Thabridgment of the histories of Trogus Pompeius, collected and wrytten in the Laten tonge, by the famous historiographer Iustine, and translated into English by Arthur Goldyng: a worke conteynyng brieflie great plentie of moste delectable hystories, and notable examples, worthie not onelie to be read but also to be embraced and followed of all menne

¶ The first Booke OF THABRIDGEMENT OF Histories, taken out of the Hystorye of Trogus Pompeius by Iustine the Historiographer. (Book 1)

IN the first beginnyng of thin∣ges the rule and gouernement of countreyes, and nacions was in the handes of kynges. Who were ad∣uaunced* 1.1 to this hyghe estate and preheminence, not through ambi∣cion and fauour of the comminal∣tye, but for their vertuous and mo¦deste behauioure suffycientlye tryed and approued amon∣gest good men. There were no lawes to bynd men to their obedience: but the commaundementes of Princes were in steade of lawes, whose custome was rather to defend tha•…•… enlarge y^• borders, of their kyngdomes. And there was no¦ne that woulde vsurpe or take vpon him, further than in his owne countreye where he was borne. Ninus kyng of* 1.2 Thassirians, did first alter and breake this olde and aunci•…•…t custome of the Gentiles, through a straunge desyre of bea∣ryng rule. For he first made warre vpon his neyghbours, and conquered the nacions whyche yesiknewe not howe to make resystence agaynste hym, euen vnto the borders of Affricke. There were before his tyme two auncient kyn∣ges, Uexores kyng of Egypt, and Tanais kyng of Scithia of the which thone made a voyage into Pontus, and the o∣ther into Egypt. But they made warre a farre of, and not nere home, not of purpose to enlarge theyr empyre, but to

wine honour and renowne of Chiualry to their subiectes: and so beyng satisfyed with the victory they absteined from* 1.3 bearing rule. But Ninus continually dilated his Empire by seizing into his possession such countreyes as he wonne. By reason whereof hauing subdewed his neyghbours, and ioy∣ning theyr power vnto his, and so goyng euer stronger and stronger to the next, eche former victory beyng an occasion and furtheraunce to the next followyng, he conquered all the Easter parte of the world. The last fyeld that he fought* 1.4 was with zoroastres kyng of the Bactrians, who is repor∣ted to haue first inuēted art Magicke, and diligētly to haue serched out the beginning of the world, and the mouinge of the starres. This zoroastres beyng slaine, Ninius him selfe also dyed: leauynge behinde him a sonne as then vnder age, called Ninus, by his wyfe Semiramis. She durst neyther* 1.5 put the gouernement of the Empyre to the child beyng vn∣der yeares of discrescion, nor yet her selfe take it vppon her openly Wisely foreseing and thinkinge with her selfe, that so manye and so mightye nacions whych scarcelye by their good willes would obey a man, would muche lesse abyde to be subiect to a woman. Therefore, where as she was Ni∣nus wyfe, she fayned her selfe to be his sonne: and whereas she was a woman, she fayned her selfe to be a boye. And she myght well do it. For they were both of a meane stature, both of them spake small, and in the •…•…amentes and propor¦cion of bodye was lytle difference betwyxte them.

Wherefore she put on mannes apparayle and close hosen, and on her head she ware a kynde of coy•…•…e called Tyara. And for bycause folke shoulde not mistrust any thyng to be hidden vnder this newe found apparell, she commaunded the people to be apparelled after the same sorte, the whyche kynde of attyre all Thassirians haue euer vsed frō that day to thys. Thus at the fyrste by counterfaytyng the kynde, she was taken for a boye.

Afterward she atchieued manye noble enterprises: by the greatnesse whereof, when she thoughte she had ouercome* 1.6 enuye, she confessed who she was, and whō she counterfey∣ted. Neyther dyd this her doyng diminishe the honour and estimation of her empyre, but rather broughte her in grea∣ter admiration of all menne, that she beynge a woman, had surmounted in prowesse not only women, but also men.

