The hystory writtone by Thucidides the Athenyan of the warre, whiche was betwene the Peloponesians and the Athenyans, translated oute of Frenche into the Englysh language by Thomas Nicolls citezeine and goldesmyth of London

Of the Isle of Sycille and by what people yt was inhabited. And howe the Athenyans enterprysed to sende their armye by sea for to conquere it. ☞The first Chapter.

THat same wynter the A∣thenyans determyned to sende againe into Sycille•• an armye by sea greater than that, whiche Lachetes and Eurymedon had be∣fore tyme ledde thider, to the intent to subdewe it, if they coulde, the more parte of theym not knowinge the greatnes of the Isle, nor the multitude of people that inhabited therein, aswell Grekes as strangers, and they enterprysed a newe warre, which was but lyttle lesser, than the same of the Peloponesians. For the same Isle conteigneth in circuyt, somuche, as a great shyppe may saylle in eight dayes. And notwithstanding that it is so great, yet is it not distance frome the firme lande, but twenty stades or thereaboutes. It was inhabyted frome the begynnynge, by many and diuers nations of people, where∣of the furst were the Cyclopes,* 1.1 & the Lestrigonyans,* 1.2 who helde onely one parte of the same, of whome I cannot tell, what nation of people they were, frōwhence they came, nor whider they wente, nother any other thing haue I learnedde ther∣of, but that, whereof the poetes make mention, and euery one of theyme, presup∣poseth, to haue knowlaige of the same people. After those, the Sycanyans were the chiefe that inhabytedde there, who sayed, that they were the furste inhabitan∣tes and that they were borne in that same lande, but the trouthe sheweth it selfe clerely to the contrarye, that they be Hyberiens, nyghe vnto a ryuer, that is in the sayed countrey, namedde Sycania,* 1.3 and beinge chased oute of their oune countrey by the Lyguryans, dyd withdrawe themself into Sycille, whiche they named by their name, Sycania, where as bifore it was named Tinacria,* 1.4 and yett at this present, those of that natiō holde some places of that same Isle in the weste parte therof. Sence after the taking of Troye, certaine Troyans whiche fledde frome∣thence, for feare of the Grekes, withdrewe themself thider into the quarter of the Sycaniens, wherein makyng their abode, they were all, aswell Troyans as also Syracusians, called Elmyans,* 1.5 and did holde two cyties, to wytte Erix and E∣gesta.* 1.6 Next vnto those, certayne Phocians came to inhabytt there, to wytt, those whiche in their retourne from Troye,* 1.7 were by fortune of sea, cast into Lybia, and fromethence, passedde into Sycille. As touching the Sycilians, they came out of Italy: beinge chased fromethence by the Opicians, whiche thinge is verye lykely,

and it is comonly sayd, that they passed in small boates, with the tyde whan they parceiued that it sarued them, for that, that the passage is very short. And that it may be so, there be yet of the Sycilians in Italie, which was so named by a king of Arcadie, that was called Italus.* 1.8 Thies Sycilians were passed in so greate nō∣ber, that they vainquished the Sicanians in battaille, & caused thē to retyre into a quarter of the Isle that is towarde the Southe, and therewythall they dydde change y^e name of the Isle & called it Sycille, where as bifore tyme it was called Sycania for also they occupyed the greater parte of the good places of thesame Isle: and helde it frō their furst coming vntil that the Grekes came thider which was aboutes three houndred yeares. During which time the Phenycians came for to inhabitt in a certen small countrey of the Isle,* 1.9 & in certaine small Islandes nigh therunto, for to trade marchandise w^t the Syciliās, but afterwardes many Grekes, being passed by sea into the same, they left their sailling, & lodged thēself with in the Isle, & there foūded three cities in the cōfynes of y^e Elymyans, to witt, Motia,* 1.10 Solois & Panhormus,* 1.11 trusting in the amitie that they had w^t the sayed Elymyans, and also in this, that on the same syde there was a very smalle space of the sea for to passe out of the same Isle into Chartage. In this manner and by such nomber of diuers strange people, the said Isle of Sicille was inhabyted. As touching the Grekes, the Chalcides,* 1.12 which came from Eubea, vnder the conduct of Theocles,* 1.13 were the furst that came to inhabytte here, and founded the cytie of Naxus,* 1.14 and without the same they made the chappell of Apollo Archageti, that is yet sene there, into the which, whā they purposed to go out of the Islande, they came furste for to make their vowes and sacrefices there. The yeare after the co∣ming of the sayd Chalcides, Archias Corynthian,* 1.15 that was descēded of Hercules came to inhabyt there, where Siracusa is hauing furst chased frōthence the Sy∣cilians, which helde that parte of the Isle. Nowe was thesame cytie at that time all in mayne lande, without that, that the sea did touche it in any parte, but longe tyme afterwardes, that was added vnto it, that entreth into the sea, and is pre∣sently sene enuyroned with a walle, the whiche by succession of tyme was great∣lye peopledde. Fyue yeares after that, Theocles and the Chalcydes yssued oute of Naxus, and came to chase awaye the Cycilians that helde the cytie of Leon and dyd take it,* 1.16 and the lyke dyd in the cytie of Catana,* 1.17 fromewhence they chased Euarchus,* 1.18 whom, those of the coūtrey named to be founder therof. In that same time Lampis came from Megare,* 1.19 for to inhabytt in Sicille, and lodged himself with the people that he had broughte thider in a ryuer, namedde Pantatius in a place named Trotylum.* 1.20 Afterwardes he came to abyde with the Chalcides in Leon for a short time, and they gouerned the cytie togiders, but being fallen into dissention, they chased him away: & so he came with his people to tarie in Thaspo,* 1.21 where he dyed. And after his death, his men forsoke the place, and vnder the con¦ducte of a kynge of Sycilians, namedde Hyblon,* 1.22 who: by trahyson hadde dely∣uered the countrey vnto the Grekes, they came to inhabytt in Megara,* 1.23 and so were, after the kinges name, called, Hyblans: who, two houndred, Forty and fyue yeeres, after that they came thider, were chased fromthence, by a king of the Sy∣racusains, namedde Gelon.* 1.24 But bifore that, aboute an houndred yeare after that they came thider, they foundedde the cytye Selinus,* 1.25 vnder conducte of Pam∣millus.* 1.26 Who, beinge chasedde frome Megara: whiche was their Capytall Cytye, wyth the other of hys nation, retyred thider. As touchynge the Cytie of Gela,* 1.27 it was founded and peopledde by Antiphenus of Rhodes and Eutimus of Crete commonly bitwene theyme bothe,* 1.28 who brought thider, aither of theyme out of hys countrey, a certayne nomber of housholders, aboutes .xlv. yeares after that

Syracusa beganne to be inhabyted, and namedde that same cytie Gela, bycause of the ryuer that passeth by nigh vnto it, that is so named, where, byfore time, the place, where the cytie is sytuated was closedde with walle, and was called, Lyn∣dia.* 1.29 Aboutes a houndredde and eyght yeares afterwardes, the sayd Gelyans ha∣uyng furnysshed the sayd cytie with Doryans, they came to inhabytt in the cytie whiche is presently called Agragas,* 1.30 vnder the conduct of Ariston & Pystilus,* 1.31 and they so named it, by cause of a ryuer that passeth there, which hath the like name, and they establysshed there the gouernement of the cytie according to the lawes and customes of their countrey. As touchyng the cytie of zancla, it was furst in∣habytedde by certeine theues or robbors that came oute of the cytie of Cumes, that is in the countrey of Opica in the lande of Chalcidia, but afterwardes a greate multytude of Grekes aswelle oute of the sayedde countrey of Chalci∣dia, as also of the rest of the Islande of Eub••a, being there landed, it was called Cumes.* 1.32 And Perieres of the sayed cytie of Cumes in Chalcide & Cratemenes of Chalcide were capytaynes of the sayed Grekes that came to inhabytt there.* 1.33 And that same cytie was auncyently called zancla, for that, that it was in fourme of a cycle, whiche, the Sycilians name in their language, zancla••* 1.34 notwythstandynge, theis people were afterwardes dryuen oute of the same cytye by the Samyans and certayne other Ionyans: who flyinge the persecution of the Medes, passed into Sycille, but sone after Anaxilas,* 1.35 who gouernedde those of Rhege chasedde theyme fromthence, and inhabytedde the cytie wyth dyuers sortes and nations of people, and calledde it Messena,* 1.36 whiche was the name of the cytie•• wherein he was borne. The cytie of Imera was founded by the zanclians,* 1.37 who vnder con∣ducte of Euclydes and of Sacon,* 1.38 dydde people it wyth certayne people of their nation, but sone after, came thider manye Chalcydeans and also greate nomber of Syracusains, who were chasedde oute of their cytie by their aduersaries, the whiche were called Miletides,* 1.39 whereupon throughe the menglynge of the sayed two nations, one myngled language was made of them two into one, to wytt, the one halfe Chalcydien, and the other halfe Dorien, but the manner of lyuinge was after the lawes and customes of the Chalcydians. As touchynge the cyties of Acre and of Casmene,* 1.40 the Syracusains founded & peopled thē to wytt, Acroe: aboutes .lxx. yeares after that Syracusa was inhabited, and Casmenoe about .xx yeares after the fundatiō of Acroe. And aboutes, Cxxxv. yeares after the fundati∣on of Siracusa, the same Syracusains dyd builde and people the citie of Cama∣rina vnder the conduct of Daston & Menecoles,* 1.41 but within shorte tyme after, the sayd Camerins, rebel••ing gainst the Saracusains, were by them dryuen frō∣thence. And by succession of tyme, Hippocrates,* 1.42 who gouerned Sela, hauinge ta∣ken certaine prysoners of the Siracusains, had, for their raunsome & deliuerance, the sayed cytie, whiche was desarte and not inhabyted and furnysshedde it with people, but wythin shorte tyme after, it was destroyed an other tyme by Gelon, and afterwardes by hym made agayne and peopledde. Beinge than the Islande of Sycille holdene and inhabytedde by so many nations, and by so greate nom∣ber of people: the Athenyans neuerthelas enterprysed to inuade yt, to thintente and for couetice wythout all doubte for to occupye and subdue yt, notwithstan∣ding that they did it vnder an honnest coulour to succoure the Chalcydians, spe∣cially the Egestyans,* 1.43 who hadde sent their ambassadours vnto Athens, for to re∣quire succours of thē, for that, that beinge happened a certayne different bitwene them & the Selinuntiās bicause of a certaine mariage, and also for their limittes: those Selynuntians had hadde recourse to the Syracusains, for that, that they were their frendes, and allyes, who empesched and kept from the sayd Eges••yās

both the sea and the lande. For this cause the same Egestains had sent vnto the Athenians, puttinge them in remembrance of thauncyente amytie and allyance that they had made with Lachetes Duke of the Athenyans in the warre of Le∣ontyns, praying them that they woulde sende their armye by sea for to succoure them, and for to enduce & parswade them to do yt: they alleaged many thynges, but principally: that if the Syracusains were suffred to do thē the sayd wrōges, they would afterwardes chase fromethence the Leontyns & their allyes, and by that meane would make themself Lordes of all the Islande, whereby it myghte chaunse, that the sayd Syracusains•• who be descēded of the Doryans, that be in Peloponese, and were by them sent into Sycille) shulde come to succour the sayd Peloponesians against those Athenians, for to beate downe & destroy their puis∣sance. And therefore shewed the sayd Atheniās, that they shulde do wisely, for to preuent the sayd inconuenience, in good tyme to succour their sayd allyes & to re∣sist the force of the Syracusains. And moreouer did offer to fournishe them with monney for to make the warre. The which declaratiōs being many times made by the Egestians vnto y^• people of Athens, it was ordoned to sēde furst ambassa∣dours into Sycille for to lerne, if the Egestians hadde somuche monney as they reaported, & further what preparation they had for warre, and likewise for to en∣quire of the puissance and condition of the Selenuntins. Which thing was done.

Of certaine smalle exploictes of warre, whiche were done in that same wynter in Grece. And howe the Athenyans enterprysed to go with their army into Sycille, for to conquere it. ☞The .ii. Chapter.

THat same wynter the Lacedemonyans, for to ayde the Corynthians, yssued fourch with their army, & entred into the territorye of the Ar∣giues, which they pillaiged in many partes therof, & caryed frōthence a small nomber of beastes and a certaine quātitie of corne, and after∣wardes, made an appoinctment & trefues for a certain time, bitwene y^• sayed Ar∣giues, that were in the cytie & the eriles or bannisshed men, whome, they lodged againe in the cytie of Ornee vnder this couenant,* 1.44 that the one shulde not attēpte any thing against the other, during the sayd tyme, and that done, they retourned frōthence vnto their houses. Shortly after, the Athenians came thider w^t thirtye shippes: wherein were seuen houndred souldiars, & ioigned themself with the Ar∣giues, who yssued out of their cytie, so many of them as coulde were armure, and they al togiders went against Ornee with suche strength, that they did take it in one day, but yet neuerthelas, the night bifore, they, which were within, seing that the siege was farre ynough without the towne, they al saued themselfe. By occa∣siō wherof, the Argiues, the morowe after, fyndyng the towne voyde, did vtterly rase it downe. And that done they retournedde fromethence into their houses. But the same Athenians that were come thider with them, did embarque them∣self againe, and sailled fromthence against Methone,* 1.45 whiche is in the confyns of Macedonia, where they charged or did take in certaine other souldiars aswelle to their ou••e people, as of the Macedonians, horsemen, that were bannysshedde out of the countrey: and kept themself aboutes the landes of the Athenians, and altogether entred into the lande of Perdiccas, & passed throughe, pillaigyng and wastyng it. Which parceyued, the Lacedemonyans comaunded the Chalcidians, that be in Thrace, that they shuld go to succour the sayd Perdiccas. Which thing they refusedde to do, sayinge that they had the tresues wyth the Athenyans, for

tenne dayes, dnrynge the whiche, the wynter endedde. Whiche was the .xvi. yeare of this warre whiche. Thucicides hathe wry••tone. In the begynnynge of the so∣mer•• the ambassadours, whyche chathenyans had sent into Sycilie, retour••ed. And with them came the Egestians, who brought three skore talen••es of syluer vncoigned, for one monethes payment of .lx. ships, whiche they demanded of the Athenyans. The sayd ambassadours, being than come bifore all the people, pro∣poned manye thinges for to perswade them to do that, whiche they demaunded, and amongest other thinges they affirmed, that they had in their cytie gr••ate ha∣bundance and plenty of golde & siluer, aswell in the treasoury, as in their temples, which was not true, but yet neuerthelas at their persuations, the people agrede to ayde them with three skore shypps, which they demaunded and with a good nomber of men, & also deliuered to them of the principallest of the cytie for their heddes and capytaynes of that same armye with ample power, to wytt, Alcibia∣des sonne of Clynyas, Nycyas sonne of Nyceratus, and Lamachus sonne of Xe∣nophenes,* 1.46 vnto whome they dyd pryncipally geue charge to succoure the Eges∣tyans agaynste the Selynuntyns, and further that if they parceyued that their case did prosper, they shulde set againe the Leontyns into their entier possessions, and moreouer that they shuld do in that same countrey of Sycille all that shuld seme vnto them to be best for the publique welth of the Athenians. Fyue dayes after, the people were assembled againe togiders for to aduise howe that same ar∣mye by sea myghte shortly be sette forwardes, and thereupon to delyuer to the Dukes and capytayns therof, that, which shulde be necessary. Than Nycyas, one of the sayd Dukes who was appoynted vnto that enterpryse agaynst hys wyll, for somuche as he knewe well, that it was determyned without reasone, and for coue••ice to conquere and subdue the Islande of Sycille, and of the other parte, for that, that it was a very harde enterprise: he aduaunced himself fourthwarde, and dyd speake in this manner.

¶The oration of Nycias bifore the people of Athens, for to disswade and breake of, then∣terpryse of Sycille. ☞The .iii. Chapter.

THe presente assemblie hath bene made, for to aduise vpon the manner of sendynge fourth an armye by sea, and howe that it muste be con∣ductedde. But in my opinion, it shulde furste haue bene determyned, whider the same enterpryse ought to be made or not, and men shulde not conclude in a matter of so greate ymportance, at one so soubdayne a consul∣tacion, nother thereupon geue knowlaige to strangers that we woulde begynne warre, for a matter, whiche in no poynet toucheth vs. And albeit that as concer∣nynge my particularytie, I maye acquire honnoure by beynge there, and also I doubte my parsone, as lytle, as anny man of the compaignie: yet haue I alwayes iudgedde hym to be good and a wyse tytezeine, that hathe regarde bothe to hys parsone and also to hys goddes, for that, that he is wyllynge to be of power to sarue in the comon welthe, bothe wyth the one and wyth the other. And therfore lyke as in tyme past, I haue neuer, for couetice of gettynge glorye, spoken other∣wyse than so, as I haue knowin to be for the best of the partie: euen so wyll I at this present dothe lyke. And though perswadyng you to kepe that, which is to be kepte, and not to putte in hazarte thynges certayne, for the thynges vncertayne, I knowe welle that it shalle not be throughe thefficacite of my speache, whyche cannot be of so greate substance, as for to moue youre hartes: yet neuerthelas

I wylle shewe you, that this your soubdayne enterpryse is not at this tyme in seasone, and that the thynges that ye enterpryse, be not so easye as they be geuene to be vnderstanded, for it semeth vnto me, that in dooynge this enterpryse, youe leaue in thies parties mannye ennemyes, and also go aboute to cause theyme to comme fromethence hider more largely, for this, that if youe grounde youreselfe vpon the appoynctemente, that youe haue wyth the Lacedemonyans, and that there be annye suertie therein, I aduertyse youe that so longe as we remayne in prosperitie, the name thereof shall endure. But if it myshappene in anny manner vnto oure armye, whiche we sende fourthe, incontynenly they will sette vpon vs, forsomuche as thappoynctemente whiche they haue made wyth vs, hathe bene concluded for feare and to their disaduantage. And on the other parte there be in this matter many doubtfull and ambiguous poyntes, and also there be manye of the contrary parte, which haue not acceptedde it, and suche truly: as be not of the meanest, of whome some b•• declaredde, oure ennemyes, the other do not yet sturre, by meane of the trefues of ten dayes whiche they haue, who, if they shalle see our force and strengthe departedde into two (as we be mynded to do it soub∣daynely) they wylle fourthwyth be oure ennemyes and ouerronne vs, and also will really themself with the Sycilians, lyke as they haue of longe tyme be wyl∣ling to do. Wherfore good aduise ought to be taken herin, and not to repute our cytie to be so puissante, as therby we shoulde put it ayther into danger, nother to couett an newe empire, vntil we shall haue well established the same, whiche we presently haue. And if we be not of power to subdewe the Chalcides in Thrace, our subiectes, tha the rebelled against vs, nor assure our selues of any other in the mayne lande, of whome we be not welle assured: howe wille we so readely go to succour the Egestains, vnder coulour that they be our allyes, nowe being in trou∣ble. Whome (forsomuch as they be of so longe time departed from our allyance) we may pretende to haue iniuryed vs. And though well that, hauynge the victo∣rye against their ennemyes, we shall recouer them, yet shall we not by theyme be greatly ayded, aswel for that, that they be farre from vs, as also for this, that they be many in nomber. Wherfore it semeth to me that it is an folie, for to assaille and assist them there, whome, though we shall haue vaynequished, we nother shalbe hable to defende and kepe as frendes, nother enterteigne in our obeysance. And yf we haue not the victorye, we shalbe in woorse estate than byfore the warre bi∣gonne. On the other parte so farre as I can vnderstāde of the affaires of Sicille, it semeth to me that the Syracusains, although that they obteigne the principa∣litie in the same countrey: yet be they not hatefull nother hurtful vnto vs. Which is the poyn••t, wherupon the Egestians do grounde themself. And if paraduēture they at this present do come towardes the Lacedemonyans for to gratetie thē, yet notwithstanding it is not to be beleued that they: who, haue an estate for to lose, wille for the quarelle of an other strange empire, enterpryse warre agaynste an other. For this, that they maye welle thynke, that whan the Peloponesians shall haue, through their ayde, destroied and extinguished our estate and empire: they wylle also afterwardes destroy theirs. Moreouer the Grekes, whiche be in that same countrey: be in a maruaylous feare of vs, so longe as we be not there, and yett shalbe in greater, yf that we shalle shewe theyme oure armye in their viewe and afterwardes do withdrawe it. But if we enter into their countrey and receyue there anye shame or damage, they wylle no more esteme vs, but rather wolle ioigne theymeselfe wyth the other Grekes for to comme to assaylle vs in oure countrey. For youe knowe welle, that thynges be somuche in greater ad∣miration of men, as they be further frome theyme, and somuche they haue the

lesser esteminge and reputacion, as they be the more approued and knowin, lyke as may be sene of our selues, for that, that hauing victorye agaynste the Lacede∣monyans and the other Peloponesians, where as we were in great feare to resist their power, we nowe already esteme them so litle, that we presume to go to cō∣quere Sycille, though that they be our ennemyes. Which is not wisely done, for no man ought to extole himself, nor to take tomuche courage for the aduersitie of hys ennemy: but rather refrayning his courage and his glorye to trust in hys puissance. And also ye ought to consyder that the Lacedemonians for the shame, which they haue receiued of vs, do study, no other thing, but how they may cause vs to comytt some folly: by meane wherof they myght reuenge their shame & re∣couer their honor, & somuche the more, as they be more couetouse of glory and of vertue, than any other people. Lykewyse (Lordes) we ought to consider that this questiō is not here moued for the Egestains, which be strangers and Sycilians, but howe we shall kepe our self from a cytie, whiche for that, that it gouerneth it self by a small nomber of people, is ennemy to ours, that is gouerned by the gene∣raltie. And also we ought to thynke, that we haue a smalle respite for one so great a warre and greuous malady: whiche maye brynge vs into greate sorowe. And if we be encreased with nomber of people and wyth ryches, we shoulde kepe and employe them for ourselues, and not for thies bannysshed men, which repare vn∣to vs to haue succours, who haue spokenne fayer and haue lyed, to the danger of their neyghbours: consideredde that they do geue vs nothynge but wordes. For if they, through our ayde, haue the victory, they maye (if it seme good vnto them) mocke vs, and euill acknowlaige the saruice that we shall haue done them. And if it chaunce otherwyse, they shall brynge vs with them into ruyne & destruction. And if there••be any one of them, that hath bene by you chosene with their consent for to haue charge of this armye, which parswadeth you, this enterpryse for hys particuler proffytt, & paraduenture, through youth, desyreth to haue this glory, for to be in more estimatiō, and for to shewe a great nomber of horse that he nou∣ryssheth: ye ought not to wylle to satisfie the desyre & prouffytt of one particuler: to the great danger & peril of the cytie, but rather to consider that by suche people: the comon welth is dimynysshed & the particulers be destroyed. And moreouer this matter is so waightie & of so great importāce, that it ought not to be treated and consulted by a yonge man so soubdainly. And for the feare, that I haue, seing many in this assemblie, that do assist him & be come at his request: for this cause I pray & erhorte the most auncient, that they suffer not thē specially to perswade their yonge people, that it shulde be shame for to disswade & breake of the warre, and that it shoulde be imputed vnto them for pusyllanymitie, cowardenes and lacke of couraige, and that it shoulde be an euylle thynge not to haue regarde of his frendes, beinge absent, for the same shoulde chance to them that perswade to make the warre: if that it shoulde take effecte, for that, that ye well knowe, those thynges whiche be done for affeccion happene not oftentymes so welle, as those same doo, whyche be done by good and mere delyberation, wherefore and to the∣intente that we putt not oure estate in the danger, wherein it lately hath bene, we oughte to aunswere to the Sycilyans, that they abuse not their Empire, concer∣nynge vs, beyonde the lymyttes, whiche it presentlye conteigneth, to wytt not to passe or ercede the goulphe of the sea of Ionia, frome the coaste of the lande, nor of the other coaste, that same goulphe of Sycille, and furthermore that they gouerne their lande and seigniory, amongest themself, as they shall thynke good. And on the other syde, that the Egestians shulde be aunswered, that inas∣muche as they haue begonne to warre againste the Selynuntyns wythout vs,

