The history of the world

§. VII. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 PYRRHVS and his doings in Macedon. The death of CASSANDERS children. DEMETRIVS gets the Kingdome of Macedon; preuailes in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 against the Greeks; Looseth reputation in his warre against PYRRHVS, and in his 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Gouerne∣ment, and prepares to win Asia. How all conspire against DEMETRIVS. PYRRHVS and LYSIMACHVS inuade him, his Armie yeelds to PYRRHVS, who shares the Kingdome of Macedon with LYSIMACHVS.

PYRRHVS, the Sonne of that vnfortunate Prince Aeacides, which pe∣rished in warre against Cassander, was hardly preserued, being a suck∣ing Infant, from the furie of his Fathers enemies. When his Foste∣rers had conueighed him to Glaucias, King of Illyria; the deadly ha∣tred of Cassander would haue bought his life with the price of two hundred talents. But no man can kill him that shall be his Heire. Glaucias was so far from betraying Pyrrhus, that hee restored him by force to his Fathers Kingdome, when he was but twelue yeeres of age. Within the compasse of sixe yeeres, either the indiscretions of his youth, or the rebellious temper of his Subjects, draue him out of his Kingdome, and left him to trie the world anew. Then went hee to De∣metrius [unspec 20] (who married his sister) became his Page; followed him awhile in his wars; was with him in the great battaile of Ipsus, whence hee fled with him to Ephesus; and was content to be hostage for him, in his reconciliation with Ptolomie. In Ae∣gypt he so behaued himselfe, that he got the fauour of Berenice, Ptolomies principall wife; so that he married her Daughter, and was thereupon sent home, with monie and men, into Epirus; more beholding now to Ptolomie, than to Demetrius. When he had fully recouered the Kingdome of Epirus, and was settled in it, then fell out that businesse betweene the children of Cassander, which drew both him and Deme∣trius into Macedon.

Antipater, the elder of Cassanders sonnes, was so farre too weake for Pyrrhus, that [unspec 30] hee had no desire to attend the comming of Demetrius, but made an hastie agree∣ment, and diuided the Kingdome with his yonger brother Alexander; who like∣wise felt the aide of Pyrrhus so troublesome, that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 was more willing to send him away, than to call in such another helper. For Pyrrhus had the audacitie to request, or take as granted, by strong hand, Ambracia, Acarnania, and much more of the Countrie, as the reward of his paines: leauing the two brethren to agree as well as they could about the rest. Necessitie enforced the brethren to composition: but their composition would not satisfie Demetrius, who tooke the matter hainously, that he was 〈◊〉〈◊〉 for, and made a foole, to come so farre with an Armie, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 no worke for it. This was a friuolous complaint; whereby it appeared, that Deme∣trius [unspec 40] had a purpose to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 as Pyrrhus had done, and so much more, by how much he was stronger. Hereupon it seemed to Alexander a wise course, to remoue this ouer∣diligent friend, by murdering him vpon some aduantage. Thus Demetrius reported the storie, and it might bee true; though the greatest part, and perhaps the wisest, beleeued it not. But the issue was, that Alexander himselfe was feasted and slaine by Demetrius; who tooke his part of the Kingdome, as a reward of the murder; ex∣cusing the fact so well, by telling his owne danger, and what a naughtie man Cassan∣der had been, that all the Macedonians grew glad enough to acknowledge him their King. It fell out happily, that about the same time Lysimachus was busied in warre with a King of the wilde Thracians: for thereby he was compelled to seeke peace of [unspec 50] Demetrius, which to obtaine, he caused the remainder of Macedon to bee giuen vp; that is, the part belonging to Antipater, his sonne in law. At this ill bargaine 〈◊〉〈◊〉 grieuously stormed, though he knew not how to amend it: yet stil he stormed; vntill his Father in law, to saue the labour of making many excuses, tooke away his

troublesome life. Thus in haste, with a kinde of neglect, and as it were to auoide molestation, were slaine the children of Cassander: of Cassander that had slaine his owne Masters children, in a wise course of policie, with careful meditation (so much the more wicked as the more long) studying how to erect his owne house, that fell downe vpon his graue, ere the earth on it was throughly setled.

