The consent of time disciphering the errors of the Grecians in their Olympiads, the vncertaine computation of the Romanes in their penteterydes and building of Rome, of the Persians in their accompt of Cyrus, and of the vanities of the Gentiles in fables of antiquities, disagreeing with the Hebrewes, and with the sacred histories in consent of time. VVherein is also set downe the beginning, continuance, succession, and ouerthrowes of kings, kingdomes, states, and gouernments. By Lodovvik Lloid Esquire.

CHAP. III.

Of the successors of Xerxes in Persia: of their warres, victories, and gouernment: of the state of Greece, and of the prosperities, victo∣ries, and fame they had in Xerxes time.

THis time flourished Greece, for it had many The∣mistocles, which was wōt to say, I ouercome my friends with patience, & my foes with celeritie: after this victory it began to be strōg, and to flo∣rish in same before al nations, vntil ciuil warres: for Caesar was demaunded by a Romane a friend of his, how he conquered so many nations in so short a time? he answered by celeritie: for (said Caesar) it was a fault found in Hanibal, that * 1.1 after he had taken Capua, that he had not layd siege to Rome.

This great and mightie voyage of Xerxes being thus with losse and shame finished, euen hee who was a terrour to the whole world, and so called terror gētium before this time, was * 1.2 now had in contempt, & despised of all Persia. Artabanus who then perswaded this iourney, had 7. sonnes well esteemed of the Persians: and perceiuing the contempt of Xerxes with the people, and how he slew his brother, after this great infamie of the warre, when he returned home, he tooke his brothers wife, and his brothers daughter, and committed incest with them both, but his owne vncle Artabanus his fathers brother slew him, after that Xerxes had raigned in Persia 21. yeeres. * 1.3

But Mardonius could not perswade Xerxes before his going to Egypt: for he went to Egypt in the second yere after Darius death: and after he had subdued them, & brought them into a straighter seruitude then they were vnder Darius, he made his returne towards Greece, leauing behinde him in Egypt his brother Archemenes to gouerne the countrey. After he had bene foure yeres in subduing Egypt, the fift yere he tooke this voyage with great expedition to Greece. Greece then flou∣rished: * 1.4 for euen at that time, and specially after Xerxes time, their fame grewe greater by their great victories had ouer Xerxes: for in Greece euery citie seemed a kingdome, and so continued vntil the Peloponesian warres: such magistrats, such

captaines, as Themistocles, who by Thucydides was thus com∣mended * 1.5 that he excelled for his wit, that he wanted neither foresight of things to come, neither memorie of things past, neither vnprouided of things present, and what hee knewe not, he would learne: and what he was taught he could per∣forme: ready of wit, quicke of actions, and circumspect in all his doings, the honor and glory of all Greece. After whom Pe∣ricles was had in great estimation in Athens. So of Agesilaus and Cleomenes in Sparta: of Epaminondas & Pelopidas in Thebes: and so the rest at that time in Greece, of whom I haue written in the historie of Greece.

After him succeeded his sōne Artaxerxes the long handed, * 1.6 for that the right hand was longer then the left, a noble and a courteous prince, and the first of this name of al the kings of Persia: he began to gouerne Persia after Xerxes his father, at what time Perdicas the second of that name, & the 11. king of Macedonia raigned. To this Artaxerxes fled that worthy man * 1.7 Themistocles, being banished from Athens, whom often from destruction he saued, and by whom the great ouerthrow was giuen to Xerxes and to his nauie, to the glory of Greece, and shame of Xerxes. In this Artaxerxes time florished two great Philosophers, Empedocles and Parmenides. Many learned men of great fame liued in Artaxerxes time, as Democritus and He∣raclitus, two philosophers, the one laughing alwaies at the fo∣lie of the world, the other alwayes weeping at the misery of the world. Hipocrates that famous phisition serued this Artax∣erxes * 1.8 in Court, Gorgias and Pherecides, Policlitus and Herodotus. Greece began to florish in philosophie, and in all knowledge about this time. In this kings time the Romanes sent to A∣thens for the lawes of the twelue tables, at what time the Ro∣manes created tenne men named Decemuiri, to interprete the * 1.9 lawes. About this time Titus Liuius writeth that the French∣men came out of Scythia, first with one Marcomirus, to the nomber of 489. thousand to the confines of Germanie, where they were called first Nemmagi by the Saxons: the second name they had of Cambra the Queene, and were called

Sicambri, and the third name of Francus a king, they were na∣med Franci, as you may reade more in the history of France.

