The history of Quintus Curcius conteyning the actes of the greate Alexander translated out of Latine into Englishe by Iohn Brende.

¶The firste boke of Quintus Curtius, supplied of the actes of the greete Alexander Kyng of Macedonie. (Book 1)

PHilip of Macedonie whiche by sub∣duynge of Grece,* 1.1 dyd first bryng his countrey in reputation, was the sonne of Amintas, a man endued with wisdome, hardines, & all other vertues of a noble capitaine. The∣same Amintas had by Euridice his wife thre sonnes, Alexander, Perdicas, and Philip, who was the father of great, Alexāder: with a dou∣ghter also called Euriones.* 1.2 The Quene Euridice being in amoures with one that had maried her dou∣ghter, conspired the death of the Kyng her husband, to thintent to haue maried with her sonne in lawe, and to make him king, whiche thing she had brought to effect, had not the treason and whordom of the mother, ben opened by the doughter in tyme.* 1.3 After the death of Amyntas Alexander the eldest sonne enioyed his fathers kyngdome whiche in the begin∣ning of his raigne was so assailed on all sides, that he was driuen of force to purchase peace of Thilly∣rians with money by geuing his brother Philip in hostage. And afterwardes by thesame pledge made a like peace with the Thebans, whiche was thoccasiō that Philip dyd atteine to suche excellency of know∣ledge and wisdome, for by reason that he was com∣mitted to the custodie of Epimanundas,* 1.4 beyng both

a valiant capteyn and an excellent philosopher, he was brought vp in the trade of honest disciplines, and Prin∣cely maners, wherin he greatly proffited vnder a phi∣losopher of Pythagoras schole, whom Epymanundas keapt in his house for thenstruccion of his sonne. In the meane season Alexander was slaine by the meanes of Euridice his mother, whose former treason kyng A∣myntas her husband had pardoned in respecte of the chyldren had betwene them, little thinkyng that she would afterwardes haue bene their distruccion. For when Alexander was dead, she caused in like maner her other sonne Perdicas to be slayne:* 1.5 whiche Perdi∣cas lefte behinde hym one sonne being a young babe. About thesame tyme Philip the yongest brother being by good happe escaped out of prison retorned into Ma∣cedon,* 1.6 and not taking vpon hym the name of Kyng, re∣mayned a great while no otherwise but as Gouernour or tutor to his yōg neuewe. Neuertheles afterwardes by occasion of sundry myschefes growing in the state, thesame being suche as might not well hang till the yong kyng should come to his age, for that he apered to be a man of singuler actiuitie, and of no lesse skylle in feates of warre than in knowledge of philosophie, was compelled by the people to take vpon hym the kingdom̄ of Macedon, whiche as than stode in hard plight, and great daunger of ruyne. This was done .400. yeare ••fter the building of Rome and the .105. Olympiade. In the beginning of his raigne he was combred with ••••finite troubles, for all the contries nere about (as it were by a generall conspiracie) moued warre against him, and at one tyme sondrie nacions swarmyd toge∣ther out of sondrie partes to ouerronne his kyngdom. Wherfore considering that it stode hym vpon to worke warely (being not able to mache them all at ones) pa∣cyfied

some with fayre promyses, other with money▪ and the weakest he withstode with force. whereby he bothe made his enemies afrayed, and confirmed the hertes of his people, whiche he found discouraged, and in great doubte. These thinges he wrought with great sleight and fynenes of wytte, in suche sorte that he my∣nysshed not any parte of his honour, estate, or reputa∣cion, determinyng neuerthelesse as tyme should serue to deale with euery one aparte.* 1.7 His first warre was with the Atheniens whome he ouercame by sleyght and policie. And where it laye in his power to haue put them all to the sworde, he let them all at libertie with∣out raunsome. By whiche poinct of elemencie (though it was but conterfaite, for it was done for feare of a greater warre at hand) yet it gat hym great good will and estimacion vniuersally. After that he subdued the Peons,* 1.8 and from thence turned his power against the Illyrians, of whome he slewe many thousandes, and wanne the noble Cytie of Larissa. That done he moued warre against the Tessalians,* 1.9 not for any de∣sire of their goodes, or spoyle of their Countrey, but of a policie to adde to his strength the force of their hors∣men, whiche at those dayes were counted the chiefe of the worlde, whiche his purpose he brought to passe, for beyng sodeinly assailed, they were sone brought to sub∣ieccion. So Philip ioyned the force of their horsemen vnto his footemen, whereby he made his powre inuin∣cible. After all these thinges beyng happely brought to passe, he toke to wyfe Olympias one of the daughters of Neoptolenius Kyng of the Molossons,* 1.10 whiche ma∣riage was cōcluded by y^e meanes of Arisba,* 1.11 who hauīg y^e gouernemēt of Olympias was become king by y^e ma¦riage of her other sister called Troada.* 1.12 This mariage whiche he thought to haue made for his suertie turned