She buylded Babilon and enclosed it with a wall of brycke* 1.7 enterlayed with sand and Bytamen, which is a kynd of sly∣mye mortar, yssuyng out of the ground, in diuers places of that countrye. Many other noble enterprises this Queene atchieued. For beyng not content to maynteyne the state of thempyre and boundes of the same, as her husbande lefte it vnto her, she subdued Aethyop thereunto. And besides that, she made warre vpon Indie, whereunto there was neuer any that durst geue the aduenture, sauyng she onely and great Alexander. At the last, vnnaturallye desyryng to* 1.8 company with her owne sonne, she was by him slayne, whē she had reygned. xlii. yeares after the death of her husbande Ninus. Her sonne Ninus beyng contented with the coun∣treyes, wonne by his parentes, layeng asyde all Chiualrye, and knighthoode, as though he had chaunged nature with his mother, was seldome seene of men, but spente hys tyme among a sorte of women. His posterity also followynge his example, gaue aunswere to the people & to ambassadours by messengers. The Empyre of Thassirians whyche after∣ward were called Syrians, continued. 1300. yeres. The last kyng that reigned amonge theym, was Sardanapalus, a man more vicious than any woman. Unto whose presence Ar∣bactus whom he had made lyeuetenaunt ouer the Medes, be∣yng* 1.9 by long suyte had much intreataunce hardly at length admitted, (which thing was neuer graunted to any man be fore) found him amonge a sorte of concubines spinning pur¦ple on a rocke, in womans apparayle, passyng all the womē there in softenesse of body, and nycenesse of countenaunce, and weyeng out to eche of them theyr taske. At the whiche

light Arbactus disdayning, that so manye men shuld be sub∣iect* 1.10 to such a woman, and that so many valiaunte knyghtes and men of warre should be slaues to a woman, went forth and tolde his peres what he had sene: sayeng, he coulde not fynde in his hart to serue and obey such a one as had rather be a woman then a man. Whereupon the Lordes confe∣dered them selues together and had him battell. Who hea∣ring thereof, not like a man entendyng to defend his kyng∣dome, but as women are wont to do for feare of death, first sought a corner to hyde his head, and soone after with a few and out of aray, he came into the felde, where beynge van∣quished, he retired into his pallace, & there makyng a great* 1.11 bonefire, cast him selfe and all his ryches thereinto, plainge the man in this only poynt. After this, Arbactus the wor¦ker of his confusion, which before was lieutenaunte ouer y^e Medes, was instituted & made kyng. And he translated the empire frō the Assirians to the Medes. In processe of tyme* 1.12 after many kynges, by order of descent, the kyngdom came vnto Astyage. This man hauing done issue sauing one one∣ly daughter, dreamed that he sawe spryng out of her priuye members, a vine whose braunches shadowed all Asia. The interpretours of dreames and wonders beyng asked theyr iudgement and aduice in the matter, made aunswere that hys daughter shoulde brynge hym fothe a nephewe whose greatnesse was by his vision declared before, and that by* 1.13 him be should he deposed from his kingdome. The kyng be¦ing not a litle abash•…•…d with this interpretacion, maryed hys doughter neyther to a Noble man, nor to one of his owne countrey, least the nobilitie of the parētes should aduaunce & encourage his nephewe to take much vpon him but vnto a man of meane estate and liuing of the countrey of Persia, which in those •…•…ayes was reputed as a base countreye, and* 1.14 of no regard or estimation. Neuerthelesse beyng not by this acte quite dispatched of the feare of this dreame, he sent for his doughter beyng great with childe, that as soone as she were deliuered, he myght see the babe kylled▪ Assoone as

the childe was borne, it was deliuered to be •…•…layne, vnto Harpagus one of y^e kinges priuye counsaile. Harpagus fea∣ring that if after the decease of the kyng, because he had no yssue male to succede him, the kingdome should descend vn∣to his doughter, she would reuenge the death of her chylde vpon him being a subiecte, which she could not do vpon her father▪ deliuered the childe to the kinges herman commaū ding him to cast it away. By chaunce the verye same tyme the herdman him selfe had a sonne newlye borne. Whose* 1.15 wife hearing of the casting away of the kynges childe, ear∣nestly besought her husbande to fetche the childe vnto her that she myght see hym.

