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 XIX. BOOKE OF Iustine. [ E] (Book 19)

THE ARGVMENT.

MAgo Duke of Carthage dieth. His sonnes Hasdruball and Hamilcar succeed. The Carthageniens are ouercome by the Affrickes, and pay the rent for their citty. They make warre in Sardinia and Sycill. The message of the Ambas∣sadors of Darius to the Carthageniens. The Affricans are compelled to release the rent. The army of Hamilco perishetb by the pestilent influence of the starres. The [ F] remnant whereof he bringeth home, and putteth to the sword.

IN these dayes Mago was chiefe Captaine of Car∣thage, who had by his diligence in ordering the lawes of Armes, founded the Empire of Affrica, and established the fortification of Carthage, no * 1.1 lesse by his policy in warre, then by his puissance, he deceased, leauing behind him two sons, Has∣druball and Hamilcar, who following in the foote∣steppes of their fathers vertue, as they succeeded him in Lynage, so they equald him in worthines. [ G] Vnder these Captaines, was warre coniunct in Sardinia, and a fielde fought against the Affricans, to withstand the arrearages they demaunded as rente for the soile whereon the Citty standeth, but as the Aphricks had the iuster quarrell, so had they the better fortune; by meanes whereof this warre con∣cluded betweene them, by paiment of money, and not by dint of sword. In Sardinia, Hasdruball being mortally wounded, surrendred the gouernment to his brother Hamilear and died: whose death was made honorable by the mourning of the whole Citty for him, and whose life was no lesse, for he had bin eleuen times Dictator, and had had triumphs. [ H]

At the newes of his death, the enemy beganne to take courage, as though with their Captaine the strength of the citty had also decaid, for the Sicilians being oppressed by the Carthagenians daily iniuries, revolted to Leomeda the brother of the King of Lacedemon, whereupon was continued a long and cru∣ell warre betweene them, the aduantage sometime inclining to the one part, sometime to the other.

Now Daryus king of Persia, entending to make warre against the Greeyans, sent his Ambassadors to Carthage, requesting their ayde in the furtherance of his purpose, with commaundement also, they should leaue offering of men in sacrifices and eating of dogges flesh, prescribed to them according to the manner of the Persians, rather to burne theyr dead bodyes, then to bury them in the ground. But the Carthageniens denying him aide, by reason of the trou∣blesome warres they had with their borderers, to the entent they would not seeme disobedient in al things, willingly obayed him in the rest. In the meane season Hamilcar was slaine in the warres in Sycill, leauing behind him three sonnes, Amilco, Hanno, and Gisgo: Hasdruball had also alike number of sonnes, * 1.2 Hanyball, Hasdruball, and Sapphe. [ A]

By these Captaynes were the affaires of Carthage ordered, and the citty de∣fended, warre was made against the Moores, fieldes fought with the Numidi∣ans, and the Affricks compelled to release the Carthageniens for euer, of the rent they were wont to pay for the soyle of the citty. After this so great a num∣ber of Graund Captaynes being held burthenson to the citty, which before time had bin free, in that they built or peruerted all affaires euen to their owne opinion, that they acquit or condemned, whom or what they lift themselues: there were a hundred Senatours chosen to be Iudges, which when any of these Captaines were returned from their warres, should take an vpright account of [ B] their actions, to the entent they thereby might be kept in awe, so to behaue themselues in executing the office of their authoritye in the warres abroad, as they might neuerthelesse haue a carefull respect to do Iustice according to the lawes of their countrey at home.

For directing the warre in Sicil, in the stead of Hamilcar, Hamilco was made graund captaine: who hauing prosperous successe in all battels, both by sea and land, suddainely by the influence of a pestilent planet, lost all his men of * 1.3 warre: whereof when tydings came to carthage, the harts of all the citty was cast into mourning, and there eies sawe no other comfort but teares: the la∣mentation was as Hideous, as though the citty had bin sackt by their enemies, and their griefe so genearal, that they releiued one anothers sorow, not suffring [ C] it to lessen as a ceaselesse fountaine, through seuerall pipes seedes many cun∣dits. Euery mans doores were shut vp, the Temples of the goddes vnuisited, and theyr alters vnhallowed: all ceremonies were omitted, all priuate duties neglected, some would walke out at the citty gate (but so dispersed and disor∣dered, as if their feare had taught them to forget theyr former acquaintance) where they would make inquisition for their friendes, of that poore remaine, the plague had left, as they landed out of the shippes, where hauing heard the Tragicall of what was become of them, (for till then they waded betweene hope and feare, who was dead and who suruiued) they redoubled their griefes, [ D] adding so fast sigh to sigh; sob, to sob; and sorrow to sorrow; till the eagernes of the one, did help the other to breake theyr harts.

Mothers wept for their children, fathers for their sonnes, brothers for their brothers, and one generation for another: so the shreeking and howling one made vnto another, appeared rather to be the violence of whirlewindes, or an outtragious tempest, then the perplexities of reasonable creatures. After this

comes out of his ship, (the poore but honorable captaine Hamilco) in a filthy and beggerly torne cloke, girt about him: at the sight of whom the mourners as they stood in rancks clustred to come neare him, where they discerned by his misery being so great, how much greater was distresse to the rest. While he himselfe houlding vp his hands to heauen, bewailed his owne misfortune ioyned to the calamity of his Countrey, and there withall cryed out vpon the goddes, who had taken from him so great honour of chiualrye, and so great ornaments of victories, which they themselues had giuen and made him mai∣ster of: who after the winning of so many Citties, the vanquishing of so fierce enemies, both by sea and land, had destroied that victorious army not by bat∣tell [ E] but by pestilence, wherein notwithstanding, he with this did comfort him∣selfe, and brought no small cause for his countrey to reioyce in him, since that his enemies could not triumph, nor report themselus the authors of their calamities, that they were not able to say, they which were dead were slain by them: nor they which returned, were put to slight by them. As for the prey they found in their disolate campe, it was not such, that they might rightly bost of it, as of the spoile taken from their vanquished enemy, but as of a pur∣chase falling into their enemies mouthes, vnlooked for by the pestilent deaths of the right owners, in respect of the enemy, they were come away conque∣rors, but in reguard of the pestilence, they sled a way vanquished. [ F]

But to this comfort, this honorable Captaine had one griefe, his repute exceeded all limit, which was, that his owne fate and the character of his mi∣serable daies, had not period with his followers. That he was not so fortunat, to dye and surfet in mishap, among these most valiant men; but be reserued out of one mischiefe to fall into another: from the fury of the pestilence, not to liue pleasantly, but to be a pointing stock for the multitude, and a remem∣brancer of calamities

Wherefore so soone as he had conueied home the remnant of his wretched host into Carthage, he vowed he would follow them as their fellow; and thogh the pestilence shund him, he would chase death till he had ouertaken him: [ G] whereby his countrey should perceiue, he had not liued to that day, as desie∣rous of life, but because he would not by his death betray those wretched few, that the vnspeakeable pestilence had spared, by leauing them without a guide, being besiedged and enuironed round with their enemies hoastes. So en∣tring into the citie, assoone as he came to his owne house, he dismissed the multitude, as the last time that euer he purposed to speake to them, and * 1.4 barring the doores fast, suffering none to come whereby to intercept him, not so much as his sonnes to take their leaues of him, he killed himselfe. [ H]

The ende of the xix. Booke.

Notes

• * 1.1

  A continu••••e of the history of Carthage.
• * 1.2

  Hamil••ar ••lame in the wa••••es.
• * 1.3

  Hamilco made grand-Captaine.
• * 1.4

  Hamileo kil∣leth hunselfe.