afterwardes to his subuercion. For thynking to haue made him self strong by thaffinitie of Philip, he was at length by hym depryued of the hole kyngdome, en∣ding his life myserably in exile: Not long after this mariage Kyng Philip dreamed that he sawe his wiues wombe wonderfully swollen,* 1.13 and to his seming a liue∣ly Image of a lion thereuppō, by whiche dreame the de∣uyners & dreame readers, did enterprete that his wyfe was cōceiued of a chylde that should be of a lions hert and courage: with whiche interpretaciō he was mitch pleased.* 1.14 Afterwardes at thassault of a citie called Me∣thron by shot of an arrowe he loste his right eie. Wher¦of though the displeasure was great, yet was he contēt vpon their submissiō, to take them to mercy, He wanne also the cytie of Pagus and annexed the same vnto his kingdome:* 1.15 He inuaded the lande of the Triballes,* 1.16 and at one instant conquered it with all the contreis there∣aboute. Thus hauyng made his kyngdome strong by subduing his neighbours, at his retournyng home his wyfe Olympias was deliuered of his sonne Alexan∣der,* 1.17 the .8. daye of Aprill: Of these good fortunes the kyng reioysed no lesse than reason was, hauyng stably∣shed his contrey at home, subdued his enemies abrode▪ and gotten an heire to succede in his kyngdome. He coulde haue desired no more of God, if the mynde of man could euer be satisfied, whiche the more it hath the more it coueteth: And as the dominion encreaseth, so doth also the desire to haue more. Which was wel seen in Philip that still did compasse howe to growe great, by taking from his neighbours, and laye alwayes like a spie, awayting tyme and occasion howe to catche frō euerie man, whereunto he had occasion mynistred by the Cyties of Greace, for whiles one did couet to sub∣due an other, and through ambition were at strife who

should be chief, by one and one, at laste he brought all to subiection, firste persuadyng the smaler states to moue warre agaynste the greater, and to serue his purpose contcyued the wayes to set them all together by the eares, but at lenght when his practizes were perceyued, dyuers Cyties fearyng his encrease, con∣feadered agaynste hym, as their commen ennemye, and namely the Thebans. Neuertheles in a necessitie when they were dryuen to wage men of warre, they chose hym to be there generall Capitaine agaynste the Lacedemonians, and the Phoceans,* 1.18 whiche had spoy∣led the temple of Apollo. This warre he honorablie acheued, so that by pounysshement of their sacryledge, he gat hym self great honour in all those places. But in thende espyeng either of those Countreis to be brought lowe with warre, he founde the meanes to subdue both the one and the other compellyng as well the ouercommers, as the ouercomme to be his Tribu∣taries and subiectes. Then made he a voyage into Cappadoce, where killyng, and takyng all the Princes there aboutes prisoners, reducede the hole prouince to the subiection of Macedon. He conquered Olinthus, and within a while put his fote in Thrace. For where the two Kynges of that countrey were at variaunce a∣boute the limites of ther kyngdomes, and choyse hym to be Arbitrer, he gladly toke it vpon hym, but at the daye a••oynted for the Iugement, he came not thither like a Iudge in a Counsell, but like a warrier with an army, and to parte the strife expulsid both the partes from their kyngdomes. By this time yong Alexander was of twelue yeares of age,* 1.19 and began to take great delyght in the feates of warre, shewyng moste mani∣feste signes ••f noble harte and Princely courage. He was very swifte of foote, and one daie at a solempne

