis his Daughter. This Bassianus was Priest of the Sun, and from his God was surnamed Heliogabalus, but was the worst of all the Emperours. Upon the solicitation of his Grandmother he adopted Alexianus, his Cousin, and when he had reigned 5 Years and lived 18, was slain for his Scandalous way of living. 5. Alexianus or Alexander, being modestly educated by his Grandmother Maesa and his Mother Mammaea, became a stout Man. In the 4th Year of his Reign, Artaxerxes the King of Persia outted the Parthians of their Kingdom, and made as if he would recover the ancient Empire. But Alexianus routed him in a Bloody battle, and likewise recovered Mesopotamia which Heliogabalus had lost. He carried on a War in Mauritania, Illyricum and armoniac, by Deputies. Then he marched in Person against the Grecians who were laying Gallia wast, and was killed by his own Soldiers at Mentz on the 4th of October, after he had lived 29 Years and reigned 13, in the 988 Year of the City and the 235 of Christ, in the Consulship of L. Catilius Severus and L. Ragonius Quintianus. 6. Alexander was followed by Maximinus the Thracian, by whose contrivance he was killed. This Man was first a Cowherd, then a Soldier, and at last was declared Emperour by his own Soldiers. He was a prodigious big Man, and took care to cram his Belly accordingly. He bended all his force against Germany, where he burnt the Villages far and near, cut off a great number of his Enemies, and took a great many more, and enriched his Soldiers. Having reduced Germany he return'd to Sirmium, and designed not only to attack the Sarmatians, but to subdue all the Countries to the Northward to the very Sea-side, when he was surprised with the news that some had slain the Carthaginian governor, whom they hated for his extraordinary Parts, and obliged Gordiaanus the Proconsul, a Man of 80 Years of Age, to take upon him the Purple Dignity. 7. The Senate confirmed the Action, and declared against Maximinus, as being an Enemy. But Gordianus unseasonably gave way to private feuds, and by that means disobliged Capellianus governor of Mauritania, and when he found himself like to be worsted by him, first killed his Son and then strangled himself with a Halter, after he had been invested with the Dignity 36 Days. In the mean time Maximinus marches to Rome in order to be revenged on the Senate: upon the news whereof the senators declared Maximus and Balbinus Emperours, and gave 'em the charge of the War against Maximinus. Maximinus besieged Aquileja, and as he lay asleep in his Tent, was killed together with his young Son by his own Soldiers. This was the Author of the 6th Persecution of the Christians, and the first Emperour that swayed the sceptre without the approbation of the Senate. He died after he had reigned 3 Years in the 991st Year of the City, and the 238th of Christ. 8. In the 2d Year of Marcus Aurelius, Anicetus Bishop of Rome was followed by Soter, and afterwards by Eleutherius Victor. In the first Year of Severus, Zephorinus succeeded Victor, and after him in a successive Order, Callisthus, Urbanus, Pontianus, and Fabianus whom Damasus gives in for the 20th Bishop of Rome. Some reckon up 13 Bishops in the Chair of Jerusalem from Marcus to Narcissus. When Narcissus went off Dios succeeded, then Germanion and after him Gordius, who governed the Church when Narcissus return'd and was restored to his Dignity. But in regard that his old Age rendered him uncapable for business; Alexander was made his Suffragant, and after his Death became Bishop. In the Chair of Antioch, Cornelius was followed by Theophilus, Maximinus, Serapian, Asclepiades about the 1st Year of Caracalla, and Philetus. About the 11th Year of Alexander after Demetrius, Heraclas began to govern the Alexandrian Church. In the time of Severus there flourished Tertullian a Carthaginian Presbyter, Clemens of Alexandria Origen's Praeceptor, and Minutius Faelix. CHAP. VI. From the Death of Maximinus to the Monarchy of Constantine the first Christian Emperour, who translated the Seat of the Empire to Byzantium, or Constantinople, a City in Thrace. The space of 86 Years. 1. THE Senat and People of Rome were overjoyed with the News of Maximinus's Fate. And as for the new Emperors, every thing succeeded according to their Wishes, and would have continued so to do, had not their mutual jealousy and Feuds stood in the way. For the Lifeguard-men, who always hated those whom the Senat choose, finding that they were always quarreling with one another, met with an opportunity of executing their Designs upon them. 2. They were killed after they had governed 2 Years, and then the Government was put into the Hands of Gordianus a Youth, who, in the 4th Year of his Empire, marched thro' Maesia and Thrace against the Persians, and defeated the Enemies of the Romans in those places. From thence he marched thro' Syria to Antiochia, which was then in the Persian Hands. There he had frequent Battels, and conquered sapour King of the Persians; so that the Persians, who were almost formidable to Italy, were thus confined within their own Territories. At last, in the 6th Year of his