The history of the world

§. IIII. The great growth of the Theban Estate. Embassages of the Greekes to the Per∣sian; with the reasons why he most fauoured the Thebans. Troubles in the Persian Empire, The fruitlesse issue of the Embassages.

THe Thebans especially 〈◊〉〈◊〉 at the Arcadians misfortune, conside∣ring, that, without 〈◊〉〈◊〉 aide, the successe of all enterprises proued so ill; whereas they themselues had by their owne power accomplished [unspec 10] very well whatsoeuer they tooke in hand, and were become not only victorious ouer the Lacedaemonians, but 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ouer the Thessalians, and Moderators of the great quarrels that had risen in 〈◊〉〈◊〉, where compoun∣ding the differences about that Kingdome, as pleased them best, they carried Philip the Sonne of Amyntas, and Father of Alexander the Great, as an Hostage vnto Thebes. Hauing therefore obtained such reputation, that little 〈◊〉〈◊〉 wanting to make them absolute Commanders of al Greece, they sought meanes of alliance with the Persian King, to whom they sent Embassadour the great and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Captaine 〈◊〉〈◊〉, whose reputation drew Artaxerxes to grant vnto the Thebans all that they desired; whereof two especiall points were, That 〈◊〉〈◊〉 should remaine free [unspec 20] from the Lacedaemenians, and that the Athenians should forbeare to send their ships of Warre to Sea; only the later of these two was 〈◊〉〈◊〉 what qualified with 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 aduice. The other States of Greece did also send their Embassadours at the same time, of whom few or none receiued much contentment. For the King hauing found by long experience, how farre it concerned him to maintaine a sure partie in Greece, did vpon many waightie considerations resolue, to binde the The∣bans firmely vnto him; iustly expecting, that their greatnesse should bee on that side his owne securitie. The Athenians had beene ancient enemies to his Crowne, and, hauing turned the profit of their victories vpon the Persian to the purchase of a great Estate in Greece, maintained their 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in such puissant manner, that (sun∣drie [unspec 30] grieuous misfortunes notwithstanding) they had endured a terrible warre, wherein the Lacedaemonians being followed by most of the Greeks, and supplied with treasure, and all sorts of aide by Darius Nothus, were not able to vanquish 〈◊〉〈◊〉, till their owne indiscretion brought them on their knees. The Lacedaemonians being victorious ouer Athens, had no sooner established their Dominion at home, than they vndertooke the conquest of Asia, from which though, by the commotion rai∣sed in Greece with Persian gold, they were called backe, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 hauing renewed their power, and settled things in Greece, it was not vnlikely, that they should vpon the next aduantage haue pursued the same enterprise, had not they been empeached by this Theban Warre. But the Thebans contrariwise had alwaies discouered a good [unspec 40] affection to the Crowne of Persia. They had sided with Xerxes in his inuasion of Greece; with Darius and the Lacedaemonians against Athens: And finally, hauing offe∣red much contumely to Agesilaus when he put to Sea, they drew him home by ma∣king warre on the Confederates of Sparta. Besides all these their good 〈◊〉〈◊〉, they were no Sea-men, and therefore vnlikely to looke abroade; whereunto if per∣chance they should haue any desire, yet were they disabled by the want of good hauen townes, which they could not seize vpon without open breach of that peace, whereof they intended to become the Executors, giuing libertie to all Cities that had at any time been free. Wherefore Artaxerxes did wholly condescend vnto the requests of Pelopidas, as farre forth as he might without giuing open defiance to the [unspec 50] rest of Greece; and by that meane he purchased his owne quiet, being neuer after∣ward molested by that Nation in the lower Asia. The ill meanes which the Greeks had to disturbe Artaxerxes, was very beneficiall to the Estate of Persia shortly after these times, in that great rebellion of all the Maritime Prouinces. For had then the