game of ronnyng called Olimpiacum, beyng de∣maunded by some of his Companions whether he would ronne a rase with them: gladly (quod he) If I had kynges sonnes to ronne withall. Another tyme when certayne Embassadours of the Percians came into Macedon. Alexander whiche in his fathers ab∣sence toke vpon hym their entertaynement and deui∣syng with them of diuers thinges, and in all his com∣munication there neuer passed from him one chyldishe or vaine worde, but either he enquired the state of their Countrey, the maners of the people, the distance of the waies, the powre of their kyng, or the order of his war∣res and suche other like. So that the Embassadours hauing meruaill the rat, esteamed the prouffe of the fa∣ther to be muche lesse thē the towardnes of the sonne, and that his courage was muche more then was to be loked for in one of his yeres. As oftē as tidinges came that the kyng his father had wonne any stronge or ry∣che Towne, or obteyned any notable victory. He neuer seamed greatly ioyfull, but would saye to his playe fel∣lowes, my father doth so many great actes, that he will leaue no occasion of any notable thing for vs to do to∣gether. Suche were his wordes, suche was his talke: whereby it was easy to cōiecture what a mā he would after proue in age, whiche so begā in youth. His delight was not set in any kynde of pleasure, or gredines of gayne, but in the only exercise of vertue, and desire of honoure. And the more aucthoritie y^t he receiued of his father, the lesse he would seame to beare. And although by the great encrease of his fathers dominion, it semed that he should haue the lesse occasion to vse the warres yet he did not set his delight in vayne pleasure, or hea∣pyng vp of treasure, but sought all the meanes he could to vse mercial feates, and exercises of warre, coueting

suche a kingdome, wherein for his vertue and proues he might purchase fame and immortalitie, whiche hope neuer deceiued Alexander nor any other, when it hap∣peneth in a mā of vertue and noble hert, that hath wille or occasion to put the same in vre.* 1.20 The charge and go∣uernaunce of this young Prince was committed to sondrie excellēt Maisters and Gouernours, but chief∣ly to the greate Philosopher Aristotle, whose vertue, learnyng, and knowledge, Kynge Philip so muche estemed, that he would often saye: he toke no greater comforte in the byrthe of his sonne, then in that he was prouided of suche a Maister for hym as Aristotle, vn∣der whose tuicion he remayned ten yeares. Many thynges there chaunsed besydes, whereby it was con∣iectured that Alexander should proue a man of greate valoure.* 1.21 For when his father sent to Delphos to re∣ceyue aunswere of the goddes who should be his suc∣cessour, the Oracle was geuen that suche one should not only succede hym, but also be Lorde of the worlde. whom Buchephalus would suffre to sytte vppon hys back. This Bucephalus was a passyng fayre horse,* 1.22 fyerse and full of courage, whiche Philip had brought of a Tessalien for thirtene talentes, and because of his fiersenes kept hym within a brake of Iron barres, yet for all that he remayned so fell & wode that none durste come nexe to dresse hym. Whereof the kyng was so wery that he would faine haue bene ridde of the horse. It fortuned that Alexander came one day with his fa∣ther vnto y^e stable. What a horse (qd he) is marred here for lack of good handling, & with that came more nere, and without any great difficulty gat vpon his back, & vsed both y^e spurre & the rodde to thuttermoste, both rū∣ning & mānaging him vp & down, whiche y^e horse abide very well. And hauing ridden his fil brought back the

horse againe. As he alighted the kyng for ioye embra∣sed and kissed hym, and with teares in his eyes sayde: O sonne seke some other kingdome mete for thy harte. for Macedon cannot suffise. So that euen then the foreseing father did full well perceiue all his possession farre insufficient for his sonnes harte. After this Kyng Philip determined to make warre againste all Greace. for the maintenaunce whereof he thought it great auauntage,* 1.23 if he myght firste wynne Byzancium a famous Citie on the see coaste, wherfore committing the charge & gouernement of his Realme to his sonne being then .15. yeares olde, he laide siege to the Towne whiche made him great resistaunce. When he had con∣sumed all his riches and treasure about the siege, he was driuen to so narrowe shifte, that to furnishe hym selfe of money, he became a Pyrat and roued on the sea, where he toke .170. shippes all the spoile wherof he departed amonges his souldiers. And lette his hole Armye should be detayned about the wynnyng of that towne he sorted out the moste chosen bandes of all his Souldiers, and went into Gersonesus, where he toke and put to sack manye notable Townes. Because his sonne Alexander was then about .18. yeares olde and had shewed euident proufe of his vertue and manhod in all his attemptes: His father sent for hym thither to thentent he might in his warres learne and exercise all feates belongyng to a Souldier, & with hym made a voyage into Scythia, vpon no other quarell but to spoyle the Countrey. Thus vsing the practise of Mer∣chauntes, with the gayne of one warre bare out the charges of an other. After he had brought the contrey in subiection,* 1.24 because no riches of gold nor siluer was to be gotten there, he caried thens .20. thousand of mē, women and children, besides a great multitude of Cat∣taile,