Empire, he was circumvented and killed by Philip the praetorian governor, who had raised a Mutiny among the Soldiers. But 'tis said that all his Assassins murdered themselves with the same Swords with which they attacked him. 3. Gordianus was followed by M. Julius Philippus an Arabian of Trachonitis, Son to a famous Captain of the Robbers. But after 5 years he underwent the same Fate. For Quintus Trajanus Decius being sent to appease a Mutiny among the Soldiers, received the Purple Dignity from the Soldiers, and routed and killed Philip in a battle at Verona, who was then carrying on a War by Legates with the Scyphi that infested the Roman Provinces. Decius being confirmed in the Empire by the Consent of the Senators, first appeased the Commotions of Gaule, and then having recommended the Care of the republic to the Senate, went with their Consent, along with his Son, upon an Expedition against the Scythians, who infested Thrace, and several other Roman Provinces both by Sea and Land. He had the better of 'em in several Battels; and, having forced up his Enemy into a narrow place, had certainly come off with the total Victory, had not Gallus-Hostilianus governor of Maesia discovered his Designs to the Enemy; by which means it came to pass, that the Father and Son were circumvented and killed. This Emperor was the Author of the 7th Persecution of the Church of God; and reigned 2 Years and a half. 4. Vibius Gallus Hostilianus being saluted Emperor by one Legion, and the remains of the Army, made a Peace with the Scythians, promising to pay them a yearly Tribute; which was an ignominious and scandalous thing, and unsuitable to the Majesty of the Romans. By this means the Scythians became bolder, and violated the Peace, in plundering Dardania, Thrace, Macedonia, and Asia, and pillaging and razing several Cities. Afterwards many followed the Scythian Example, some in declaring War, and some in rebelling against the Romans. 5. The Parthians having routed and put to flight Tiridates their own King, penetrated into Syria, and possessed themselves of armoniac. The Scythians indeed became very insolent under Success; but Aemilianus governor of Maesia having animated his own Men with large Promises, and hopes of Reward, routed them upon the Borders of Sarmatia, and pursued them a great way into their own country: Whereupon the Army declared him Emperor. Then Gallus marched against him, but was killed, together with his Son Volusianus, his Partner in the Empire, after he had reigned one Year. 6. In the mean time the other Army which was then in the Alps, bestowed the Empire upon Valerian, a Man of a Noble Descent. Upon the news whereof, Aemilianus's Soldiers, resolving to avoid trouble, slay their own Emperour, and stood for Valerian; who, after he was made Emperor, sent Letters to the Senate, engaging to rescue Thrace and Mesopotamia out of the Hands of the Enemies, to recover armoniac, and to beat off the Enemies of the Romans on all hands. But in the Persian War, thro' the Negligence of some of his Captains, he was taken Prisoner by sapour, King of the Persians: For so it pleased God to resent the Death of his own People, against whom Valerian had carried on the 8th Persecution. Sapor's Neighbouring Princes and Confederate Nations entreated him to deliver up the Royal Prisoner, remonstrating to him, that the Romans always made the most vigorous Resistance when they were worsted. But all these Remonstrances could not prevail with him; for, it's said, he made use of him as a Foot-stool when he mounted his Horse; and at last flayed the Skin off him, and so left him to end his Days in Misery. 7. Valerian being taken Prisoner, his Son Gallienus succeeded, and put a stop to the Persecution, that his Father had begun against the Christians; but the Romans did not get off so easily from the Vengeance that followed the shedding of so much innocent Blood. For Gallienus neglected the Affairs of the republic, and gave himself wholly to his Pleasure; insomuch that the Soldiers choose new Emperors to themselves in the Provinces, to the number of 30 Tyrants; but they all came to nothing, partly by Gallienus's Opposition, and partly by their own mutual Differences. At last, in the Reign of Gallienus, the Goths possessed themselves of Thrace, laid Macedonia waste, and besieged Thessalonica, and the Scythians invaded Bithynia Cappadocia and Asia, and advancing from the Euxine Sea to the Ister, attacked the Roman Corporations. 8. But the Emperor was so lazy, that when he heard of the revolt of the Provinces and of the public Calamity, he always answered in a ridiculing and contemptuous manner, as if the republic could have subsisted and he maintained his Dignity, without any inconvenience upon that account. By this his contemptuous Carriage he gained many Enemies both at home and abroad. Besides, the Scythians and Goths, and a great many other Nations joined with them, conspired against the People of Rome to the number of 320000; but Flavius Claudius at last defeated them in Maesia and several other Places. 