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

¶The thyrde boke of Quyntus Curtius of the Act••s of the great Alexander Kyng of Macedon. (Book 3)

* 1.1ALexander in the meane season hauing sēte Geāder to wage mē of warre out of Pele∣ponese. & established the contreis of Lycia and Pamphilia, remoued his Armye to the Citye of Celenas.* 1.2 * 1.3 throughe thys Citye theyr rane the same tyme the Riuer of Marcia verie famous in the greake poesis whose hed springing out of the tope of an highe mountayne, and fallyng downe vpon a rock beneth, made muche nose & toringe. It floweth from thence, and watreth the feldes all about wythout en∣crease of any streame sauing hys owne. The collore wherof being like vnto the calmeese, gaue occasion to the poetes to fayne howe the Nymphes for the delight they toke in y^e Riuer, choise their dwellyng vnder that roke. So longe as it ronnethe within compasse of the walles yt keapeth his owne name, but whē it cometh without, where y^e streme is more swyfte & vehemente, is then called Lycum.* 1.4 Alexander dyd enter into thys towne being foresaken of the Inhabitaunts, and per∣ceyuing they were fled into the castle whych he deter∣mined to winne before he departed sēt, frist to sommō them by an Heraulde whych declared that except they wold yelde them selues, they should suffre the extre∣mytie of the law of Armys. They brought the herauld into an highe towre which was strong both by nature and workmāship, willing him to cōsider the thing, & to declare vnto Alexander y^t he wayed not sufficiently y^e strengthe of the place, for thei said they knewe it to be impringable, & if y^e worstshuld falle, yet were thei redy to dye in there truth & allegeance. Notwth standinge which wordes. whē it came to y^e pointe, y^t thei sawe thē selues be sieged, & al thinges wax scarse. They toke truse for l•• dayes, w^t thys composition, y^t if they were

not reseued by Darius within y^e time, they wold rēdre it vp into his hāds. Which thei did afterwards at y^e dai apointed, whē thei saw no succors coming. To y^e place there ceme Embassadors to hym frō Athens makyng request, that such of there Citie as were takē prisōres at y^e battel fought vppon the riuer of Granyke myght be restored to thē· To whom aunswer was made, that whē y^e warres of percie wer ōes brōght to an end, both thers & al other y^t wer greaks shuld be restored to their libertie. Alexander had his present care & Imagenarō alwaies vpō Darius, whō he knew not yet to be passed the ryuer of Euphrates. He assembled therfore all hys powre togethers purposing to aduēture the hasard of the bataile. The cōtrey was called Phriga y^t he passed thorugh plentyful of villages but scarse of Cyties,* 1.5 yet their was one therin of great Antiquitie called Gordin the roiall seat sometyme of Kynge Mydas The riuer Sangarius doth ronne throught yt, and it standeth in midewaye tetwēe the Seā of Ponte & Cilicia, being iudged to be the narowest parte of Asia by reasō of the Sees which lye on both sides representing y^e forme of an Ilād. And if it were not for a smale point of land, y^t do lie betwext those ses, thei shuld win both togithers. Alexander hauing brought this Citye vnder his boey∣sans, entered into the temple of Iubyter, were he saw the wagon wherin Mydas the builder of y^e Citie was wonte to ride. The same in the furniture & outwarde appearance differred lyttle frō other common wagōs,* 1.6 but there was in yt a thing notable: which was a rope folded & knit with many knots, one so wrethed within an otheir, that no man could perceyue the maner of yt nether where the knotes began, nor wher thei eanded Vpon theys the Contremen had a prophesie y^t he shuld be lord of all Asia that could vndo that endles knot which matter put the kinge in a meruelus desire to be¦come

the fulfiller of that prophesie. Ther stod a great nombre aboute him bothe of Phrigians & Macedons ••hone parte of thē musing to what cōclusiō this mat∣ter wold come to, and the other feacing the rashe pre∣siumpcō of the kyng. Forasmuch as they could percey∣ue bi no reasō now y^e knot shuld be vndōe. The Kynge him self also doughting y^t the failing of his purpose in y^e matter, might be take as a tokē of his euel fortune to come. Wherfore after he had cōsidred the thing: What matter maketh it (qd he) which way it be vndone, and striued nolenger how to vnknit it, but out of hand cut w^t his sword the cordes a sondre: therbi etheir illuding or els fulfilling theffecte of the prophecye. When this was dōe Alexāder purposed to find out Darius wher so euer he wer. And to the intēt he wold leue al thinges cleare behind his back, made Amphitorus captayne of his name vpon the coste of Helliespont,* 1.7 comettyng y^e charge of y^e mē of warre to Egilocus.* 1.8 Thei two haue commissō to deliuer y^e Ilāds of Lesbos,* 1.9 Scyo, & Coos from y^e handes of y^e Percians. And for y^e furniture of their chargs apointed to thē .l. talēts. And sent to Anti∣pater & such as had y^e gouernans of y^e Cities of Greac threscore talēts. He gaue order y^e suchas wer his cōfed∣erats shuld w^t ther own powre of ships defed y^e seas of Hellespōt according to y^e leage betwixt thē. It was not yet come to his knowledg how Menō was deade vpō whō he set his hole regard,* 1.10 knowing if y^t he moued not against hī, nomā shuld enterrupt his passage before he cam to Darius.* 1.11 Alexander came to the cytye Ancyre where he made hys musteres, and so entred into Pa∣phlagomya wherunto the Grecians be borderers, of whome (it is said) the venetians be discended.* 1.12 Al this Contrey yealdid vnto him, gaue him pledgs, obteining to be free of tribute, seing they neuer paid any •••• the percians. Calas was captayne there, who taking w^t