that they also make an ende therof without vs. And for the reste, that we ought not to make newe allyaunces of the sorte, that we haue accustomedde. For we alwayes do ayde the vnhappy and those, which be in necessytie: and whan we re∣quire succours and ayde in oure owne affayres, we cannot haue it. And thowe, Threasourer, if thou reputest thy selfe worthy to haue admynistration of the af∣fayres of the cytie, and wilt be a good cytezein: thou oughtest to put this matter agayne into deliberatyon, and to demande the opynions of men therin and ough∣test not, nother to haue shame nor feare for to reuoke the lawe and deliberation already made. For there be so many good wytnesses in thys so greate an assem∣blie, that thou shuldeste not feare to be reprehended for hauinge agayne deman∣ded the opynyons herin, insomuche as it is the medecyne of a cytie euill counsail∣led. And the manner, of a good offycier for to rule and gouerne well, ys to do for his coūtrey all the beste that he may, or at the leaste to hys knowlaige, not to do y^e thinge that may be preiudicial vnto it. Thus spake Nycias, and after him ma∣ny othere Athenyans dyd speake, wherof the more parte were of opynyon that y^e enterprise of the warre shulde be executed, ensuinge the furste deliberation, some were of the contrary opynyone, but aboue all, Alcibiades perswaded the sayd ex∣pedytion, aswel for to contrary and inuey agaynste Nycias, whome he hated, as for other reasons, whyche mouedde hym, concernynge the admynistration of the comon welth, and specially for that, the same Nycias had made mention of him in an euill sorte, though that he had not named hym vnto theym by name. But principally for the desire that he had to be chief of that same armye, hopynge by meane therof to subdue furste Sycille, and afterwardes Carthage, and also to acquyre glory and rychesse in that same conqueste, if it chaunced well accordinge to thys expectation. For beyng in greate estymation and fauour of the people, & by hys ambition wyllyng to kepe a greater trayne than hys reuenue myght sup∣porte, he nouryshed horses, whyche was afterwardes, in parte, cause of the euer∣sion of the empire of the Athenyans. For many cytezeins, seing hys superfluytie, aswell in hys fedynge, as also in hys appareille and garmentes, and moreouere hys arrogancye and highnes of his harte in all thynges, that he admynistredde: became hys ennemyes, estemynge that he woolde make hymselfe lorde and ty∣rant. And although that he conducted the affayres of warre valyantlye, yett for that, that the particulers were the more parte contrary to hys woorkes and par∣ticuler enterpryses, they wente aboute to cōmytt the admynistration of the com∣mon affayres into the handes of an othere, whereupon did followe the ruyne of the cytie. The same than Alcibiades putte fourth hymselfe and dyd speake to the people of Athens in thys manner.

The oration of Alcibiades vnto the Athenyans, for to perswade the enterprise of Sycille. ☞The .iiii. Chapter.

IT apperteignethe vnto me (lordes Athenyans) to be Emperour and Chief of your armye, more, than vnto any other. And I am constray∣ned to begynne my talke in thys sorte, for that, that I haue bene ther∣unto prycked by Nycias. And wythout that, it semeth vnto me con∣uenyent. For the thynges, for the whyche, I am renommed and estemed amon∣geste men, besydes thys, that they redounde to the glory of my ancesters and to myne: brynge also honnour and welthe vnto the commmon welth. In thys that

the Grekes, whych haue bene at the feastes and solempnites of Olympus, seing the magnificence and sumptuousnes of my facyon of lyuing, estemed therby our cytie to be most puissant, most opulente, and ryche of itself, where as bifore they thought, that they might easely haue subdewedde it. For I was laste at the saide feaste with sixe chariots well appoincted. whiche thing no man hath yet done w^t suche a nomber, and also I dyd wynne the firste pryze of the course, the seconde and the fourthe. And moreouere I made the apparaille so sumptuous and soo noble, as apperteigned to such a victorie. All whyche thinges be hon••orable, and that declare vnto the people, the puissance and rychesse of the lande and cytie of hym that maketh them. And albeit that suche woorkes and other lyke, for whi∣che I am estemed, ingender greate enuye by the other cytezeins agaynste me, yet to the wayfayringe men and estrangers, they shewe a greate argumente of puis∣sance and rychesse. And also me thynketh that the fantasie of him: that goith a∣boute by suche meanes and at hys expenses, to do honnour, not to hymself only, but also to thys coūtrey: is nother hurtfull nor preiudiciall to the comon welth. And also he ought not to be estemed for euill, that hath suche opynyō of himself, y^t he wyl not only be agall to other, but rather wylleth also to excede them by such meanes. For he that ys vnfortunate, fyndeth no man, that therein wylle be hys compaignyon, if than we be dispreasedde of the othere, whan we be vnfortunate: they oughte also to endure and suffre, yf we esteme theym not muche in oure fe∣lycitie, and to wayte to doo the lyke, towardes vs, if they thynke good, whanne they shalle be in lyke estate. Neuerthelas I am not ignoraunte that suche people and othere, whyche excelle in anny honnoure and dignytie be greatelye enuiedde. Specyally of theire egalles and matches, and also somewhatte of othere, whiche haue accompaignyedde wythe theyme: but that ys, for the tyme that they be in thys lyfe onely. For aftere theire deceasse, the renomme and prosperytie, that they haue hadde, ys of suche effycacytie to theym that comme aftere, that manye glo∣refye themselfe to haue bene theire parentes, and specially somme saye, that they be of them, whiche be not, and many other repute themselfe honnouredde to be of the lande, towne and countrey, whereof they haue bene, and for to name them their fellowe Burgeosses & countrey men. And though, for the honnorable thin∣ges that they haue done, I haue attemptedde to imytate and followe suche par∣sonaiges, and for this cause haue lyuedde more honnorable, than the othere: yet ye see for all that, that I beare myselfe in the affayres of the common welthe no woorse than othere of the Cytezeins. And trulye ye shalle fynde, that the puis∣sance of the Peloponesyans beynge assembledde, I haue wythoute youre greate daungier and expense, constraynedde the Lacedemonyans one daye at Manty∣nea to putte all theire estate in hazarte wyth one battaille. Wherof though that they hadde the victorie, yet the hazarte was soo greate, that vnto thys presente, they haue not recouered suffycyente audacytie agaynste vs. And thys my yongth and ignorance, whyche semed nothere by reasone nor by nature, to be of power, to resiste the puissance of the Peloponesians: hath caused, and aptly to speake, hath geuene suche opynyon of my audacytie, that at thys presente there oughte noo doubte to be hadde of yt, nother feare that it shulde be dangerous to the partie. but rather so longe, as I shalbe in vigoure and auctorytie wyth this audacytie, the fortune and admynistratiō of Nycias shall seme good and prosperous. And ye maye serue yourself bothe with the one and also the othere, as ye shall thinke good. And for to come to the matter, whereof is questyon, it is not nedeful that ye reuoke youre enterpryse of Sycille, for feare to haue to do with many people. For though that there be many cities in y^e same coūtrey, yet they be peopled w^t mē

of all soortes. who be easy and accustomedde to change their estate and gouer∣nemente. And there is none that prepareth harnois for hys parsone, nother that maketh ••ortresses in necessary places for defence of the countrey: but euery one, ha¦uynge opynyon to be of power to perswade other to beleue whatsoeuer he wyll say, or if that he cannot perswade them, for to trouble and subuert the estate ay∣ther by practyse, or ells by mōney: prepareth hymself to do yt. Wherfore it is not to be bileued that one suche a tourbe and assemblie of people, woll wyth one will heare what shalbe spokene. The woordes of hym that speakethe be, that they as∣semble for to conclude anny thynge wyth a comon accorde but euery one prepa∣reth himself to do that, whyche he vnderstandeth aftere his appetyte and wylle, and specyally whan there is anny mutynery or discension amonges theym, as I vnderstande, that there is at thys presente. And also they haue not so many men of warre, as it is reported, for suche thynges be alwayes made more greate thā they be. And verely the other Grekes, beynge hertofore all togider, haue not bene in so greate nomber, as one nation of them bosteth itself onely to be. whych thing hath well appeared in this warre, and that Grece hath bene deceyued by the ••ay∣nynges of poetes, touchinge the nomber of people. For though it hath bene all in armure, yet skarcely coulde it bringe to the campe such nomber of people, as was suffycient. Being than the affayres of Sycille in suche sorte as I saye, like as I haue hearde spokene by many people, the enterpryse shalbe the muche more easy for you, and chiefly for thys, that there be many Barbarous and strangers, who, for the ennymytie, that they haue agaynste the Syracusains woll ioygne them∣self wyth vs in thys warre: and also we owe not to feare such busynes here, that it empesche vs in that same there, if we woll prouyde reasonably in our case. For it is fully certayne, that our progenytours (hauynge those for enemys, which are named, that they wyll declare themselfe agaynste vs, whan oure armye by sea shalbe in Sycille) and also the Medes: haue neuerthelas acquiredde and gott on thys empire, that we nowe haue, and that by none othere meane, but in beinge puissante by sea, whyche is the onely occasyon, through whyche the Peloponesi∣ans haue lost their hope to vainquishe vs, and moreouer if they shal determine for to enter into our lande, they may do it, although that we shall not haue sente thyder thys armye by sea. And also they cannot thereby hurte vs wyth their ar∣mye by sea, for that same of ours, whych shall remayne, shalbe yet so puissant as theirs. Wherfore beinge required by oure allyes and frendes to go to their ayde, we cannot shewe them any reasonable cause, wherfore we shulde not do it: and in not doinge it, why they shulde not reproue vs and say, that ayther it is greuous vnto vs to do yt, orells that we haue vnder vayne and fryuolus excuses, refused the ayde, whyche we be bounde to delyuer them by our othe. And also we cannot pretende agaynste them, that they haue not succoured vs in oure warres, for we ayde them not in their countreye, to the intente that they shulde comme to ayde vs in oures, but to the ende that they shulde busye oure ennemyes, whyche be there wyth them in warre, and do them somuche anoyance, that they haue noo power to comme to assaille vs in thies parties. And by suche meane, we and all other, that haue acquyred greate empyres and seigniories, haue encreasedde and maygnteyned them, in geuinge promptely and liberally succours, to them that haue demanded yt of theyme, were they Grekes or Barbarous. For if we refuse to geue ayde to them, that require it of vs, or if we woll debate, to what sort of people we shulde accorde or refuse: in that doynge, we shalle not obteigne greate thinges. And thys, whyche we haue acquired, we shall putt in dangier. Further∣more men ought not to attende to defende theire fortresses, vntill he that is the

stronger comme to assaille them but rather to prepare them in suche sort bifore the chance happene, that he feare to come thider. And also it lyeth not in our free will to appoinct an limit to our Empire, for to say, that one shal passe no further. But rather sithens that we haue yt, it is nedefull to wayte that we be not circū∣uented of the one, and also to defende ourselfe from the craftes and deceittes of y^e othere. For if we haue not domynion ouere the othere, we be in daungier to be ruled by them. And also we shulde not desyre nor take reste in that sorte as the other do, excepte we lykewyse determyne to lyue of that sort, as they do lyue. Cō••sideryng the whyche thynges, and that in executinge oure enterpryse, we shall in∣crease oure estate and seignior••e, we ought to mounte into the sea and to go thy∣der, for to beate downe the courage of the Peloponesians, whan they shalle par∣ceyue that we, contempninge and despysinge them, shall passe into Sycille, with∣out willing to vse the reste that presently we may haue. ••or if the enterprise do∣take good e••••ecte (as it is to be bileued that it shall do) we shall obteigne the em∣pire ouer all Grece, or by the woorst that may chaunce, to the proffit both of vs, and our frendes, we shall greatly endommage the Syracusains. And howe soe∣uer it happene•• hauinge our shippes in those parties, we may wythout oure losse or dammaige, ayther abyde there, if we haue the better: or els comme agayn frō∣thence, whan we shall thynke good, for all the Sycilians woll rule themself af∣ter oure wylle. And the talke of Nycias, who pretendethe to preferre reste bifore trauaille, and to sowe diuision and sedytion amonge youe, oughte not to bringe the yonge men to be at contention wyth the olde, but rather ye oughte all wyth one accorde to insue and fo••lowe the actes, dedes and examples of our ancesters. And lyke as by counsaillinge and consultinge the yonge wyche the olde vpon ge∣nerall affayres, they haue encreased and established oure Empyre in that estate, wherein y•• presently ys: youe shulde by the selfe meanes and reasons nowe assay for to encrease and enlarge it, and to esteme, that nother the yo••gthe nor the age, is any thynge worthe, the one wythout the other: but rather to consider, that the fe••ble, the stronge & the meane, whan they be all togider well agreinge, do cause the comon welth to tryumphe. And to the contrary, whan a cytie ys ocyous and yyle, yt destroyeth and corrupteth it self euen of it self. And that lyke as all other thynges ware aged by reste, euen so shall our dyscyplyne do: but by exercysing vs in dyuers warres, it maignteigneth and amendeth by many experyences. For a man obteigneth not science for to defende and warde hymself by speakynge•• but by accustommyng and exercysynge hymselfe in labours and in feates of warre. And for effecte and conclusyon my opynyon is, that whan a cytie, whyche hathe bene accustomedde to busynes and trauailles, doth geue itself to lyue in reste: yt cometh shortlye vnto destructyon, and that those amongeste all other be moste assured, whyche rule and gouerne their commone welthe, alwayes of one sorte, after theire auncyente lawes and customes, yea though they be not in all partes good. After that Alcybiades had thus spokenne the Ambassadours of the Eges∣tains, and of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Leoti••s came fourth. Who wyth great instance requyred that the succours myght be sente vnto them, remembringe the othe, that the Dukes of Athens had made vnto them. Whereupon the comon people, hauinge hearde their requeste, and the perswation of Alcybiades, was yet more enclyned and en∣courayged for to execute the sayde enterpryse. Which parceyued by Nycias, and that there was no remede for to reuoke it according to his opynion by y^e mean••: he thought that by an other meane he might haue let••ed the enterpryse, to wytt, by declarynge vnto them, that a greate preparation was to be made for the exe∣cutyon of yt. And so dyd speake vnto them in thys manner.

The narration of Nycias vn∣to the Athenyans, meanynge by an indirecte or contrary perswatyon to breake of, the enterpryse of Sycille. ☞The .v. Chapter.

INsomuche as I parceyue youe all determyned (lordes Athenyans) for to execute this enterpryse: I desire that it maye come to passe ac∣cordinge to oure hope. And therfore I wyll shewe yow myne aduise, in that, whiche semeth to me to be done at thys presente. For as farre as I vnderstande, we go agaynste many cyties bothe greate and puissante, the which be not subiected the one to the other, and which desyre not to change their estate and manner of lyuing (for thys is to be done of those, that be in greate ser∣uitude, for to comme to more lybertie and ease and that hope to be delyuered fro subiection) and somuche the lesse, they beinge franke and free, will bicomme oure bondmen and subiects. Amongest the whyche cyties, there be many inhabited by Grekes. Of the whyche, Excepted Naxum and Catana, the whyche I hope wel that they wyl tourne to our syde, for the affynitie, that they haue wyth the Leon∣tins, I parceyue not, that there be many of the other, of whome we maye assure vs. And also there be seuene, whych be well prouyded and fournishedde with all thynges necessarie for warre, asmuche as the armye shalbe, whyche shalbe s••nte thider, and specially Silenus and Saragosse, agaynste the whyche, we pryncy∣pally do go. For besydes thys that they haue there force & strength of warryours and Archers: they haue moreouer greate nomber of shipps, and be all full of ma∣roners and of people for to sarue in them. And also haue great quantytie of gold and syluer, aswell in common in the temples, as in partyculer. And furthere, ouer and aboue thys that they haue in the countrey: I vnderstande that certayn Bar∣barous or estrangers, be contrybutours vnto the Syracusains. They haue also greate nomber of horses, whyche thynge we haue not, and also they haue greate haboūdance of corne w^tout hauing nede to haue therof from other places. Wher¦fore it is necessary for to sende thider not only nomber of shipps, but also strōge warryours (if ye entende to do there any thyng of importance) for to resiste their horse men, who wyll wythstande and empesche our landynge: and that chiefly, if the cyties of the sayd coūtrey doo for feare of oure army cōspier and confederate theymself togiders agaynste vs. And if we haue no other succours of horse men, than of the Egestains, I knowe not howe that we shall well resiste those horse men, beinge oure ennemyes. And forsomuche as it shulde be greate shame to vs, that our people shulde be constrayned to retourne fromthence, beinge vtterly re∣poulsed, ayther ells to haue made the enterpryse so slaightly, that after the ary∣uall it shulde be mete for them to demaunde renforte or newe succours: it shalbe much better to go now thider, so well prouyded & furnyshed, as y^e case requireth. and to consyder that we go into a farre countrey, where we muste fyght to oure disaduantage. And also ye passe not through a countreye of subiectes, nothere of people, whome ye haue ayded. And howe than can ye hope to haue ayde or com∣fort of victuails or of other thyngs as in the land of frendes? But we must passe alwais through contreis & seigniories, and skarcely in four monethes in winter, we maye haue newes of them, nor they of vs. whyche is the reason, wherefore I say, that it behoueth vs to sende greate nomber of people from amonge vs, both of our subiectes and allyes, yea and of the Peloponesyans, if we maye recouer or gett any of them, ayther for practique or for monney, and also a greate nomber

of Archers for to resiste their horsmen, and besydes this, to haue greate haboun∣dance of ships, for to cary victuails & other necessaris, togiders wyth mylners & bakers in so great nomber, that they may always grinde & bake by courses. In such sorte•• that in whatsoeuer parte they be in lande, though y^t they may not saile they may alwais haue meanes yet to liue. For also we must haue so great nōber of people, that one only Cytie may not be hable to lodge and susteygn them. And in effecte they muste go prouyded of all thinges, in moste plenty that shalbe pos∣sible, wythout trustynge to any estranger. And aboue all they muste haue muche monney. For though that the Egestains here do preache, that they haue greate quantytie therof, yet knowe youe, that it is in woordes and not in effecte. And if we departe fromhence, bifore that we be well prouyded, aswell wyth men as w^t victuailes, and all other thynges (trusting to that, whych the Eg••stains do saye) we shalbe skarcely puissante for to defende thies here, & to vainquishe the other. Wherfore it is conuenyent that we go thider, prepared as if we wolde builde a cytie in a strange countrey and of ennemyes, and to determyne frome the furste day that we shall enter into the lande of Sycille for to make ourselues maisters therof or if we fayle so to do to holde it for moste certayne to haue the whole coū∣trey for ennemye. Wherfore, for the feare and knowlaige that I haue of the thin∣ges aboue sayde, and consyderinge that this matter muste well be consulted vp∣on, and parforce ourselues to be daylly more happy and happy, whych is a thing very harde, beynge men, I wyll (goynge in thys enterpryse, putt the affayre in as lytle hazart that I may, and that to doo, I wyll be prouyded and fournyshed of all thynges necessarye. In suche sorte, that I commyt not the matter to fortune. Whych shalbe a thynge assured for oure cytie, and helthsome for them, that shal haue charge of that enterpryse. And if there be any of an othere opynyon, I remyt vnto hym fromhensfor wardes bothe myne authorytie and my charge.

Howe the people of Athenes at the perswation of Alcybiades concluded the enterpryse of Sycille. And howe the armye, after that it was leuied, departed out of the porte of Pireus. ☞The .vi. Chapter.

