The history of Polybius the Megalopolitan The fiue first bookes entire: with all the parcels of the subsequent bookes vnto the eighteenth, according to the Greeke originall. Also the manner of the Romane encamping, extracted from the discription of Polybius. Translated into English by Edward Grimeston, sergeant at armes.

Levves Maigret a Lionnois to the FRENCH Nobility.

GEntlemen, wee are all borne by nature to so much po∣uerty, and inuolu'd in so many miseries, as there is no worke of Man, how small soeuer, which giuing order to his meanest actions, doth not minister oc∣casion of some Esteeme. So as whereas his diligence guided by reason, shall finde it selfe crost, I know not by what power, which commonly fortune vsurpes ouer the iudgement and considera∣tion of Man, wee may (as we thinke) iustly blame it, in excusing with compassion the workeman and his misfortune. And if on the other side, to shew her great magnificence and bounty, she imparts her fauours 〈…〉〈…〉 ••r∣der or faire course, seekes to bring some Enterprize to an end, so as that notwithstanding his ouer-weaning and folly shee makes it per∣fect: Then we hold her prodigall, detesting her vnreasonable and inconsiderate bounty, grieuing at her benefits so ill imployed. Behold how, (I know not by what law receiued among men) wee commend or blame euery one in his profession and workes, so farre forth as they see his industry and diligence imployed or defectiue. If wee haue reason then in so great Esteeme, as wee seeke it in all our actions, and in matters of the smallest consequence, blaming him that neglects it: How infamous wee hold the carelesnesse and neglect of a man in the order and conduct of affaires, wherein not onely the ruine of his estate, life and honour, but also that of his Countrey, Parents, and Friends, and finally of his Prince and Soueraigne, is many times brought into great danger? But if there be no Enterprize among those which Men pursue, wherin such things ought to bee drawne into Consideration, as proper and ordinary vn∣him, and without the danger whereof hee can reape no benefit, I am of opinion that that of warre ought in reason to bee preferred be∣fore

all others: Although there bee many, which cannot alwaies be brought to a good end, without the hazard and danger of those which pursue them. In truth it is a profession, which experi∣ence hath taught in all Nations, to bee so rough and fierce, and finally so difficult to mannage, as neuer man could carry him∣selfe so discreetly, nor with so great fortune, nor recouered such rich spoiles, nor obtained such Triumphant victories, but they haue purchased him new causes of Care and feare, not onely of great Enuie, and of new Enemies, but also losse and ruine. I will not speake of the irreparable defeate of the brauest Men in an Armie, which a Victory worthy of renowne requires, as it were by aduance, when as the Enemies performe the Duties of good souldiers. The Carthagians thrusting an Army into Sicily, at their first entry obtained some Conquests, so soone after they prouoked hatred of the Romanes: which was but the beginning and prefage of a future ruine. But when as the fortune of the warres beganne to smile vpon Hanibal, and to giue him a full Gale, so as his exploits were so great in Spaine, as afterward hee presumed to force Nations, Mountaines, and riuers, and in the end to fight with the Extremity of the weather for the Con∣quest of Italy: Then, as it were, fearing her owne power, to bee in a manner vanquished, shee beganne to practize and forge meanes, not onely to ruine her so much fauoured Hanibal, but the whole Carthaginian Empire. And therefore it is credible, that (I know not by what inconstancy, or rather extrauagant and sauage Nature) shee makes friends of Enemies, and ene∣mies of her owne friends; so much shee feares (as I imagine) the ease and rest of those whom shee fauours. It is true that traf∣fique by Sea is not without great terrour, amazement and hazard, for the danger of the waues, Tempests and stormes, with a thou∣sand other accidents. But if warre once set vp her sailes, being accompanied with rage, fury, and many other disasters, which the malice of Men haue inuented to make vse of, beleeue mee that these other furies, which the winds procure at Sea and in the Aire, which many times are more fearefull than mortall, will not seeme in regard of those of warre, but a light amaze∣ment, and, as it were, a false allarum. What torment at ••••ea, or violence of the winds hath euer beene so soddaine, which the

long experience of a wise Pilot, could not by a thousand signes and tokens foresee, deuising sufficient remedier to auoid it? But when a warre is mannaged by Iudgement and discre∣tion, as it is requisite, the shewes are commonly contrarie, to that which they pursue. Wherefore the more an Enterprize is dissembled and keept secret, the more easie it is to put in execution. Finally, if wee will confesse the truth, it is a pro∣fession which among all others, requires the greatest vigilan∣cie; a continuall Care, with an incredible diligence: where∣of a good Iudgement must haue the conduct, that by con∣iecture drawne from things formerly practized, or from a probability of that which hee sees, hee may soone after iudge of the Enemies resolution, and finally attempt and hope for a victory.