The shepeherd ouercome with the earnest intreataunce of his owne wife, returned into the wood, where he founde a bytche geuing the childe sucke, and defending it frō foules and wilde beastes. Then beyng moued with pitie to see the bytche so naturall and pitifull, he tooke vp the childe & bare it home to his cottage, the bitche folowing him egerlye all the waye. Assoone as the woman tooke the babe in her ar∣mes, he smiled and played with her, as though he had kno∣wen her, and there appeared in him such a chearfulnesse, & as it were a certayne smiling and flattering countenaunce that she desyred the shepeherd herhusbande, to cast awaye* 1.16 his owne childe and suffer her to bryng vp that in the sted of it: such was the good fortune of the childe or els the hope that she of hym conceyued. And so the destinye of the two children beyng chaūged, the kinges nephewe was brought vp for the shepeherdes sonne, and the shepeherdes sonne was cast away for the kynges nephewe, the nources name was afterward called Sparcon, bicause the Persiās do cal a* 1.17 bytche so in theyr language. The childe beyng broughte vp amonge the shepeherdes, was named Cyrus. And in the meane tyme beyng chosen kynge amonge children as they were a playeng, when in sporte he whypped suche as wer stubbourne agaynst him, the parentes of the children made thereof a great complaynt to the kyng, sayeng it stoode not

with their honour that their children should be beaten like slaues of the kynges bondman. The kyng sendynge for •…•…he* 1.18 chylde, demaunded of hym whye he dyd so. He aunswered (without any chaungyng of countenaunce at all for the mat ter) that he had done as it became a kynge to do. The kyng maruayling at his audacitye, came in remembraunce of his dreame, and the interpretacion thereof, and so when bothe the countenaunce of the chylde, and also his lykenesse vnto him selfe, the time of his castyng away, and the examinaciō of the shepeherd agreed in one, he acknowledged him to be his nephewe. And for bycause he thoughte him selfe dispat∣ched of his dreame, in as much as the childe had played the kyng among the shepeherdes, the cruell hart that he bare* 1.19 toward the child, was clerely thereby relented. But to his frende Harpagus he became so deadly an enemy, for sauing of his nephewe, that to reuenge his displeasure vpon hym, he kylled his sonne, and set him before his father to eate.* 1.20

Harpagus dissēbling his inward griefe, for the time, differ∣red the hatred iustly agaynst the kyng conceyued, vntill he might espye occasion of reuengement. At the length when Cyrus came to mans estate, beyng moued thereunto with* 1.21 sorowe for the losse of his sonne, he wrate vnto hym howe his graundfather had as it were banished him into Persia, how his graundfather had commaunded hym to be slayne, howe by his benefite he had bene preserued, howe for the same he had gotten the kynges displeasure, and how he had lost his owne sonne, exhorting him to rayse an army and to take the kyngdome forthwyth vpon hym, promisynge that the Medes should at the day of battell turne to hys syde.

And forasmuche as the letter coulde not be caryed openlye* 1.22 for the kynges officers which kept all the passages and sear ched suche as came by, it was put into a Hares bellye, the •…•…owels first taken oute, and the Hare was 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to a trusty seruaunt to carye to Cirus into Persia. Moreouer h•…•… tooke nettes with him, to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 that vnder pretence of hunting his purpose might be hidden.