9. For Gallienus was killed after he had reigned 6 Years along with his Father and 9 by himself; and Claudius succeeded him, who was originally a Dalmatian, a Man of extraordinary Virtue, and one that merited a longer Life; for he was killed at Sirmium when he had scarce reigned 2 Years. Quintilius his Brother was put into his Room, but he being too good and too grave a Man, his Soldiers killed him about 7 Days after. Then Valerius Aulerianus reigned. He had been employed by Claudius to expel the Goths out of Thrace, and after his Death was invested with the Purple Dignity by the Soldiers. This Valerius waged War with the Insubres very successfully, and after he had conquered the Goths marched to Rome, and having punished several Persons for their Seditious attempts, undertook a War in order to recover the Provinces in Syria and to the Eastward, which Zenobia a Woman of Courage and Resolution was then possessed of, as being Guardian to her own Children, the Provinces being remitted to her care by Odenatus her Husband, who made a great Figure in the time of Gallienus. 10. Wherever Caesar went, he routed the Enemies of the People of Rome, in Illyricum, Thrace and several other Places, and at last when he came to the Queen's Country, after some doubtful and dangerous Engagements, routed the Army and took her Prisoner, notwithstanding that she had made a very vigorous resistance as confiding in the assistance of the Persians and Armenians. The chief Town of that Country was Palmyra, the Citizens whereof rebelled after Caesar's return into Europe, and killed the Governor and set up a Garrison of their own. Whereupon the Emperor return'd, took the City, razed it to the Ground, and put all to the Sword without sparing either Age or Sex. After that he reduced egypt which had then revolted, and added Gallia once more to the Roman Dominions. This done, he made a triumphal Procession at Rome, and then marched thro' Illyricum, and waged War with the Persians; but upon his Journey was killed by his own domestics. 11. After his Death there was an Interregnum for 8 Months, both the Senate and the Soldiers mutually declining the election. At length Tacitus was elected, who in the 6th Month died at Tarsus of a fever. Upon his Death-bed the Senators desired him not to leave the Succession to his own Children, but to some Man of Probity and Virtue. The Man he pitched upon was Probus, who being approved of both by the Army and the Senate, mastered Gallia, and defeated the German Francks who inhabited it, in several Battels. 12. In Illyricum he conquered the Sarmatians and several other Nations, and as he passed thro' Thrace retained all the Barbarians by the Glory of the Romans, and the greatness of their achievements. He reduced Asia, and the sole famed of his Actions moved the Parthian King to sue for Peace. He made a Peace with the Persians, and as he return'd from Persia to Thrace, translated the conquered foreigners to the Roman Ground, some of whom proved true, and others rebelled, but most of 'em were afterwards crushed, and the rebellions which happened in France Spain and Britany were likewise quelled. After that he marched thro' Illyricum in order to wage War with the Persians, and upon the Road was perfidiously murdered by his own Men. 13. At this time the republic was in a flourishing Condition. The People were every where peaceable and easy, insomuch that Probus happened once to say that he had no occasion either for Legions or Garrisons, and it was that saying that pushed on the Soldiers to fall upon him. Next to him M. Aurelius Carus succeeded. He was of Harbon a gallic Province. He suppressed the Sarmatians, who became insolent upon the Death of Probus and threatened Italy. After that he marched against the Persians, mastered Mesopotamia, took Ctesiphon and Colchis the noblest Cities in Parthia. After that designed to carry his conquests further, but was killed by a Thunderbolt in his own Tent near the River Tigris. 14. His Younger Son Numerianus was along with him; his other Son Carinus was Governor of Gallia. Numerianus return'd to the West, and as he sat in a Chair was killed by Arius Aper his Father-in-Law; and Valerius Diocletianus succeeded him; whom Carinus engaged in several Battels, but at last was defeated, and murdered by his own Men for his Petulancy. 15. Dioclesian finding himself beset with Seditions and Troubles, took in Maximian for his colleague. Maximian composed the Commotions of Africa; as Dioclesian did those of Egypt by putting to Death the Heads of the Rebellion. He likewise recovered britain in the 20th Year after its revolt, and in order to fortify the State of the republic and prevent the Commotions that might arise upon adjusting the Succession of the Empire, adopted Galerius. In like manner Maximian adopted Constantius Chlorus. 16. Dioclesian sent Galerius against Narses the Persian King; but the expedition was so unlucky, that he lost the greatest part of his Army. Then the Emperor ordered him to rally and revive the War, whereupon he routed the Enemy, and carried his Conquests to that Hand further than any Emperor, excepting Trajan. He took Ctesiphon, mastered all Assyria, and recovered the 5 Provinces beyond the Tigris, that had revolted in the time of Trajan. 