Ogyges, repeating the pedegree of Ninus to be the son of Belus, the sonne of Nimrod, the sonne of Chus, the son of Cham, and the sonne of Noah.
Now as the Monarchie of the Assyrians began by Ni∣nus, which lasted for the space of a thousand and two hundred yeares, and some adde fortie yeares more: so it ended in Sardanapalus, that beastly Epicure, who fin∣ding his forces too weake to fight against the power of Arbaces and Belochus his two Lieutenant••, the one in Media, and the other in Babylon, retired out of the field to his pallace in Niniuie, and there caused an huge fire to be made, into which hee cast himselfe and all his riches; herein onely playing the man. Such was the effeminate wantonnes of this King, that he consumed whole daies in the nurcerie among his concubines, sparing no time from incontinent exercises. As appeares by the Epitaph, which liuing, he commanded to be written on his tomb:
Ede, Bibe, Lude.
Eate, Drinke, Play.
Which Epitaph,
Aristotle chancing to find, stayed, and read the first part thereof, and smiling, said:
A man wold thinke, this writing fitter to be fixed to the graue of an oxe, then written vpon the tombe of a Prince And hauing per∣used the three verses, concluded, That
Sardanapalus en∣ioyed that being dead, which liuing he neuer had, but so long as he was in feeding his panch. Intimating, that all pleasures which are not reduced to necessity and hone∣stie, are very reprochfull
Here also raigned and dyed Saneherib, who at his re∣turne from the beseeging of Ierusalem was slaine by his two sons, Adramelech & Sharezar, as he was in the tem∣ple worshipping Nisro••h his god. Herodotus relates, that after his death, an image was set vp v••to him with this inscription; Learne by me to feare God; for a memoriall of Gods iudgement against him.
Finally, that this city was farre greater then Babilon,