And although it hath beene alwaies held, that Money is the sinewer of Warre; yet I hold its force without Conduct▪ like vnto that of a strong, able Man, opprest with a deepe sleepe, whose senses haue made their retreate for his rest. So there is nothing so strong, nor so quicke in this world as the sense of man: Nor any thing so powerfull and terrible, which the vnderstanding doth not master and subdue. And therefore wee say commonly in France, that wit is better than force. Yet I know that Courage is a great aduantage; and necessary for a souldier, but especially for a Generall: But I feare that for want of Iudgement and a good conside∣ration, it makes them not sometimes ouer-weening and care∣lesse of danger. So as many times it giues occasion to a weake and cowardlie Enemie, to vndertake a Victory, and to performe the Act of a valiant man. Wherefore courage without conduct, and vigilancie, is alwayes subiect to Am∣bushes and shamefull flights: which are inconuentenees, whereof a Coward is alwaies warie, for that feare makes a Man vigilant and carefull. But was there euer Nation more hardie, nor more warre-like, nor that more care∣fully obserued the ordinances of warre than the Romanes? How then did Hannibal defeate them so often, not onely in Encounters, but in pitcht Battailes, and in the open

field, by his great Iudgement, and his subtile pollicies? In what feare, and with what admiration hath the fury of the Gaules, beene held in old time by all Natio••s, who parting from their owne Countrey and Townes, to seeke new habita∣tions, haue conquered land in diuers Countries by Armes, building Townes not onely in Italy their Neighbour, but also in Germany, and in the end in Greece, and Asia? Who hath defeated and quite ruinated them in a short time, but their owne Consideration, and an ouer-weaning confidence in their force and courage? I hold for certaine, which you know well, that it is not sufficient for a Prince or Generall to haue his Armie compleate with foote and horsemen, how reso∣lute soeuer, and with all necessary prouisions for a warre: No more than for a Souldier to haue youth, strong and actiue Members, a daring courage, and compleate furniture. Hee must haue to vanquish (the which many times the vanquish∣ed improperly call mis-fortune) that piece of harnesse so well steeled, which wee call Iudgement▪ or a good conduct. Beleeue mee that like vnto a horse, when hee hath taken the ••it be∣twixt his teeth, forcing his Master, flies without feare tho∣row Woods, Rockes, and Precipices, with the danger of his life, bee hee neuer so nimble and couragious; so a hardie and resolute souldier doth easily his owne ruine, if hee wants con∣duct and Iudgement. You must vnderstand that as the body requires Exercise to preserue in health, and to make it actiue, and hardened to indure labour and paine; so the vnderstand∣ing in like manner desires to bee exercised and imployed, ei∣ther by the consideration of things past, or by those which are visible.

It is true, that those which are seene by the eye, haue a greater viuacitie, and a stronger impression, than those which are past: For that liuing things are of greater force than dead. Yet, if we shall duely consider the length of time, which the experience of a thousand kind of pollicies, which warre requires before that a wise Man will dare to aduenture himselfe in a bold and hardie Enterprize, wee shall finde that the knowledge of the antient warres, which haue beene

left vs in writing, will bee of no small consequence vnto him. For besides the assurance of danger, hee may in a short time see by Historiographers, the great and wonderfull exploits of the Antient in a manner since the Creation of the world, to pleasure and contentment from them, with some Encourage∣ment to doe aswell or better hereafter. You know well that the warre which is seene by the eye, is not alwaies made be∣twixt warre-like people, nor vnder resolute Commaunders, that are skilfull in their profession: so as it is a difficult thing vnder such to see any valiant exploits, nor Enterpri∣zes attempted with good inuention, nor well executed. Wee say commonly in France, that the Combate is dangerous, when as courage fights against courage. So is it credible▪ that when an Army consisting of warre-like men, is vnder the leading of a wise and resolute Commander, hauing in front an Enemy equall vnto him in all degrees, there must needes bee valiant exploits performed, with hardy Enterprizes wisely mannaged.