with .20. thousand choyse mares to make a race in Macedon. In his retourne frō thence he was encoū∣tred with the Triballes, whiche denied him passage, ex∣cept they myght haue part of his boutie, whereuppon debating of the matter, from wordes they fell to fygh∣ting,* 1.25 whereat Kynge Philip was so wounded in his thighe, that the violence of the stroke ranne through the body of his horse, whereof all men iudgyng hym to be slayne, the botie was lost therby. Assone as he was recouered of his hurte, his long dissembled grudge a∣gainst the Athenians braste out so farre fourth, that he made open warre vpon them. By reason whereof the Thebanes seing the fyer so nere at hande,* 1.26 gaue suc∣cours to their neighbours, fearing leste if the Atheniās were ouercome, thend of the warres should tourne vpon them. Wherefore the Cyties that a little before were mortall ennemies one to another, confederated togithers in one leage, and sent their Embassadours through all Grece, persuading it to be moste mete with a common ayde to withstande a cōmon enemy. Some considering the peril to be vniuersall stake to the Athe∣nians. And some fearing Philips power encreasyng, and the other decayeng toke parte with hym. In this warre Alexander was made Capitayne of one of the battailles, wherein his noble hert and courage did well apeare, specially when it came to the stroke of the fight, for there he acquited him self so valiauntly y^t he semed not inferiour vnto his father, nor to any man els, but by moste iuste desert got the honour of the victory. Albeit he was defrauded thereof by the enuie & sleight of his father, as he him self complayned afterwardes. This battaile was fought at Cherony,* 1.27 wherin though the Atheniens were the greater nombre, yet were they ouercome by the Macedones, beyng the fewer, but yet

experte Souldiers by reason of their long and conti∣nuall practise in warres: neuerthelesse the Athenians as men not vnmyndful of their former honoure spent their liues valiaūtly. That day made an ende of al the Grekes glory, aswell of their large rule & gouernaūce, as also of their moste auncient fredome and libertie: whiche beyng hardly wonne, and long tyme kept, was thus lost in a moment. For these and many other expe∣rimentes of the valour and proues in yong Alexander, although the kyng his father did alwayes beare hym singuler affection and fauour, yet neuertheles by cer∣tayn occasions ensuyng it was vnhappely broken. For Philip beyng maried to Olimpias mother of Alexan∣der (as is sayed before) toke to wyfe besides her,* 1.28 one Cleopatra, whereupon fell great discorde and vnkind∣nes betwene the father and the sonne. The occasion was geuen by one Attalus vncle of Cleopatra, who be∣yng at the new mariage, exhorted y^e multitude to make prayers to the Goddes to send betwene the Kyng and his nece a laufull heire to succede in the kyngdome of Macedon. Whereat Alexander beyng moued: Thou naughty villaine (qd he) doest thou coūte me a bastarde? And with that worde flange the Cuppe at his head. The Kyng hearyng this, rose vp, and with his swoord drawen, ran at his sonne, who by swaruyng with his body, auoided the stroke, so that it did no harme. Wher∣upon Alexander with many stowte and dispiteful wor∣des departed from his father, and went with his mo∣ther into Epirus.* 1.29 Neuertheles sone after, by the meane of one Demoratus a Corinthian,* 1.30 who perswaded the kyng that this discorde was nothyng for his honoure, Alexander was sent for agayne, and muche labour and greate meanes was made before they could be well re∣conciled. Wherefore to confirme this atonement there

