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 XXXIX. BOOKE OF Iustine. [ A] (Book 39)

THE ARGVMENT.

DEmetrius, while he goeth about to conquer the whole realme of Egypt, loseth his owne Realme by sodaine rebellion. The king of Egypt subborneth one as adopted by Antiochus to challenge the king dome of Siria, proclaimed him by the name of Alexander, who ouercommeth Demetrius and killeth him. Grypho the sonne of Demetrius is crowned king by name, (his mother bearing all the rule) He is supported by the power of the Egyptians against Alexander, whom he vanquish∣eth. [ B] Alexander is taken by theeues, brought vnto Gripho, and put to death. The mother of Grypho, offering her sonne a cup of poyson, is compelled to drinke it her selfe. His brother Cyricenus maketh insurrestion against him. The King of Egypt dieth. Grypho ouercommeeh Cyricenus. The cruelty of Griphin towards her sister Cleopatra the wife of Cyricenus. Cyricenus vanquisheth Gripho, and reuengeth his wifes death vpon her sister. Cleopatra Queene of Egypt, setteth vp and pulleth downe her sonnes at her pleasure, and at length is slaine by Alexander the yonger, who for his labour is vanquished the Realme, and his brother Ptolomy made king in his sted. The king of Cyrene bequeatheth his kingdom to the Romaynes. Heroti∣mus king of Arabia infesteth Egypt and Syria. [ C]

AFter that Aotiochus with all his army was thus destroyed in Parthia, his brother Demetrius being deliuered from captiuety of the Parthyans, (when as al Siria as yet mour∣ned for the losse of the army, as though the warres, that he and his brother had made in Parthia, in the which the one was taken prisoner, the other slaine, had concluded with prosperous seccesse) he purposed to make warre in Egypt, at the request of Cleopatra his wiues mother, who [ D] promised to giue him the kingdome of Egypt in recompence, if he would sup∣port her against her brother. But whilest he went about to gaine that which was anothers right he lost his owne, by meanes of a sodaine insurrection in Sy∣ria. First the Cittizens of Antioch, through the instigation of their Captaine Trifo, detesting ••he kings pride, (which by his conuersation, among the cruell Parthians was become insufferable) and shortly after the Apemenians with all

the rest of the Ctties following their exsample, tooke occasion vpon their kings absence and rebelled against him.

Ptolomy also king of Egypt, against whom the said Demetrius made Warre, when he vnderstood, that his sister Cleopatra had shipped all her goods, and treasure, and was sled into Syria to her Daughter and sonne Demetrius, subor∣ned a young man of Egypt, the sonne of a Marchant called Protarchus, to chal∣lenge the kingdome of Syria by battell, forging a pedigree, as though Antio∣chus had adopted him into the blood royall. And the Syrians carl••sse who were their king so they might be deliuered from the pride of Demetryus, the young man was proclaimed by the name of Alexander, and great succors were gathe∣red * 1.1 [ E] to support him out of Egypt.

In the meane while, the body of Anticchus slaine by the King of Parthia was sent into Syria in a cossin of siluer to be buried, which was receiued with great solemnity by the citties, but chiefely by Alexander himselfe, to the entent to make men credit the tale, and the better to co••firme in them a beleefe that Antiochus had adopted him his heyre. And at his funerall he in such sorrow∣ful habit behaued and fashoned himselfe, that he wan much fauour of the com∣mons, and euery man endeuored his thoughts how to make his duty, loue, obe dience & alleagiance encrese to him, accounting that his outward sorowfull mourning to be sincerity, which indeed was no other but hipocritical dissi∣mulation. [ F]

Demetrius b••ing vanquished in battell, by this vpstart Alexander, and enui∣roned on all sides with vnauoidable dangers, was at the last sorsaken of his own wife and children. Being then le••t desola••e sauing a few seruants, as he was pur∣posed to haue fled to to the Temple o•• Tyrus, there to regester himselfe a san∣ctuary man, hoping the reuerence of the place though not reguard of him, ••••ight preserue his life, when hee went out to land, he was slaine by the com∣ma••ndement of the maister of the ship.

The one of his sonnes whose name was Seleucus, because he crowned him∣selfe King without his mothers consent, was by her slaine; the other of his [ G] * 1.2 sonnes, who for greatnesse of his nose was sur-named Grypho, was created king by his mother, but vpon this condition, that he should bear the name, and she all the authority. But Alexander the vs••rper of the kingdome of Syria, being puffed vp with continuall successe in his affaires, began by the norishment of his pride to despite Ptolomy himselfe, by whom hee was muested in that king∣dome.

