Notes.

AS the armed were distinguished, and seuered▪ into diuers bodies in the Phalange, so are the light-armed, in whom there ought to be no lesse order, then in the armed. A multitude vndigested bringeth with it disorder, and confusion. Neither can any ser∣uice be expected from them, who by apt diuisions are not cast into bodies fit for seruice. We haue before spoken of the names of the bodies of the armed, and noted, that they were not imposed with such propriety▪ that they could be applied to no other thing. At the first warre was made, and men fought (as wild beasts graple together) led with furie, and rage, and not with skill: and he preuailed that was the strongest. Experience taught there were ad∣uantages in Time, in Place, in Order, in instruments of fight, in placing of men, andPage  [unnumbered]〈1 page duplicate〉Page  [unnumbered]〈1 page duplicate〉Page  [unnumbered]

But here I may not praetermit the curiositie of the Graecians in their appellations, and their plenty of speach, apt to giue diuersitie to things, that are diuers. For where there are bo•es, amongst armed, and light-armed, which consist of the same number, and therefore, as it seemes, might well enough haue beene comprehended vnder one name, they notwithstanding to auoide confusion, and for perspicuities sake haue thought good to call them by sundry names. Thirty two armed men are called a Dilochi; 32 light armed are a Systasis; 64 armed are a Tetrarchie; 64 light armed a Pentecontarchie; 128 armed a Taxis; 128 light, a Hecatontarchie. Our tongue will not afford such va∣riety. For albeit in common speach we distinguish the kinde of souldier; yet confound we the name of the body, and of the command. A certaine number of Pikes vnder a Captaine we call a company of Pikes; So many shot vnder a Captaine we likewise call a company of shot. The Captaines, one a Captaine of Pikes, and the other a Captaine of shot. A com∣pany of Curacers of horse, we call a troope of Curacers; as many Argoleters, a troope of Argoleters. The Commanders of either of them we terme Captaines, the one of Curacers, the other of Argoleteres. But let vs come to particular explication.

