The historie of Iustine Containing a narration of kingdomes, from the beginning of the Assyrian monarchy, vnto the raigne of the Emperour Augustus. VVhereunto is newly added a briefe collection of the liues and manners of all the emperours succeeding, vnto the Emp. Rodulphus now raigning. First written in Latine by that famous historiographer Iustine, and now againe newly translated into English, by G.W.

THE THIRDE BOOKE of Iustine. [ A] (Book 3)

THE ARGVMENT.

XErxes and his sonnes are slaine, by the treason of Ar••abanus. Artaxerxes reuengeth the death of his father. The Lacedemonians and the Athenians fall at variance: Lycurgus maketh lawes and willingly banisheth himselfe. The Lacedemonians make warre vpon the Messenians. The Partheniens place them [ B] selues at Tarent in Italy. Messene rebelleth and is subdued. Warre is renued be∣tween the Lacedemonians and the Athenians. The Lacedemonians break the truce. The notable demeanor of Pericles. Truce is taken againe and broken by the Lace∣demonians.

THis Xerxes great king of Persia (to whom was added this name; The terrour of all other Nations) when he had sped so vnfortunately in his warres in Greece, vvas held in a generall contempt amongst al his subiects: vvher∣upon [ C] * 1.1 Artabanus (a principall Lieutenant of his king∣dome) perceiued the glory and estate of the king daily to decay, and foolishly soothing vp his ovvn conceits, that hee might very easily enioy the kingdome, not∣withstanding his seuen sonnes, (who were all very tall and strong men) vpon an euening entered the kings pallace, (for the king reposed such considence in him, that it was lawfull for him, to come and go whensoeuer he pleased) and seizing vpon the person of the king, shamefully murthered him.

Hauing thus slaine the king, he sought also how by some quaint slight or * 1.2 pollicy he might destroy his children, of whom he stood in doubt, that they [ D] should hinder his enterprises: But as for Artaxerxes which was a very childe, he thought he might abuse him as he listed; and to the intent he might the sooner compasse the kingdome, he bare him in hand that the king was mur∣dered by Darius, who was grown vp to mās estate: by which deuise he compel∣led Artaxerxes to reuenge the murder of the king with murder of his brother. When they came to the lodging of Darius, they founde him, as if hee had

bene asleepe, and presently drawing forth their Weapons they fell vpon him and murthered him.

After Artabanus, perceiuing that yet for all this mischiefe, there remained one of the kings sonnes aliue, and fearing that the peeres of the Realme, would stand to him to place him in the kingdome: made one Baccabassus of his counsell, this man contenting himselfe with his present estate, vtteily disallowed those his treasons, and therevpon went and bewraied the whole plot * 1.3 to Artaxerxes, first how his father was shamefully murthered, next, that his brother vpon false intelligence was put to the sword, and lastly, that there was violent treasons in hand against his owne person: when Artaxerxes heard [ E] hereof (and growing into a great feare of Artabanus, for that he had so many * 1.4 sonnes) commaunded all his Armies to be mustred vp the next day in Ar∣mour, for he in person, would both take a special view of theyr number, as also cucry mans acctiuitic in handling his weapons.

Amongst the rest Artabanus also stoode out in compleat Armor, who when the king cspied, he fayned that his Curat was too short for him, and therefore commaunded Artabanus to change curats: Artabanus nothing mistrusting, did as he vvas commaunded, and as he vvas putting it off, he King taking him vpon aduantage, suddainely thrust him thorough with his svvord, and vvithall presently commaunded that all his sonnes should be apprehended, and kept in [ F] prison, vvhile his displeasure vvas further satisfied. And so this worthy young Prince reuenged the death of his father, and the murder of his brother, as al∣so freed himselfe from the treasons of Artabanus.