When Cyrus had redde the letter, he was commaunded in a dreame to take the same way as he was counsayled in the epistle. Neuerthelesse, he was furthermore warned, that whom soeuer he met first the next day, him he should make his companion in all his enterprises. Wherfore as he went into the countreye, before the dawning of the daye he met with a seruaunte called Sibaris, that had escaped out of pri son, from a certayne man of Media, & enquiring what coun treyman he was, vnderstanding that he was borne in Per∣sia* 1.23 he pulled of his fetters, toke him to be his companion, & retourned to the city Persepolis. There he called the peo∣ple together, cōmaunding thē euery man to take his Are, & go cut downe the wood that grewe by the hygh way side. The which thing being lustely done, the •…•…ext day he made a feast and bade them all to it. When he sawe them mery in the middest of theyr good cheare, he demaunded of them (if they were put to the choyce) whether they had rather chose to lyue in labour and toyle as they had done the daye before, or in myrthe and pleasure as they dyd that presente daye. The cryed all with one voyce, in myrth and pleasure as we do to day. Then (quod he) as long as ye be in subiectiō to the Medes, so long shall ye leade all your lyues in labour and toyle lyke vnto yesterday, but if you will folowe me, ye shall liue in pleasure euen as you haue done this day. And* 1.24 so with mery cheare and glad hartes of theym all, he made warre agaynst the Medes. Astyages for getting the great displeasure done to Harpagus, made him his lieutenaunt ge* 1.25 neral and committed to his charge the whole stay of his bat tell, who immediately vpon the receypt therof, yelded and betrayed the same vnto Cirus, and so throughe treason and disloyaltye, requited the kynges crueltie. When worde* 1.26 thereof came vnto Astyages, he raised another power with al spede possible, and went him selfe into Persia, wher •…•…∣ly renewing the battel, as his men were fightinge he set a company at their backes. commaunding them to beat them▪ perforce vpon theyr enemyes that made any countenaunce

to flye away, causyng it to be plainely told them that if they wanne not the victorye, they should finde as good men be∣hinde their backes as before theyr faces. And therefore ad uise them selues well, whether it were better for th•…•…ym to breake through thone flyeng cowardly, or through thother by fighting manfullye. His souldiers perceyuing there was none other remedie, tooke courage to them and stoode to it stoutly. By meanes whereof, when the host of the Persiās* 1.27 being euercharged began somewhat to geue backe and by litle and litle to lose ground, their mothers and wiues came running ou•…•… against them, desyring them to retourne into the battell, and perceyuing that they made no haste (as men that wer at their wittes endes) they lifted vp theyr clothes and shewing the priuie partes of their bodies, asked them if they woulde runne into their mothers and wyues bellyes for succour. The Persiās being stayed with this reproch, re tourned into battell, and makinge a prease vpon their ene∣mies, cōpelled them to flye, from whom but euen now they fled themselues. In this battell Astyage was taken pryso∣ner. From whom Cyrus toke nothyng saue the kingdome,* 1.28 behauing hym selfe in this conflycte rather lyke a nephewe than lyke a conqueroure, and he made hym ruler ouer the Hircanians. For he would not retourne vnto the Medes. This was then of the Empire of the Medes, whyche endu∣red.* 1.29 CCC. L. yeares. In the beginning of his raigne Cirus made 〈◊〉〈◊〉 (whom accordyng to his vision in the nyght he had deliuered out of prison, and takeu as companion in all his enterprises and affayres) lieutenaunt ouer the Perfi ans, & gaue him his sister in mariage. But the cities whych wer tributare before to the Medes, forasmuch as thempire was chaunged, supposing their estate to be chaunged also, fell from Cirus, which thing was vnto him a cause and be∣ginning* 1.30 of much warre & many battelles. At the length, ha uing brought many of theym to their accustomed obediece, when he made warre agaynst the Babilonians, Cr•…•…asus king of Lidia, whose welth & riches wer at those dayes very

notable came to succour the Babilonians. Wher being bā∣quished, and nowe carefull what shoulde beecome of hym* 1.31 selfe, he retyred into his owne kyngome. Cyrus also, ha∣uyng set althinges at a stay in Babilon, passed from thence with his hoste into Lyd•…•…a, where he ouercame the power of Craesus with no ado to speake of, being alredy dismayed with* 1.32 the discomfiture taken before at Babilon. Craesus hym selfe was taken prisoner, but the lesser daunger the battell was* 1.33 of, the gentlyer was the victorye vsed. For besydes that he pardoned Cresus of hys life, he gaue him also the most part of his inheritaunce, & the citie of Barce. In the whyche al∣though he liued not a kyng in dede, yet might he liue a like a king as might be deuised. This mercy and clemency was profitable as well to the conquerour as to the conquered.