NYcias dyd so speake, to the intent, aythere to tourne the people frome that same enterpryse, for the greatenes and difficultie of the matter: or els to go to yt in good suertie, if therunto he were forced: but what∣souer difficultie that he sett afore them, the Athenyans woolde in noo parte lose theire desyre and purpose, whyche they hadde to that nauigation and iourney: but rather were the more heated to set it forwardes, than they were bi∣fore. And so it happened vnto Nycias, the whol cōtrary of that, that he thought. For euery man thought, that he counsailled sagely: and that in doing y^t whych he had sayde, the case shulde be well assured. whereby they all had yet greater affec∣tion & towardenes to the voiage, than bifore. To witt, the ancyentes, forsomuch as they thought, that ayther they shulde subdue Sycille, or if the worste happe∣ned, that they shuld be so puissant, that they could incurre no danger. And y^e yong and galliart men, for that, that they desired to go to see the same strange land, as∣suring themself to retourne and come agayn fromthence in sauluetie. And gene∣rally y^e meane people & souldiars, for coueteousnes of the soulde or wages, which

they hoped to haue in that same armye: and also continually after the conqueste, for the encrease, which fromthence shuld follow by that meane vnto their Em∣pire. And if there were any, that was of an other opynyon, parceiuing the inclyna∣tion of the whole cytie therunto, he durst not say to the contrary, but rather held his peace, fearyng to be iudged to haue coūsailled noughtly. So there was some one of that assemblie, that sayde vnto Nycias with a lowde voyce, that he neded to preche no more therin, but that he ought to declare, what army he iudged ••o be necessary for that same enterpryse. who made him answere, that he wold ther∣upon consulte wyth his compaignyons and collegues, more at leasure. But ne∣uerthelas at the furst brunt, there were no fewer at the leaste to be requiredde that an houndred galleys of Athenes, for to cary their souldyours, & some good nomber of other, whyche they myght recouer of their allyes: vpon all the which there must be at leaste fyue thousande good warryors, and more if it might be, and besydes that•• a certayne nomber of Archers, aswell of their owne, as also of the countrey of Crete, togiders with all other prouysions, necessary for suche an army. Which things heard, the comō people, euen at the self houre by a generall decree, did g••ue full power to the capitains and emperour of that same army for to prouyde for all thyngs, to witt, aswell for the nomber of men, as for all other things necessary as they shuld thinke expedyent. After whych delib••ration they attended diligently all things that was to be done in the cytie, & sente vnto their allyes to do the like on their partie, for the cytie was already recreated of y^e grief & damage, which it had had, aswell by the pestilence, as by the contynuall warre. And also was greatly augmented aswell w^t people, as w^t monney, by meanes of the trefues: by occasion wherof, the matter was muche soner and more easely ex∣ecuted. The Athenyans than beyng attentyse & diligent to prepare that, whyche was necessary for y^e same enterprise, all the hermes or pictures y^t were in the citie were in one night broken by the borders, & the greater parte in the visaige. Thies hermes were certen statuers of stone entailled or carued foore kante w••••e•• which were comonly sett at the encringe into churches & other sumptuous edifices as wel publique, as priuate, the nomber wherof was infynitt, w^tout that, that anye man coulde knowe or haue any manner of token who had done it, or who was the author therof, although that there was great huyer offred to thē that shuld haue reuealed or vttred the dede. And also it was proclaymed euery where that if there were any parson, that had knowlaige of any thing, which had ben comit∣ted against y^e religion of gods, he ought to vtter it w^tout any fear of whatsoeuer estate he were, were he cytizein or stranger, free or bonde. For they estemed that case much more, than it meryted: for that, that it semed to thē to be an euill ••igne for that same voyage, and a pronostication of a coniuration or conspyracy for to change the comon estate and gouernemēt of the citie. And although that it could by no meane be knowin, who did the acte, yet neuerthelas certen pryuate persōs cytezens & seruants came and declared, that there had bene in times paste certen other statures and images, broken by the yongth of the town, who did it ayther through childishnes, orells through rashnes, & also y^t in some particuler houses, men did induely make sacrefyces: wherw^t they, vnder a manner, charged Alcibia∣des. Wherunto those, of whom he was hated, dyd wyllyngly geue eare: for that, that they thought, that he empesched them to haue authorytie ouer the people, aud that yf they myghte remoue hym, they myghte easely haue yt. To thys in∣tente they made the thyng more greuous, and did sowe and dyuulge it through the towne, that those faults, which were comytted in sacrefyces, and the breking of ymages, concerned the subuersion of the comon welth. And they foūded their

opynyon agaynste Alcibiades by manye tokens of his facyon of lyuinge, and of the fauour that he had towardes the commons. For the whyche they concluded that the same acte coulde not haue bene done wythout hym. Wherunto he answe∣red to the contrary, offrynge himself to stande to the lawe and for to suffre suche punishmente as appereigned, bifore his departure, if he were founde coulpable. And if he were founde innocent or giltles, he desired to be absolued bifore he pro∣ceded in that same voiage, saynge that yt was not reasonable that informations shulde be taken or any processe made in his absence, but rather if he had offended, that he shulde be condempnedde to deathe. For also he sayde that it shulde not be wysely done of theym, to sende a man fourthe with so greate authorytie and puissance, charged wyth one suche a case, bifore that he was purged. But his ha∣ters or ennemyes, fearynge leaste if the matter were knowin before hys depar∣ture, that those that shulde go wyth hym in y^e enterpryse, shuld not beare him fa∣uour, and that the meane people, who was fauorable vnto him, shuld waxe faint towardes hym, forsomuche as through hys cause, the Argiues and some of the Mantynyens were accompaigned to the Athenyans for that same voiage and en¦terpryse: perswadedde the contrary, and that the accusa••yon shulde be delayedde vntill after the retourne of the armye, trustinge duringe his absence to imagyne and compasse againste hym greater troubles, and to bryng y^t to passe they caused newe Ambassadours to comme, who hasted the expedition of the sayde armye, in suche sorte that yt was concluded that it shulde be so done. And the same armye lanched fourth and toke sea aboute the myddell of Somer for to saile into Sy∣cille, hauynge many marchantes shippes aswell of theirs as of their allyes, for to transporte victuailes and other preparation of warre, whyche had bene ordened, bifore that they were all ready at the porte of Corcyre, to the intente that all to giders might passe the sea Ionū by the promontory of Lapigea. And those Athe∣nyans and other their allies, which than were at Athens, at the day, that they had takene, were ready in the porte of Pyreus about breake of the day for to embar∣que them self. wyth whome did issue furth the greater parte of the people, aswell of the cytezeins as of estrangers, some for to accompany their chyldren and their parentes and the other their frendes, all hauynge bothe hope and sorowe. To wyt, hope, that the voiage shulde be proffitable: and sorowe, insomuche as they thought, that they shulde not see agayn a good parte of those, that wente so farre a voiage, and also goinge thider, they shulde leaue those, whiche aboade at home, in manye daungers, and dydde putte and offer theymselfe into many othere, on whyche dangers they than thought much more, than they had done in determi∣nynge the voiage. And yett neuerthelas they conceyuedde suche confydence, by seing one so greate a puissance togiders, that the meane people (yea euene those: that hadde nother frendes nor parentes there) and all the estrangers did comme for to see that spectacle or sight, whyche they esteamed woorthye to be sene, and greater than any man wolde haue thoughte. Also in veray trouthe for an armie of one only cytie it was better appoincted & more sumptuous, than anye othere y^t had euer bene sene. For although that the same, whyche Pericles in tymes paste did leade into Epidaure, and thother that Agnon did cōduct into Potidea, were as puissant aswel in nomber of ships, as also of people, forsomuch as in the later there were had foure thousand warriours fotemen and thre houndred horsmen all Athenyans: one houndred galleis of theirs and fyftie, aswell of the Lesbiēs as of those of Chio, besides many other cōpaignyons of their allyes: yet notwithstā∣ding thappareill & preparation was muche lesser, for that, that the voiage was not so greate as thys. And for that cause, and also that the warre was to endure

longe in Sycille, they had muche the better prouyded and fournished it, aswell wyth people, as w^t al other things. Wherunto aswell the Cytie generally, as also the particuler patrones and capytains of the ships did employ themself with all industrie & diligence. For y^e cytie did pay a grote a day to euery maroner, of whom, there was a ryght great nomber in so greate quantytie of shippes, to wit foorty longe galleis•• which caried their souldyars, and thre skore other that were light. And aboue the said soulde that the cōmons paide, the sayde capytains & patrons did geue an other salary to those that drewe the longest Oares, & also to othere ministres, of their particuler purse. And on the other parte thappareil & prepara∣tion aswell of armure•• as of enseignes & of accoustrementes was muche moore pompuous and gorgeous than the same of the other had ben. For that, that eue∣ry patrone going in so longe a voiage parforced himself to cause, y^t his ship shuld be both swiftest & also best and most gorgiously esquipped and trymmed. Also y^e souldears that were appoincted for the same voiage toke payne to decke them∣self aswell w^t har••ois as wyth other things, euery mā to his vttermost best. And also they were moreouer attentife and couetous of glory, to wit, whiche of them might be preferred bifore the other in order. In such manner that it semed that the same armye was made for an ostentacion and shewe of the puissance of the Athenyans, to the prayse of all the other Grekes, rather than for to fight w^t the enemyes against whome they wente•• For truly, he, that shulde make the estima∣tion and accompte of the expences that were made in that same army, aswell by the cytie generally as by the capytaynes and souldyars in particulere, to witt, of the myses and charges, whyche the cytie had debursed for that preparation and what capytaynes they sente thider, and of that same, whyche the partyculer par∣sons had made aswel in their harmes, as appareil, and the captains and patrons euery one in hys ship, and of the prouision, which euery man made for to succour himself for a longe tyme ouer and aboue the soulde or wages that he had gene∣rally, and further of the great quantytie of marchandyse, the whyche aswelle the souldears did cary for to ayde themself therwith•• as also many marchants that followed them for gaignes and winninge: shall fynde that the same armye em∣porteth the valeur of many talentes of the countrey. The whyche armye dydde bringe into greate admyration, those, agaynste whom they wente, aswelle for the greatnes and sumptuositie of it in all things, as also for the hardynes and auda∣cytie of them that hadde enterprysed it: whiche semed a strange and a maruelous thynge for one onely cytie to haue durst to enterprise one such a thynge: whych for trouth exceaded their porte and force: and specyally being so farre from their housene. Aftere that the souldears and the othere people were embarqued & all the ships charged, sylence was cōmanded w^t the voice of a trōpet. And than they made their vowes accordinge to the custome vnto the goddes, not euery shipp a∣parte, but all togiders by the mouth of the trōpett, and afterwards they dronke in cuppes of golde and of siluer, thone to the other, aswell headds and capytayns, as souldears and maroners. And the lyke vowes did those make, which were on lande, for the army in generall, & particularly euery man for his parent & frende. And after that the instrumentes of the ships and the souldears hadde sownedde and songe their songes to the prayse of y^e gods, and acheued and fynished al their mysteries, they launched fourth, and departedde in the beginninge, all togyders rainged or sett in order in fourme of a horne, afterwardes they disseuered them∣self, euery shipp saylinge accordynge to hys force and swiftnes, & they came furst to aboorde at Egine, and fromthence wente strayght to Corcyre, in whych place the other shipps dyd attende and tary for them.

Of dyuers opinions that were amonge the Syracusains for the army of the Athe∣nyans. And the Orations, whych Hermocrates and Athanagoras made vnto the people of Sarragosse, and the conclu∣sion that thereupon was taken. ☞The .vii. Chapter.

IN thies entrefaictes, the Siracusains, albeit that on many sydes they were aduertysed of the army of the Athenyans that came agaynst thē, yet they could not beleue yt. And in many assemblies that were made of the commons for thys matter, diuers and many reasons and opy∣nyons were spokene, aswell by those that bileued the sayde enterpryse, as by thē, whyche byleued it not. Amongeste whome, Hermocrates sonne of Hermon per∣swadynge hymselfe to haue certayne knowlaige of the sayde armye, putt hym∣selfe fourth and dyd speake in this manner.

The Oration of Hermocrates.

LOrdes, it maye be, that thys•• that I shall say vnto youe of the armye of the Athenyans•• who come agaynste vs, shall seme incredible vnto youe: euen so as that, whiche hath oftentymes bene already spokenne by many other. And also I am not ignorant that they, whyche shewe and reaporte thynges•• that excede the apparance of trouthe, besydes thys that they cannot perswade that to be trewe, whyche they saye: they be moreouer re∣putedde and holdene f••r fantasticall and madde. But yet notwythstandynge, I wyll not feare therof for to saye and speake for the welthe of the commonweale, (seinge the daungier, wherein I parcey••e yt to be) that, whych I knowe furthere therein, than anny othere, that hath therein spokenne. That ys, that the Atheny∣ans, of whome ye maruaylle soo greately and wolle not bileue yt. They comme agaynste youe wyth so greate a puissance aswelle of shyppes as of people, vnder couloure to geue ayde to the Egestains and to their allyes, and to sette the ban∣nyshed Leontyns agayne into theire houses: but in trouthe it is for coue••yce to make themselfe lordes of Sycille and chyefly of oure Cytie. ••or they thynke wel that if they haue it in their power, they shall easely subdewe the othere. Where∣fore yt muste be thoughte on, howe we shall honnorably resiste, wyth the peo∣ple that we haue at thys presente, agaynste thys greate puissance, whyche wolle not longe slac••e to comme. And not to sett the thynge at noughte throughe wil∣lynge not to beleue yt, nothere by that meane to suffre oureselues to be betrap∣pedde, as vnprouydedde. And yf there be annye amongeste vs, that estemethe not thys thynge incredyble, but taketh it to be true, I woll not for that, that he haue doubte or feare of the audacytie of the Athenyans, nother of their puissance. For suerlye, they shall receyue asmuche dammaige of vs, as we of theym, yf wee prouyde therefore. And in thys, that they do comme wyth so greate nomber of shyppes and of people, is not for oure disaduantage: but rather it shall redound to our proffit, chiefly w^t the other Sycilians, who seing those Athenyans so puis∣sant shalbe the soner on our parte, & rather than on theirs. And also it shalbe our greate glory to haue ouercommed one so greate an armye, yf we can do yt: or at the leaste to haue empesched and brokene their enterpryse, whereof I haue noo doubte, but that yt shall not comme to their passe. And also me thinketh, that we may reasonably hope the one or the othere. For it hath not bene oftene founde,

that an armye by sea, be it of Grekes or of Barbarous or strangers, that wente so farre frome home, prospered well. Also the nōber of people, whych they bringe wyth them•• is not greater, than the same o•• our cytezeins and of those, that inha∣bitt wythout in the feldes wythout the cytie, who, for the feare, whyche they shal haue of the ennemyes, woll assemble vnto it oute of all partes. And if those, that comme to assaulte othere, throughe faulte of vyctuailles or of othere necessarye thynges be constraynedde to retourne fromthence, wythoute doynge that, why∣che they intended, ye, although that it happene more through their errour, than through the valyantnes of those, whyche came for to assaulte them: yet the glo∣ry thereof remayneth alwayes to those assailled. Whiche is the reasone, wher••by the saide Athenyans, of whome we speake, haue acquyred so great glory against the Medes, who, beinge comme agaynste them, hadde oftentymes the woorsie, moore by myschance, than by the vertue of the sayde Athenyans. And we maye hope that the lyke shalle happenne vnto vs. Wherefore, Lordes, hauinge thys firme hope, lette vs vse dylygence for to prepare oureselues to oure power and for to prouyde for all thynges necessarye•• and moreouere for to sende vnto the othere Cyties of Sycille for to confirme and enterteigne in good amytie, those, whyche be oure allyes, and for to make newe allyances wyth the othere. And we shulde not onely sende Ambassadours vnto the Sycilians, but also to the other estraungers, whyche inhabytte in Sycille•• shewynge them that the daungier ys common, asmuche to theym as to vs. And also we shulde sende fromthence into Italy for to praye those of the countrey to ayde vs, or at the leaste not to ••ecey∣ue the Athenyans into their lande. And me thynketh that we shulde not onelye sende into Italie, but also vnto Chartage. For vnto them, that be always in feare of their estate, yt ys easye to perswade, that the Athenyans hauynge subdewed vs, maye wythoute difficultie go against their cytie. Wherfore, consideryng that if they neglecte or sette thys thyng at noughte, their estate maye in tyme to come be in daunger: they wolle ayde vs openly or secrettelye, in whatsoeuer manner that yt maye be: whyche thynge they maye doo if they wolle, better than annye people that be thys daye vpon earth, for that that they haue force, power, go••de, & siluer, whyche ys the mooste necessarie thinge in all affayres. We ought also to sende to the Lacedemonyans and to the Corynthians to praye theym, that they wylle, bothe to sende succours hythere, and also to moue warre agaynste the A∣thenyans there in those quarters. And also I wyll tell yowe one thynge whyche semethe to me mooste necessary and conuenyent. That is, that we shulde require all the Sycilians (if youe thynke it good) or at the the leaste the mooste parte of them, that they come wyth all their shyppes victuailledde for two monethes, to ioygne themselues wyth vs to goo to encounter the Athenyans at Torrente or at Lapigea, for to declare vnto them, that it ys not a questyon for them to come so easely into Sycille, but that they muste fyrste passe the Sea Ionum. By whi∣che doynge, we shall putt theym in greate feare, and into greate thoughte. For∣somuch specially as we shall issue fourth of the lande of oure allyes bifore them for to defende ours, for y^e Tarentins woll receue vs into theirs, as frendes. And it shalbe veray harde for those Athenyans, hauynge so longe a sea for to passe to goo wyth so greate an army alwayes in order, and by that meane we may there assaulte theym to oure aduauntage. For some of the shyppes maye not in faste followe the othere. And if they wyll discharge those, whyche be the heuyeste, for to haste theym to ioygne wyth the other, whan we shall assaulte them: of neces∣sytie they muste do yt wythe oares and wythe sayles, and by that manner, that the maronners shalle trauaylle themself beyonde measure. Wherby they shalbe

moste weary, and by consequent the more vnhable to defende themself, if we wol assaulte them. And if we thinke yt not good to be done, we may retyre vnto Ta∣rente. And on the other parte, if they comme wyth a small prouision of victuals, as for to geue onely one battaylle by sea, hopynge afterwardes fourthewyth to gette the lande, they shall haue greate nede thereof whan they shall fynde them∣selfe to be in desarte places. And if they wool soiourne therein, they shalbe assy••gedde. And if they enforce theymself to passe furthere, they shalbe constraynedde to forsake and leaue one parte of the apparaylle of theire sayde shyppes, and also besydes thys, not beynge assuredde to be receyuedde by the othere Cyties, shalbe in great sorowe. Whyche causethe me to beleue, that if we encountredde theyme and that they parceyuedde that they coulde not lande here as they thought: they woll not departe from Coreyre But rathere in consultynge togider vpon theire affayre, and in sendynge espyes for to knowe what nomber of people and of ship∣pes we haue, and in what place we be, the wynter shalle comme vpon them, whi∣che shalle aythere breake of and vtterlye lette theire passage: orelles seynge oure preparatyon greatter, than they thoughte, they shalle desyste and leaue of theire enterpryse. And somuche the moore that I am enfourmedde, that the pryncypal of theire Dukes and Capytaynes and that knoweth mooste in warre, commeth hyther agaynste hys opynyon, and therefore wolbe ryghte well contended to re∣tourne fromhence, if we make on our bihalfe anny good occasyon or honnorable moustre. And also the bruyt of that, whyche we wolle doo, shalbe greatter, than the effecte, for that, that in suche case men grounde theire opynyone vpon the bruyte of the people. And whan that he, whyche comethe to assaylle, ys mett by hym that shulde be assailledde, it putteth hym in to more feare, than if the other preparedde onely for to defende hymselfe. Forsomuche as he parceyuethe hym∣selfe in daungier and studyeth to defende himself, where as he thought, but to as∣saylle: whyche thynge shall nowe happenne to the Athenyans, whan they shalle see vs comme agaynste them, where they thoughte to comme agaynste vs, and also not to haue founde anny resistence in vs, whyche they had some occasion to thynke, forsomuche, as notwythstandynge that we haue bene allyedde wy••h the Lacedemonyans, yet we haue not troubled them by warre. But if they parceyue vs to take couraige, and to do clerely otherwyse, than they imagyned, they shalbe more astonyed for to see one thynge so new•• and contrarye to their expectation, than of the power that we for trouth shall than haue. And therefore I pray you Lordes, that ye wyll beleue me herein, what is the beste that ye maye doo. And that is, that ye take couraige to doo that, whyche I haue sayde. And if ye wol not that, yet at the leaste prepare wythout further prolonginge, all thynges, whyche shalbe necessary. And conceyue in youre mynde in that doynge, not for to esteme the ennemye that commeth to assaylle youe: whyche thynge cannot be declared, but by shewynge yt by fayer and notable feates. And those feates be declared, if that fearynge the ennemy, preparatyon were made agaynste hym in suche sorte, that men myghte be in suertye. Takinge this marime or chiefe poincte, that the beste whyche may be done, is to prouyde for thynges bifore the danger, euen as if it were present and sene. For also the ennemyes do truly come wyth a great ar∣mye by sea, and be already nygh at aboordinge, and there resteth onely, but this, that they arne not sene. Thus did Hermocrates speke. But yet notwythstanding his sayings, the people abodde in great altercation, for some said that it was not true that the Athenyans came, as Hermocrates said. The other sayd y^• although they did come, yet coulde they do no dāmage, but that they shulde re••••yue more largely of it. Othere dyd vtterly despyse the thynge that mockedde at yt. And

there were very fewe, that did geue fayth to that: which Hermocrates had spokē, and that had feare of thynges, that were to come. Than Athenagoras, who had greatest auctorytie among the comon people and that coulde best perswade thē in that same tyme, stoode fourth and dyd speake vnto them in this manner.

¶The oration of Athenagoras to the Syracusains. ☞The .viii. Chapter.

WHosoeuer will saye: that the Athenyās be so farre out of their wyttes, as to come assault vs, or that if they do come they shall not falle into our handes, ••e is truly aither tomuche fearefull, orelles he vnderstan∣deth not welle the affayres of our comon welth. And also I meruayle not somuche of the temery••e of them, that sowe thies newes amongest vs for to make vs afrayde, as of their follye, except that they perswade themself not to be perceyued. But it is the facyon of them that haue particulerly any feare in them∣self, to go aboute to putt it into the comons heades, for to hyde and couer theirs vnder shadowe of the comynaltie. Herunto tende the newes and the bruyte that presently ronne abroade, the whiche be not come rashely: but haue bene malici∣ously sowedde by those, whiche be customers of the lyke thynges. But if youe be welle aduysed, ye wolle not make any foundation or coniecture vpon the speche of thies people here, but rather ye wylle make coniecture by the qualitie of those, of whome it is spoken, whider they be experymented and sage people, as I do e∣steme the Athen••ans to be. Wherfore knowing them to be such, I thynke yt not credyble, that being not yet delyueredde frome the warre of the Peloponesians, they should habādone their countrey: and come through gayneys & Lustynes of herte to begyn here newe warre, in nothing lesse than the other. But as touching my selfe, I am of opynyon that they owe to repute themselfe happye that we go not to assaulte theym in theyr countrey: so many•• and so puissante cyties beynge in this Islande. And admytt that they shall come, as it is reaportedde, yet they ought to thynke that Sycille is more suffycient ••or to beate and destroye them, than the Peloponesians be, forsomuche as they be better prouided of al thinges. And speciallye oure cytie alone ys more puyssante, than all the armye whiche ys reaported to come agaynste vs: yea truly two tymes asmuche, consideredde that they may not brynge hyther any horsemen, and also I beleue that they shall gett none in thies parties, if it be not a certaine smalle nomber: that the Egestayns may delyuer them. And of fotemen they cannot also be in so great nomber as we haue of theym, sithens that they must transporte theyme by sea. For it is ryghte harde and dyfficille that so greate nomber of shyppes, as be necessary for to carye victualles and other necessities for so greate an armye, as is requyred for theym that woll to subdewe and and ouercome, one so puissant a cytie, as ours is, may comme hider in suertie. And I fynde the thynge so farre vnlyke the trouthe, that albeit the Athenyans hadde an Colonie peopled wyth their people, euen so great as this cytie is, in whatsoeuer place here adioigning, and that fromethence they would come to assault vs: yet skarcely they should retourne fromehence without shame and damage. Wherfore with much greater reason it ought to be hoped, cō∣myng from so farre agaynst all Sycille, the whiche I take for hole certayne, that it wolle declare it selfe intierly their ennemye. For they shalbe constraynedde to kepe themselfe in their campe in whatsoeuer parte where they shall lande at the∣aryualle