17. Dioclesian having put things to rights in Asia, return'd to Europe, where the Scythians, Sarmatians, Alani, Bastarnae, Carpi, Catti and Quadi were then living peaceably. He raised the 10th and horrid Persecution against the Christians. Then both he, and Maximian upon his desire, resigned the Crown; and made Constantius Emperor of France, Spain, Italy and Africa; and Galerius Emperor of Illyrium, Greece, and Asia. 18. Constantius died at York in the third Year of his Reign. Galerius adopted Severus and Maximian his Sister's Sons. In the mean time Maxentius was declared Emperor by the Life-guards at Rome. Maximian slay Severus, and took in Licinius to be his Colleague. Between these two there arose great Commotions, and thereupon the Roman Noblemen invited Constantin the Son of Constantius to rescue the City from the Tyranny of Maxentius. Constantin had been kept as an Hostage by Gallerius at Rome, but escaped out of Custody and was then in France. He marched into Italy with part of the Forces, and at last advanced towards Rome, and cut off Maxentius's Army, himself being drowned in the River as he fled. 19. All the other Enemies of the Church having come to an untimely and deserved end, the Empire was devolved upon Constantine and Licinius. But afterwards a War broken out between the two Emperours, in which Licinius was defeated; whereupon he was by universal consent banished to Thessalonica, where he was afterwards killed by Constantine's orders for carrying on turbulent designs. Some writ that the War was occasioned by Licinius his persecuting of the Christians, notwithstanding the repeated advice and entreaty of Constantine to the contrary. For when Constantin came to the Throne, he embraced the true Religion, and became a Refuge and Rock of Security to the Christians, who were then so much harassed, and even almost totally cut off. 20. By this time the Roman Empire was decrepit thro' Age, and groaned under its own Weight. When it was of such a sound jolly Constitution that could have secured its Health, Constantin obliged it to shift its residence to a sickly Place, where it was seized with a fatal Distemper. The Emperour translated the Seat of the Empire to Byzantium a City in Thrace, which he christened New-Rome, and invested with equal Titles of Honour. It was by this means that the Empire was divided into the Eastern and the Western, and so its strength began to dwindle and decay. The occasion of the division was, that Constantin at his Death gave distinct Provinces to his 3 Sons. 21. Fabianus Bishop of Rome was followed by Cornelius after 1 Year; Cornelius having suffered Martyrdom Lucius succeeded; then Stephanus, who was put to Death by the order of Valerian, then Sextus who was beheaded at the same time that Stephen the Deacon suffered Martyrdom, then Dionysius, then Faelix, Eutychianus, Caius, Marcellinus, Marcellus, Eusebius, Miltiades, and Sylvester who was Bishop of Rome in the time of the Council of Nice. 22. After Alexander, Mazebenes governed the Church of Jerusalem, and after him in order Hymeneus, Zambdas, Hermon, and Macarius. In the Chair of Antioch, Zebinus succeeded Philetus; after him Babylas, Fabius, Demetrianus, and Paulus Samosatenus, who denied the divinity of Christ, and was thereupon excommunicated and deposed in the second Senate held upon that occasion in the Reign of Valerian. The Fathers elected Domnus to succeed him; after him succeeded Timeus, Gryllus, Derotheus, Tyrannus, Vitalis, Phisogonus, and Eustathius who fell in with the Sabellian Heresy and was condemned by an act of the Council of Antiochia. 25. In the Church of Alexandria, Heraclas was followed by Dionysius the Disciple of Origen, Maximinus, Theonas, Petrus who was crowned with Martyrdom in the Reign of Dioclesian, Achillas, and Alexander who was a Member of the Council of Nice, and by his curious Discourses of the sacred Trinity gave occasion to Arius one of his own Presbyters to start his Heresy. In the 5th Year of Philip, Cyprianus succeeded to Donatus Bishop of Carthage, who was banished oftener than once. In the 4th Year of Valerian, Origen died; who was a Man of extraordinary Wit, a severe Life, unweary'd application and wonderful Learning; but was tainted with some impure doctrines, as S. Augustine and others have demonstrated. 26. Manes a Persian, from whom the Manicheans derived their name, began to propagate his Heresy in the 1st Year of Probus, being the 277 of Christ. But his opinion did not make so great a Stir, as the wicked advances of Arius, which were not only condemned in several Synods, but in a Solemn Council called by Constantin's order at Nice a Town in Bithynia, where 318 Bishops were present, that came not only out of Europe and Asia, but likewise from Egypt and Libya. This Council was held on the 19th of June. Nosias was president and signed the Canons first; but no creditable Author makes mention of more than 20 Canons. Thus did the Church of God triumph not only over the Worship of Idols and Barbarous Persecutions, but likewise over Heresies. {αβγδ}. FINIS.