For after it was once knowen that warre was made a∣gaynst Cresus, throughout al Greece souldiours were mu∣stered and sent for the to his ayde, as it had bene to quenche some commen fyre. So well was Cresus beloued wyth all the cities, that the Grekes would haue made sharpe warre vpon Cyrus, if he had delt with Cresus any thyng cruellye Afterward in processe of time, while Cyrus was occupyed* 1.34 in other warres, the Lydians rebelled. From whem beynge vanquished agayne, he tooke quite their horses, armor, and weapon commaundyng them to vse victaling, minstralsye, gamyng, and all kynde of ribawdrye and wantonnesse. And so by this meanes the people which sometime wer of great prowesse, and redoubted for theyr chyualrye, throughe e•…•…e∣minate cowardnesse and ryot, lost all theyr puyssaunce and strength, and they whyche before Cyrus time cculde by no* 1.35 warres be vanquyshed, nowe fallynge to all kynd of ryot & excesse, are ouercome with slouth & ydlenesse. There were before Cresus manye kynges in Lydia, for diuers chaunces worthye to be spoken of, but none had lyke fortune as had* 1.36 Candaules, who hauyng a wife whō for her excellent beau tie he loued out of all measure, & not contēt with the secrete knowledge of hys pleasures, praysed her to euery body and bewraied the priui ies of wedlock, as though that silēce had

bene an hinderance to her beautie: at the last, to make good his wordes, he shewed her naked to his companion Gyges, By the which dede, on the one side he so entyced and allu∣red his frende to committe aduoutrie with his wife, that he made him his enemie: and on thother side he withdrew his wiues loue from him selfe & (as ye would saye) surrendred it* 1.37 to another man. For ere it was long after, Gyges slewe Can∣daules, & maried his mistres for his labour. The wife beyng endowed with the bloud of her husbande, yelded bothe her selfe and the kingdome into his handes that committed ao∣uoutry with her. When Cyrus had conquered Asye, and pacified the whole East, he made warre agaynst the Scithi∣ons. The same time reigned ouer the Scithians Queene Tho∣myris who not abashed like a woman at the commynge of* 1.38 her enemy, whereas she might haue stopped their passage ouer the riuer Araxes, suffred thē to come ouer: thinkings that she should fight more to her owne aduauntage within her owne countrey, & that her enemies should the hardlyer escape if they were put to the worse, bicause of the riuer be twene them and home. Cyrus therfore hauing ferried ouer his carmy, when he had gone a litle way into Scithia, pitched his campe, & the next day counterfetting a feare, as though he would haue retyred back againe, forsooke his campe, the which he left sufficiently furnished with plenty of wine, & all kinde of delicate viandes meete for feastynge, whyche* 1.39 thyng being declared to the Queen, she sent her yong sonne with the thyrd parte of her hoste to folowe after Cyrus.

When they were come to Cyrus campe, the yong man be∣ing ignoraunt in feates of warre, as though he had come to* 1.40 banquet and not to battell, leauyng the pursuyte of his ene∣mies, suffered his barbarous countreymen to ouercharge them selues with wine, by meanes whereof they were so drunken that they could not fyght. Cyrus hauinge knowe∣ledge thereof by his espyalles, retourned secretelye in the nyght, and fallyng vpon them vnwares, slewe all the Sci∣thians, and the Queenes sonne among them.

Thomiris hauing lost so great an army, & (that which shuld haue greued the worse her onely sonne, fell not a wepynge* 1.41 for sorrowe, but deuised with her selfe howe she myghte he reuenged, and wyth like pollicie and deceypte begyled her enemies now beyng in their chiefe ruffe for theyr now got thenvictory Wherupon, feyning a mistruse for the slaugh∣ter in the laste ouerthrowe, she gaue backe so longe, till she had brought Cyrus into a strait, and there enuironing hym* 1.42 with a bushement of souldiers layd before in the mountay∣nes for the same purpose, she slewe. 200000 Persians and y^• kyng him selfe. In the which conflycte, this thing is worthy to be noted, that there was not so muche as one man left to beare home tidinges of so great a slaughter. The Queene* 1.43 commaūded the head of Cyrus to be cut of, and throwen in to a boll of mannes bloud, castyng him in the teeth in thys wyse with hys crueltye. Nowe fyll thy selfe with bloud, which thou hast euer thyrsted. Cyrus reigned thirty yeres, being maruaylous notable, not only in the beginning of his reygne, but also during all the continuaunce of the same.* 1.44

After him succeded Cambisis, which to his fathers empire, by conquest annexed. Egipte. But being offended with the suspersticion of the Egiptians, he commaunded the Tem∣ples of Apis and other their Goddes to be beaten downe.