Ptolomy hereupon, reconciling himselfe to his sister, endeuored by all meanes he could deuise or be instructed in, to depose Alexander from his roy∣alty, the which hee had obtained by his helpe, for the haued he in his life bare towards Demetryus. Whereupon he sent aide to Gripho into Gre••ce, and his [ H] daughter Gryphin also to be his wife, to the ent••nt he might allure the people to help his Nephew, not onely by confederacy, but also by allyance of affinni∣ty, which as he entended came to passe: for after the time they perceiued, that * 1.3 Gripho was supported with the power o•• Egypt, they began by troopes to re∣uolt from Alexander. After there was a battell fought betweene them, in which Alexander being put to the worse, ••led into Antioch, where for want of mony

wherwith to pay his souldiers their wages, he commaunded an Image of victo∣ry, of Massie gold to be taken out of the Temple of Iupiter, couloring his Sa∣criledge with a pleasant scoffe, saying that Iupiter had lent him victory; so es∣caping for this wickednesse vnpunished, he thought it rather benefit for him, to go forward in that practise he had begun, then to be sorry for what was past: so hauing giuen commaundement to haue the Image of Iupiter rest out of the Temple also, formed of cleane Gold and of vnknowne waight, and that being withstood of the acte of this euill, hee was put to flight by the multitude that came to the rescue, and in his hope to escape was oppres∣sed by the violence of a Tempest, forsaken of his followers, taken by [ A] theeues, and spoiled and brought vnto Grypho, and there receiued his deserued death.

Grypho by his fall, hauing fully recouered his fathers kingdome, and being deliuered from outward dangers, was assaulted, by the treason of his owne Mother, who being inflamed with the desire of Soucraignety, after shee had betraied her husband Demetrius, and murthered her other Sonne, for spight and malice, that her former authoritye should bee diminished, by the victorye of this her other sonne, shee offered him a cuppe of poy∣son, * 1.4 as hee returned in Tryumphe from his conquest. But Gripho hauing intelligence of his mothers treason (as though hee had striued with her for courtesie) desi••ed her to drinke to him, which vpon her refusall he re∣quested [ B] more earnestly; and at length calling before her, the author of the report to him, he laid the treason to her charge, affirming he would admit no other excuse of her offence, but if she would drinke the same her selfe she had proffered to him.

The Queene being by this meanes, conuicted of her mischieuous cntent by receiuing inwardly the poyson, she had prepared for her Sonne, was de∣priued of her life. Grypho hauing thus brought his Realme in quietnesse, * 1.5 not onely liued himselfe at harts ease, without either disturbed with for∣raigne inuasion, domesticke insurrection, or priuat treason, but also gouer∣ned his kingdome in happy peace for the space of eight yeares after. The [ C] which tearme expired, there arose an enemy to his kingdome, namely his owne brother Cyricenus, borne by his owne mother, but begot on her by his vncle Antiochus. Whom whilest he went about to bring to destruction, & rid out of the way by poyson, he stirred him the sooner to contend with him for the kingdome.

Among these inorderly discords of the Realme of Syria, dyed Ptolomy King of Egypt, leauing the Gouernment of the kingdome to his wife, and * 1.6 one of his Sonnes, which soeuer shee should choose and account most fit off, as though the state of Egypt should bee in better quiet, then the [ D] Realme of Syria, when the Mother by giuing the kingdome to one of her Sonnes should make the other her enemy. Therefore whereas she was of her selfe most enclined to the younger sonne, the people compelled her to make choise of the elder. From whom (before shee gaue him the kingdome) she tooke away his wife, and hauing enioyned him to forgoe his most dearely beloued sister Cleopatra, she constrained him to take in marryage his younger

sister Seluce, wherein she dealt not like a mother betwixt her daughters, consi∣dering she tooke her husband from one, and gaue him to the other.

Cleopatra thus being not so much put away by her husband, as by a violent deuorce separated from him by her mothers meanes, was married to Cyricenus in Syria. And to the entent she would not seeme to haue brought nothing else vnto him, then the bare name and title of a wife, she raised an host of men in Cyprus, and brought it to her husband for a doury.

Cyricenus being now made as strong as his brother, encountered with him in open si••lde, where being vanquished and put to flight, he came vnto Anti∣och, whether Gripho pursued and b••siedged him in the Citty. At the taking [ E] * 1.7 thereof, Gryphin the wife of Grypho, l••b••red by all meanes to enquire and find out her sister cleopatra, not by manifesting a sisterly loue to p••eserue her out of captiuity, but by expressing her vnnaturall hate, desired her, to the entent she should not escape the miseries thereof. Because as she thought in disdaine of her estate, she had entred forceably into that kingdome, and by marrying her selfe to her sistres husbands enemy, had made her selfe an enemy to her; alledging against her moreouer, that she had raised forraigne powers against her brother; and married her selfe out of Egypt against her mothers wil. On the contrary part Grypho besought and perswaded her, that she would not con∣straine him to commit so shamefull an act, which she continually importuned [ F] him vnto; namely, to imp••••sonment, and if he pleased to death. For it was ne∣uer * 1.8 heard that any of his ancestots, amongst so many ciuill, and so many out∣ward Warres, did after the victory obtained, extend cruelty against women, which for weakenesse of their nature, had euer bin exempted both from danger of Warres, and also from the cruelty of the conquerors.