While these broiles hapned amongst the Persians, in the meane time all Greece fell into ciuill dissention, diuiding it selfe the one part against the other * 1.5 (whereof one part followed the Lacedemonians, and the other part follo∣wed the Athenians, turning the point of their vveapons into their ovvne bovvels. On the one side the Lacedemonians drevv vnto their part, all such forces as vvere before vvaged at the common charge of euery Cyttie, for the defence of the vvhole country: vvhile the Athenians vpon the o∣ther [ G] side stood vpon their renovvne, not onely of their auncestry, as also of their ovvne famous exploits in mylitarie dissipline, and therefore vvere resolute, and stood onely to that strength, which they could well maintaine a∣mongst themselues: Thus two of the mightiest people throughout all Greece, both of them also equall in the execution of the statutes of Solon, and the lawes of Lycurgus, through meere enuy at the good and flourishing estate one of the other, were swallowed vp through ciuill dissention.

As for Lycurgus he succeeded his brother Polibita in the kingdome of Sparta, * 1.6 and although he might very lawfully haue challenged the kingdome as his owne right, yet willingly he made surrender thereof, and with so great faith∣fulnes [ H] vnto his Sonne Charilaus, (who was borne after the death of his father) assoone as cuer he grew vp vnto mans estate: to the intent that all men might see and vnderstand, how much more good men do esteeme of their faithfull dealing, then all the riches of the world beside: Also in the nonage of the child (of whome as protector he had the gouernement) he deuised Lawes and Statures to be put in due execution amongst the Spartans (who till

this time were altogether destitute) in which labour of his, he deserued euer∣lasting renowne, not onely in that hee prouided such lawes, as for the good example that he gaue for the preseruing and keeping of them: These were his lawes in effect.

First, he taught the people how to tender their due obedience towardes the Prince, and the Prince how to carry himselfe to the administration of instice * 1.7 among the people. He perswaded all estates and degrees to beware of glut∣tony, and to be sparing in their diet, for in his iudgement he thought that warre would be the better maintained, where the goods that they got by mo∣deration, was also thriftily preserued and kept: he also ordaind that their might [ A] be a generall buyeng and selling amongst men, but not for ready money but by exchanging of Wares, one with another.

The vse of Gold and Siluer (as the onely occasion of much mischiefe) he vtterly tooke away from amongst them. The gouernment of the common∣weale, he destributed into certaine estates and degrees of men: He alowed vn∣to the king absolute power and authority in al matters concerning the warres: vnto the Magistrates, he allowed authority in Iudgements, and other courses in law. Amongst whom he ordained, that they should holde their places, but the terme of one yeare at the most. Vnto the Senators and Sages amongst the people it fell out to see these lawes put in execution, to the commons he gaue [ B] power to elect and choose the Senatours, or to appoint what Officers they pleased to giue consent vnto. He caused their Landes to be denided to euery one part and part like, only to this entent and purpose, that euery man hauing alike, no man should account himselfe better then his neighbor.

He ordained that they should all eat and drink openly, to the intent no man shuld in secret vse any maner of excesse or superfluity: He permitted the yon∣ger sort of men to weare but one garment in the year, neither one man to ex∣ceed another in apparell, nor one fare better then another, least by the euill example of one, it shuld entice and draw on others to the like ryot: Any child * 1.8 whatsoeuer, being vnder the age of fifteene years, was not suffred to come in∣to [ C] the Kings court, but straightly commanded to be kept vp in the Countrey, where they might daily behold nothing but extreme labor and trauaile, and by these examples might shun idlenes and know the want of good education: Also, when they slept, nothing was suffred to be laid vnder their heads to rest vpon, neither might they tast of dainty foode, nor returne into the Citty till they were growne to mans estate.

He also made a law that maidens should be maried without any dowry, and in that law ordained that men in choosing wiues, should professe loue onely, * 1.9 and not to marry as in these times for the loue onely of money, he thinking by this law to haue the bonds of Matrimony more firmly kept and obserued: [ D] He ordained that greatest reuerence should be giuen (not to richmen, nor men in authority,) but vnto the aged, accounting them worthiest reuerence, * 1.10 for their many yeares: And to giue them their due, there is no one place in the world, where age is more honored, then amongst the Spartans.

These lawes and precepts at the first seemed hard, heauy, and tedious, espe∣cially to such as in all their times before, were wont to line at liberty, therefore 〈2 pages missing〉〈2 pages missing〉

the worst in three seueral battailes, brought the Lacedemonians to such a strait, that to supply their Armies, they were faine to make all their bondmen free, as also to make faithfull promises to them, that it should be lawfull for them to take the wiues of such as were slaine, not onely to supply their places to make vp the number, but to possesse all their estates and worships whatsoeuer.