But to returne to Artaxerxes, whose zeale to the Church was such, that he commaunded the Edict of Cyrus to be per∣formed, which was hindred by Cambyses, and by Darius Histas∣pis his owne grandfather, who after once he had permitted the Iewes to haue Cyrus decree performed, a good king, yet he was letted to doe that which now his sonne doeth, by reason of the warres which hee had in Egypt and Greece: for then warres were put to silence in Asia and in the East part.

At this time Artaxerxes did send Esdras with great treasures * 1.10 and substance to Ierusalem, in the seuenth yere of his raigne, to build vp againe Ierusalem, to repaire the temple, & to restore to the Iewes their common wealth. This Artaxerxes is named in Esdras to be Darius by the prophet Aggeus and Zacharie, at what time a great multitude of the Iewes came from Babylon * 1.11 with Esdras to Ierusalem, though Sisines the gouernour of Sy∣ria and Phoenicia would had hindered them, had not Artax∣erxes commanded to helpe them.

All this time Artabanus mused how he might destroy Ar∣taxerxes to haue the kingdom: for to that end before he slew Xerxes this kings father, & that imagination was strong with Artabanus, laying the like snares to murther Artaxerxes: but * 1.12 Artaxerxes hauing intelligence of the same, and fearing Arta∣banus sonnes, seuen stout and gallant gentlemen, he gathered an armie of souldiers, as though he had some secret voyage in hand, amongst whom Artabanus was soonest and readiest armed: and as Artaxerxes vewed his armie, he spied Artaba∣nus * 1.13 in armes, of whom stil he stood in feare, vntil he preuēted the danger with Artabanus death to saue his owne life. The Iewes toke this Artaxerxes to be Darius Histaspis sonne, whom they called Assuerus by queene Esther. By this good king Ne∣hemias was sent after Esdras to Ierusalem, with the like rewards as before. From the seuenth yeere of this Artaxerxes, sirna∣med the long hand, some do beginne the seuentie weekes of Daniel, concerning the comming of Messias. About this

time Pericles died, a noble Captaine of Athens that succee∣ded * 1.14 Themistocles: and Plato was borne, whose master Socrates flourished at that time. Thucydides which liued in the time of Artaxerxes saith, Themistocles was driuen from Athens, and banished vnto Persia, yea & to come to serue this king, whose father he anoyed so much, and whose people he vanquished in foure great battels: so vngrateful Athens was towards The∣mistocles, Aristides, Alcibiades and others, of whom I do speake in the historie of Greece.

The Iewes had some quietnes from Artaxerxes time the fift king of Persia, vntill the time of Ochus the eight king of Persia. Likewise the Grecians were in rest, and had the cities & coun∣treis to vse with free libertie by meanes of this king Artaxer∣xes: for the Athenians and the Peloponesians were made friends for fourteene yeeres, of whose warre afterwarde Thucydides continueth his history, and writeth the calamitie of Greece, which ensued the ciuill warres of the Grecians. After folowed the Peloponesian warres, which continued 27. yeeres, to the * 1.15 ouerthrowe of all Greece. In the seuenth yeere of this warre died Artaxerxes, after he had raigned fourtie and foure yeres: this warre began before Augustus Caesar foure hundreth yeres.

About this time Capua was taken of the Samnits, and Mace∣donia was in many places wasted and burned by a Thracian * 1.16 captaine called Sitalices. Agis was king in Lacedemonia this time, and Archidamus raigned in Sparta. There liued more learned men in Artaxerxes time then in any one kings time, and that in euery part and coast of the world, and therefore it is not amisse to put them in one place, for that they were at one time, I meane one age: especially of Romanes & Grecians.

• Esdras and Nehemias, two noble Iewes.
• Aggeus and Zacharias, two godly Prophets.
• Empedocles and Parmenides, two great Philosophers.
• Phericides, an Historiographer of Syria.
• Cratinus, a great writer of Tragedies and Comedies.
• Sophocles and Euripides the Tragaedians. And
• Proclitus a Philosopher.
• ...