him the band of Souldirs y^t were lately come out of Macedon went vnto Capadocea.* 1.13 But Darius hea∣ring of the deathe of Menon,* 1.14 was noles moued ther∣wyth then the case required, for then allother hope set apert he determyned to trye the matter in person, cō∣dempnyng all thynges y^t had ben don by hys deputies, hauing opinion that good gouerment wanted in many of them, and that fortune had fayled in them all. He came therefore to Babylon, wher he encamped. Ass∣embling al his force togithers in sight, bicause he wold shewe the greater courage. And vsing the ensample of Xrexes in takīg of his musters, entrenched so much ground abut as was able to receiue .x. thousand men. within the whych he lodged in the night suche as had bene mustred in the daye. And from thens they were bestowed abrode in y^e plaine contrey of Mesepotanya, the numbre of his horsmen & fotemē were innumera∣ble, and yet seamed to the syght to be more then they were. There were of the Percyans an .C. thousand of whom .xxx. thousand were horsemen. Of the Medeans .x. thousand horsemē, & .xxx. thousand fote∣men. Of the Barcanyts two thousand horsemen,* 1.15 with brode swordes & light bucklers, and .x.M. fotmē w^t like weapōs. Ther were of y^e Armēians .xl. thousand fotemen & .vii. thousand horsemen The hircanyans of great estymaciō emongeste those naciōs had .vi. thousand horsemē. The deruicens were .xl. thousand fotemē armed w^t pikes, wherof parte had no hedes of Irō, but dried y^e poīts of thē in y^e fiere therwer also of the same naciō .ii.M. horsmē. Ther cāe frō y^e Caspiā sea viii.M. fotmē & .cc. horsmē. And with thē of y^e rude nacions of Asia .ii.M. fotemen and .iiii.M. hosemen. To the increase af thes numbres there were .xxx.M Mercenary sauldiers y^t were Greaks. Hast wold not suffer to cal for the Bactriās, Sogdians, Indians, w^t

other thinhabiters of y^e red sea, naciōs which had nāes scarsely knowen to ther owne kynge. Thus Darius wanting nothing lesse thē y^e mullitud of mē greatly re∣iossed to behold them. And puffed vp w^t the vanitye & flattery of y^e greate men y^t were aboute hym, turned to Charidemus of Athēs an experte mā of warre (which for y^e displeasure y^t Alexāder did bere him was bāished his cōtrey) & asked him if he thought not this cōpany sufficient to ouerthrowe y^e Macedons. Wheriūto Cha∣ridemus without resptte of the kinges pride, or of hys owne estate aunswered.* 1.16 Peraduenture six (qd he) ye will not be content to heare y^e truth & excepte I tell yt nowe, it shalbe to late hereafter. This great preparatō & hiughe army of yours, gathered of y^e multitud of so∣many naciōs y^t you haue raised vp frō al pies of Tho∣rient is more fearfull to theinhabiturs hereabouts, then terrible to your enemies. your mē shine in colors and glister in armure of gold, exceding so much in ry∣ches, y^t they which haue not sene thē w^c ther eies cānot cōceiue any such thīg in their minds. But cōtrariwise the Macedōes being rough souldiers, w^tout any such excesse be terrible to behold y^e frōts of ther batailes stād close togethers alwais in strēgth furnished w^t pikes & targets for defēce.* 1.17 y^t which thei call ther Phallant is an immouable square of fotemen, wherin euery one stād close to other ioyning weapō to weapon, euery soul∣dier obediēt toy^t whych is commaūded him redy at his captaines beck whyther it be tofolowe his ensigne, to kepe hys armye, to stand stil, to rūne, to fetche a cōpas, to chang thorder of the battell, to fight on this side or that side: euery souldier can do thes thinges aswel as the captaines. And because you shal not thinke gold & siluer to be effectuall to thys matier, they began and obserued this discipline pouerty beīg Maystres. Whē they be werye y^e ground, is there bed, they are sattsfied¦fied