The kings of the Lacedemonians feared belike that in striuing against For∣tune, they might still come by the worst, and so indanger their Countrey and people the more, determined to haue conueyed home againe all their hoast of men, if Tyrteus had not at that instant come amongst them: who summo∣ning all his Armies together, rehearsed before them certaine verses, that he [ E] himselfe had composed and set togither, wherein he had contained, nothing but encoragements of warre, comforts for the loser, and pollicies and strati∣gems in seruice: by which he set all his Souldiers on such a fyer of courage, that taking more thought for their buriall, then their liues, euery man put vpon his right armea bracelet, whereupon he caused to be engraued his owne name, and also the name of his father, onely for this intent and purpose, that if it were his fortune to be slaine in the battell, and thereby might lie so long a boue ground that they coulde not be knowne by their visages, at least those bracelets, might make them to be regarded, that so they might yet at last haue humane buriall. [ F]

When the kings had taken knowledge of this their resolution, they caused * 1.11 their forwardnes to be sounded foorth into the eares of their enemies: which nothing astonied the Messenians, but rather increased their fury more violent∣ly: In which incounter they behaued themselues so couragiously on both parts, that it grew to be the bloudiest day that had bene heard of in many ages long before: yet as the longest Summers day hath his end, so had the furie of these violent broiles, and the Lacedemonians remained Conquerors.

At another time, (some respite of yeares comming betwixt) the Messenians now made a third insurrection and rebellion: At which time amongst other, * 1.12 the Lacedemonians craued the ayde of the Athenians, as before times they were [ G] wont: of whose faith and trustines, they had conceiued some harde measure, wherefore when they were come vnto them, they shewed themselues strange towards them, making as though they had small neede of their furtherance, and in fine for a reuenge of their former iniuries that they receiued, sent them home againe to their owne Countrey, without further imployment at that time.

The Athenians iudged hereof as a froward and churlish disgrace, and in the heat of their displeasure, fetched away all the chiefest treasure and mony that was laid vp and stored at Delos, by the whole power of Greece, for the mainte∣nance of their warres against the Persyans, and brought it to Athens: fearing, [ H] least if the Lacedemonians shoulde be the first that violated the league, they might haue seized thereupon, and made purchase and spoile thereof. This draue the Lacedemonians more and more out of quiet, for in that they were intangled in warres, against the Messenians, they waged the Penoponnesians to * 1.13 make warre against the Athenians: who were very weake and of small power to resist, by reason chiefely that they had at that instant sent a great Nany of

Ships iuto Egipt, and therefore being set vpon at sea, were soone discomfited and ouercome.

Within a while after their fleet ariued safe at home, being increased both in number of ships, and strength of men, whereupon hauing hartes burning with reuenge, they reunited againe the warres, and made head vpon the ene∣my: whereupon the Lacedemonians left the Messenians, and turned all their forces vpon the Athenians. Long helde the heate of the battaile, doubtfull to whether part the day would be assigned, and so indeed it fell foorth, for after many slaughters, gaping wounds, and maimed souldiers on both sides, they both remained equall victors of the day. Hereupon the Lacedemonians were still bound to maintaine the warres with the Messenians (and yet were loathe [ A] that the Athenians should be ydle all the while) couenanted with the Thebans, to restore them backe, the kingdom of Beotia, (which before time were taken from them in the time of the Persian warres) vpon condition that they should continue warre with the Athenians: so mad and inraged were the Lacedemoni∣ans, that although they were now already ingaged into two seuerall warres, a∣gainst two seuerall Nations, yet they sti••ked not to vndertake a third, onely to giue scope to their reuengefull hate against the common aduersary.