Furthermore also, he sent an army to destroy the renow∣med Temple of Ammon, which being ouerwhelmed with tempestes and heapes of sand, was vtterly destroyed.* 1.45

These thynges beynge done, he dreamed that hys brother Smerdis shuld reygne after him, the whiche dreame made him so afrayed, that he sticked not after sacrilege to commit most vnnaturall murder in killing his owne brother. For it was a hard & an vnlikely matter, that he should take any pitie vpon his owne, which in spight of religion did violētly set vpon the Goddes. As an instrument to bring this cruell act to passe, he chose a frend of his one of the Magiās called* 1.46 Comaris. In the meane while he him selfe beyng sore woū ded in the thygh, with his sworde fallyng out of the sheathe by it selfe, dyed, and so suffered worthye punyshemente,

whether it were for the murther commaunded, or for the* 1.47 sacrylege already committed. When tidynges here of came to the wyso man, or ener it was openlye knowen that the kynge was dead, he dispatched his purpose, and hauynge slayne Smerdis which by ryght shuld haue bene kynge, set vp his owne brother, Oropastes in his steade For he was very lyke the kynges brother in makyng and fauour. By reason whereof, uo man misdeemynge any suche treason to be wrought, in steade of Smerdis, Oropastes was made* 1.48 king. The which thing was the easier to be brought to passe and to be kept from knowledge, bycause that amonge the Persians for the more honoure and reuerence of his person the kyng showeth not him felfe bare faced. The wyse men therfore, thereby to winne the fauour of the comminaltye, released vnto them three yeares tribute, & exempted them frō the warres during all the said terme, to thentente, they myght establyshe by briberye, and flatterye the kyngdome that they had gotten by treason and pollicye. The whyche thyng was fyrst suspected by one Orthanes a noble man, &* 1.49 one that had a great foresight in coniecturyng Therfore he sent to his doughter whyche was one of the kynges concu∣bynes, to knowe yf he that was kyng, were kynga Cyrus sonne or no? She sent hiw word that she her selfe could not tell, nor yet learne the truthe at onye of her followes han des, bycause euery one of them were kepte alone in a house by them selues. Then he sente her worde agayne, that she should fele about his head when he were a slepe. For Cam∣byses had cut of both the wyse mans cares before. Her fa∣ther* 1.50 beyng certified that the kyng had no eares, bewrayed the matter to the noble men of the realm•…•…, and compelled them to bynde theym selues, with an oth•…•…, that they should* 1.51 confound the wrongful kyng. There were no mo but seuen priuye to this conspiracye, the whych incontinentlye (leaste yf they had time and space to bethynke theym, the matter myght be by some of the companye bewrayed) with euerye man his weapon vnder his gowne, went strayt to the pal∣laice,

where hauing slayne suche as withstoode theym, they came to the place where the wyse men were: who shewed* 1.52 well that they wanted no courage to defend them selues.

For they drewe their weapons and slew two of the conspi∣racye. Neuerthelesse the other being mo in noumber, ca•…•…∣ght* 1.53 hold of them. Of the whych Gobryas hauing one of the wyse mē fast in his armes (perceiuing y^• his fellowes stayed their handes, for doubt of stryking him through in stead of the wise mā, bycause the matter was done in a darke place)* 1.54 bad thē thrust theyr swordes into the wise man, thoughe yt wer through his body. Yet notwithstāding his fortune was such that the wyse man was slayne, and be escaped vnhurt. The wysemen beyng thus slayne, the noble men atteyned great honour & renowne for recouering of the kyngdome: but much more honoure did they atteyne, in that whē they were in controuersie for the kyngdome, they could agree a∣monge theym selues. For both in prowesse, and e•…•…ate they* 1.55 were so equall, that it shoulde haue bene a hard matter for the people to haue sayde whych of them was worthyest.