• Democritus and Heraclitus, two Philosophers.
• Hippocrates, a famous Phisition, attendant vpon king Artaxarexes.
• Ctesias, a Persian Chronographer, and one of Artaxerxes houshold.
• Socrates flourished this time, and Plato his scholer was yet but yong.
• Herodotus and Thucydides, two great writers.
• Aristophanes and Protagoras, whose bookes were burned in Athens by a publique Edict.
• And a litle after, Pindarus and Diogoras the Philosopher.
• Zeuxes and Phidias, two renowmed cunning men in cut∣ting or grauing Images, statues, in painting most ex∣cellent, which skill amongst the Grecians was much esteemed.
• In Artaxerxes time liued Miltiades, Themistocles, Cimon, and Pericles, foure famous Athenians.
• In Rome Lucius Sicinius dentatus, a very strong man, Tribune of the people: of whose strength Plinie in his seuenth booke, Cap. 28. and Solinus, Cap. 6.
• In Artaxerxes time the Romanes sent to Athens for the twelue Tables which Solon had made, to be had in great reuerence amongst the Grecians.

In Persia after Artaxerxes succeeded Darius Nothus: this ma∣ried * 1.17 Artaxerxes sister. Bibliander thought him to bee Xerxes sonne: others named him Xerxes the seconde: others affir∣ming him to be Artaxerxes sonne: but it is not much mate∣rial, for Chronographers omit to put him amongst the kings of Persia: so Ctesias himselfe a Persian writer, who liued in his dayes, and serued his predecessour Artaxerxes. While this Darius raigned in Persia, the Egyptians againe began to reuolt: at what time Amartheus gouerned Egypt, and Orestes raigned king in Macedonia.

The Athenians made this time a league with the Lacedemo∣nians: likewise they concluded a peace with the Argiues, and with the people of Mantinea, by the counsell of Alcibiades.

This time gaue the Lacedemonians a great ouerthrow to the * 1.18 Argiues, whereupon peace was concluded, Agis being then king in Lacedemonia, and himselfe generall in the fielde at Te∣gaea. The state of Greece was to be lamented from time to time: for as they did thinke all the world to be barbarous be∣side themselues: so of themselues they could not agree, vn∣til all Greece was through ciuil warres destroyed and wasted, one countrey bickering at another, and one citie enuying an other, that they who triumphed oft ouer the strong Persians, are now troden vnder foote of their next neighbours.

For in this Darius Nothus time, when the Athenians had gi∣uen an ouerthrow to the Syracusans, the Lacedemonians enuied * 1.19 so much Athens, that they sent a great companie of souldiers with Gilippus their captaine, to bring downe the victories of the Athenians, at what time the Athenians were ouerthrowen, and the Syracusans triumphed. In this warre died that noble fellow Nicias the generall of the Athenian armie, with many mo famous Athenians, which shalbe more at large in another place, when we speake of Greece, be declared. The Rhodians this time did reuolt from the Lacedemonians, whereupon the Lacedemonians sent ambassadours to Persia to this Darius to haue his friendship, and to ioyne with the Lacedemonians in a league of peace: for the Medes likewise (as the Egyptians did before them) reuolted from Darius: for at that time Egypt and Media began to rebel against Darius.

About this time Alcibiades, who succeeded Nicias in Athens, * 1.20 had gotten a great victorie at Chalcedon, ouerthrew the cap∣taine Pharnabazus taken by Zantium, and was thereby made chiefe captaine of the Athenians, being absent from Athens.

Now when Darius had raigned nineteene yeeres in Persia, * 1.21 he left behind him two sonnes, Artaxerxes sirnamed Mnemon, to whom he bequethed the kingdome of Persia being his el∣dest sonne, and Cyrus his second sonne, to whom likewise he gaue certaine cities and prouinces vnder his gouernment. Cyrus not well contented with his fathers will, hee secretly rose in armes against his brother his father yet liuing: who

commaunding Cyrus to be brought vnto him, layd him for a time in prison, and kept him in fetters of golde.

But after Darius time, it grew to further malice and to open warres: for Cyrus bearing the name of the former auncient * 1.22 Cyrus, (which was a deare name among the Persians) was the bolder to fall out with his brother, supposing that the Per∣sians would the more fauour him for the names sake, which in trueth among the Persians was much honoured. Cyrus was from his cradle of a hot stirring minde, Artaxerxes milde and gentle in all his actions: hee was named first Arsicas, and is with many writers so called.

Now when Artaxerxes was consecrated king at Pasargar∣des in the temple of Minerua by the priestes of Persia, reports were made vnto him, that Cyrus his brother had conspired his death, and had layed waite to kill him: of the which Ar∣taxerxes * 1.23 was by his counsell perswaded to trie out the trea∣son of Cyrus: which being found out, yet by the meanes of his mother Parysatis who loued Cyrus dearely, hee was of that fault pardoned.