oute of the sea, vnder suche suertie of their shyppes whyche they wolle haue at their b••ckes, without to be so bolde as to enter further into the coūtrey: for feare of our horsemen, wherof we haue greate nomber, in suche manner that with payne they shall abyde on lande, somuche do I esteme our men better than thiers. The Athenyans vnderstandyng the whiche thinges, studye for to defende and kepe their la••de, as I am certainly aduised•• without thinking to come for to wynne ours. But we haue some people in this cytie, that go reaportyng liberally thinges, whiche nother be in vre, nor neuer shalbe. And this is not the furst tyme that I haue attayncted thē of lyke cases. But many other times I haue founde theym to haue sowed suche newes and also woorse•• for to putt the meane people (who of their nature be light of biliefe) in feare, to the ende to take and vsurpe by that meane and vnder the same coulour, the empire frome the cytie. And I feare greately least they wylle so ostene make suche inuentions, vntyll the matter by some meane shall come to their intente, and that we shall shewe ourselfe so nyce and so slouthfull, that they shall be trappe vs bifore that we may remedy it, and that we haue not the herte to chastise theyme, thoughe that we knowe their e∣uylle wylle. Forsomuche as I parceyue that by suche occasions oure cytie is of∣tentymes troubledde wyth seditions and mutyneries, whereby ensuych Cyuill battailles, by whyche it hathe bene more often troubledde, then by warre of e∣strangers, and also hathe bene some tyme subdewedde by certene tyrantes or e∣uylle rulers of thys selfe cytie, but yf ye wolle followe me, I wylle take payne to remedye it, in suche sorte that in oure tyme, we sha••le not nede to feare thys dan∣ger. And that aswelle by declarations whiche I wylle make vnto manye amon∣gest youe, as also by punysshynge of the seditious, that ymagyne suche thynges, and not those onely that shalbe conuictedde and attaynctedde thereupon (for it is right difficile for to fynde out suche thynges, but also those that at other tymes haue enterprysedde the lyke, althoughe that they haue not hadde power to exe∣cute theyme. For he, that wolle prepare to defende hymself agaynste hys enne∣mye, oughte not onely to haue regarde to that, whyche hys ennemye doeth: but rather to that, whiche maye be presumedde that he entendeth to doo in tyme co∣mynge. And yf he doo not so, he maye furste receyue damage thereby. And it see∣meth vnto me that thies people, that goo aboute to putt the generall estate and gouernemente of thys cytie into the hande of a smalle nomber of men: maye not welle be knowyn frome their euylle wylle: but by dooynge of three thynges, to wytte, by rebukynge and discouerynge in some parte their dedes, partlye in ke∣pynge theym frome executynge of theym, and partly by causynge their enterpry∣ses and wyttes to be vnderstande by coniectures and by reasones. And truely I haue oftentymes musedde wyth myselfe, what thynge it is, whyche youe the o∣ther yonge men do intende, to witt, whider y^t you nowe presently coueite to haue charges and Empires. For the same is not reasonable by oure lawes, the whiche haue bene made for to empesche and lette that youe maye not haue theyme, not for to doo youe wronge or shame, but onely for the ymbecillitie and weaknes of youre age, for ye maye obteigne theyme, whan youe shalbe of due age. Canne ye not endure to be in the selfe degree that the other cytizeins be in? And howe canne thys be reasonable, that people of one selfe cytye and of one selfe estate shoulde not enioy lyke honnours and prehemynēces? There ys peraduenture some one, that wylle saye: that the common estate canne nother welle nor egallye be coun∣sailledde, and that those, whyche be rychest and moste puissante, be alwayes most sufficiente for to gouerne the estate. To whome I furste answere, that the comon gouernement ys the gouernemente of all the cytie, where the gouernemente of

a small nomber ys but onely of one parte therof. Afterwardes I saye: that for to defende generally: the ryche mē be most mete, but to geue counsaile, those which haue best wyttes and that vnderstande most, be the best: and the comynaltie well assēbled, after that yt hath herde all the opynyons, doth therupon iudge muche better. And all thinges, that be deparred, beit particulerly or vniuersally•• be egal∣lye departed in the comon estate, where as, whan the smal nomber gouerneth, it departeth the dangers and the charges vnto manye: but of the proffyttes it ge∣ueth but a small parte vnto other, but taketh them holy to it selfe. And that is it, whiche those, that be this day the most ryche and most puissant in the cytie (speci∣allye the yonge people) do couey••t, whiche is a thing impossible in so great a citie. And they, who do desyre it, be aither out of their wyttes, if they vnderstande not that they desyre the destruction of the cytie: aith••r elles be of the most ignorante of all other Grekes, that I haue knowin. And if they do vnderstāde it, they be to∣muche vnreasonable for to desyre it. Therefore vnderstandynge yt aither by my speache or of yourselues, vouchsaulf to studye all for that, whiche apperteigneth to the comon welth of the cytie. And to consyder that they among you which be best and the most riche, haue more parte in the comon welth: than the remnante of the comynaltie. And that yf youe goo aboute to accepte the contrary: ye putt yourselfe in danger to be thereof vtterly depryuedde, wherefore ye ought to re∣iecte and caste oute thies bryngers of false newes, as people alreadye knowin for suche, and not to suffre them to prouffitt to any meanes, by their inuentions. For though the Athenyans shulde comme, yett ys this cytie puissante ynoughe for to repoulse theym. And there be officers sufficiente for to prouyde therefore. And yf the thynge be not trewe (as I do thynke) youre cytie for feare of suche conterfea∣ted newes, wille not purt it self in subiec••ion of people, that for the occasion herof, go about to be your Dukes & superyours: but rather vnderstandyng the trouth therby, shall iudge their wordes and enterpryses, equipollente or lyke in effecte to the dede. In suche manner that it shall not lose his lybertie for the bruyt, which nowe ronneth, but rather shall enforce it self to kepe it, for the good order that it shall geue in thynges to come. Thus did Athenagoras speake. And after hym o∣ther would haue spoken. But one of the pryncipall officers and rulers of the cytie woulde not suffer any parsone to speake, but he in briefe woordes concluded the matter, saying in this manner.

The conclusion of one of the officers of Sarragosse.

IT is nother wytt nor wysedome to vse suche pryckyng and oultra∣gious talke, the one agaynste the other, nother for them that speake it, not for those, whiche geue eares to heare it, but rather we shoulde haue more regarde to thies newes y^t be comon, to thende for to geue order aswelle generally: as particulerly for to resist those whiche come agaynste vs. And though happely it were not trewe, yet coulde it in nothing noy nor hurt the cytye to prepare it self with horses, with harnnes and with all other thinges that be requysitt for the warre. And for the rest, we other officers wolle vse dili∣gence to prouyde: and also vnderstande the enterpryses of the ennemyes. And further we wolle sende to the other cyties of Sycille and de∣uise in all other thynges as we shall thynke expediente for this case. And we haue alreadye prouyded therefore, and wolle aduertise you of that, whiche shall herafter come to our knolaige. Upon this conclusion, the counsaille departed.

Howe the armye departed from Corcyre, and howe yt was euylle receyued aswelle in Italye as in Sycille. ☞The .ix. Chapter.

IN the meane tyme that thies thynges were debated at Sarragosse, the Athenyans and their allyes were all assembled at Corcyre. And bifore their departure fromethence, the Dukes and capytaynes ha∣uyng made their moustre, dyd determyne in what order they would passe the sea, & after that they were landed, howe they would departe their hoast. And so they departed all the sayd army into three partes, of the whiche three, the Dukes shulde haue the conduct, so as shulde happene to euery of them by lotte. And that they did, fearynge that if they shoulde go all togiders, they shoulde not fynde a porte sufficiente for to receyue theym, yea though nother water nor other victuales shulde not fayle thē. And besides this the same bendes, beyng so depar∣ted, shulde both make the greater shewe & also shulde be more easye to conducte & gouerne hauing euery one his capitayne a parte. Afterwardes they sente there shyppes, to wytt of euery bende, one, bifore into Sycille & into Italy for to lerne what cyties would receiue them as frendes, & comanded them that they shulde come agyne to mete them by the waye to make them answere what they had de∣clared vnto them that they would do. After that all the same was so done and ordeyned, the Athenyans with that great preparation departed for Corcire, and toke the way towardes Sycille, hauyng in all one houndredde thirty and foure galleys wyth three oares, and two Rhodiens wyth twoo oares. Of the whyche with three oares, there were one houndred of Athens, wherof three skoore were light galleys, & the other caryed the men of armes. Those of Chio, and the other allyes of the sayd Athenyans did fournishe the rest of the shyppes. As touchyng the nomber of people, that were in the sayd army, there were in y^e hole some fyue thowsande & one houndred fotemen, wherof fyftene houndred were Athenyans, who had seuen hoūdred seruantes for the nauigation or sayling & of other, aswel allyes, as subiectes, & speciallye of the Argiues fyue houndred, of the Mantyny∣ans, and other Mercenaries or huyred souldiers two houndred and fyftie, and of archers in all foure houndred and foure skore, whereof the foure houndred, were Rhodyens & the foure skore of Creta. There were also sixe thousande men lyght armed, of Megara, and thirty horsemen, vpon a barke, for to carie horses. Such was the Athenyans armye by sea at the begynnynge. And besydes thys there were thyrtye marchandes shyppes caryinge vituailes and other thynges neces∣sarye for the sayedde armye, besydes a greate nomber of other, of dyuers sortes, whiche followedde the sayedde armye for feate of marchandise, whyche were at Corcyre, and all togiders passedde the goulphe of the sea Ionium. But after∣wardes, they departedde theymeselues and aboorded one partie at the promon∣torye of Lapigea, one other partie at Tarente, and the other in dyuers places in Italye, so as they perceyuedde the landynge propice, and mete for them. But yet neuerthelas they dydde not fynde any cytie, that woulde receyue theym for mar∣chandise nor otherwyse, but rather dydde onely permytt them to lande for to re∣fresh themself w^t water and with other thinges, excepted the Tarentyns and the Locryans, who suffredde them not to make any descente in their lande. In such manner they passedde wythoute restynge themself vntyll they came to aboorde at the promontorye of Rhegium in the extremitie of Italye. In whiche place beynge refufedde to lande, and beynge alreadye strongelye assembledde, they

lodged themselfe without the towne, nyghe vnto the temple of Diana, and thi∣der they of the sayed towne sente vnto them victuailes and other necessaries for their monney. And there hauynge brought theyr shyppes into the porte: they for a certene tyme soiourned, and in the meane tyme spake vnto the Rhegyns per∣swadynge theyme that they woulde ayde the Leontyns, consyderedde that they were Chalcydes, lyke as they were. Who aunswered that they woulde not med∣dle wyth the warre of the Sycilians, but they woulde earnestly do in al thinges as the other Italyans comonly woulde do. Notwythstandyng the whiche aun∣swere, the Athenyans, desyrynge to execute their enterpryse of Sycille, attended the aunswere of the shyppes•• whiche they had sent to Egestes, for to vnderstand the affaires of the sayd countrey: and chiefly touchynge the monney, whyche the ambassadours Egestayns had vaunted and bragged of to the Athenyans, that shoulde be founde in their Cytie, whider it were for trouthe or not. In thies en∣terfaictes the Syracusains had newes frome many quarters, and pryncypallye by the Brygantins (whiche they hadde sente for to espye and discouer) howe the armye of the Athenyans was arryued at Rhege.* 1.47 So they were no more harde of bileue, but rather vsed all diligence that they coulde, for to make al preparations for to defende them, & sent vnto all the other Sycilians, to some ambassadours, and to other, people, for to defende and kepe theyme. And moreouer they with∣drewe into their tycie all the shyppes, that they myght, frome all coastes for de∣fence thereof, and made monstre of their people, and a description of their harn∣nes and of their victuaile, whiche they hadde in the cytie. And for effecte prepared all other thynges that was possible for theym, euene so, as yf the warre had bene alreadye bigonne. In this meane tyme, the three shyppes, whiche they had sente to Egeste, came agayne to them to Rhege, who made reaporte vnto them: that there was none other monney in the sayed cytie of Egeste, than the same, whiche they hadde promysedde, whiche myght amounte to the some of thyrty talentes onely, wherewyth the Dukes Athenyans were all astonyedde and discouraiged, seing that at the Aryuall the pryncipalle dydde faile them, whereupon they were foundedde, and that Rhegians refusedde to enter into the warre wyth them. Who were the furst that they had aboorded, and those, whome they myght hope sonnest to wynne, aswelle for that, that they alwayes hadde bene parentes of the Leontyns and of one selfe nation, as also for that, that they were alwayes affec∣tyonedde to the partie of the Athenyans. Whereby Nycyas was in nothyng a∣bused. For he had neuer other opynyon of the Egestayns, but that they woulde abuse the Athenyans, but the other two capytaynes founde theymselues decey∣ued, who had been abusedde by the cautell and crafte that the Egestayns hadde vsed, whan the furst ambassadours of the Athenians was sent vnto them for to see their treasuer. For after that the sayed ambassadours were landed and come into their cytie, they brought them into the temple of Uenus, whiche is in Eryce. and there shewed them basyns, the censars and other hallowedde vesselles that were in the sayedde temple: togiders wyth the offerynges, vowes and other mo∣ueable riches, whiche were of greate valeur. And for that they were of iyluer, they made a great monster and apparance, that there had bene a great some of mon∣ney in that same cytie insomuche as beinge so smalle: there was somuche in that same temple. And besydes this in diuers houses, where the Athenyās that came in that ambassade were lodged, and vpon their shyppes, their hoastes shewedde them greate quantitie of vesselles of golde and of syluer, aswell for saruice at the table, as for the kytchyne, whyche they hadde for the moste parte borowedde of their neighbors, aswell of the self countrey, as of the Phenicians & of the Grekes

faignynge, that it all was there oune•• and that it was their manner of lyuynge. Whereupon, the sayd Athenyans perceyuing so great quantitie of vessell and so ryche in all their houses, and as all of one sorte, were all astonyed. And after that they were retournedde to Athenes, made reaporte that they hadde sene a merue∣louse quantitie of golde and syluer. And by that meane the Athenyans were a∣bused, whereby, after that the men of warre, that were at Rhege vnderstoode the trouthe to be contrarye by the messengers that they had sent thider, they became hatefull and seditious agaynst them. And thereupon the Dukes consulted togy∣ders of the affaire. And the opynyon of Nycyas was that they altogider shoulde go fromethence to Selynunte. To whiche place it was pryncipally ordeynedde that they shulde go in fauour of the Egestayns. And if being there the Egestains made whole paymente of all the armye, that they myght consult what they had to do. And if they made not the sayd payment, that than it shulde be demaunded of them, that at the least they shoulde victuale the three skoore shyppes whiche they had required for their succours. And in that doyng that men shoulde abyde there vntill that they had reconcyled the sayd Selynuntyns with those Egesta∣yns aither by frendeshyp or by force. And after that, y^t they shulde passe through bifore thother cyties of Sycille for to shewe the puissance of the Athenyans, and also to geue courage and hope to their frendes, and that done to retourne from∣thence all into their houses wythoute otherwyse to soiourne in that same quar∣ter except that in short tyme or by some oportunitie and occasion, they myghte doo some aduantage and saruice to the Leontyns, and withdrawe any of the o∣ther cyties to the allyance of the sayd Athenyans. For it semed vnto him that do∣ing othewise, they shoulde putt the estate of Athens in danger by that expences onely. But Alcibiades was of contrary opynyon, saying that it shulde be tomuch great shame, to be come with one so great a puissance into a countrey so farre of, and to retourne fromthence without doing any thinge there. Wherfore he was of aduyse that heraultes and trompettes shoulde be sent vnto all the cyties of the countrey except Sarrogosse & Selynunte, for to aduertise thē of their comyng, and to essaye for to wynne theym, to wytte, for to cause the subiectes of the sayed Syracusains and Selynuntyns to rebelle agaynst them and to withdrawe the other vnto the allyance of the Athenians. And by that meane to haue victuailes and people of theyme, and bifore all the other they shulde essay to gette the Ma∣mertyns, for that that they were moste nighe to the ryght landynge for to come out of Grece, and also there was a great porte and ryght suer, wherunto the said Athenyans myght wichdrawe themselfe and retyre in suertie: and fromethence practise wyth the other cyties. And after that it shulde be learned what they were that would be ernest against the said Syracusains, and those, that would be to the contrary: to go agaynst the Syracusains and against the Selynūtyns for to constrayne them, at the least, to wytt, the Syracusains, to apppoyncte with the Egestayns, and the Selynuntyns, that they shulde permytt the Leontyns to a∣byde in their cytie and houses. As touchynge Lamachus his opynyon was that men shulde go as sone as they myght agaynst Sarragosse and assault them be∣ing vnprouyded, bifore that they myghte prepare, for to resiste, and whilest, that they were astonyed, lyke as wythout fayle, they woulde haue bene at the begyn∣nynge, for that, that an armye is alwayes fearefull•• at the aryuall. But if it delay∣eth to go to assault his ennemyes, they consulte, vpon their affaire, and in so do∣inge doo recouer their courage. In suche manner, that afterwardes they despyse those, whiche were fearefull, vnto them, wherefore he concluded, that those men that would fourthwith, and wythout delaye, come to assaulte the foresayd Sy∣racusains

whileste they were, in that same feare, shoulde haue the better there∣of, and shoulde putt the sayedde Syracusayns in greate tremblynge and feare, aswelle for the vieu, of the same armye whiche shoulde seme at the furste syghte to be of muche more people than there was, as also for feare of the euylles which they shoulde consider to be lyke to happene, yf they were vainequyshedde in the battaille. And somuche the more that it was to bileue that manye of the citize∣ins shoulde be in the feldes whiche doubted not the comynge of the sayd armye, who retyrynge hastely into the Cytye shall leaue behynde theyme muche of their goodes in the feldes, and also many of them shalbe takene bifore that they may retyre, whereby, hauyng afterwardes assieged the cytie, men shall not lacke mon∣ney. And on the other parte, by this doynge the other cyties of Sycillle, vpon that poyncte shall choose the rather to make allyance wyth theyme, than wyth the sayedde Syracusains wythoute taryinge or attendynge whiche of the twoo, shall haue the victorye. He sayedde moreouer that in all euentes and chaunces (were it that they retyredde, or that they assaultedde) that they shoulde make the station and soiourne of their shyppes at Megare, for that, that it was desarte and nyghe ynoughe to Saragosse, aswelle by sea, as by lande. Thus Lamachus, dydde speake, and neuerthelas he came agayne to the opynyon, of Alcibiades. Who, after theis thynges, sailledde wyth hys shyppe to passe bifore the cytie of Mamertyas, and requyredde theyme to enter into allyance wyth the Atheny∣ans, whereunto they woulde not consente, nor suffre hym to enter into theyr cytye, neuerthelas they offredde to cause victualles to be delyueredde to be solde wythoute the cytye for hym and hys people, who perceyuynge that, wythoute restynge there, retournedde fromethence to Rhege. And after that he was ary∣uedde, wyth other the Dukes, they causedde incontinentlye one parte of the ar∣mye to be embarquedde wythin three skoore shyppes whiche they victuailledde sufficiently. And leauynge the reste of the people, and of the shyppes at the porte, of Rhege, wyth one of the same Dukes, the other two went wyth the sayed three skoore shyppes strayghte to Naxe,* 1.48 whereinto they were receyuedde by the Cy∣tizeins. And fromethence they wente to Catane but there they were not recey∣uedde, for that, that there was one parte of the cytizeins, whiche toke partie with the Syracusains. For this cause they were constraynedde to retyre vnto the con∣tremounte, of the ryuer of Teria,* 1.49 where they soiournedde all the same daye. And on the morowe after, they altogether wente fromthence tylle bifore Syracuse. hauynge their shyppes in order in fourme of a cornette, whereof they sente tenne bifore towardes the greate porte, for to see if there were anye shyppes of the en∣nemyes. And after that they were nyghe the entrynge of the sayed porte, they causedde it to be cryed wyth the sounde of a trompett, that the Athenyans were come thyder, for to restore the Leontyns into their houses, bycause of the amytie and parentage, that they hadde wyth theyme. Wherefore they declaredde to all those of the sayed natyon of Leontyns, that were wythin Syracuse, that they myghte retyre to the sayed Athenyans, as their frendes and bene factors. And after that they hadde made that crye, and welle regardedde and consyderedde the Syte and the facyon aswelle of the Cytye as of the poorte, and also of the countrey rounde aboute, for to knowe on whyche syde they myghte beste assiege yt, they all retournedde frome thence to Catane, and agayne demaundedde the cytizeins, that they shulde suffer them to enter into the cytie, as their frendes, who, after that they had holden their counsaille, made aunswer that they would not suffer the armye to enter but if the Dukes and heddes would enter in their symple estate: they would receyue them wyllyngly and shoulde heare what they

woulde saye wh••che thynge was done. And the comon people beynge ass••mbled. for to geue audyence: euen as they were amasedde to here Alcibiades, ••ho spake vnto them, the men of warre entred soubdaynly by a false gate perceyuyng that it was euyll walled, dydde beate it downe, and wythout makynge any bruyte or noyce, wente ch••apening and buying through the towne, that, whiche was neces∣sarye for theyme. Whiche perceyued, certene of the cytizeins, that toke partie with the Syracusains, were greatly astonyedde, and fledde secret••y out of the towne, but there was no greate nomber of theyme, and all the other agrede to make al∣lyance wyth the Athenyans. And by thys meane all the other, whiche were aby∣dynge at Rhege, were commaunded to come thider. And they beynge aryuedde, after that they haddde fortefyed and furnysshedde yt, they dydde putt them into yt. And hearynge that the Syracusayns preparedde theyr armye by sea, th••y al∣togiders dislodgedde themselfe fromethence and went straight waye towardes Syracuse. But seynge that there was no preparation of shyppes•• they retour∣nedde fromethence: and came the waye of Cameryne. And after that they were nyghe the entryng of the porte, they causedde it to be cryedde with the voyce of a trompett, that they were come. But for all that, the Cameryns woulde not re∣ceyue theyme, saying, that they had sworne, not to suffre the Athenyans to enter into their ••oarte, with more, than wyth one shyp, excepte, that they themsel•• had requyredde theym to come thider with a greater nomber. Thus they retourned fromethence wythoute doynge any thynge. And in their retourne they landed in some one quarter of the territorye of the Syracusains for to pyllage it. But as they were bu••ye•••• that pillage and in disorder, the horsemen, that were in the cy∣tie, yssuedde fourth agaynste them, and dyd slaye some nomber of those, whiche were lyghtly armed, and the other, retyred to Catana.

¶Howe Alcybiades beynge ad∣iournedde for to aunswere at Athenes, to certene crymes, whiche were obiectedde agaynst hym, went frome∣thence into Peloponese. And incidentlye howe Hip∣parchus, the brother of Hippias, some∣tyme Tyrante or euylle gouer∣nour of Athens, was slayne. ☞The .x. Chapter.