It might be thought, that such an accesse of Dominion, added much to the great∣nesse of Demetrius. But indeede it shewed his infirmitie; and thereby made him neglected by many, and at length hated by all. For he had no Art of ciuill Gouerne∣ment: but thought (or shewed by his actions that he thought) the vse and fruit of a Kingdome, to be none other, than to doe what a King listed. He gaue himselfe [unspec 10] ouer to Women and Wine, laughing openly at those that offered to trouble him with supplications, and the tedious discourse of doing justice. He had more skill in getting a Kingdome, than in ruling it: warre being his recreation, and luxurie his nature. By long rest (as sixe yeeres raigne is long to him, that knowes not how to raigne one yeere) he discouered so much of his worst condition, as made both the people wearie of his idlenesse; and the Souldiers, of his vanitie. He was freed from care of matters in Asia, by hearing that all was lost: though more especially, by hea∣ring that Ptolomie had with great honor, entertained and dismissed his mother and children. This affoorded him the better leisure, of making warre in 〈◊〉〈◊〉: where he vanquished the Thebans, and wonne their Citie twice in short space, but vsed his [unspec 20] victorie with mercie. Against Lysimachus he would faine haue done somewhat (the peace betweene them notwithstanding) at such time as he was taken by the Thra∣cians; but Lysimachus was freely dismissed, and in good case to make resistance ere Demetrius came; so as this iourney purchased nothing but enmitie. Another expe∣dition he tooke in hand against Pyrrhus, with no better, or rather with worse euent. Pyrrhus held somewhat belonging to Macedon; which hee had indeede as honestly gotten, as Demetrius the whole Kingdome; he had also made excursions into Thes∣salie. But there needed not any handsome pretence of quarrell, seeing Demetrius thought himselfe strong enough, to ouer-runne his enemies Countrie, with two great Armies. It is a common fault in men, to despise the vertue of those, whom [unspec 30] they haue knowne raw Nouices in that facultie, wherein themselues are noted as extraordinarie. Pyrrhus was a Captaine, whom later ages, and particularly the great Hannibal, placed higher in the ranke of Generalls, than either Demetrius, or a∣ny of Alexanders followers. At this time, he missed that part of the Armie, which Demetrius led, and fell vpon the other halfe: which he ouerthrew, not with more commendations of his good conduct, than of his priuate valour, shewed in single combat against Pantauchus, Demetrius his Lieutenant; who being a strong man of body, challenged this yong Prince to fight hand to hand, and was vtterly beaten. The losse of this battaile did not so much offend the Macedonians, as the gallant be∣hauiour of Pyrrhus delighted them. For in him they seemed to behold the liuely [unspec 40] figure of Alexander in his best qualitie. Other Kings did imitate, in a counterfeit manner, some of Alexanders graces, and had good skill in wearing Princely vestures: but (said they) none, saue Pyrrhus, is like him indeede, in performing the office of a Captaine.

These rumours were not more nourished by the vertue of the Epirot, than by dislike of their owne King; whom they began to dis-esteeme, not so much in re∣gard of his vnprofitable iourney into Epirus (for he had wasted much of the Coun∣trie, and brought home his Armie in good case) as of his insolence, that grew daily more and more intolerable. His apparell seemed, in the eyes of the Macedons, not only too sumptuous and new-fangled, but very vnmanly; and seruing chiefly to be [unspec 50] a daily witnesse, how much he contemned them and their good opinion. Of his Souldiers liues he was rechlesse: and suffered vnwisely this vn-princely sentence to escape out of his mouth; That the more of them died, the fewer he was to pay. Hee made a mockerie of iustice; and (as it were, to publish vnto all his Subiects, how

little he esteemed it or them) hauing by a shew of popularitie inuited Petitioners, and with a gracious countenance entertained their Supplications, he led the poore suters after him in great hope, till comming to a bridge, hee threw all their writings into the Riuer; pleasing himselfe, in that hee could so easily and so boldly delude the cares of other men. By these courses he grew so odious, that Pyrrhus gathered audacitie, and inuading Macedon, had almost wonne it all with little resistance. De∣metrius lay then sicke in his bed: who recouering health, and taking the field, had such great oddes of strength, as made Pyrrhus glad to forsake his winnings and be gone.