Notwithstanding the great courtesie of Artaxerxes to∣wards Cyrus, he after this thirsted more for the kingdome of * 1.24 Persia then before: for this king Artaxerxes Mnemon, follow∣ing his grandfathers steps Artaxerxes the long handed in all goodnes and vertue, hee was much beloued of his subiects, honoured of his countrey, and of all countreys much estee∣med: he gaue himselfe to heare suiters causes, and to let his poore subiects to haue accesse vnto him to open their cau∣ses. Now such as desired innouations and change, gaue out * 1.25 that the greatnes of the Empire of Persia stood in neede of a king that should be alwayes in armes, such a prince as Cy∣rus was: these people stirred vp Cyrus to open warre against his brother, who leauing the gouernment of Lydia, being al∣so generall lieutenant of all Asia giuen vnto him by his fa∣ther Darius, sent messengers vnto Lacedemonia for helpe, ga∣thered of Greece and of barbarous nations, to the nomber of thirteene thousand, beside his owne force, and marched * 1.26

boldly forwarde, vntill hee heard that Artaxerxes had an * 1.27 armie of nine hundred thousand fighting men: yet Cyrus went forward, and gaue him battell and diuers sore assaults, * 1.28 but preuailed not: this warre is of Xenophon excellently de∣scribed and set foorth in all points. In this battell was Artax∣erxes hurt, by Cyrus his owne hand, but afterwarde the mi∣serie and the extremitie of Cyrus was such, as by Plutarch is set in the life of Mnemon. The cause of this warre was ambiti∣on, and the desire of Cyrus to the kingdome: but (as Melan∣cthon saith) the rather moued hereunto by his mother Pary∣satis, * 1.29 who hated Statira Artaxeres wife, to the death.

The great magnanimitie, iustice, modestie, liberalitie, and other singular vertues which shined in this Cyrus, is of Xeno∣phon not forgotten in his booke de Cyriminoris expeditione: for * 1.30 after Cyrus death, all those that boasted to haue slaine him, were by Parysatis meanes Cyrus mother so persecuted, that they died most miserably, as Artasyras and Mithridates. To be short, this Parysatis the kings mother found no rest, vntil she * 1.31 had poisoned the Queene Statyra her daughter in law. In the meane season, Agesilaus king of Lacedemon maketh warres with the Persians: Artaxerxes wisely looking to the warre, sen∣deth Hermocrates to the most part of the cities of Greece, with great treasures of gold and siluer, to raise the rest of the Greci∣ans against the Lacedemonians. During this garboile betweene Artaxerxes and Agesilaus, Parysatis was sent to Babylon to * 1.32 come to the Court: for the king kept not his anger long a∣gainst his mother. After this, Artaxerxes tooke a iourney a∣gainst the Caduceans, sent an armie to Egypt, who had reuoul∣ted from his father, and thought to recouer both Media and * 1.33 Egypt.

Nowe the King entering into some yeeres, hearing of some sturre and contention betweene his two sonnes, Dari∣us and Ochus, either of them aspiring into the kingdome, the yonger being Ochus a valiant man, but of a hot nature, & had some in the Court that wrought both with the king, & with his sister Atossa, who loued him dearely, & (as Plutarch saith)

too dearely, by a crime betweene them both suspected.

Notwithstanding Artaxerxes proclaimed Darius his eldest sonne to be king, to see whether the like contention and re∣bellion would grow betweene his children, as fell betweene him and his brother Cyrus, & to put Ochus his younger sonne * 1.34 out of all hope to succeede in Persia a king after his father: he commaunded according to the lawe of Persia, that his sonne Darius should weare the point of his hatte right vp in token of his succession: for it was not lawfull to any, sauing to the king or to his successour, to weare his hatte with the point vpward.

There was likewise a custome in Persia, that when any * 1.35 should be proclaimed successour or heire apparant to the crowne, he should request any one thing at the kings hand, and haue it: there was a very faire gentlewoman taken after * 1.36 Cyrus death in the campe by Artaxerxes, who had beene in great fauour with Cyrus a Grecian, borne in Ionia named Aspa∣sia, called for witte and beautie 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.

This woman did Artaxerxes so esteeme, as when his sonne Darius craued this woman for his gift, he was much offended thereby, and yet must of force depart from her, according to the lawe of Persia, but it cost Darius his life: for after Aspasia was taken againe from Darius by his father, he began to be * 1.37 moued herein, and to conspire the kings death, being wel set forward by Tiribazus: for ill councell easely takes place, as Sophocles saith. But Artaxerxes had intelligence of this trea∣son, and layde waite to take them in that place where they had appointed to murther the king: and thus they being preuented, were adiudged to die according to the lawe, both Darius and Tiribazus.