AFter that the Athenyans shippes, were retyred to Catana, one ship of Salamyne, sent by the people of Athens, ariued, for to adiourne Alci∣biades to come to aūswere to many crymes and trespasses that open∣ly were obiected and layed agaynst hym, and with hym certene other that were in the Acmye, who were lykewyse chargedde by tokens, to haue bene hys accomplices, aswelle for to violate the mysteries of sacrifices, as also for to cutt a sonder and deface the pictures or ymages called Hermes at Athenes. Of which thynges, after his departure wyth tharmye by sea, the Athenyans ceassed not to pursue the inquyrie. And they arested not onely vpon the proues and ap∣parant coniectures, but rather geuynge faythe to all lyghte suspicions, vpon the sayinge of certeine vnhappy men and of euill name, they dydde take many of the moste honest of the cytie, whome they dyd putt into prysone, groundyng them∣self vpō this, that it were better to go serchyng and verefying that same matter

by all sortes of coniectures, than for to suffer a man to eskape, of whatsoeuer good renome that he were, throughe faulte of sayinge, that the accusations, whi∣che were agaynste hym were not suffyciente, and so that he shoulde not be con∣uyctedde. For that the people hadde herde saye, that the tyrannye of Pysystra∣tus hadde sometyme bene harde and cruell about the ende of hys gouernement,* 1.50 and coulde not be extinguyshedde, nother by the people, nor by Hermodius,* 1.51 but by the Lacedemonyans. By reasone whereof they were in greate feare and sus∣picion of the thynges abouesayed, and dydde take all in euylle parte. Albeit that for trouth the enterpryse of Arystogiton,* 1.52 and Harmodius, dyd take audacytye, for dishoneste loue, as I wylle shewe herafter, and wylle declare, what the A∣thenyans, and other Grekes, speake of their tyrantes or euill rulers, and of thin∣ges, whiche they haue done hedling, and at their plaisure without knowing in a∣nye thing, the trouth, for the thing, was this.* 1.53 Pysystratus beyng in his olde age dead, Hippias who was his eldest sonne (and not Hypparchus, as it hath pleased some to say) succeded hym in the pryncipalitie. Nowe there was in the cytie of A∣thenes, a yonge man, namedde Harmodius, excellente in beawltie. Of whome, by meane thereof, Arystogiton (who was a man of a meane condition) was a∣morous, and mysusedde hym carnallye. So the same Hermodius, was accused by Hipparchus, sonne of Pysistratus, of that same lewdenes and shamefulle matter. Whereof he beynge conuictedde, dydde complayne to Arystogiton, who for feare, that he hadde to be depryuedde of hys boye, and of hys lewdenes: by the auctorytie of Hypparchus, enterprysedde vnder coulour to be wyllynge to v∣surpe the tyrannye of the cytye, for to kepe the sayed boye, and to wythstande that he shoulde not be takene, frome hym vnder couloure of iustyce. In thys meane tyme, Hipparchus,* 1.54 wente aboute for to withdrawe the sayed Hermodius by ••aier speche and flateryes, and perceyuyng, that he coulde nothynge proffytte by that meane, preparedde hymselfe to brynge hym to shame by iustice without vsynge of annye force, for also it was not lawfulle for hym to do it, insomuche as the tyrantes of that same tyme hadde not yet taken vpon theym greater auc∣torytie ouer their subiectes, than by forme of iustice. By occasion whereof, and al∣so that those whiche vsurpedde suche tyrannycall gouernemente, excercisedde theymselfe in the remenante in all vertues and in all prudencie: Those same ty∣rauntes were not greatly noysome nor displeasante. For also they dydde not ex∣torte of the cytizeins any other trybute, but the twentith parte of their reuenue, wherewyth they made many fayer reparations in the c••tie, and also susteignedde manye greate warres agaynste theyr neyghbours. And as touchynge the other thynges, they lefte theyme intierly vnto the cytizeins accordynge to their auncy∣ente lawes, forprysed and resarued onely this, that they founde manner by their auctortye, that one amongest theyme was alwayes chosene by the comons vnto the pryncypall offices of the cytye, whereby some of them be founde to haue yere∣lye offices in the cytye Athenes. And Pysystratus, sonne of Hyppias, who hadde the name of hys grandefather, holdynge the seignorye after the deathe of hys fa∣ther, dedicatedde, in the myddelle of the markette place, the temple of the twelue goddes and that same of Apollo Pythius. And he caused to be defacedde or blot∣tedde out one Epigrame or Epytaphy: whiche was sette vp in the markett place, whyche was afterwardes repaired and enlarged by the comons. And yet neuer∣thelas the sayd Epigrame was not vtterly defaced, but onely duskened or so ra∣sed, that yet it myght be redde, thoughe that with some difficultie, which was of this substance. The Epigrame, which Pisistratus setteth in the temple of Apollo

Pythius, that Hippias lefte for remembrance, of hys Empire. And this, whiche. I haue sayed, that Hippias sonne of Pisistratus obt eignedde the seigniorye af∣ter hys father, insomuche, as he was eldest, I canne affirme yt clerely to be true, by this, that I haue inquired, and serched more of the common renome of that same time, than any other. And euery man that woll serche & inquier may knowe yt, by this, that it is not founde, that any of the legytymate sonnes of the sayed Pysistratus, had any childrene, but onely he, as it may he parceyued, by the aun∣cient monumentes, or graues that be in t he sayed temple, and also by an Epi••a∣phie, whiche is in the castell of Athenes, grauene in stoane, makynge mention of the noughtynes, of the sayd tyrantes, wherin no mention is made of any childrē of Hipparchus, nother of Thessalus,* 1.55 but welle of fyue chyldren, whiche Hippias hadde by Callis,* 1.56 doughter fo Hipperchide. Also it is lyke to be trewe, that he ma∣ryedde the eldest of this chyldren, furst: and also beinge eldest, it is to bileue, that he succededde, nexte in the Seigniorye, and tyrannye. And it semeth not vnto me to haue any apparance, that if Hipparchus, had bene slayne, possessyng the Seig∣nyorye: that Hippias incontmently after coulde haue obteigneddde yt, and also exercise it the selfe daye, that the other dyedde, but rather hauyng already a longe tyme vsedde hys auctorytie imperially towardes the subiectes, and lyued fren∣dely and discretelye wyth hys adherentes and frendes: feared not to reteigne and kepe hys Seigniorye and pryncipalytie, whatsoeuer thynge had happenedde to hys brother: euene so, as hys sayed brother woulde happely haue done, if that the chaunce hadde happenedde to that same Hippias, for that, that he was alreadye exercisedde and accustomedde, in the Seigniorye. But that, whiche geueth thys reaporte to Hipparchus and causeth theyme, that came after to bileue, that he had obteigned, the pryncipalitie and Seigniorye of Athens: was through cause of the myschance, whiche happenedde vnto hym, by occasyon of that, whyche is bifore sayed. For parceyuynge that he coulde not wythdrawe or bryng Hermo∣dius to hys wyll, he ymagined agaynst hym one suche woorke and despyte. The same Hermodius, hadde a yonge suster, a maydene, who comminge in an assem∣blie of other maydens, of her estate, to a certene solempnytie that was made in the cytie, carying a paynyer or baskette, as the other dyd: Hipparchus, by hys mi∣nisters, causedde her to retyre and to be putt oute of the sayedde compaignie, say∣inge that she was not calledde, to the sayed solempnytie, for she was not woor∣thy to be there, wyllynge to doo it to be vnderstande, that she was no maydene, whereby Hermodius, was more and more, grudgedde and spitefull, and Aristo∣gitonne also for hys sake. And so, they cogiders wyth the complices of that same conspiratie determyned, whan it shuld be expedient for to execute it, but they ta∣ryedde the daye of the feaste, whyche ys calledde, the greate feaste of Panne, for that, that on the same daye yt was permytted to euerye man, withoute any sus∣spycion, to weare harnnes, throughe the towne. And so yt was concludedde a∣mongeste theyme, that on the sayedde daye: the same Hermodius and Arystogi∣ton, shoulde charge vpon Hipparchus, and the other complices, vpon the garde or sargeantes. And albeyt that the same complices were in smalle nomber, yet for to kepe the thynge secrettt, they perswaded theymselfe that whan the other cytezeins, that should be assembled, should see them charge vpon the tyrantes or gouernours, thoughe that they knewe nothynge of the enterpryse, beynge yet in armure, they all woulde ioigne wyth theyme for to recouer their lybertie. Than, whan the feast daye came, Hippias was in a place, a parte, namedde Cerannicus wyth the souldyars of hys garde, and ordeyned the ceremonies of that same so∣lempnitie as it apperteigned. And as Hermodius and Aristogiton came directly

vnto hym wyth their daggers for to slaye hym, they parceyued one of their com∣plices, that was speakynge with the sayedde Hyppias very famyliarlye (for that, that he was gentle to geue audience) whereby they were afrayed that their sayd compaigny on hadde discouered the enterpryse, and leste they shulde be inconty∣nently takene. And so determyned bifore that they would be empeigned or layde hande vpon, to take vengeance on hym, that was cause of their conspiracie. To wytt, Hipparchus, if they coulde. And fourthwith entred into a place, called Leo∣corus, wherin Hipparchus was. And so they russhed vpon hym wyth suche a fu∣rye, for hatred and disdeigne, whiche they had agaynste hym, that they dyd slaye hym incontinently. And that done Aristogiton at begynnyng sauedde hymself a∣monge the souldeours and garde of the tyrantes, notwythstandynge he was af∣terwardes takene and soore hurte, but Hermodius was slayne vpon the place. Hippias being aduertifed in the sayd place of Cerannicus of this matter: did not soudainely repaire vnto the place, where the chance was commytted, but wente straight waye thider, where as the people of the towne being armed were assem∣bled for the pompe or solempnytte, bifore that they had any vnders••andynge of the dede. And makyng good chere, and shewynge a ioyfull countenance euene as as no suche thynge had bene done, he caused ••o comaunde them, that they shulde all withdrawe themself without armure into a certein place, whiche he caused to be shewed vnto them, whiche thyng they did, thynking that he would haue sayd something vnto them. And fourthwith, as they were there, he sent his souldears, and garde, for to take from them, their armure, and to apprehende those, whom he had•• in suspection, pryncipally them that were founde wearynge daggers. For the custome was in that same solempnytie, to carye speares and targottes onely. In this manner, throughe foolyshe loue, the furste conspiracie was bigonne and enterprysedde agaynste the Tyrantes of Athens, and executed foolyshly for the soubdayne feare, whiche they had, that enterprysedde yt, to haue bene discouered, whereby greate euylle insuedde afterwardes to the Athenyans. For in tyme fol∣lowynge, the tyrantes were more cruell, than they hadde bene, for that that Hip∣pias fearynge to be circumuentedde: causedde manye of the cytizeins to dye, and also prouydedde hymselfe wyth allyances and frendeshyps, wythout the towne, for to wythdrawe and saue hymselfe, yf annye mutation or change happenedde wythin the cytie. For this cause, he maryed his doughter, named Archedice,* 1.57 vn∣to Hippoclus sonne of Eantydes,* 1.58 Tyrante of Lamsaque, for that that he knewe that the sayed Eantydes hadde greate amytie wyth Darie, kynge of Persie. The Sepulcre or graue of whiche woman is yet to be sene in Lamsacque aforesayd, wherevpon was an Epitaphe of this substance. Here lyeth Archedice, doughter of Hyppias defendoure of the Grekes, who, althoughe that she was doughter, wyfe and suster of Tyrantes, dydde not yett therefore annye proude or violente thynge. Neuerthelas three yeares arter this, whiche we haue spokene, Hippias was chasedde by the Lacedemonyans and by the Alemonides oute of the Se∣igniorye and tyrannye of Athenes. And wente fromethence wyth hys good will vnto Eantides in Sigee and vnto Lampsaque,* 1.59 and fromethence vnto the kyng Darius, and twentye yeares after (beyng than verye olde) he dydde come wyth the Medes agaynste the Grekes at Marathonie. The people of Athenes, bryn∣gyng thies auncient thynges to remembrance, was more sharpe and more cha∣fedde to enquier of this same matter of the dyssyguredde ymages and of the cor∣rupted sacrefices, fearynge to come agayne into subiection of tyrantes. And per∣swaded themself that the sayed excesse and mysdedes had bene done to the same entente. By occasion whereof many greate personages of the cytie were putt into

prysone. And the persecution and wrath of the commons encreasedde dayllye to apprehende, and imprysone men, vntylle that one of theym that hadde bene ta∣kene and was reputed for moste coulpable, at perswation of one of the other pry∣soners, discoueredde the thynge, were it truely or faulselye, for the trouth coulde neuer be knowyn nother than nor afterwardes. But somuche there was, that he was perswadedde, that if he discoueredde the case, by accusynge of hymselfe and of some other, he shoulde putt the reste of the cytye oute of suspition and of dan∣ger. And also by so doynge shoulde be in suertie for to escape and to be delyue∣redde. By this meane he confessedde the case of Hermes or pictures, as touchyng hymself, and also accused a compaignie of other, whome he declared to haue bene partakers therof, whereby the comons, thynkyng that he had sayed the trouthe, were ryght ioyfull. For they were tomuche angry, that no knowlaige coulde be had of a dede, done by so great nomber of people. And so he, that had confessedde the matter, togiders wyth the other, whome he had not chargedde: were fourth∣wyth delyuered. And of those, which he had charged, al they that might be taken were putt to execution by sentence or iudgemente. The other, that fledde frome∣thence, were condempnedde of contumacye to death, and a huyer was lymytedde and appoynctedde for all men, whiche dydde slaye theyme. And yett was it not knowyn for trouthe, whider that those, whiche had bene executed, were gylty or not. Neuerthelas in all the rest the cytie reputed itselfe to haue gaigned and pro∣fytedde greatly. But the comons were displeasedde, wyth Alcibiades, who was accused of this chance, of the ymages by his ennemyes, to wytte, by those same, that had charged him therwith bifore his departure. And takyng it to be trewe that he had bene gilty of the case, of the Hermes or pictures, they easely perswaded themself, that he likewise had bene partaker of the other case of the sacrefices with the other complices & conspirators against the comons. And the suspection didde growe somuche the more, that a certene small nomber of warryours beyng La∣cedemonyans, did in that self time come vntill the distreate of Peloponese, for to appoynte and intreate of some matter, with the Beotians. Wherby the Atheniās had suspicion, that it had bene through consent of the said Alcibiades, vnder cou∣lour of the sayd treatie, and that if the same Atheniās, had not preuented to take the sayd citizeins, whome they had taken vpon suspition, the cytie had bene in dā∣ger to be taken and betrayed. And the suspition was so great, that a great watch in armure, was for one nyght, kept in the cytie of the temple of Theseus. In the selfe tyme the gestes and frendes of the same Alcibiades, which were in the cytie of Argos, were suspected, to be willing for to inuade the comons, which thing, be∣ing by them signefyed vnto the Athenyans, they licenced the sayed Argiues for to slaye the citizeins of Athens, which they had in their citie of Argos, who were de∣liuered vnto them, for hostage, and by them to be sent vnto certaine Islandes. In this manner, Alcibiades was suspected, on all sydes. Whereupon they that were wyllynge to cause hym to come to iudgemente, for to condempne hym to death: purchased to cause hym to be adiournedde or somoned in Sycile, togiders w^t the other, of whome hathe bene spokene, and gaue charge vnto the Messenger: that he shoulde comaunde hym to followe hym incontinentlye, and not to take hym, for feare that they hadde aswell of the compaignions of warre which he had vn∣der his charge, as also that the affaire of the enterpryse of Sycille shulde not be troubledde, and yet moste pryncipallye that the Mantynyens, and the Argiues (who at the desyre of the same Alcibiades accompanyedde the sayed Athenyans in that same enterpryse) shoulde not be mouedde or loste. Than Alcibiades, percey••ynge the comaundemente and adiournynge, that was made vnto hym,

mounted into a shypp, and the other also adiourned did mounte withe him, and departed fromthence togiders wyth the ship of Salamyne, whych was comme for to adiourne them: fayning to be willing to saille in compagnie vnto Athens. But after that they were in Thurie, they followed it no further: nother afterwar∣des were sene by those of the sayd shipp of Salamyne: who, hauynge carefullye enquyred, what way they were gone, and not learnyng any newes therof, they saylled frōthence their right way. Sone after Alcibiades departed from Thurie, and sailled fromthence to lande in Peloponese: being already bannyshedde from Athens. And so after, he and the other, whych were in hys compaigny were con∣dempned for contuinacye vnto death by the Athenyans.

¶Howe after the departure of Alcibiades, the other two Dukes Athenyans, hauynge done certen small thynges in Sycille, did come to assiege the cytie of Saragosse and hadde a victorye agaynste the Syracusains. ☞The .xi. Chapter.

AFter the departure of Alcibiades, the other twoo Dukes Athenyans departed all the armye into two partes: and aither of theym. dyd by lott take the charge of the one of theym. And afterwardes they bothe togiders wyth all the hoste, wente fromthence vnto Selynunte, and to Egeste for to knowe if the Egestians were determyned to delyuer the mon∣ney, whyche they had promysed, and also for to vnderstāde the affayre of the said Selynuntyns and the question or difference, whyche they had wyth the Egesta∣ins. And they saylled a length the sea, hauynge the Isle of Sycille of the coste of the sea Ionum on the lefte hande, and came to aboorde bifore the cytie of Imere: the whyche only in that same quarter is inhabyted wyth Grekes, neuerthelesse they woolde not receyue the sayd Athenyans, who, at their departure fromthēce, sailled to a towne named Hiccara.* 1.60 The whyche, though that it were inhabytedde wyth Sycaniens was yet ennemy to the Egestains. For this cause, they pillaged yt, and afterwardes did set of the Egestains wythin it. Thys dependinge arry∣ued the horsemen of the Egestains, wyth whome the fotemen Athenyans came by lande wythin the Isle, pillaginge and robbinge vntill Catana, and their ships came vnto them coastynge alongeste the sea, wherin they charged their butyes & pillage, aswell of beastes as of the other. Nycias at departure frō Heccana, wēte incontynently to Egeste. where he receiued of the Egestains thirty talentes. And hauynge geuen order for certen other thynges, retourned fromthence into the ar∣mye. And besyde that some, that they had taken for the sayd butye, whych was solde, they receyued one houndred and twenty talētes of golde. Afterwards they wente enuyroning the Isle, and in their passage dydde geue order to their allyes that they shulde sende them the nomber of men, whyche they had promysedde. And so they came wyth the moytie of the armye before the towne of Hibla in the terrytory of Gela (the whyche toke the partie againste them) thinkyng to take it,* 1.61 but they coulde not, and in this meane tyme, the ende of Somer dyd come. At be∣gynnynge of the wynter, the Athenyans prepared themself for to come to assiege Sarragosse, and on the other syde the Syracusains prepared theymselfe for to come to mete them. For insomuche as the Athenyans did not at beginning come to assaylle them, they toke dayly more and more courage. And somuche the lesse they fearedde and estemed them, that they had enuironned and compassed about the other countrey by sea very farre frome theire cytie, and also coulde not take

Hybla.* 1.62 whereupon the sayd Syracusains were so puffed vp, that they requyred of their Dukes that they shulde conducte them vnto Catana, where the enemys were, insomuch as they durste not come thider vnto them. And the lyght horse∣men Syracusains, whych ronned daylly vnto the campe of the said Athenyans, among other reproches, whiche they vsed, demanded of theym, if they were not more comme to inhabitt rather an other mans lande, than for to restore the Le∣ontins into theirs. The Athenyans, knowinge suche thyngs, essaiedde to wyth∣drawe those Syracusains so farre, as they coulde, from their cytie, to the intente that the more wyth their ease, they myght in one nyght wyth their shipps, saille to lande before the towne, and lodge theire campe in place, where they shulde thinke most mete. For they knewe well, that if at landing out of their ships, they founde the ennemyes in order and prepared for to defende theire landinge: or∣els if that they woulde take their waye fromthence by lande vnto the sayde cytie: they shuld haue much more difficultie. For their horsmen might do greate dam∣maige vnto their fotemen beynge lyght armed, and also to the reste of their fote men, considered that they had yet small nomber of horsmen there. And doing as they had enterprysed, they might w^tout any great empeschement take the place, whych they desired, before that the horsmen Syracusains shulde haue bene re∣tourned, which place had bene taught and shewed vnto them, by the bannished men of the same cytie, who followedde them, to witt, nyghe vnto the temple of Olympus. And for to execute their enterpryse, they vsedde one suche a cautelle. That is, that they sente one (whome they right wel trusted) vnto the Dukes of Syracusains, knowinge also that they wolde geue fayth vnto that, whyche he shulde shewe them, fayninge to be sente from certen of the princypalle of the cy∣tie of Catana, wherof he was, whom the said dukes did well knowe) saying that they yet helde their partie, and that if they wolde, they wold cause them to haue y^e victorie against the Athenyans by such meane: for one partie of the armye of y^e said Athenyans kept thēself w^tin the towne without armure. So that if the said Syracusains, issued fourth, at one daye named, oute of Sarragosse and arryued at the breake of the day w^t all their puissance: those same Catanyens, whome he named vnto them wyth their complices, shuld easely enclose the Athenyās, that were w^tin the towne, and also wold put fyer into their ships, which were in their port. By which doing, if the said Syracusains wolde rush out and charge vpon them that were in the feld, which was without the towne, enclosed wyth Pales, they might take it without any great difficultie, and destroy all that they shulde fynde w^tin it: saying moreouer that there were many cytezeins of Catane of thys intellygence and conspyratie, all ready and determined for to execute it: who had sente hym thyder. The dukes Syracusains, which were bolde, and besides that had already desire to go vnto the enemyes in their campe, did lightly bileue the espie. And hauing taken a day wyth him, whan they wold be at Catana, they sent him agayn vnto them, frō whom he sayd that he was come. And at the said daye failled not to issue fourth all the people of the cytie wyth the succours of the Se∣lynūtyns, and some other their allyes that were already come, and for haste they went fourth w^tout order altogiders for to lodge nygh to Catana vpon the riuer of Symethe in the lande of Leontyns.* 1.63 Than the Athenyās, vnderstanding their comyng, did charge all their people, that they had, aswell Athenyans, as Sycili∣ans and othere, in their shippes, and saylledde by nyght, towardes Sarragosse. where they arryued at breake of daye wythin the greate porte, bifore the temple of Olympus for to lande there. In thys meane tyme, the horsemen Syracu∣sains, whyche were goone to Catana, vnderstandynge that all the Athenyans

ships were departed out of the porte of Catana, aduertysed the fotemen thereof, and all togyders dyd take their way for to retourne to the succours of their cytie. But for that, that the waye was longe, byfore that they coulde aryue, the Athe∣nyans had already landed, and taken their lodging in the place, whyche they had chosen: out of the whych, they myght defende themself to their aduantaige, with out beinge in dangier before that they had made their rampares, nother yet by makynge of them, insomuche as they were shadowed couered or defended wyth walles and buildinges in that same quarter. And moreouere there was manye trees, a standing water, and hollowe or broken places. So that none could come vpon them out of the same quarter, specyally horsmen. And on the other parte, they had already hewed downe a great quantytie of the sayd trees, whyche they had caryed to the sea syde, and there planted and locked togiders in manner of o∣uerthwarte crosses, for to defende and let, that no man shulde issue fourthe into theirs ships Moreouer in that same quarter, where their campe was most lowe, and where the cōming therinto was most easy, they had rampared it with great stoanes and wyth woode in haste, so that yt was very harde to enter there, and afterwardes they dyd breake the bridge, whyche they had made for to goo vnto their ships. All whyche woorke they dyd at their ease, without thys, that annye man yssued oute of the citie for to empesche them, for they were all gone fourth & were not yet retourned from Catana, of whom the horsmen were the firste that came agayne, and sone after all the people that were issued fourthe, and came di∣rectely agaynste the Athenyans, to presente theym bataylle. But seing that they yssued not fourth, they wythdrewe and wente to lodge themselfe on the othere syde of the way, whyche leadeth to Heloryne. The morowe after, the Athenyans yssued fourth for to fyght, and they ordeyned their battaille in this sorte. For at the ryght poyncte they sett the Argiues and the Mantynyans, at the lefte, the o∣ther their allyes, and in the myddell the Athenyans. And also the one moytie of the army was of the thicknes of eyght renkes in the fronte•• & the othere moytie, whyche was on the syde towards the Pauillyons or Tentes, asmuch, the whole beynge foore squared. And a certayne parte was ordeyned to comme to succour that same moytie that was the riere warde, if they shulde see that the other were oppressed, betwene thies twoo battailles, they bestowed the baggage and the mē that were not mete to fyght. On the other syde, the Syracusains dyd putt all in armure, aswell those of the towne as estrangers, whome they had welle armed. Amonge whome, were the Selynimtyns that came furst thider. And after, those of Gele, whyche were aboute twoo houndred horsmen, and those of Cameryne aboutes lxx. Arbalestriers or crosbowes. Also they dyd put all their horsmen on y^e ryght poynct, and after followynge, the archers or slyngers. The battails than beynge ordered, for that, that the Athenyans shulde fyrste begynne to marche, Nycias, wente ronnynge to and fro a lenghe wythout hys battaylle, and dydde speake to euery renke in thys manner.