• 1 Asystasis] It commeth of Synistemi to stand together: and asystasis is a stan∣ding together; which word albeit it may be extended to any kinde of people assembled, and standing together; yet it is here appropriated to souldiers; and more particularly to 4. files of light armed, consisting of 32 men, 8 men going to the file.
• 2 A Pentecontarchie] The command of 50 men. And so it was vsed of olde. But the Macedonian, gaue 64 men to this command, and yet reteined the name, because it was familiar, and well knowne.
• 3 A Century] Aelian calleth it a Hecatontarchie, the command of a 100 men. The name was vsuall before the Macedonians time, and it conteyned 100 men. But the Macedonians gaue it 128 men. This was answerable to the Syntagma amongst the armed, and had the like officers. Yet whether it had a Captaine, or no, may be some doubt; the rather because Aelian in this Chap: nameth no Commanders, but Systrematarchs, and Epixenagies; and those he would haue super-ordinary. For my part, I thinke they had Centurions also. For as euery body of the armed had a head, so I would thinke it requisite also amongst the light-armed, especially seing there was a Bringer-vp, and other officers belonging to a Company; which vnlesse they had a Commander, would be∣come vnprofitable. For if there were no Captaine, to whom should the Crier, or Trum∣pet, or Sergeant of the Centurie resort for direction? Adde, that the light were of∣ten drawne to the winges, to the front, or other places of seruice, which could not be done without Leaders. For to put a Systrematarch, or an Epixenagie to lead a Cen∣tury, were to leaue the rest of the Centuries vnder them without a Commander. Besides,Page  94the Macedonians were very particular in their commands, and left no body without a heads which is the cause of the multitude of Commanders in the Phalange. But they are not here mentioned. No more are theaCommanders of the horse in the diuision of the bodies of the horse, and yet I thinke no man will doubt, but the horsem•n had Comman∣ders. 〈◊〉, I finde in the Graecian historie, Captaines of the light-armed often na∣med.b〈◊〉is said to be Commander of the Targetires, in a fight the Graecians had against the Persians. c Stratocles commanded the Cretan Archers in the returne of the Graecians out of Persia. d Eurybates Captaine of the Cretan Archers in A∣lexanders army was slaine by the Thebans at the•ege of Thebes. eWhen Antio∣ch•s the Captaine of the Archers was dead, Omb•io was chosen in his place. Mention is made also inf Arrian of Clearchus the Captaine of the Archers. And when Aelian calleth the 4 Systremmatarchs, and the 4 Epixenages superordinary (Ectactous) he might haue said as much of all the other Commanders. And he saith expresly of the offe∣cers of the Centurie, that they were superordinary (Ectactoi).
• 4 A Psylagi] The word is a body of light-armed. Which word, if it were taken, as it naturally signifieth, is common to, and comprehendeth all the bodies of the light∣armed, whereof Aelian speaketh in this Chapter. But here it is restrained to a body of light-armed, which compriseth 256 men, and 32 files, and so it is to be taken.
• A Xenagie] That is, a command of strangers. Aelian before saith, that a Syntag∣ma was by some called a Xenagie. I haue giuen my opinion there of the originall of the word, which I neede not to repeat here; This onely I will note, that of all the bodies of the light-armed, no one hath a common name with the body of the armed, but onely the Xe∣nagie. And Aelian giueth also that body of the armed an other name, calling it a Synta∣gma. The Xenagie hath in it 512 men, and 64 files.
• A Systremma] gIt signifieth a conglobation, or trouping together. Proper names are wanting for these bodies, and therefore such taken, as might at any hand signifie the thing meant. In continuance of time vse hath gained a passage, and made them to be accepted as proper enough. The Systremma conteineth 1024 men, and 128 files. There is nothing to be found in Aelian of the Chiliarchie of the light-armed; Yet dothh Arrian men∣tion 2 Chiliarchies of Archers in the Army of Alexander.
• An Epixenagie] A command aboue a Xenagie; As afterward in the command of the horse, there is an Ephipparchie aboue a Hipparchie. The word is improper and hard enough, but when it is receiued by vse, what should we seeke for more? It contei∣neth 2048 men, and 256 files.
• A Stiphos] It is deriued from steibo, to thicken, and in penury of an other name, this body of the light-armed is called Stiphos, because they are thickned, and thronged together. There is in it 4096 men, and 256 files.
• An Epitagma] Is the last body amongst the light-armed. The signification of Epi∣tasso is to place behinde. From thence commeth Epitaxis, placing the light-armed in the Reare, which word is after vsed by Aelian. Epitagma is deriued from the same*fountaine; and it is called Epitagma, not of placing behinde, (for sometimes they were placed before, sometimes in the flanke) but it was the best name they could giue to the whole light-armed. And yet it may be, that because all the light-armed in auncient time were placed behinde, the whole masse was called Epitagma, as being placed after the armed in the re•re. The Epitagma hath in it 1892 men, and 1024 files, for so many light∣armed attend the Phalange.
• Eight superordinarie men] Why these eight men should be superordinarie more than the rest of the Commanders, I conceiue not yet. If Aelians meaning be, that these alone shall command the light-armed, historie and practise of auncient times convince thePage  95contrary. Besides where he nameth foure Epixenagies, it agreeth with the number, that are in the Epitagma of light. But where hee addeth foure Sistremmatarchs more to make vp the number of the eight Superordinarie, it is hard to knowe, which foure hee meaneth, considering there are eight Sistremmas in the Epitagma.

Now because the fi•es of the light-armed are in embattailing to be marshalled to the files of the 〈◊〉, I thought good to set downe, how the bodies of both agree, by comparing them together i• files not in number of men. For in number of men they cannot well agree, because the file of 〈◊〉 armed hath more, then the file of the light-armed. And the num∣ber of the armed in grosse is 16384, of the light-armed but 8192. And I will first begin with the Systasis, because it is the least body of the light.