Therefore they inuent•…•…d a way among them selues, wher by to commit the determinacion of theyr matter to God and good Fortune. They agreed amonge them selues that at the tyme appoynted, euery one of them shoulde come be∣fore the palace on horsabacke, by the breake of the daye, and be whose horse neyed first before the rising of the sonne shuld be kyng. For the Persians beleue, that ther is no god but the sonne, and that horses are vnto hym hallowed.

There was among the conspiratours o•…•… Darius thesone of Histaspis that fayne would haue had the kyngdome if he had wyst howe to come by it. To whom beyng sad and care full for the matter, his horsekeper sayd: sir if nothynge may* 1.56 hinder you but that, be of good cheare, and take no thought at a•…•… for the matter, the day shalbe yours. Thereupon, th•…•… night before the day appoynted, he broughte hys maysters horse into the same place, and there put him to a Mare, thin kyng that for desire of the Mare the thinge woulde come to

passe, as afterward it did in dede. The next morning eu•…•…ry one of theym beyng come at the howre appoynted, Darius horse knowyng the place of courage to the mare, forthwith neyed alowde, and (the residewe beyng slowe) first of all the company, gaue his mayster a token of god lucke. The rest of the lordes were of suche modestye, that as soone as they heard the tooken of good lucke, by and by they lept of theyr horses, and saluted Darius by the name of king. Al the peo ple also, folowing the iudgement of the princes, appoynted* 1.57 and tooke him for their kyng. And so the kyngedome of the Persians recouered by the prowesse of seuen of the noblest men of al the realme, was in the turning of a hand brought into one mannes hande agayne. A manne woulde scarce be leue that suche great estates, should ende so weyghty mat∣ter, with suche reuerence and loue one to another. Conside∣ryng that they spared not their liues to wresse it out of the wyse mens handes. Although (to say the truth) besides man hoode, personage, fauour, and prowesse, meete and worthy so great a kyngdome. Darius was also neare of aliaunce vn to the auncient kynges of Persia. Therfore in the begin∣ning of his reygne, he tooke in mariage wyth great solem∣nitie* 1.58 and royaltie the doughter of kyng Cirus, to thentent it might seme that the kyngdome was not so much b•…•…tow ed vpon a straunger, as rather reduced and brought againe into the familie of Cirus. Within a while after, when the Assyrians had rebelled and taken the citie of Babilon, the kyng being in a great rage by cause he could not deuise how to recouer the towne agayn, one of them that helped to slea the wise men named zopyrus, caused his body to be piteous∣lye torne al ouer with whipping at home at his owne house* 1.59 and his nose, lippes, and eares to be cutte of, and in the same plyghte sodainelye came into the kynges preseuce whyche thought of nothyng lesse than suche a matter. Darius be∣ynge amased, and dem•…•…undinge who hadde so shamefullye mangled hym, and vppon what occasyon, he informed •…•…ym secreatelye for what purpose he hadde done it, and af∣ter •…•…e hadde suffycyentlye and thorowelye establyshed hys

purpose, and taught the kyng how he would do, he fled like a rennagate vnto Babilō. There he shewed the people his forne skinne, and maymed face, making exclamacion of the kinges crueltye, through whō he lost his parte of the kyng∣dome, not by prowesse and manhoode, but by lucke not by the iudgement of men but by the neyenge of a horse, he coū sayled them to take warning by theyr frendes, howe to be∣ware of their foes, he exhorted theym not to truste more to their walles, than to their weapons, and that they woulde geue him leaue, to reuenge his displeasure vpon the kynge in their behalfe, nowe while his anger was freshe in hys re membraunce. He was well knowen among them all, to be a noble man, and a man of much prowesse, and as for his cre dite they doubted not at all, as whereof they thoughte hys woundes and wrongfull maymes to be a sufficient pledge and wytnesse. Therefore by a common consent, they made him a captayne, who with a small band of souldiers twyse or thrise put to flyght the Persiàs geuing way for the nones At the last being put in trust with the whole armye,* 1.60 he betrayed it to the kyng, and brought the cy∣tie againe vnder his obeysance. After this the kyng made warre agaynst the Sci∣thians, of the whych we will en∣treat in the next booke folyowing.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Princ•…•…s first elected for vertues sake
• * 1.2