The exhortation of Nycias to hys souldears. ☞The .xii. Chapter.

WHat nedeth it, Lordes, that I make greate exhortation for to fighte valyātly, vnto youe, that be here ready to do yt. Trulye the prepara∣tion, whyche I see here, semeth to me to haue moore effycacytie for to geue youe courayge and audacytie, than all the talke, that anny man

lyuynge coulde vse, if that we were euyll appoincted. Nowe be we here, Argiues, Mantynyans and Athenyans, the moste principall aud superiours of all the Is∣landers and inhabitantes in the Islandes. Howe can we than in so great a nōber of such frends & allyes not haue certen hope of the victorie, specially hauing to do against comō people & those, which be not chosen as we be? And also thies be Sy∣ciliās y^t dispyse vs afarre of, but being nighe vnto them they wyl not tary vs, in∣somuch as they haue lesse of knowlaige & experience, than of audacytie. I wol al∣so y^• euery of you do bring to his remembrance, that we be here in a strange land farre from ours, and not being our frende, the whyche we cannot obteigne w^tout the victorie. For his cause I will exhorte by all reasons contrary to the same, by the whych I presuppose that our enemys shalbe exhorted by their capitains. For they woll shewe thē, that they haue to fyght for defence of their owne land. And I do shewe you that we be in a strange lande, in the which we must ayther vain∣quishe, orels haue no greate hope for to retourne into ours, for they haue plenty of horses that wil oppresse vs greatly, if that we breke our aray. wherfore, as mē valyant & hardy, be willing to assaile the enemys manfully, remēbring youre an∣cyent vertue & force, & setting bifore your eyes, that the necessitie, wherin we be, is muche more to be feared, than the puissance of our ennemys. After that Nycias had thus spokē, he caused his men to marche against thennemys, who loked not y^t they shulde haue so sone presented them ba••taill. For this cause, some o•• them were gone into y^e citie, which was very nigh their cāpe. who, neuertheles inconti∣nently as they had knowlaige of thaffaire, issued fourth and came to ioygne thē∣self wyth their men, not in their order, for that they coulde not do. But where as they came, there they mingled themself with the other, and shewed aswel in that same battaill, as in all other affayres, that they lacked not nother harte nor bar∣dynes, more than those, that did assaille them: but rather did defende thēself va∣lyantly, so long as they perceyued any meane to be hable to do it. And whan they were cōstrayned to retire, they did it vnwillingly & slackly: but howsoeuer it was, not thinking at that present, that the Atheniās wold haue come to assaile them, & by that meane being soubdainly taken, they armed themselfe hastely and came to mete their enemys. And the Archers, slyngers and ••asters of dartes, bigan first thescarmouche by chasing and recueilling, aswel on thone syde as on y^e other, for a certen shorte space, so as such people, which be lightly armed, be accustomed to do. Afterwardes the southsayers and dyuynours on both sydes, shewed aythere vnto hys nation that the significations of the sacrefyces were good. Upon which knowlaige, they caused the token o•• battaill to be geuen, and the one marched a∣gaynst the other in their order, such, as hath bene aboue said, very fyersly, and w^t great couraige. For y^e Syracusains cōsidered that they did fight for their cōtrey, both for their present welth, and also for their lybertie in tyme comyng. As tou∣ching their enemys the Athenyans, they did fight for to obteigne an other mans land, and not to bring dāmage to their owne, if they were vainquished. The Ar∣gyues and the other their allyes, not subiected to those Athenyans for to do thē y^e saruice, for the which they were cōme to the same voiage, & yet euery of thē de∣siringe to retourne frothence victoriou••ly into his house. And y^e other allyes, that were subiects of y^e said Atheniās, did also fight ioyfully & with good courage, prin¦cipally for that, that except they had y^e victorie they hoped not to be hable to saue thēselues. And although y^• none other reasone had moued them, yet they hoped that in saruinge well & valyātly, they shuld be better intreated of their lordes, ••a∣uyng ayded them to conquere a land so farre of, as Sycille. Being than after the stroaks of shot, come hāde to hand, they did fight a good space w^tout that, that y^e

one or the other of the parties did recuille or geue backe. But being in the same conflicte, there soubdainly came a greate rayne w^t lowde thondringes and thicke lightnynges out of heauē. Wherof the Syracusains, whych than did furst fight, were muche astonyed, for that they were not vsed nor experimentedde in warre. But they, whych were moore wonted to such thynges, did attrybute it vnto the tyme of the yeare and passed not of it. Wherby the Syracusains were yet more astonyed•• fearynge leaste their ennemyes had takene the same for a token or pro¦phecie vnto their aduantage and that it came in the dissauor of them. So it hap¦pened that the Argiues furst, and afterwards the Athenyans on the syde where they were, made a charge so sharpely vpon the Syracusains, that they dyd put them into disorder: and sone after to flight. Neuertheles they followed them not farre, for feare of the horsmen, which were in greate nomber and hadde not bene brokene or putt out of order. who, after that they parceyued somme o•• the sayde Athenyans to followe their people to farre bifore the other, they repoulsed them stourdely. For this cause the Atheniās pursued the Syracusains being in flight, somuche as they coulde, all locked togiders. Afterwards they retyred in the selfe order into their campe, and there they reised vp their trophee in signe of victorie. And the Syracusains retired the best that they could, likewise into their campe. And fourthwith sent a good nomber from them to the temple of Olympiades, whyche was therby, fearynge leaste the Athenyans wolde come to pillage it, for that, that therin was great quantyte of golde and syluer. The othere retyred in∣to the cytie. Neuertheles the sayde Athenyans wente not agaynste the said tem∣ple: but hauynge receyued and brunned the cariogns of their men that were dead at the battaill, they taryed there that same nyght. And on the morow the Syra∣cusains knowing to haue bene vainquished, they sent vnto them for to demāde their dead men, whych were in a••l aswell of theire cytezeins•• as of their allyes a∣boute two houndred and three skore, and of the Athenyans togiders with their allyes aboutes fyftie. whose boanes, after that they were burned, they dyd with∣drawe and caryed them to Catana•• togiders wyth the spoilles of the ennemyes, and by thys meane they retyred, for that, that they were already in wynter, whi∣che was no tyme to make warre. They could not also cōduct nor endure it with out horsmen: wherof they at••ended a good nomber, aswell from Athens, as from their allyes, & also monney for to fournishe necessaries. They hoped al••o duringe the wynter, for to practique and wynne, thro••gh fauoure of that same victorie, many cyties of Sycille vnto their partie, and moreouer to make prouysyon of victuailles and of all other thinges, for to come agayne to laye theire Siege to Sarragosse immediatly after the winter. Thies were in effecte the causes, why∣che mouedde theym to comme for to wynter at Catana, and at Naxe.

Howe the Syracusains hauing chosen new•• Dukes, and geuene order in their af∣fayres, they made an assaulte agaynst them of Catana, and how the Athenyans faylled to take the Cytie of Messane. ☞The .xiii. Chapter.

AFter that the Syracusains had caused their dead men to be buryed, the people was assembled. In the whyche assemblie, Hermocrates, sonne of Hermon, who was estemed as greatly wyse and prudente, as any man of the cytie, and moreouer valyante and experymented

in matters and feate of warre, made vnto them many declarations and perswa∣tions for to geue them courage,* 1.64 and that they shuld not be astonied for the losse, whiche they had had, shewynge vnto them that the same losse was not chanced to them through lacke of courage, but through faulte of order, and also that yt was not so greate as by reason it shulde haue bene, consyderinge that on theire side, there were none but comon people and men not often experimēted in warre: and the ennemyes were the beste practysedde of all Grece, and suche as vsed the crafte and feate of warre, more than of any other thynge. Also the multytude of their capytaynes dyd noye them greatly. For there were fyue of them that had not greate obeyssance of their souldyars. But in case that they wolde chose some small nomber of more experte and of more me••e parsons for Capitains, and du¦rynge that same wynter assemble a good nomber of souldyars, fournishyng thē wyth harnes, that had not therof, and moreouer wolde exercyse themself in fea∣tes of armes durynge the sayd tyme: he had good hoope, that they shulde haue the better agaynste their ennemyes, addyng good order and conducte vnto their couraige and hardynes, whyche thynges be necessary for warre. To wytt, order and conducte, for to knowe, foresee and exchue the dangers, and hardynes for to execute that, whyche shalbe deuysed by wyt. And also it were necessarye that the Dukes and Capytayns (whych are to be chosen in small nōber as is aboue said) shulde haue power in the feate of warre, for to order and do therein, euene as yt shulde seme to them to be expedyent: for the welthe of the cytie, geuynge them othe•• suche, as ys requysite in the same & lyke cases. For by thys meane, the thin∣ges, whyche shulde be nedefull to be holden secrett, may be kepte close, and mo∣reouer the prouysyons may be made without any contradiction. After that Her∣mocrates had ended hys aduertysements, all the people founde them good, and dyd chose hymself for one of the Capytayns and wyth hym Heraclides,* 1.65 sonne of Lysymachus and Sycanus sonne of Excrestus.* 1.66 whome also they dyd chose Am¦bassadours for to go to the Lacedemonyans and Corynthians for to perswade them that they shulde ioygne togiders wyth them agaynste the Athenyans and that they shulde make so stronge and fierce warre in theire countreye, that they shulde be constrayned to habandone and forsake Sycille, orels that they shulde sende to the sayde Syracusains succours by sea. In this meane tyme, the armye of the Athenyans, whyche was at Catana, went fromthence agaynste Messane, hopinge to haue taken it by treatie and conspyracie of some of the Cytezeins. But they were deceyuedde of their enterpryse, for that, that Alcibiades, who knewe y^e sayde treatie, after that he was departed out of the hoste, holding hymself in all poynctes assured, that he shulde be bannyshed out of Athens: had secretely disco∣uered the treasone of those of the sayd cytie, whyche toke parte. wyth the Syra∣cusains. who hauynge furste slayne the transgressours and afterwardes moued the comons agaynste them and their complices: obteygned what they woolde, to wytt, that the Atheuyans shulde not be receyued into the cytie. who, aftere that they hadde bene in the campe .xiii. dayes before the sayde Cytie, parceyuinge that the wynter increased and waxed more bitter, and that they beganne to lacke vic∣tualles, also that theyre enterpryse faylled them: they retyredde to Naxe and to Thrace, where they forcefyed their campe with diches and pales, and there pas∣sed that same wynter. Durynge the whyche, they sente a galley vnto Athens, for to demande newe succours wyth horsemen and wythe monney for the sprynge tyme followynge, that they myght be hable to issue fourth into the feldes. On the other syde, the Syracusains, duringe that same wynter, enclosed wyth walles, al the suburbs, whyche was on the syde of Epipole,* 1.67 to the intent, that if by fortune

they loste an other tyme the battaille in the feldes, they might haue the greater space for to retyre wythin the closure of the Cytie: and besydes that, they made newe rampares aboutes the temple of Olympus, and of the place called Mega∣re: and therin they put a good garnyson. And moreouer in all sydes, where men might descende from the sea to lande against the Cytie, they made strong crosse barres and pales. After that, knowinge howe the Athenyans had embarqued thē••self nighe vnto Naxe for to wynter there, all the people issued fourthe agaynste Catana, and they pillaged all their terrytorie, & rased downe and burned all the lodginges and campe of the Athenyans, that they had made, whan they were there: and afterwardes retourned fromthence into their houses.

¶Howe the Athenyans and the Syracusains sente Ambassadours towardes the Cameryns, ayther partie for to withdraw them to their allyance, and the answer, which they made to them both. And also the preparations & practiques, that the Athenyans made that same winter against the Syracusains. ☞The .xiiii. Chapter.

THies thinges thus done, the Syracusains being aduertysed that the Athenyans had sente to the Cameryns, for to confirme the allyance, that they hadde in tymes paste made withe Lachetes, at that tyme Duke of Athens, they sent thider lykewyse for their partie: for they had not very great confydence in them insomuche as at the other battaille, they had shewed themself very cold in sending their succour, wherby they had greate doubte, least they wold sende no more in tyme to come: and also least they wold take part w^t the Athenyans, seing them to haue had y^e victorie in the said battail, vnder colour of the said auncyēt allyance. Hermocrates w^t some other Ambassa∣dours being than come thider for the Syracusains, & Euphemus & certen other for the Athenyans, the same Hermocrates didde speake before the people of Ca∣maryne, who was assembled for that purpose, in thys manner, in presence of the Ambassadours of Athenes.

The Oration of Hermocrates to the Camerins.

WE be not sente hither vnto you Cameryus, for doubte that we haue, that ye be afrayde of thys army of the Athenyans: but for feare leaste through their artificiall and subtille woordes (before hauinge bene by vs aduertised) they shulde induce and allure you to their purpose. whyche is to do vnder the coulour, whiche youe haue parceyued, the thinge that we all do suspecte. And as for me I am ryght certeine that they be not come for to restore & set the Leontins again into their houses: but rather to chase vs oute of ours. For it is not to beleue that they, which dryue those same of Grece out of their cyties, be come hider for to sett agayn those of this countrey into the same, out of which they be chased. Nother that they haue so great care, as they saie, for the Leontins, as for their cousins for that, that they be Chalcydes, seing that the self Chalcydes (of whom thies be descendedde) be by theym broughte into seruy∣tude & bondage: but rather vnder the coulour, wherby they haue obteigned those there, they wold presently obteigne the coūtrey in thies parties. For being volun∣tarely chosen capitains of tharmy of Grekes for to resiste the Medes, by y^e Ioni∣ans and other Colonies of their allyāce, they haue reduced & broughte them in∣to their obeissance. Some vnder colour y^t they had forsakē tharmy w^tout lycence

Some other by occasions of warrs & questiōs that they had amongest themself & the other vnder suche other coloures as they did finde for their purpose, whan they dyd see oportunitie. In suche maner that it may be sayd for trouth, that the Athenyans made not warre agaynste the Medes for the lybertie of Grece, nor the other Grekes to enioye their owne, but rather they dyd make it to the intent that the Grekes shulde sarue to them and not to the Medes. And those self Gre∣kes for to change the lorde, and not for to change him that ruled moste stronge for the same that ruled more weakely: but onely him that imagined moste euil, & how he shuld gouerne hym, that intended beste. And albeit that the same Cy∣tie of Athenes be greately worthye of reprehension and reproche: yet we be not come hyder to procure it before people, whych knowe ynough of their wyll: but rather for to rebuke vs other Syciliens, whyche haue before oure eyes the exam∣ple of the other cyties of Grece, that they haue subdued: and yet notwithstanding thynke not to defende ourselues from them, nother to reiecte and caste of the fal∣laces and sophemes, that they wolde delyuer vs, to wytte, that they be come for to ayde the Leontins, as their cowsins, and the Egestains, as their allyes. Wher∣fore me thinketh that we shulde the sooner thinke on our case, and doo them to knowe, that we be not Ionyens, Hellespontyns nor Islanders: whyche haue al∣wayes accustomed to be subiects of the Medes, and also of other, so that they do but change the lorde, into whosoeuer handes they fail. But we be Doriens of a free nation and come oute of Peloponese, whyche is a franke countrey and inha∣byting in Sycille. And ought not to abyde vntill we be taken towne after town, knowynge that by thys onely meane we maye be taken, and that for this cause they haue prepared themself, and by that meane they goo about to separate and set vs asonder, some by their practices and vnder the colour of their alliance, to set some to warre against the other, and in speakynge gracyous and ioyful words, to do all the euyll that they maye vnto vs all accordinge as they shall fynde oc∣casion. And if there be any one amonge vs, that perswadeth himself that the euil, which cometh to an other, that is not his next neyghbour, is yet very farre frome hym, and that it shall remayne there w^tout coming to him, and that it is not be, to whome the Athenyans be ennemyes, but well they be the Syracusains, and that by this meane it shuld be follie to put his part in dangier, for to saue myne: I say vnto him, that he vnderstandeth not well, and that he ought to consider y^• defending myne, he defendeth his owne propre asmuch as myne. And somuche he doth it more assuredly and more to his aduantage, that he hath me in his cō∣paigny before that I be destroyd, for so I may helpe hym. Also, whosoeuer hath suche fantasie, he ought to consyder, that the Athenyans be not comme for to re∣uenge themself of the Syracusains for any ennemytie that they haue to them, but rather vnder coulour herof, to confirme their amytie with youe. And if there be any, which enuieth vs or that feareth vs, for that, that it is the custome, that the more puissant be alwaies enuyed or feared of the more feoble, and therfore it semeth to him, that if we receyue any dammage, we shalbe moore tractable and more gracious, and that he neuertheles shall remaine the more in suertie: trulye he trustethe in the thinge that is not in the power of hys intente and wylle. For men haue not fortune in their power, euen as they haue their wyll. And therfore if it happene otherwyse, than he thynketh: whyche hath suche fantasie, peraduen∣ture that for the grief of the euyll that shall come vpon himselfe, he shall desire at an other tyme to enioye me and my goods lyke as he hath done before tyme: that shalbe impossyble for hym: sithens that he shall haue forsaken and refused to be w^t me in dangiers of fortune, that were asmuche hys, as myne, not in name

and in worde: but in effecte. For he, that aydeth vs in this affaire, he in name de∣fendeth our estate, but in effecte he defendeth hys oune. And trulye reasone wol∣leth well, that ye other Camerins, which be our neighbours and in the self dāger, wherein we be, shulde consyder thies thinges here and ought to haue cōme to our allyance more readely than ye haue not done, and that of your owne good will for to comforte and admonishe vs that we shulde not lose oure coura••ge for any thinge that mighte chaunce vs, and alleage and declare vnto vs, the selfe same thynges, that ye woolde haue alleaged, if the Athenyans had surst come against youe: whyche thynge ye nor the other haue not yet done. And yf ye woll say that youe woll kepe and vse reasone somuche towardes vs, as towardes oure enne∣myes for feare to offende the one or the other, and take youre occasyon vpon the allyance, whyche youe haue wyth them: Truly ye haue not made that same al∣lyaunce for to go to assaylle youre frendes at their pleasure and appetite: but ra∣ther onely for to succour the one the other, if any dyd come to assaille youe. For thys cause the Rhegins, though that they be Chalcydes, haue not bene willinge to ioygne wyth thies here for to restore the Leontins into their houses, who be Chalcydes as they be. And if those there, wythout hauing any reasonable excuse, but for that, that they haue had this iustification or proufe so well couloured of the Athenyans, for suspected, gouerned themself herin wysely: woll you (hauinge reasonable cause for to excuse youe) beare fauour and proffitt vnto them, that na∣turelly be y••ure ennemyes, and habandone and forsake those, whyche be youre neyghbours and your parentes, for to ioygne youresel•• vnto thies here? Certain∣ly ye shall do agaynste reasone, yf ye woll ayde thys puissance of enemyes, which ye ought rather to feare, although that if we were ioigned and vnited togider, we shulde haue no cause to feare: but iustly if we separate or deuyde oureselues the one from the other. Whiche is the thinge that they attempte for their power, for that, that they be come into thys countrey not onely agaynste vs, but rathere a∣gaynste all. And yet they haue not done agaynste vs that, whyche they wylledde, though that they dydde vaynquishe vs in battaille, but after their victorie, they wente fromthence. Wherefore it may be clerly knowin, that whan we shalbe ioig∣ned togiders, we ought not greately to care for them, and chiefly attendyng the succours that is to come from the Peloponesyans, whyche be better warryours than thies here. And truly yt ought not to seme to anny to be good for youe, not to busye youreselfe or not to meddle, nother for theym nor vs, and that the same shalbe reasonable as touching vs, consyderinge that ye be allyed togyder, and al∣so the more suertie for you. For though that the ryght be at the furste sight lyke and egall betwene them and vs as concernynge you for the reason abouesaide: yet the dede ys greately dyuers. For if they, agaynste whom warre ys made for fault to haue bene by you succoured, be vainquished, and the other vainquishors and ouercommers: what other thynge maye be sayde, than that by your absence, the one hath bene ouercomed and the other haue not bene prohybited or left to do euyll. Therfore lordes, it shalbe muche better done for to ayde those, whome men wolde oppresse, whiche be your parentes and neyghbours, in defending the comon welth of all Sycille, and not to suffer the Athenians to offende: than not to meddle wyth nother partie. And for to shewe you in fewe wordes all that we woll saye, insomuche as there nede not many wordes, for to declare to you or to any other that, which ye vnderstande of yourself: we praye and require youe for to ayde vs in thys present busynes. And we protest that if youe do it not: ye shal suffre vs to be wasted and destroyed by the Ionyens our perpetuall ennemyes. And being Doryens, as we be, ye habandone & forsake vs noughtly. And if we be

vaynquyshed by the Athenyans, it shalbe youre faulte, and they shalle haue the glorye of the victory. And as touchynge the huyer or rewarde, it shalbe none o∣there, but the same, that hath geuene the victorye. And if we ouercomme, ye shall suffer the payne, for that, that ye haue bene cause of the dangeire, where in we shall haue bene. Consider than the whole, and chose ye presently aythere to in∣curre and submit yourself into the seruitude presented without any danger, or in ouercommynge thys people, both to eskape wyth vs from beinge their subiectes, and also not to be for a right longe tyme our ennemyes. After that Hermocrates had thus spokene, Euphemus the Athenyan arose vp and dydde speake in thys manner.

¶ The Oration of Euphemus the Athenyan to the Camerins. ☞The .xv. Chapter.