was a mariage made betwene Alexander the brother of Olympiades (whome Philip by the expulsion of A∣risba had made Kynge of Epirus) and Cleopatra the newe Quenes doughter. The triumphe of that daye was notable accordyng to the state and magnificence of suche two Princes, the one bestowing his doughter, and the other marieng a wyfe. There were set furth sondry notable playes and deuises plesaunt to beholde. And as Kyng Philip betwene the two Alexanders, the one his natural sonne, and the other his sonne in lawe, was passyng through the preasse without any guarde:* 1.31 One Pansanias a young man of the nobilitie of Ma∣cedon, when no man suspected any suche thing, sodain∣ly slewe him starck dead, making that day whiche was apoincted to Ioye and triumphe, lamentable and dolo∣rous by the death of suche a prince.* 1.32 This Pansanias being a boie was enforced by Attalus to the vnnatural vse of his body, whiche not content to do so himself, at an other open banket caused diuers of his familiars to abuse him likewyse,* 1.33 with whiche shame and villany the young man beyng sore greued (as reason would) cō∣playned to the kyng, whome although the dishonestie of the matter moued muche, yet for the loue he bare to Attalus, and for the respect of his seruice forbare to vse any reformacion in the matter. This Attalus was ve∣ry nere vnto the kynge and in speciall fauoure, by rea∣son he was kynsman vnto the Quene Cleopatra whō Philip had laste maried: He was also elected generall Capytayne of the Kynges Armye prepared to passe into Asia, as one that was bothe valiaunt of hys per∣sone, and no lesse politique in the feates of warre vpon these respectes the Kynge endeuoured by all the meanes he coulde to pacefie Pansanias (beyng kyndled with moste iuste cause of grief) aswell by

gyuing him great giftes and promocions, as placing hym honourably amongest those Ientlemē that were for the guarde of his persone. But all this could not appease the iust rage of his Ire, whiche wrought so in hym, that he determined to be reuenged, not only vpon Attalus that dyd the villony, but also vpon the Kynge that would not minister iustice. Whiche determinacion he put in effect, as is sayd before. Many thynges myght be sayd more of the doynges and sayenges of this Philip, but one thyng aboue an other is to be no∣ted, that although for the more parte he was alwayes occupied in the tourmoyle of the warres, and other like busines, yet had he euer suche affeccion to the studies of humanitie and good learnyng, that he both did and spake many thynges worthy memory, whiche were both witty and plesaunt. He lyued seuen and fourty yeares, and reigned .xxv. yeares beyng the .xxiii. kynge of the Macedons, as they reig∣ned in ordre.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Amyntas king of Ma¦cedon.
• * 1.2

  Euridice.
• * 1.3

  Alex•• the 〈…〉〈…〉 A••
• * 1.4

  Epymanun∣das.
• * 1.5

  Perdicas.
• * 1.6

  Philip,
• * 1.7

  Philips first warre was with the A∣theniene.
• * 1.8

  Peons· Illyrians.
• * 1.9

  Tessalians.
• * 1.10

  Olimpias Philippes wyfe.
• * 1.11

  Arisba.
• * 1.12

  Troada
• * 1.13

  Philippes dreame.
• * 1.14

  Methron.
• * 1.15

  Pagus.
• * 1.16

  Tryballes.
• * 1.17

  The byrthe of Alexand.
• * 1.18

  Philip cho∣sen Captain agaynst the Phoceans and the La∣cedemoniās
• * 1.19

  The to∣wardnes of Alexander.
• * 1.20

  Alexander was cōmit∣ted to the gouerne∣mentes of Aristotle.
• * 1.21

  The oracle at Delphos
• * 1.22

  Bucephal{us}
• * 1.23

  Byzancium
• * 1.24

  The bot o•• Philip been S•••• oute o•• Scythi••.
• * 1.25

  Philip was wounded by the Tribals
• * 1.26

  The The∣bans and o∣ther Cities conspired a∣gainst Phi∣lip.
• * 1.27

  The battail at Cherony.
• * 1.28

  The dissen∣siō betwixt Philip and Alexander. Cleopatra.
• * 1.29

  Epirus.
• * 1.30

  Demoratus
• * 1.31

  The death of Philip.
• * 1.32

  Pansanias.
• * 1.33

  Attalus.