If there haue beene any warres, attempted by fierce and warlike Nations, and gouerned by wise and famous Captaines, beleeue me this present Historiographer hath vsed great diligence to set them downe in writing: Labouring on∣ly to mention the deedes and valour that was most worthy of Relation, that with the pleasure and contentment which they may reape in reading them, they may draw some instructions and meanes, not to fall into the inconuiences of warre, into the danger whereof many times both Captaine and souldiers may bee ingaged, through want of experience, good aduice and coun∣cell. So as among others, you shall see Enterprizes of the Ro∣manes against the Carthaginians for the conquest of Sicily. During the which there were many Encounters and cruell bat∣tailes, as well by Sea as land. You shall likewise reade the furious Combat of the Gaules against the Romanes: And moreouer the warre betwixt Cleomenes and Antigo∣nus, for Morea, the which Philip the Sonne of Deme∣trius tooke afterwards. And besides many other notable exploites, (which at this present I will forbeare)

you shall see the Conquests which Hannibal made in Spaine, with his incredible voiage into Italie, performed in his younger yeeres, and his victories gotten of the Romanes with such pollicie and wisedome, as it is a difficult thing (if wee shall consider the people and number of his Armie, ha∣uing regard to courage and power of those with whom hee had to deale) to iudge truely, whether there were euer Captaine in the memory of man, that may with reason bee compared vnto him. Finally my Masters, I doe not promise you in this History, those miraculous Battailes, which ex∣ceed the apprehension of man, performed in the Kingdome of Logres, nor I know not what Quest of that barking Beast. Make your accompt that you shall not finde any Tract or marke of a Beast, nor finally any thing that holds of it. Beleeue mee in times past, Men did not feede their vnder∣standings with dreames, nor fables inuented in barbers-shops, without any colour of Truth. It is impossible an ignorant Master should make a learned disciple. Finally they are dis∣courses fit for old womens tongues to entertaine little child∣ren, whilest that for weakenesse of their Age, their vnder∣standing hath no apprehension, nor sufficient Iudgement of rea∣son, Wherefore wee may with reason say, that such as co••¦sume their yeeres, and grow old in such dreames, haue a will to continue still children. And although they commonly saie, that warre is mannaged by the eye: So as it seemes they will thereby inferre, that wee must not thinke of it, but when necessity doth force vs: And that peace should procure no benefit to a Souldier, but idlenesse; yet he must fore-see long before, part of that which afterwards he must gouerne by the eye. And as a horse which is pampered and not ridden, growes restit; and proues vnprofitable to his Master for trauaile: so the vnderstanding of a souldi∣er, idle during peace, or fed with dreames and foolish in∣ventions, will faile him at neede; and in the end purchase him dishonour and shame; Yet do not imagine my Masters, that I haue vsed this speech as blazoning you, and hold∣ing you for men of so poore an Enterprize, whose principall

study and affections is the reading of such Bookes, rather then in some worthy recreation and exercise. My meaning was onely to aduertise you, that Histories, from whence with pleasure you may draw great profit, as these are which this Historiographer imparts vnto you ought to bee in greater recommendation than those Fables, which haue no grac••, but when they are most without reason or any shew of truth.

Finally, I hope you shall finde such sufficiencie in our Polybius, as you will make no question to preferre him as the paragon before all others, aswell Greekes as La∣tines, which are come to the knowledge of men. Of whom I haue presumed to translate in the best sort I could, those fiue first Bookes, which of Fourty which hee hath written, haue beene preserued halfe ruined by the negligence of time: Hoping you will receiue them as willingly, as I offer them with a good heart.

When as after the Printing of these fiue first Bookes, I had recouered some Latine Translations, of three par∣cels of the sixt, whereof the first and the third had not a∣ny GREEKE Coppie, And likewise afterwards an∣other of the sixteenth, both in Latine and Greeke, I imployed my selfe to put them into French, adding there∣unto the forme of the Romanes Campe, as I could con∣iecture it, by the discription which Polybius maker, in the parcell of the sixt Booke. And when as the Printers successor had a desire afterwards to print the whole, and intreated mee to spend some time in the Remainder of that which was newly published of Polybius his workes, which are certaine parcells, and as it were Reliques (besides the a∣boue named) of the seuenth and eighth, and of all the sub∣sequent Bookes vnto the seauententh inclusiue, it was not in my power to deliuer him any other but those of the seuenth and eighth, being afflicted with a quartane Ague, besides his obstinacy in vsing a small Character, for the sparing of Paper distasted mee: Expecting that which afterwards fol∣lowed, that few men would rest satisfied, for that all things

how good and excellent soeuer, are thereby found without grace, dull and vnpleasing. For this cause desiring that so excellent a writer, should not remaine disdained and with∣out grace for want of an honourable Impression, and that the studio••s of Histories should bee the more incouraged, I resolued to adde the remainder of that, which at this day is come to our knowledge, assuring my selfe that the Printer for his part will haue a care that for the sauing of his mo∣ney hee will not doe wrong to his honour, nor loose his char∣ges instead of gaine.

TO GOD alone be all honour and glory.