Wherevpon the Athenians, to pteuent mischances, and to withstand these boysterous tempests of warre, chose from among them two Captaines and * 1.14 [ B] chiefe Lordes: the one called Pericles, (a man of tried vertue and experience) and Sophocles, who was onely a writer of tragedies: These two valiant com∣manders, had the charge of two Armies, who wasted the territores of the Spar∣tanes exceedingly, and as they went along subdued many citties of Achaia to the Empire of Athens. Thus was the pride of the Lacedemonians cast downe, by these misfortunes, and in the end were forced to make a peace for thirty yeares: which notwithstanding, they still retained a priuate grudge against the Athenians, in so much that they made shipwrack of their league, before * 1.15 the terme of fifteen years were fully acomplished, and in dispite both of gods and men, inuaded the borders and territories of Athens: wherein, that they [ C] might not be accounted to thirst after spoile only, they suddenly made them offer of battaile: The Athenians (by the counsell of their Captaine Pericles) delaied the reuenge for wasting of theyr Countrey vntill fitter opportunitie * 1.16 might giue aduantage to pay them home for their truce-breaking & accoun∣ted it but meere folly to trouble themselues any further at that time, conside∣ring that ere many daies were past, they might reuenge all their wrongs, with more profyt and aduantage, and lesse danger of losse vnto themselues.

Whervpon a little after they made a great preparation of men, money, & munition, and sodenly imbarking their forces, put forth to sea, or euer the Lacedemonians got knowledge of them, and suddenly arriuing vpon the bor∣ders [ D] of Sparta, wasted all the Countrey before them, and carryed away with them farre more spoile, than made good foure fold the losse that they had be∣fore receiued of the enemy: Honourable was this voyage of Pericles, but a greater honor was it accounted for him, in that hee not onely vndertooke this dangerous seruice, but that he forsooke euen all the earthly possessions that he had about him onely to attempt revenge for his Countrymen the A∣thenians:

although the Spartans before time had spoiled all other mens lands and liuings, yet they departed, not daring to touch one iot of that was called his, hoping thereby, either to bring slander and enuy vpon him amongst his Countreymen: or if the worst fell out (which they rather coueted) he might haue bene reputed amongst them as a Traitor: This did Pericles gather an in∣sight into, and therefore made known vnto the inhabitants what would come to passe, and in the end to free himselfe out of al suspicion, he royally gaue al those lands and liuings to the good of the whole common-wealth, whereby the euill fortunes that they sought to throw vpon him to his high disgrace, by his prouident care and wise demeanor, became his euerlasting fame and re∣nowne. [ E]

After this, there was another very fyerce fyght vpon the Sea, in which the Lacedemonians, were put to the worst, and betooke themselues to flight: and * 1.17 from that time forward they ceased not to slea and kill one another, either by sea or land, as fortune fauoured either parties. Finally being ouertoyled and wearied out with so many mischiefes, following one in the necke of another, they againe desired that they might haue a peace concluded for fyfty yeares, which was accordingly agreed vpon, but long this lasted not; for before sixe yeares were fully ended, they againe reuolted: for the truce which they had taken in their owne names, they thought they might lawfully breake in regard [ F] * 1.18 of their neighbors: as though the periury committed on the behalfe of their complices, might more lawfully be maintained, in their quarrels, then if them∣selues had offered violence by open warre. After these broiles, the warres were remoued into Sycill: which as yet I mean not to handle, but proceed to intreat and set downe somewhat of the scituation of that Isle. [ G] [ H]

The ende of the third Booke.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Xerxes slaine by treason.
• * 1.2

  The treason of Artabaza∣nus.
• * 1.3

  The ••••••son 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.4

  〈…〉〈…〉.
• * 1.5

  A ciuill dis∣sention a∣mong the Greekes.
• * 1.6

  Iastice to be preserred be∣fore a crown.
• * 1.7

  ••ycurgus and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 L••••es.
• * 1.8

  The bring∣ing vp of children
• * 1.9

  Mariage of maydens
• * 1.10

  Reuerence to the aged.
• * 1.11

  The courage of the Mes∣senians.
• * 1.12

  The Messe∣nians the third ••••me 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.13

  Eney ne••••r satisfied.
• * 1.14

  Pericles a worthy man of warre.
• * 1.15

  The Lace∣demonians make a pease and breake it
• * 1.16

  The discreet pollicy of Pericles.
• * 1.17

  〈…〉〈…〉.
• * 1.18

  Truce bro∣ken againe by the Lace∣demonians.