WE were comme hider, Lordes Camerins, onely for to renewe the an∣cyent amytie & allyāce that we haue with you. But sithens that this same Syracusaine hath charged and maliciously spoken agaynst vs, It is here nedefull to speake of our Empire, and howe, by good and iuste cause and reasone, we haue obteygned it: whereof thys same here, who hath spoken, beareth good wytnes by that, which he hath said, that y^e Ionyens haue al waies ben enemys of the Doriens: but it muste be vnderstande, how it is. We be truly Ionyens, and the Peloponesyans Doriens. And for that, that they be in greater nomber than we and our neyghbours, we haue trauailled to kepe oure∣selues, that they shulde not bringe vs into their subiection. For this cause, after the warre of the Medes, hauinge our army by sea, we wythdrewe ourselfe from the Empire and conducte of the Lacedemonyans, which were capytaines of all the armye of Grece, for that, that it was not more reasonable that we shulde be vnder them, than they vnder vs, but for that, that they haue bene more puissant than we. And consequently beinge made prynces and superiours of Grekes, who before tyme were subiectes vnto the Medes: we haue kepte and maignteigned oure reygne: knowynge that whan we shall haue asmuche puissance as they, for to resyste their force, that than we shall in nothynge be bounde vnto them. And for to speke more clerely, we haue vpon good cause brought into our obeissance and subiection the Ionyans and the Islanders, though that they be oure paren∣tes, as the Syracusains do say. But it was for thys cause, that they came wyth the Medes agaynste our cytie, whyche is their Metrip olitaine and from whence they be descended, for feare of losynge of their houses and domestycall goodes, & hadde not the hardynes to forsake their townes and Cyties, for to conserue and kepe their lybertie, as we dyd, but rather they loued better to be bondemen and subiectes of the Medes for to saue their goodes, and also to comme wyth them agaynste vs, for to brynge vs into the self seruytude and bondage. For thies rea∣sons we haue well deserued to haue the seignyorye and rule ouer the other. For also for trouthe and wythoute anye difficultie we fournished in that same warre more ships, and shewed more harte & courage, than all the other cyties of Grece. And chiefly we desarued to haue the rule & dominyon ouer y^• Ionyens, who did vnto vs the euyll that they coulde, beynge ioygned wyth the Medes. Wherefore if we desire to encrease our force agaynst the Peloponesians, and not to be more vnder the conducte and charge of others: we truly desarue to haue and obteigne Empire and lordeshyppe, as they, whyche all alone chasedde awaye the Medes,

or at the leaste for the generall lybertie, haue taken and susteigned the dangier of other, aswell as of ours, and specyally of those here. And moreouer it is lawfull & without reproche for euery man to serche his welth by all meanes that he may: which is the cause wherfore we be come hider vnto youe, knowing also that that, whyche we demande of you, ys asmuche proffytable for youe, as for vs: and for to shew you what it is, wherfore thies here do blame vs, and wherof they wold make youe afrayde. For we knowe well that those, that for feare haue suspytion of anny thynge, be ready to perswade at the begynninge by swete woordes: but afterwardes whan it cometh to the dede and busynes, than they do, as they fynd if for the beste. And in effecte we kepe and enterteigne oure Empyre and autho∣rytie, for feare, as we haue sayde, and for the same cause we be comme hydere for to conserue oure frendes, not for to putte theym into subiectyon and seruytude, but for to defende, that othere shulde not brynge theym into theirs. And men shulde not be abalshed, that we haue made so greatte an armye for to ayde and defende our frendes, nother ought yt to be said that we wold not make to great coste for a thynge that touchethe vs but lytle. For we doo repute and thinke that whan ye shalbe of power for to resiste the Syracusains: oure estate shalbe in muche moore suertie from the Peloponesyans: for that, that they shall haue somuche the lesse succours frō the Syracusains, and that is the principall thing, for whyche youre allyaunce and amytie saruethe, for the whyche also it is rea∣sonable and conuenyente that the Leontyns be restoredde and sette agayne in∣to theyr howses, and that they be not subiectes, as their parentes the Eubeyans be: but puyssante for to susteigne warre agaynste the Syracusains for vs, for we be puyssance ynoughe of oureselfe for to susteigne warre in Grece agaynste oure neighbours. And the Chalcydes, who be oure subiects, and for whom thys Sy∣racusaine blaymeth vs (sayinge that it is not to be bileued, that we be wyllinge to sette agayne into lybertie thies here, holdynge the othere in subiectyon) shall sarue vs well, for in exemptynge theym frome delyuerey of men for the warre, they shalle fournyshe vs wyth monney: and lykewyse the Leontins shalle ayde vs that be in thys countreye of Sycille and oure other allyes and frendes, chif∣ly those, whyche lyue in lybertie. For it muste be vnderstande, that a man that ru∣leth by tyrannye and a cytie that hath Empire, repute nothinge dishoneste, that maye be proffytable vnto theym, and estemeth nothynge hys, that he hathe not in good suertie, and in all thynges he reputeth the othere, hys frendes or hys en∣nemyes accordynge to the chances and occurrantes of tymes and of affayres. Nowe it shulde not be proffytte for vs at thys present for to anoye our frendes, but rather to enterteigne them in power and authorytie, to the intent that oure ennemyes may be thereby more feoble. And thys ye may and ought to bileue by the fourme of lyuinge, which we vse with oure otherallyes in Grece. For we in∣treate them so, as we parceue it to be for our moste proffit. To witte, of those of Chio and of Mantinea, we take ships, and as for the reste we leaue them in their lybertie. Some other we handle more rygorously and constrayne them to paye vs monney. And some other we treate symply as frendes and allyes, and not as subiects in any other maner of thing, although that they be Islanders, & also easy to subdue for that, that they be nigh to Peloponese and by that meane lye opene to all inuasions. Wherfore by that, whych we do there, men may beleue what we wol do here, and that, for our proffit chiefly, we woll make you strōge for to kepe in feare the Syracusains, that would subdue you, and not only youe, but all the other Siciliās. Which thing they hoped to obteigne by their force orels through lacke, whiche youe shulde haue of people, if it chance that we shulde retourne

wythout doynge any thing, whyche is the thinge, wherfore they attempte and go aboute to brynge vs into suspytion wyth youe, and so it shall happene if you take theire partie. For we shall haue no more meane to passe into thies parties, seynge theym so puyssante. And wythout vs they shalbe tomuche puissante for you. And if this which we say semeth to any man not to be true, the apparāce ther of is manyfest by this, that the first time, that ye sente to vs to demāde succours, ye alleaged none other feare but that if we came not to succour you, the Syracu∣sains wolde subdewe you, wherby afterwards we shulde be in danger. wherfore do not suffre yourself to be induced and perswaded for to perseuer in our allyāce by that same reasons, chiefly that you haue alleaged whan ye required it: nor to take suspition for that, that we be comme with a greater armye by sea, for to be more puissant against thies here, for that is a thinge vnreasonable: but ra••her ye oughte muche more to haue suspytion against thies here. For, as for vs, ye know well that we canne not tarye here wythoute youe. And though that we wold be euyll and vngracyous, and brynge oure frendes into oure subiection, yet coulde we not kepe them so, aswell for that, that the nauigation is farre of from Grece hither, as also that t••ere is muche difficultie for to kepe youre Cyties of Sycille, whiche be greate, and also haue manye people in the mayne lande. But as tou∣chinge thies here: they be not to be feared of youe, somuche as we, for their hoste. But they be more to be feared, than our hoste, for their people, whyche be grosse. whereby beynge youre neyghbours, ye be alwayes in danger, for that, that they wayte for youe contynuelly, and be ready at all occasions to ouerronne and sett vpon youe, lyke as they haue already declared towardes many other Sycilians. but newelye agaynste the Leontyns, and yet presentlye hauynge the audacytie to encouraige youe agaynste vs, whyche be comme hyther to kepe theyme frome doynge it and from subduynge of Sycille, thinkynge youe so farre oute of youre wyttes, that youe woolde geue faythe vnto their tromperies and deceitts•• where as we exhorte youe for your welth, both muche more truly, and more certenlye. Prayinge youe that ye lose not the proffitt that ye maye haue of one of vs, and that ye woll well chose to whyche ye maye beste truste and aboue all to consy∣der that thies people haue at euerye houre the meane for to subdue youe wyth∣oute ayde of other, by the multitude of theire people. And that ye shall not haue oftentymes the meane for to chastise and brynge downe and kepe theym vnder, suche as ye haue at this present, hauing such succours of your frends and allyes. The which•• if ye suffre to retourne wythout doing any thing, or that it be repoul∣sed or sente away beaten: truly the tyme wyll come that you shall wishe to haue one of the lesser parties, whā that shall proffitte youe nothing. But to the ende, that youe and the othere Syciliens do not creditt the slanders and charges that they here doo falselye laye agaynste vs, we be ryght wyllinge for to cy••re, painte and declare wyth the trouth the causes, wherefore men woolde brynge vs into suspytion: praying that hauing heard and vnderstanded them somarely, ye vou∣chesafe also to regarde and marke theyme. For we wolle not denie that we rule and gouerne some our neighbours: but as touching y^e Sycilians, we be here for to defende that they shulde not be subdewed, fearyng afterwards to be endāma∣ged by thē, that shalbe lords ouer them. And howe muche more landes we haue for to kepe, somuch the more regarde, we be constrayned to haue to our affaires. And for this cause we be come at this time, & to y^e other voyages which we haue made into this quarter, for to defēde & saue Harmeles those, y^t shuld be oppressed, not of our fre wil & proper motion, but at their prayer & requeste. wherfore youe which be at thys present iudges and arbitratours of our dedes, although that it

be ryght harde for youe euene at this presente to iudge thereupon: ought not to caste of or repoulse vs, but rather herof to make youre proffytte, as ye parceyue that youe maye doo it. And to consider that this thynge shall not damage egally vnto all, but shall brynge proffytt vnto manye Grekes wythoute any damage. For throughe the puissance, whiche we haue readye, for to succoure, and reuenge the opppessedde, thoughe they be not oure subiectes, the other, that lye in wayte for theyme, and woulde do theyme violence and wronge, be forced to forbeare, and lyue in reste. And by this meane, those, whiche be in doubte to be oultraged, and wrongedde, be in suertie, wythoute annye their expense. Therefore, lordes, forsake not this suertie, whiche is comon to all those, whiche shoulde be oppres∣sedde, and necessarye at this presente for youe, but rather wyth oure ayde, render to the Syracusayns, that whiche they haue done to other, bryngynge theyme a∣gayne, vnto the equalitie, of their neyghbours, and sette vpon theyme sharpely, hauynge oportunytie: that ye be not alwayes in payne to defende youe, frome theyme. Thus dyd Euphemus speake? Nowe the Cameryns, were in suche dis∣position at that tyme, that they louedde the Athenyans, and woulde wyllynglye haue takene their parte: but for that, that they suspectedde them to be wyllynge to trouble, and vsurpe the Empire of Sycille. And as touchynge the Syracu∣sayns althoughe that they hadde hadde difference and variance oftymes wyth theyme, for this, that they were so nygh their neyghbours: yet for that selfcause, they hadde sente vnto theyme some of their people, horsemen, to the intente, that if they hadde hadde the victorye, they shoulde not haue reprochedde theyme af∣terwardes, that it had bene done wythout them, and also in tyme comynge they were wyllynge for to ayde theyme, rather than the Athenyans, thoughe it were but smally. But after that the Athenyans hadde hadde the victorye, for to shewe that they estemed the sayed Syracusains no lesse, than those that had bene vain∣quisshed, after that they hadde consultedde and debatedde the matter amongest theyme, they made vnto theyme bothe one selfe aunswere, egall asmuche for the one as for the other. To wytt, that the warre being betwene thē that were both their allyes, they were determined not to breke their othe with the one, nor with the other, nother to geue ayde vnto aither of the parties. And vpon thys aun∣swere, the ambassadours departedde fromethence. In thies enterfaictes the Sy∣racusains made all the preparasions that they coulde•• for the warre. And as ••ou∣chynge the Athenyans they wyntredde at Naxe, and neuerthe••as practised by al meanes the cyties of Sycille for to drawe theym to their partie, whereof a great partie, chiefly of those, that were in the platt countrey, and that were subiectes of the Syracusains, rebelled against them. And out of the franke & free cyties, which were further in the mayne lande, they allyed theymself incontynently with the A∣thenians, and sent theym succours, some of monney, some of men and the other of victuailles. And of the other, that woulde not doo it of their free wyll, some were constrayned by siege, and the other they kepte that they coulde haue no succoure from the Syracusains. And during that same winter they dislodged from Naxe, and came againe vnto Catana, where they made agayn their lodging in the same place where they were bifore, which the Syracusains had burned. Being in whi∣che place they sente an embassade in a gelley to Carthage, for to make allyance w^t them, if they coulde, & lykewise to the cyties, which be alongest the sea, Thyrreni∣um, wherof some did ••yberally graunt to make allyance with them in that same warre against the Syracusains. Moreouer they demāded of the Egesteins and of their other allyes of Sycille the greatest trowpe of horsemē, that they coulde make, & of the residue that they shuld make great prouision, of woode, of yrons &

of other thinges necessary for to make a walle bifore the cytie of Sarragosse, the whiche they were al determined for to assiege incontinently, wynter being passed.

How the Lacedemonyans at the perswation of the Corinthians and of Alcybiades graū∣ted to the Siracusains for to sende them succours. ☞The .xvi. Chapter.

ON the other syde the ambassadours, which the Syracusains had des∣peched for to go vnto the Lacedemonyās, in passyng by the sea alon∣gest Italie, they parforced theymselfe to allure and drawe the cyties Marytymate or by the sea syde to the allyance of the sayed Syracu∣sayns. Shewynge them that if they suffredde the Athenyans so to prospere, they myght afterwardes be thereby in daunger. Fromethence they came to descende and lande at Corynthe where they declared their charge, which was in effect, for to pray them, that, as their parentes and cousyns, they woulde sende them suc∣cours, whiche thynge they graunted theym redely and bifore all the Grekes, and ordeyned ambassadours for to go with them to the Lacedemonyans and for to perswade them to begynne warre afreshe agaynste the Athenyans, and to sende succours to the sayd Syracusayns. And so they altogiders came to Lacedemo∣nie. At whiche place, sone after aryued Alcibiades and the other bannysshed out of Athens, who came to Cylene in the countrey of Eliens, frome Thurie, where they furste aboorded, and fromethence to Lacedemonie vnder suertie and saulf∣conduct of the Lacedemonyens, who had willed hym to come vnto them. With∣out which suertie, he feared to come thider for the treatie, that he had made with the Mantynyens. So it chaunced that the counsaille of the Lacedemonyans be∣ing assembled, the Corynthians, the Syracusains, and Alcibiades dydde declare and speake all to one selfe ende. And forsomuche as the sayed Lacedemonyans, though that they were wyllyng to sende an ambassade to the Syracusayns for to empesche and lett them to take partie with the Athenyans, were neuerthelas not wyllynge for to sende them any succours: The same Alcibiades for to moue and stirre theyme to that affaire, did speake to theyme in this manner.

The Oration of Alcibiades the Athenian to the Lacedemonyans.

IT is nedeful, Lordes Lacedemonians, bifore that I propone or de∣clare other matters, to speake of that, whe••w^t I may be charged. For if you holde me suspected by reason therof, ye woll not geue fayth nor creditt my wordes speaking of the comon Welth. My progenitours, hauing by occasiō of certene accusation renoūced the fredome and ciuilitie of thys your cytie, I haue sithens had wylle to recouer yt, and for cause thereof, haue ho∣nored and saruedde youe in manye thynges, but amonge other in the losse, that youe hadde at Pylus. And I perseueringe in this affection towardes your cytie, ye made the appoynctment wyth the Athenyans, by meane wherof ye encreased the puissance of my enemyes, and dyd vnto me greate dishonnoure, whiche was the thynge, wherefore I wythdrewe my selfe vnto the Mantynyens and the Ar∣giues, wyth whome beinge bicome your ennemy, I did endomage you wherein that I might•• And if any amōgest you hated me against reason, that I than dyd hurte you, truly he oughte nowe to forbeare and cease, if he consider the thynges well. And if any other haue euil opynion of me, forsomuch as I haue susteigned and defended the estate and gouernemente of the common people, he hathe lesse

reasone for to hate or suspecte me for that, for we other Athenyans be alwayes contrarye and ennemyes of tyrantes. Nowe all that, whiche contraryeth or ys agaynst them, ys the comon people, for this cause the comon auctorytie hath al∣wayes remayned amonge vs, and durynge the same I haue oftymes bene con∣strayned to followe the time. And neuerthelas I haue contynually takene payne for to moderate and refrayne the lycence and audacytie of them, that woulde a∣gainst the fourme of reasone, conduct and order thynges at their wylle, for that, that there haue alwayes bene in tyme paste, and yet presently be some, men that haue seduced the comon people, in perswading them vnto that, that was for the woorst. Whiche be those, that haue chased and dryuene me away, although that in the tyme, that I haue had auctorytie, I haue alwayes counsailledde and per∣swaded good thinges, & that, which I had learned to be for the best, to the ende to conserue the citie in lybertie, and prosperitie lyke as they haue founde it. For all they that haue knowlaige of the comon estate, knowe what it is, but yet I, who haue al wayes despised and abhorred yt, knowe more therof. And if it were nede∣full to speake of the madnes and rashnes of it, I would tel nothyng therof, which hath not bene experymented: but it semed not to me to be a thinge right suer for to enterpryse to wyll to change it, being by you assieged and warred against. And this is ynough spokene of the thynges, that may engender suspition and hate of me towardes youe. Therefore I wyll nowe speake of the affaires, whereupon ye ought presently to deuyse. Wherein if I vnderstande annye thynge further than youe, whereof it be nedefulle to aduertise youe, ye shall therein pronounce iudge∣mente. We be gone to Sycylle in purpose furste to subdue yt, if we maye, and af∣ter those there, the Italians, and also that done, for to essay to rule and gouerne the allyes of the Chartagyans, and theymselfes also if we may. And if that were come to oure intente in all or for a good parte, than we would come to conquere and subdue Peloponese, hauynge in oure ayde and seruice, all the Grekes that be in the countreis of Sycille, and of Italie, wyth greate nomber of estrangers and barbarous people, whiche we shoulde haue hadde in soulde or wages, and specy∣ally of the Iberyens, who be wythout annye doubt at this present the best war∣ryours, that be in that same quarter. And on the other parte we woulde haue made greate nomber of galleys in the quarter of Italie, where there ys greate quantytie of woode and of other stuffe, for to make theyme, to the ende that we myght holde the sayd countrey of Peloponese assieged, aswell by the sea with the sayd gallyes, as also by lande wyth our foote men, trustynge to take parte of the cyties of the same countrey by force, and the other by lengthe of siege, whyche thynge semed to vs very assured. And hauynge subdewed the sayed countrey, we hoped easely and ryght sone to obteigne the Empire and seigniorye of all Grece, causyng the sayd landes by vs conquered to fournyshe vs w^t monney and victu∣alles besydes the reuenue whiche hath bene leuied in theis parties. Nowe youe haue vnderstande of the armye by sea, that is in Sycille, which thing is shewed vnto you by a man that knoweth fully and holy oure endes and ententes. The whiche though I be departed fromethence the other Dukes & capytaynes woll put in execution if they can. And if you do not withstande it, I perceyue nothyng there that maye empesche them, insomuche as the Syciliens be not accustomed to warre. And yet neuerthelas whan they be ioigned alll togiders, they maye re∣sist and eskape. But the Syracusains, who haue bene al vainquished in battaile, and cannot nowe saille by sea, may not alone resist & withstande the hoste of the Athenyens, whiche presentlye is there. And if this cytie were taken, all Sycille shoulde afterwars be sone subdewed, yea and consequently, Italie. That done,

the danger, whereof I haue made mencyon vnto youe shall not be farre of from you, nor so retarded or slacked that you shall not perceyue yt commyng. Where∣fore none of youe ought to perswade hymselfe that this question is for Sycille onely. For wythoute doubte, the question and varyance ys for Peloponese•• yf ye doo not readely prouyde for it. And for to do that, it is requisitte to sende ryghte sone thider an armye by sea, in the whiche the veray maroners oughte to be war∣ryours. And that whiche is pryncipall, that there be for capytayne, a couragious man of Sparte. For the presence of hym shalbe for to enterteigne in youre amy∣tie, those that be there at thys presente, and for to constrayne the other, there. For that, that they, which be youre frendes, shall haue by this doyng more hope, and those, that be in wauerynge or doubte, shall haue lesser feare to comme to youre allyance. And moreouer ye ought most openly to begyn warre against the Athe∣nynans. For in that doinge, the Syracusayns shall knowe, that ye care and be myndefulle for their affaire. By occasion whereof, they shall take more couraige for to resist, and the Athenyans shall haue the lesser meane for to sende succours to their people, whiche bene there. And also me thynketh, that ye oughte to take and to fortefye soubdainely wyth walles the towne of De••elea, whiche is in the terrytorye of Athens, insomuche as it ••s the thyng, that the Athenyans do most feare. And yet neuerthelas it is the onely towne, wherof no parte hath bene tou∣ched, durynge all this warre. And truly a man cannot endomage hys ennemye more greatly, than to doo that vnto hym, whiche he perceyueth, that he feareth most, for it is to be bileued, that euerye man knoweth and feareth those thinges, which may be most preiudiciall, & hurtfull vnto hym. And therfore I wolle geue you to vnderstande the proffytt, that shalbe yours by enclosyng the sayd towne with walles, and the dommage that it shall bryng vnto your ennemyes. And al∣so I will shewe onely the most waighty therof sommarely or in fewe woordes. That is, that whan ye shall haue fortefied that same place w^tin our lande, many of our townes shall rendre both themself vnto you, & also ye shall take the other more easely. And moreouer, the reuenue whiche we perceyue of the mynes of syl∣uer at Laurium, & the other reuenues that are taken aswell of the lāde, as of the Iurisdictiō shall ceasse, and specially those, which we do leuie of our frendes, who perceiuing you to come againste vs with all youre strength, wille praise vs very smally. All which thinges be in your power for to cause to come readely to effect, yf you woll, for y^t, that I thinke not to erre in this matter, but that they may be easely done. And none of you ought to blame me nother to repute me euill, if ha∣uyng bene hertofore your great ennemy and chief or capytaine of oure people: I come and speake nowe bitterly against the comon weale of my countrey, nother also to suspect me, nor to preseume that the same, whiche I say, is for to acquire and gett your fauour, bicause of my bannishment. And I am exiled for trouth, & it is through the malice and naughtynes of theym that hate me, but it shall not be to your domage, if ye woll bileue me. And I ought not to repute youe at thys present somuche my ennemyes, who, sometime being our ennemyes, haue endo∣maged vs: as those, which haue constrayned my frendes to be my ennemyes, not nowe as I am oultraged & wronged: but than whan I had auctorytie ouer the people, wherfore being by them chased out of my coūtrey, I recoen that I do no longer against it as mine, but rather I thinke y^• I laboure rather to recouer that whiche no more is mine. For he ought to be more truly reputed the louer of his countrey: whiche for the desire that he hath to recouer yt, doth all that he canne, for to retourne thider: than he, that beinge vniustly chased fromethence, dare not goo for to inuade yt. For the whyche reasons I repute my selfe suche (Lordes

Lacedemonyans) as with whome•• ye ought to sarue yourselues in all dangers and in all trauailes. For you knowe that it ys a comon prouerbe, that he, which beinge ennemye doth endomage: if it becometh frende•• may also proffyt. And so∣muche the more, for that I knowe the affaires of Athens, and also do well nygh vnderstande yours by coniecture. Therefore I requyre youe insomuche as there is question of thinges, which be of so great importance, that it greue you not for to enterpryse, to reyse, and leuye twoo armyes, the one by sea, for to go into Sy∣cille, and the other by lande, for to go into the countrey of Athens. By which do∣yng, ye may with a small puissance atteigne great thynges in Sycille, and clerely subuerte the puissance of the Athenyans aswell present as for to come, whereby your estate shalbe herafter bothe in whole and all suertie, and also ye shall haue the superyorytie ouer all Grece: not by constraincte, but wyllyngly. After that Alcibiades hadde thus spokene, the Lacedemonyans, who, wythout that, had al∣ready purposed to make warre agaynst the Athenyans (though that they wente about delayingly & were not fully resolued) were by the sayd declarations great∣ly establyshed in that same opynion, presupposing that they had bene aduertised of all thynges accordynge to the trouthe, by hym that knewe yt welle. And so fromthensforth they conceyued in their fantasie for to take and fortefie Decelea, and for to sende incontynently some succours, into Sycile, and dydde chose Gy∣lippus, sonne of Cleander, for chief of that same enterpryse, to whome they com∣manded that he shulde treate with the ambassadours, of the Syracusayns and with the Corinthians. And by their aduise, he launched & sailled fourth, with the best, and most soubdaine and ready succours that he coulde gett, and didde geue order to the Corynthyans that they shoulde sende theyme twoo galleys fourh∣with vnto Asine, and moreouer that they shulde putt the other (whiche they had appoyncted to sende) in estate to make saille as sone as they coulde, so that they myght be ready: whan that it shulde be tyme to saille. And vpon this determy∣nation the ambassadours departed from Lacedemonie. In thies enterfaictes the galley whiche the Dukes Athenyans had sente frome Sycille vnto Athens, for to demande renforte or newe succours of victuailes, of men and of monney: ary∣ued. And they, that were come, hauynge expounded and declared their charge, yt was ordeyned that the said newe succours shulde be sent, and in that meane time drewe nere the ende of the wynter, whiche was the .xvii. yeare o•• this warre, that Thucydides hath wryttone.