affaires of Greece beene so composed, that any one Citie might without empeach∣ment of the rest haue transported an Armie, to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the reuolting 〈◊〉〈◊〉, or Vice∣roies of Caria, Phrygia, Lydia, Mysia, Lycia, Pisidia, Pamphilia, Cilicia, Syria, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉, humane reason can hardly find the meanes, by which the Empire could haue been preserued from that ruine, which the diuine Coūcel had deferred vnto the daies of Alexander. But this great conspiracie of so many large and wealthy Prouinces, wan∣ting a firme bodie of good and hardy Souldiers, was in short space discussed and va∣nished like a mist, without effect: these esfeminate Asiatiques 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 with the trauailes and dangers 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to warre, forsaking the common cause, and each man striuing to bee the first, that by treason to his company should both redeeme the [unspec 10] former treason to his Prince, & purchase withal his own promotion with encrease of riches. Of this commotion, which in course of time followed someactions not as yet related, I haue rather chosen to make short mention in this place, than here∣after to interrupt the Narration of things more important; both for that it was like a suddaine storme, rashly commenced, idlely followed, and foolishly laied downe, hauing made a great noise without effect, and hauing small reference to any other a∣ction regardable; as also because in the whole raigne of Artaxerxes, from the warre of Cyrus, to the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of Aegypt, I finde nothing (this insurrection, and a fruitlesse journey against the Cadusians excepted) worthy of any mētion; much lesse of digres∣sion from the course of the businesse in Greece. All, or the most of his time, passed a∣way [unspec 20] so quietly, that he enjoied the pleasures which an Empire so great and wealthy could affoord vnto so absolute a Lord, with little disturbance. The troubles which he found were only or chiefly Domesticall; growing out of the hatred which Pary∣satis the Queen-Mother bare vnto his wife Statira, and to such as had bin the grea∣test enemies to her sonne 〈◊〉〈◊〉, or gloried in his death: vpon whom, when by poi∣son and mischieuous practices shee had satisfied her feminine appetite of reuenge, thenceforth she wholly applied her selfe to the Kings disposition, cherishing in him the lewd desire of marrying his own Daughter, & filling him with the perswasion, which Princes, not endued with an especiall grace, doe readily entertaine, That his owne will was the supreme law of his subject, and the rule by which all things were [unspec 30] to be measured, and adjudged to be good or 〈◊〉〈◊〉. In this 〈◊〉〈◊〉 happinesse Pe∣lopidas, and the other Embassadours of Greece, both found and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 him, but 〈◊〉〈◊〉 him by so much more assured than they found him, by how much the cōclusion of his Treatie with them, being altogether to his owne aduantage did seeme to promise, if not the perpetuitie, a long endurance of the same felicity to him and his, or (at the least) a ful security of danger from Greece, whence only could any danger be feared. But such foundations of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 laied by mortall men in this 〈◊〉〈◊〉 world, like the Tower of Babel, are either shaken from heauen, or made vaine and vnprofitable, ere the frame can be raised to full heighth, by 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of tongues among the buil∣ders. Hereof was found a good example in the Thebans, and other Estates of Greece [unspec 40] that had sent Embassadours to the Persian. For whereas it had been concluded, that all Townes, as well the little as the great, should be set at libertie, and the Thebans made Protectors of this common peace, who thereby should become the Iudges of all controuersies that might arise, and Leaders in warre of all that would enter into this Confederacy; the Kings letters being solemnely published at Thebes, in the pre∣sence of Embassadours, drawne thither from all parts of Greece; when an oath was required for obseruation of the forme of peace therein set downe, a dilatorie an∣swere was made by the Embassadors, who said, that they were sent to heare the ar∣ticles; not to sweare vnto them. Hereby the Thebans were driuen to send vnto each of the Cities to require the Oath; But in vaine. For when the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 had bold∣ly [unspec 50] refused it, saying, That they did not neede it; others tooke courage by their ex∣ample to doe the like, disappointing the Thebans of their glorious hopes, to whom this negotiation with Artaxerxes gaue neither addition nor confirmation of great∣nesse, but left them as it found them to relie vpon their owne swords.