At length he beganne to haue some feeling of the generall hate; which to re∣dresse, [unspec 10] he did not (for he could not) alter his owne conditions; but purposed to al∣ter their idle discourses of him, by setting them on worke in such an action, wherein his best qualities might appeare; that is, in a great warre. His intent was to inuade Asia, with a Royall Armie: wherein the fortune of one battaile might giue him as much, as the fortune of another had taken from him. To this end, hee first made peace with Pyrrhus; that so hee might leaue all safe and quiet at home. Then did he compose a mighty Armie, of almost a hundred thousand foot, and twelue thou∣sand horse: with a Nauie of fiue hundred saile, wherein were many ships, farre ex∣ceeding the greatnesse of any that had beene seene before; yet so swift and vsefull withall, that the greatnesse was least part of their commendation. [unspec 20]

The terrible fame of these preparations, made Seleucus and Ptolomie suspect their owne forces, and labour hard with Lysimachus and Pyrrhus, to joyne against this am∣bitious sonne of Antigonus; that was like to proue more dangerous to them all, than euer was his Father. It was easily discerned, that if Demetrius once preuailed in Asia, there could be no securitie for his friends in Europe; what league soeuer were of old concluded. Therefore they resolued to beginne with him betimes, and each to inuade 〈◊〉〈◊〉 quarter of Macedon, that lay next his owne Kingdome. Lysimachus came first, and against him went Demetrius with a great part of his Armie: but whilst he was yet on the way, newes were brought into his Campe, that Pyrrhus had won Berrhaea. The matter was not ouer-great: were it not, that mindes prepared with [unspec 30] long discontent, are ready to lay hold vpon small occasions of dislike. All the camp was in vp-rore: some wept, others raged, few or none did forbeare to vtter seditious words, and many desired leaue of Demetrius, to goe to their owne houses, meaning indeede to haue gone to Lysimachus.

When Demetrius perceiued the bad affection of his Armie, hee thought it the wi∣sest way, to lead the Macedonians further off from Lysimachus their owne Countrie∣man, against Pyrrhus that was a stranger: hoping by victorie against the Epirot, to recouer the loue of his followers, in such sort that hee might afterwards at leisure deale with the other. But herein his wisedome beguiled him. For the Souldiers were as hastie as he, to meet with Pyrrhus; not intending to hurt him, but longing [unspec 40] to see that noble Prince, of whom they daily heard the honourable fame. Some spake of his valour; some enquired, others answered, of his person, his armor, and other tokens whereby hee might be knowne; as particularly, by a paire of Goats hornes, that he wore on his crest. It was not likely, that these men should hurt him. Diuers of them stoleaway, and ranne ouer into Pyrrhus his campe: where the newes that they brought, were better welcome than their persons. For they said, and it was true, that if the Macedonians might once get sight of Pyrrhus, they would all salute him King. To trie this, Pyrrhus rode forth, and presented himselfe bare∣headed in view of the camp, whither some were sent before to prepare his welcom. The newes of his arriuall found a generall applause, and euery one began to looke [unspec 50] out, with desire to set eye on him. His face was not so well knowne as his helmet; therefore hee was admonished to put it on; which done, all came about him, and proffered their seruice; neither were there any, that spake for Demetrius; only some (and they the most moderate of tongue) bade him be gone betimes; and shift for

himselfe. So Demetrius threw aside his maskers habit, and attiring himselfe poorly, did fearefully steale away out of his owne Campe: deseruing well this calamitie, whether it were so, that he would not hearken to the good counsaile of his friends, or whether his behauiour depriued him of such friends, as would dare to let him heare the vnpleasant sound of necessarie truth.

Whilest Pyrrhus was making this triumphant entrie into the Kingdome of Ma∣cedon; Lysimachus came vpon him very vnseasonably, and would needs haue halfe: saying, that he had done as much as Pyrrhus in the warre, and therefore had reason to challenge his part of the gaines. The bargaine was quickly made, and the diui∣sion agreed vpon: each of them being rather desirous to take his part quietly, than [unspec 10] to fight for the whole; as hoping each of them, to worke his fellow quite out of all, vpon better oportunitie.