And now in this case besides the lawes of armes, there was also the bonde of aliance to withhold him from doing such a wickednesse. For on the one side she was her own sister, and on the other side she was his Cosen German, whose blood she sought so cruelly to haue him shed: yea and moreouer, she was Aunte to the children of them both. Besides all those bondes of kindred and [ G] aliance, he super••••••••ously aledged that it was not lawful to violat the Temple, in which she had hid her selfe, and which she had taken for safeguard of her life. But that the Goddes with so much the more humility and deuotion ought to be reuerenced on his pa••te, as by their great mercy and fauour, he had gotten the victory in that battell ouer his enemies.

For neither by the killing her, could he any thing abate the strength of Cy∣ricenus, neither by preseruing her life encrease his power. But the more vn∣willing that Grypho was to offer her offence, the more she of her womanly ma∣lice incensed him against her sister, supposing him to speake so much in her behalfe not of compassion, but of loue. Whereupon what more incensed [ H] with her Iclousie, and what prouoked with her hatred, she commaunded cer∣taine of the Souldiers, to presse into the Temple and murther her: who at their entrance, ••hen they could not neither by faire meanes, nor force get her * 1.9 out, they cut off her hands, as she had clasped them about the Images of the Goddesse.

When Cleopatra cursing those wicked murthere••s, and beseeching the

a prince of excellent prowesse and actiuity. This Pharnax, thus disposing his Dominion from his children, was of opinion, that the kingdome and safetie thereof, ought more by him to be regarded, then the name of a Father, and it behooued him rather to prouide for his natiue country, then for his chil∣dren, which he supposed he carefully did, in thus distributing his kingdome. Thus then at one time Mithridates in Parthia, and Eucratides in Bactria, both notable and worthy princes, began their raignes. But the Parthians had the happier fortune. For through the politicke gouernance of their king, they aspired to the soueraigne preheminence of the Empire. Whereas the Bac∣trians being tossed too and fro with the vncertaine fortune of the warres, lost not onely their kingdome, but also their liberty. For after they had wearied [ A] themselues, with the long continuall warres of the Sogdians, Drangamtans, and Indians, last of all as men, halfe dead and out of hart, ere they were en∣countered, they were subdued by the Parthians, which were reputed weaker then themselues.

Yet notwithstanding Eucratides, atchiued many battels by his prowesse * 1.10 and Noblenesse of courage, yet at the last being brought to lowe estate, and that Demetrius king of India had besiedged him, hee hauing no more but 3-hundred souldiors about him, by his often issuing out priuily vpon aduan∣tages, vanquished threescore thousand of his enemies. Whereupon, being [ B] after fiue months siedge enlarged againe, he brought India vnder his subie∣ction; from whence as he was returning homeward, he was slaine in his iour∣ney by his own son, whom he had made fellow with him in the Empire: who nothing dissembling the vnnatural murther, but rather reioycing, as th••gh * 1.11 he had killed some forrain enimy and not a father, draue his chariot throgh his blood, and commanded his body to be throwne away vnburied.

In the mean space, while this cruel change hapned among the Bactrians, there arose war between the Parthians and the Meades, in which after the di∣uers * 1.12 aduentures of both Nations, at length the victory was yeelded to the Parthians. Mythridates being encreased in strength by their power, made one Bachasus regent of Media, and himselfe went into Hircania: at his returne [ C] from whence, he made warre vpon the king of the Elymeans, whom he ouer∣came and annexed that realme also to his kingdome. And thereupon recei∣uing many countries by composition, hee enlarged the Empire, from the mountain Cancasus, euen vnto the riuer of Euphrates. Finally being taken with sickenesse, he dyed honourably in his old age, of no lesse fame and re∣nown then his grand∣father Ar∣saces. [ D]

The end of the xli. booke.

Notes

• * 1.1

  An Egyptian 〈◊〉〈◊〉 king against Demet••••••••
• * 1.2

  The 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.3

  The Egypti∣〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••••••••ng put 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.4

  Desire of so∣••••••••.
• * 1.5

  The death of the Queene.
• * 1.6

  The death of Ptolomy.
• * 1.7

  War betwixt G••iphus and hic brother Cyrecenus.
• * 1.8

  A disswasion o•• Gryp••us from cruelty.
• * 1.9

  Gryphin sen∣deth to will her sister Cleopatra.
• * 1.10

  The 〈◊〉〈◊〉 prow•••••••• o•• Eucratides.
• * 1.11

  An inhumain murther
• * 1.12

  The cōquests of Muhrida∣tes the 4. king of Parthia.