Nowe Darius being dead, Ochus Darius brother stood in good hope to be next heire to the crowne, and the rather, by the meanes of his sister Atossa, of whom some suspition was * 1.38 spread abroad of incontinencie betweene Artaxerxes her owne father, and Atossa whom hee maried afterward, yet hee feared the succession of his brother Ariaspes, for the Persians honored him mst.

Artaxerxes had another sonne named Arsames, a very wise and a valiant man, whom his father loued dearely, which O∣chus well vnderstood, and therefore hee determined to en∣trappe them both: his malice and crueltie was such, for that he knewe his brother Ariaspes to be simple and plaine, he sent * 1.39 some secrete messengers with threatning wordes from the king, forging terrible newes to terrifie his brother, telling him howe the king was determined to execute extreme iu∣stice vpon him for diuers pretended treasons proued against him: poore Ariaspes was put in such dispaire of his life, that he ended all with a cuppe of drinke.

King Artaxerxes vnderstanding of his sonnes death in such * 1.40 sort, tooke it very heauily, and beganne to suspect Ochus the more: he then laid his loue altogether vpō Arsames one of his bastard sonnes (for he had sixe score children by cōcubines, and he had but three onely legitimate) Ochus hauing brought to passe al his purpose, sauing Arsames, who being in the grea∣test fauor with the king, could no longer abide to deferre his intent, entised Harpaces, Tiribazus sonne, to make an ende of this tragedie to kil his brother, which he performed: which * 1.41 whēit was told the king, being very weake & almost gone for age, he tooke it to his hart, & consumed the few daies which were behind of his life, in great anguish & sorow, after he had liued foure score & foureteene yeeres, & had reigned in Per∣sia 62. yeres: Thus the house & stocke of noble Cyrus ended. * 1.42

Notes

• * 1.1

  Caesars saying of Hannibal.
• * 1.2

  Reade Herod. his sixt booke to the end of this Xerxes.
• * 1.3

  Herodot. lib. 7.
• * 1.4

  Functius lib. 2.
• * 1.5

  Themistocles.
• * 1.6

  Artaxerxes the fift king of Persia.
• * 1.7

  Thucyd. lib. 1.
• * 1.8

  Many learned men flourish.
• * 1.9

  Leges duodecim tabularum.
• * 1.10

  Artaxerxes good benefits to the Iewes.
• * 1.11

  Esdras cōmeth from Babylon.
• * 1.12

  Artabanus snares.
• * 1.13

  Melancthon lib. 2. Chr•…•…n.
• * 1.14

  Pericles.
• * 1.15

  Artaxerxes Mnemon liued about 400. yeeres before Augustus Cae∣sar.
• * 1.16

  Thucidid lib. 2.
• * 1.17

  Darius No∣thus.
• * 1.18

  Thucidides lib. 5.
• * 1.19

  The Syracu∣sans.
• * 1.20

  Alcibiades vi∣ctorie at Chal∣cedon.
• * 1.21

  Darius Nothus died. Artaxerxes Mnemon.
• * 1.22

  The name of Cyrus.
• * 1.23

  Plutarch. in Artax.
• * 1.24

  Cyrus warres against Artax∣erxes.
• * 1.25

  Diodorus lib. 14.
• * 1.26

  Cyrus armie •…•…3. thousand.
• * 1.27

  Artaxerxes
• * 1.28

  9 hundred thousand.
• * 1.29

  Mela•…•…cthon 2. Chron. Pary s•…•…is Artax. mother
• * 1.30

  Lib. 8.
• * 1.31

  S•…•…atyra Ar∣taxerxes wife. Agesilaus.
• * 1.32

  Parysatis sent for to Babylon.
• * 1.33

  Diodor. lib. 15.
• * 1.34

  Ochus.
• * 1.35

  A custome a∣mong the Persians.
• * 1.36

  Melancthon 2. Chron.
• * 1.37

  Plutarch in Artax.
• * 1.38

  Atossa maried to her father Artaxerxes.
• * 1.39

  Ariaspes.
• * 1.40

  Artaxerxes M•…•…n had 60. children by concu∣bines.
• * 1.41

  Arsames killed by Tiribazus sonne.
• * 1.42

  Artax. reigned 62. yeeres.