Howe the Athenians hauing furst made certene preparations, they came to assiege the cytie of Sarragosse. And of many victories whiche they had agaynst the Syracusayns by makynge and assailling the rampars and fortefy∣inges on both sydes, and howe the succours of the Pelopo∣nesians came into Sycille, and some other matters and affaires. ☞The .xvii. Chapter.

AT begynnyge of the sprynge tyme, the Dukes Athenyans, that were at Catana departed and sailled to Megare, that is in Sycille, which the Syracusayns dydde holde. But after that the cytizeins were cha∣sedde fromethence, vnder Selon the tyrante,* 1.68 as I haue aboue reher∣sed, it was not peopled agayne. And so the Athenyans landed there and pillaged

the countrey, and wente fromethence to assawlte a castelle whiche was there by, thynkynge to haue rasedde it downe. But seynge that they coulde not, they rety∣red to the ryuer of Tyrea,* 1.69 whiche they passed and pillaged lykewyse of the platt countrey that was on the other syde of that same ryuer•• and dydde sley a certene small nomber of Syracusayns, whiche they enco••tredde in their waye, and af∣terwardes they reysedde vp their Trophe in signe of victory. And that done they embarquedde theymself agayne, and retournedde fromethence to Catane, where they made prouision of victuailles, and afterwardes they departed fromethence agaynst a towne of Sycille named Centoripia,* 1.70 wherinto they were receyued by appoynctmente, and at their yssuynge fourthe fromethence burned the corne of the Teynessians, and Hybleans, and retournedde agayne to Catane, where they founde two houndred men at Armes, without that, that they hadde any horses: but onely the harnnes, & accoustremetes, or apparell for horse (thinking that the countrey of Sytille shulde haue furnished horses) and thirtye Arbalestriers on horsebacke, togiders w^t three hoūdred talentes of monney: which was sent vnto them, frō Athens. That same yeare, the Lacedemonyans, hauing made an army against the Argiues, as they were in the felde for to go against Cleonarus,* 1.71 there came soubdainly an earthquake, whiche caused theym to retourne fromethence. Which perceiued by the Argiues, after that the other were retourned, they yssued fourth into the territory of Thyree,* 1.72 which is in their fronture, & pillaginge yt, the butye was so great, that yt was solde for .xxv. talentes & more. In that same sea∣sō, the comons of Thespie did arise against the officers.* 1.73 But the Athenyās sent in∣cōtinently of their people thider, who did take one parte of the Mutyns or sedici∣ous parsons, & on other parte fledde fromthence vnto Athens. During that same somer, the Syracusains, beynge aduertised that the succours of horsemen were come to the Athenyans, & thinking that hauing the same they would incōtinētly come to assiege them: aduysed & remembred that there was a verye lytle fro the towne, a place named, Epipole,* 1.74 which was hāging frō al sydes against the towne. But aboue, it was playne and spacious, and there was but certene entrynges, by whiche men myght mount vp. whereupon considerynge that it was impossi∣ble for to close yt wyth walle, rounde aboutes, and also that if the ennemyes did gett yt, they myght fromthence do many enylles into the towne: they determy∣ned to fournishe the entringes, for to defende that the sayd ennemyes shulde not take them. And so the morowe folowyng they moustred all the people bifore all the compaignions & Collegues, of Hermocrates in a meadowe that is nigh the ryuer, which is called,* 1.75 Anapes•• Out of which people, they did first chose sixe hoū∣dred men for to kepe and defede the sayd place of Epipole. Of whome they gaue charge to Dyonulus bannisshed out of Andrie, and sayd vnto hym that if annye thing chaunced in that affaire, he shulde be incontinently succoured. That same night, the Athenyans hauyng made a reuiewe of their men, aboute br••ake of the daye, departed frome Catane, and came to lande in a place named Leon,* 1.76 whiche was no further dis••ante from Epipole, than sixe or seuen stades, and ther lodged their footemen on lande, bifore that the Syracusains perceiued it. And on thoder syde the armye by sea, came to ancre and bestowe themeselefe vnder a rocky place of the sea, that is in a small straight, whiche doth enter into the sea, and is enuy∣roned on all sydes, resaruedde one smalle quarter towardes the lande, and that same place is calledde Thapsus,* 1.77 & is very nigh to Sarragosse. And so they enclo∣sed incontinently, the entring that leadeth to lande, wyth paales or boordes for to be in suertie on the lande syde. That done, those•• that were landed, dyd come in a great course vnto Epipole, and gott yt, bifore that the Syxe houndredde men,

whyche were appoynctedde for to goo thider: were there, for yett they were all on foote, where the moustre was made. And yet neuerthelas one greate partie of the people dydde ronne for to succoure the sayedde place, but pryncipally the Syxe houndred, whereof Dionulus hadde charge, and he wyth theyme. Nowe there was frome that same foote, vntyll the place where the ennemyes alreadye were, aboutes .xxv. stades, so they were receyuedde by the ennemyes, and repoul∣sedde in suche manner, that they were constraynedde for to retyre into the cytye, and there were slayne of theyme aboute three houndred, amongeste the whyche, was Dyonulus, whose Corpses the Syracusayns demaunded, & by that meane confessedde the victorye vnto the ennemyes. Who, hauynge reysed vp there, their Trophee, the morowe after came to present and offer battaile bifore the towne. But seynge that none yssuedde fourthe, they reysedde and erected a castell in the toppe of Epipole in a a place, called Lapdalum,* 1.78 whyche is on the coaste of Me∣gare, for to wythdrawe thyder all their vesselles, monney and baguage, whan they yssued aither against the towne, or to make any worke. And sone after three houndred horsemen came vnto theym frome Egeste, and aboute one houndred frome the Naxians and other Sycillians, and they had alreadye of their oune, twoo houndred and fyftie, whiche had recoueredde horses, aswell of the Egesta∣in guifte, as in other places for monney and so they had in all sixe houndred and fyftie horses. Hauyng than put garnysone wythin Lapdalum, they went from∣thence agaynste Syca,* 1.79 the whyche wythin verye smalle tyme they enclosed wyth walles•• whereof and of their greate diligence, the Syracusayns were all astony∣edde. Neuerthelas for to shewe that they were not afrayde, they yssued out of the cytye into the felde for to presente battaylle to the ennemyes. But their Capy∣taynes, parceiuing that they were in disorder, and that it was harde for to bring theyme agayne into order, caused theyme to retyre into the towne, excepte one parte of their horsemen, that remayned wythoute for to empesche and lette the Athenyans to gather stones and othere stuffe for to make the walle, and also that they shoulde not ouercome the countrey. But the horsemen Athenyans to∣••ider with a bende of foote men assailled theym and dyd put them to flyght, and slewe a certaine nomber of them, wherupon for cause of the sayd victory, they sett vp yet an other Trophee. The daye followynge, the Athenyans, beinge in their campe, some of theym wete busyed in makyng the walle on the South syde, and some other gathered togiders stoanes & other stuffe, nighe the place called Tro∣gylum, and wente laying and dischargyng yt alwayes in that quarter, where the walle was lowest, from the greatest porte vnto the othere sea. Which parceyued by the Syracusains, they determyned for to yssue no more altogiders agaynste their ennemyes, mynding not to hazarde tomuche. But they purposed to make and reyse vp an rampare wythoute the walle of the towne in the quarter, where the Athenyans reysed vp their walle. For it semed vnto them that if they myght haue sonner parfaicted and ended their sayd rampare for to repoulse their enne∣myes, than they their wall, hauing therin put their good warde and watche: they might sende parte of their men for to wyn & get the entringes, and afterwardes to fournishe them, whiche doing they thought that it might be that the Atheniās shulde ceasle their worke for to come altogiders against them. So they did yssue fourth of the citie & began to labour at their rāpare, beginning frō the wall of the towne & continuing al alongest that same of thennemyes. For making of whiche worke they cutt downe greate quantitie of Olyue trees within the courte of the temple, whereof also they made towers vpon the said rampare. For they yet did kepe the quarter towardes the sea, for y^t, that the Athenyans had not yett caused

their shyppes to come oute of Thapsus, into the great poorte, out of the whiche place of Thapsus, they causedde to be brought by lande vyttuailles, and othere thynges necessarye. The Syracusayns hauynge than parfaycted their rampare, without that the Athenyans had done thē any empeschement or lett (forsomuch as they had lettes ynoughe by makynge their walle, and also feared that if they shulde attende and geue themself vnto two busynesses, they might be repoulsed) they retyred into the cytie, and lefte a nomber of people for to kepe the rampare. On the other syde the Athenyans dyd breake the conductes, by which the water entred into the towne. And on the other parte hauinge espyed that of the Syra∣cusains, that were left for to kepe the rampare, some of them at highe none time retyred into their pauillions, some wente into the cytie, and the other that taryed in the sayed rampare, did kepe very yll watche, they ordeyned three houndred of the most chosene of their people on foote, well armedde, and a certeine nomber of the beste lyghtly armedde, for to go to assaille the sayd rampare. And in one selfe instan••e, they parted all the army into twoo partes, aither partie hauing his capy∣taine, wherof the one wente againste the cytie for to repoulse the cytizeins yf they would haue yssued fourth for to succour their people, and the other agaynste the rāpare on the syde of the small poorte named Pyramyde. The affaire beyng thus ordeyned, the three houndred whiche hadde charge for to assawlte the rampare, did take it, for they that shulde haue kept it, did habandone it, and retyred to the wall, whiche was nigh vnto the temple, who were followed so nigh by the Athe∣nyans, that they entred one with an other in with them. But they were sone cha∣sed away againe by those of the towne, which came to the succours. In which cō∣flict, some Athenyans and Argiues were sla••ne, & the other in retyryng, dyd rase and breake downe the rampare & caryed away the wood that they might carry with them into their campe. Afterwardes they raysed vp an Trophee in tokene of that same victory. The day following they enclosed with wall a rocke cut out of stoane, whiche was in the place of Epipole, aboue ouer a marreys, out of the which men might see into the greate porte, and they extended and dyd drawe the same wal from the rocke along from the plaine & from the marreys vnto the sea, Which perceiued by the Syracusains, they yssued fourth agayne for to make in the opposite or directly agaynst it a rampare, with pales & dyches for to empes∣che that the ennemyes might not extende their wall. Who hauing acheued their wall about the rocke, determyned for to assaille ones againe those that laboured at the rampare & at the dyche. And so cōmanded the capytaine of the shipps, that he shulde gouerne them from Thapsus into the great poorte. And they at the breake of the day descended from Epipole, and came to trauerse & passe ouer the plaine, which was at the fote therof, & fromthence, the marreys, in that part ther∣of, that was most drye, with dores and hardelles that they caste aboue for to su∣steigne and kepe them from synkyng, in suche sorte that they dyd wynne agayne the rampare and the dyche frome the Syracusains, resaruedde a certene small parte therof, and vainquished those, that were commytted to the kepynge of yt, whereupon those, whiche were in the ryght poyncte retyred into the towne and the other towardes the ryuer. But the three houndred footemen, that had bene chosene to assaille theyme (as at the other tyme) wyllyng to enclose theyme, pre∣pared theymeselfe to runne with all their force agaynste the brydge of the ryuer, which parceiued by the Syracusains (among whome there was a good nomber of horsemen, they made straight against the sayd three houndred, and repoulsed them. Afterwardes they charged vpon the ryght poynct of the Athenyans, with suche strength, that they, which were in the former rencke were afrayde. But Ly∣machus

who was in the lefte poyncte, seyng the danger came to succoure them, hauing a certene nomber of shoters or slingers and Argiues•• who, hauing passed the dyche, and not beinge followed by his men, was slayne by the Syracusains, and fyue or sixe that had passed with him. The which so deade, the same Syra∣cusayns would haue ••aryed them beyonde the ryuer into a suer place, bifore that that they might haue bene recouered, but the other were so diligente y^t they were forced to leaue them. In the meane tyme, those, whiche at begynning were fledde into the towne, seynge the defence, that the other vsed, they toke harte againe, and yssued fourth in the battaille against the Athenyans, & sent a nomber of them a∣gaynst the wall, whiche the Athenyans had made about Epipole, thinking that there had bene no warde, as for trouth there was not, whereby it happened that they dydde gette asmuche of the walle as was made in tenne dayes, and hadde gottene the reste, if Nycyas had not soubdainely come to the succours of it, who was lefte there, for that, that he was yll disposedde. The same man perceyuynge that there was no remedye for to kepe and defende the walle for lacke of men, he commaundedde hys seruauntes to putt fyer into the woode and matter that was sette bifore the walle, and by that meane, the reste therof was saued. For the Syracusayns durste passe no further bycause of the fyer. Seynge also the A∣thenyans, that hadde chased awaye the other bende of theirs, to come ronnynge agaynste theyme, and moreouer that the shyppes that came oute fro Thapsus were alreadye entredde into the poorte: knowynge also that they were not puis∣sante for to resiste the Athenyans, nor for to empesche and lett theym, that they shoulde not fynyshe their walle, they retyredde into the sea. And that done, the A∣thenyans dydde agayne reyse vp there an othere Trophee, for that, that the Sy∣racusayns confessedde and grauntedde theyme the vyctory, by demandynge the Cariongs, and Corpses of the deade, whyche were rendredde to theyme. Amon∣geste whome was Lamachus, and those that hadde bene slayne wyth hym. All the armye of the Athenyans aswelle by sea, as by lande beynge than aboorded, they enclosed the cytye wyth a double walle, frome Epipole vntylle the sea. And they beyng there, plentye of victuailles was brought vnto them from all coastes o•• Italie. And manye allyes of the Syracusayns, whiche at the begynnynge had refused to ioigne wyth those Athenyans, came to render theymself vnto theym and from the coaste of the sea Thirrenium, there came vnto theym three galleis wyth newe strength, whereby the affaires were in suche estate, that they assured theymeselfe for to haue the victorye, considered speciallye that the Syracusayns hadde no more hope to be of power for to resist, nother by force nor by the fight, not hauynge newes that annye succours shoulde comme vnto theyme oute of Peloponese. So they had manye parlementes aswelle amonge theymeself, as al∣so wyth Nycyas (who, after the deathe of Lamachus remaynedde onely Capy∣tayne of the Athenyans) for to enter into some treatie with the sayd Athenians, yett was there nothynge therein done nor concludedde: althoughe that manye woordes thereupon hadde bene spokene, lyke as yt is to be beleued to be, among people that be ambiguous or doubtefulle and that perceyue theymselfe assieged and oppressedde more and more. And that aswelle wyth Nycyas, as the one to the othere, forsomuche as by cause of the necessyties, wherein they were, the one mystrustedde the othere. In suche manner, that they deposedde and sette of the Dukes, whome they hadde chosenne at the begynnynge, vnder couloure that the losse whyche was happenedde, was throughe their faulte or mys••ortune•• and they dydde choose othere in their stede, to wytte, Heraclides,* 1.80 Eucleas and Tellias.* 1.81 In thies enterfeates Gylippus Lacedemonien was alreadye aryued

at Leucade wyth the Corynthyans shyppes, fully determyned to come with all diligence to succour the Syracusayns. But beyng aduertised that the cytie was already enclosed on all sydes, by many that agrede all therupon (though that it were not trewe) he loste both hope and fantasie of the affaires of Sicille. And yet neuerthelas for to saue Italie, he saylledde fromethence wyth two galleys with Lacedemonyans, and wyth hym Pythus Corynthien with twoo other galleys of Corynthe, wyth all diligence to Tarente. And the Corynthyans saylledde af∣ter more softely wyth tenne other of their galleys, twoo of Leucadyans, and .iii. of Ambracians. Gylippus than beynge arryuedde in the poorte of Tarente, he wente fromethence into the Cytie of Thurie, as Ambassadoure of the Pelopone∣sians for to wythdrawe and brynge theyme vnto theyr allyance, bryngynge hys father to their remembrance, who hadde sometyme gouernedde their estate, but seynge that they would not thereunto consente, he retourned fromethence alon∣geste Italie, and whan he was in the Goulphe of Terynee, there came vpon him a southe wynde, whereunto that same Goulphe is greately subiected, so that he was by force constrayned to retourne into the porte of Tarente, into the which he wythdrewe hys shyppes, and repayred those whiche had bene bruised by for∣tune of the sea. Nycyas was aduertysed of the coming of Gylyppus, who vnder∣standing the small nomber of shyppes that he had with him, passed not of them, lyke as also y^e Thuryans had not done. And it semed to hym that he was rather comme as a Corsaire or Pyrate for to pyllage in the sea, than for to succoure the Syracusains. In that same somer the Lacedemonyans with their allyes began warre agaynst the Argyues, and pillaiged one parte of their lande, vnto whome the Athenyans sent thyrtye shyppes wyth succours. And by that meane did euy∣dently breake the treatie whiche they had not bifore done. For the inroades and pillages, that they had made vnto that same houre, were more in māner of theft, than of warre. And they were not willing to ioigne with the Argyues and Man∣tynyans agaynst the Lacedemonyans. But rather, though that they had many times bene sore laboured vnto by the Argyues for to enter in armure with them into the lande of Laconie, at the least that same, which they helde, and for to pil∣laige a certaine small quarter of that, the which the Lacedemonyans dyd holde, and afterwardes to retourne fromethence wythout doyng anny otherthyng: yet they had neuer bene wyllyng to agree or consent vnto it. But than hauing made three chiefes and capytaynes of their armye, to witte Pythodorus,* 1.82 Lespodius,* 1.83 and Damarathus,* 1.84 they entred into the countrey of Epidaure ennemylyke, & pil∣laged Lymere,* 1.85 Prassie & some other smal townes of that same quarter.* 1.86 Wherby the Lacedemonyans had afterwardes more lawfull excuse to declare theymself their ennemyes. After that the Athenyans were retourned from Argos with their army by sea, and the Lacedemonyans with theirs by lande, the Ar∣giues wente to ouerronne, the lande of Phliasie. A••d after that they had pillaged and wasted one parte ther∣of, and slayne a certene nomber of the Paysans, they retournedde fromethence.

Here endeth the Sixte boke of the historie of Thucidides and the Seuenth doth begynne.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Cyco∣ples.
• * 1.2

  Lestri∣gones.
• * 1.3

  Sicani.
• * 1.4

  Tina∣cria.
• * 1.5

  Elymy.
• * 1.6

  Erix.

  Egesta.
• * 1.7

  Procen¦tes.
• * 1.8

  Italus.
• * 1.9

  Pheni∣ces.
• * 1.10

  Motya.
• * 1.11

  Solois.

  Pan∣hormus
• * 1.12

  Chalci∣denses.
• * 1.13

  Theo∣cles.
• * 1.14

  Naxus.
• * 1.15

  Archias
• * 1.16

  Leon.
• * 1.17

  Catana.
• * 1.18

  Euar∣chus.
• * 1.19

  Lāpis.
• * 1.20

  Panta∣cius.

  Troty∣lum.
• * 1.21

  Thap∣sus.
• * 1.22

  Hyblon.
• * 1.23

  Mega∣ra.
• * 1.24

  Gelon.
• * 1.25

  Seli∣nus.
• * 1.26

  Pam∣millus.
• * 1.27

  Gela.
• * 1.28

  Antiphe¦mus.

  Euty∣mus••
• * 1.29

  Lyndia.
• * 1.30

  Agra∣gas.
• * 1.31

  Aristo∣nus.

  Pisti∣lus.
• * 1.32

  Cumes.
• * 1.33

  Perie∣res.

  Crate∣menes.
• * 1.34

  zancla.
• * 1.35

  Anaxi∣les.
• * 1.36

  Messe∣na.
• * 1.37

  Imera.
• * 1.38

  Eucli∣des.

  Sa••on.
• * 1.39

  Meli∣tide.
• * 1.40

  Acre.

  Casme∣ne.
• * 1.41

  Cama∣rina.

  Daston.

  Mene∣coles.
• * 1.42

  Hippo∣crates.
• * 1.43

  Egest∣ani.
• * 1.44

  Ornee.
• * 1.45

  Metho∣ne.
• * 1.46

  Lama∣chus.
• * 1.47

  Rhegiū.
• * 1.48

  Naxus.
• * 1.49

  The ry∣uer of Teria.
• * 1.50

  Pysy∣stratus.
• * 1.51

  Hermo∣dius.
• * 1.52

  Aristo∣giton.
• * 1.53

  Of y^e ty∣rānye of Pisistra¦tus & of his infā∣tes in y^e cytye of Athens, & howe it was extin∣guished.

  Hippias
• * 1.54

  Hippar∣chus.
• * 1.55

  Mhessa∣lus.
• * 1.56

  Callis.
• * 1.57

  Archedi∣ces.
• * 1.58

  Hippo∣cius.

  Eātides
• * 1.59

  Sigeū.
• * 1.60

  Hiccara.
• * 1.61

  Hybla.
• * 1.62

  Hybla.
• * 1.63

  Syme∣thus.
• * 1.64

  The de∣claratiō of Her∣mocra∣tes vnto the Sy∣racusa∣ins.
• * 1.65

  Heracli∣des.
• * 1.66

  Syca∣nus.
• * 1.67

  Epibola
• * 1.68

  Selon••
• * 1.69

  Terea.
• * 1.70

  Cento∣ripia.
• * 1.71

  Cleona∣rus.
• * 1.72

  Thyrea
• * 1.73

  Thespia
• * 1.74

  Epipole
• * 1.75

  Anapus
• * 1.76

  Leon.
• * 1.77

  Thap∣sus.
• * 1.78

  Lapda∣lum.
• * 1.79

  Syca.
• * 1.80

  Heracli∣des.
• * 1.81

  Eucleas

  Tellias
• * 1.82

  Pytho∣dorus.
• * 1.83

  Lespo∣dius.
• * 1.84

  Dama∣ratus.
• * 1.85

  Limera
• * 1.86

  Prassie.