  The begyn∣nyng of the Monarchie of Assiria.
• * 1.3

  desyre of ho¦nour the first cause of warre.
• * 1.4

  The inuenti∣on of magic∣ke and A••••ro∣nomy.
• * 1.5

  An example of a pollityke w••••an.
• * 1.6

  Vertue ouer¦cometh enuy
• * 1.7

  The buyl∣ding of Ba∣bilon.
• * 1.8

  Semiramis slayne of her owne sonne.
• * 1.9

  Sardanapa∣lus.
• * 1.10

  〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 are the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 cay of the gr•…•…test kyng domes.
• * 1.11

  Thempyre of the Medes beginneth.
• * 1.12

  〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 of his 〈◊〉〈◊〉▪
• * 1.13

  Her 〈◊〉〈◊〉 was 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.14

  The 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.15

  That God will haue sa∣ued can not 〈◊〉〈◊〉 lost.
• * 1.16

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…ayth it was borne dead.
• * 1.17

  Cyrus is cho sen kyng a∣•…•…ong childrē.
• * 1.18

  The 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.19

  •…•…∣ous cruelty 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉.
• * 1.20

  Displeasure wisely 〈◊〉〈◊〉 bled.
• * 1.21

  The letter of Harpagus vnto Cyrus.
• * 1.22

  •…•…unning 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ueyaunce of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 letter.
• * 1.23

  The pollicye of Cyrus to cause the Persians to rebell.
• * 1.24

  Cyrus rebel∣leth.
• * 1.25

  The crueltye reuenged.
• * 1.26

  Necessitye geueth hart.
• * 1.27

  Force and wysdom 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to •…•…∣tune.
• * 1.28

  The 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of Cyrus.
• * 1.29

  〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 the 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.30

  〈1 line〉〈1 line〉
• * 1.31

  〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.32

  Cresus is ta ken prisoner.
• * 1.33

  The magni∣tycence of Cyrus.
• * 1.34

  The Lydi•…•… rebell and are •…•…bdued.
• * 1.35

  The reward of rebellion.
• * 1.36

  The foolyshe loue and demeanour of 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.37

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…∣eth Candau∣les, and ma∣keth hius sel•…•…∣kyng.
• * 1.38

  A manly women.
• * 1.39

  His name was Spar∣gapises.
• * 1.40

  Ignoraunc•…•… pernicious in a Captayns.
• * 1.41

  The inuinci∣ble courage of Thomiris.
• * 1.42

  The gr•…•…at •…•…aughter of the Persians
• * 1.43

  The death of Cyrus.
• * 1.44

  Cambyses succedeth.
• * 1.45

  •…•…own wyll haue no pere.
• * 1.46

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 ca not continew •…•…ong.
• * 1.47

  The great treason of 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉.
• * 1.48

  Oropast•…•…∣reigneth in stead of 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.49

  The treason is mistruste•…•…
• * 1.50

  The treason commeth to lyght.
• * 1.51

  Counsell 〈◊〉〈◊〉 not be kept long in a multitude.
• * 1.52

  Necessitie ge∣•…•… courage.
• * 1.53

  The zeale •…•…obryas Gobryas to his countrey.
• * 1.54

  Thend of v∣s•…•…pe authori ty•…•….
• * 1.55

  A singu•…•…ar ex ample of mo∣desty in great esta•…•…es.
• * 1.56

  The pollicie of a horse∣•…•….
• * 1.57

  Da•…•… 〈◊〉〈◊〉 made kyng b•…•… the neying 〈◊〉〈◊〉 a horse.
• * 1.58

  Da•…•…ius •…•…∣keth to wyfe the daughte•…•… of Cyrus na∣med A•…•…ossa.
• * 1.59

  The 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 •…•…opyrus to hys kyng and to hys coun∣tr•…•…
• * 1.60

  •…•…pirus de•…•…lluereth Ba∣bilon to the kyng.