with suche meate as thei find by chaunce, and thei measure not their sleape by the lengthe of the nyght. Thinke you the horsmen of Thessaly, the Alcharnans, and Etolians whych be inuincible men of warre, wilbe repulsed with ••lynges or staues hardned in the fire. It behoueth you to haue a like force to repulce thē, and to be serued of the same kind of men. Mi counsel is ther∣fore that you sēd this gold and siluer to wage souldiers out of those countreis from whence thei come. Darius was a man of a meke and tractable dysposicion, if the heighte of his estate had not altered the goodnes of hys nature: which made hym so vnpatyent to here the truthe, that he commaunded Charydemus to bee put streight wayes to death: being a man that was fled to his proteccion, and that gaue hym right profitable coū∣sel. When he was going towards his death he left not his libertye to speake, but saide: there is one at hande that shal reuenge my deathe. For he againste whome I haue geuen the counsell, shall punyshe the for not folo∣winge of the same. And thou being thus altered with the libertye thou haste being a King, shalt be an ensam∣ple to suche as shal come after that when they commit their doinges to fortune they clerely forget thē selues. whiles Charidemus was speaking these wordes, they which had the charge committed vnto them put him to death. whereof afterwardes the Kynge toke ouer late repētance, for he confessed that he had spokē the truth. & caused him to be buried.* 1.18 Ther was one Thymones the sōne of Menter a yōg mā of great actiuite, to whō Darius gaue the charge of al the souldiers straungers, in whom he had great cōfidence and willed hym to re∣ceyue thē at Pharnabasus handes. And gaue to Phar∣nabasus y^t rule y^e Menō had before. Thus Dari{us} beīg careful of the busines he had in hand, whither it were

through pensiuenes of mind, or y^t his fancie did deuine thīges to cōe was cōtinually troubled w^t visiōs in his sleape.* 1.19 He dreamed y^t y^e Macedōs cāpe was al on fire. And shortly after yt semed to hym that Alexander was brought to his presēce in such kid of appariel as he him self did were, when he was first chosen Kyng, and that Alexander should ther be caried on horsebacke through Babilō, and so to vanishe out of sight. Hereupon thin∣terpretors of dreames with the diuersitie of theyr de∣uininge, did driue Darius into diuers ymaginacions. Some said his dreame betokened good fortune to him selfe bicause of y^e fire that semed to be in his enemyes campe & for that Alexander wyth out any vesture of a King aperid in the vulgare apariel of y^e Parcians. O∣ther did enterprete it otherwise: that the lightenīg in y^t Macedons campe signified glory & victorie to Alexan∣der, & also then ioyment of y^e empire of Asia. which they made a clere matter for as muche as Alexander apered in the same vestures that Darius ware when he was chosen King. Care besydes and trouble of mynd (as it often chaunseth) brought thinges by paste again to re∣membrance. It was rehersed howe Darius in y^e be∣ginning of his raigne chaūged y^e scabard of hys sword from the Percian manner into the faschion that the Grekes vsed. Whereupon y^t Caldees did prenosticat y^t the Kyngdome of Perce shuld be translated to those, whose faschion he had counterfaited. Notwithstāding through the confidence of such prophecies as were com¦monly sene abrode, and of of the vision, that he seamed to haue sene in his sleape became very mery, and com∣maunded his Army to marche forwards to the riuer of Euphrates. It was the auncient custome amongeste the Perciās, at the sonne risinge to raise their campe and warnyng of their setting forewardes to be geuen

by the blaste of a Trompet sowned at the kinges paul∣lion vpō the which there stode an Image of the sonne enclosed in christall shininge so bright, that it might be sene throught out y^e campe.* 1.20 The order of their marche was in this maner. The fire which thei cal holie and e∣ternall was caried before vpon siluer aultars, and the priestes of their lawe went next synginge after theyr contrey maner. There folowed .ccc.lxv. yong men in scarlet robes. like in nombre vnto y^e daies of the yeare. Then came the chariots that was cōsecrate to Iupiter drawen with whyte palfreis, a great horse folowinge which thei cal y^t horse of y^t sonne. Such as did ride vp∣on the palfreys dyd weare white garmentes, and had roddes of gold in theyr handes, next in order came ten chariots garnished and wrought with siluer and gold. The horsemen of twelue nacions folowed next in sondry sorte of Armoure. Thē came a cōpany that the Percians call immortall the ryches of whose apparell. exceded farre y^e reste thei had al cheines of gold, coates embrodered with gold, and sleues set with Perle. there folowed with in a smale distans a band of xv. thousand called Doriphere reputed for the King kinsmen, which were disguised in maner like women, more notable for their gallentnes and varietie of apariel thē for the ar∣mour they did weare. Such as were wont to receyue the kynges robes at his hādes did ryde next before the chariot vpō y^t which Darius did sit on high with great pompe and magnificens his chariot was set on bothe sides with carued Images of their gods both of siluer and gold. & al the former parte was adorned with per∣les and precious stones hauing two Images of golde their standynge of a cubyte lengthe combattant on against the other and ouer their heades an Egle of gold displayed. But amongeste all the reste the Kynges ap∣parell

shewed maruelous sumptuouse, whych was of purple empaled whit, with a border embroidred of gold faucons fighting togithers. He was gird effemynately with a gerdle of golde, and the sword that hung therup∣on had the scabard made of a perle. The diadeame the Kyng were vpon his head called by the Percyans Cy∣darys had a ••oule about yt of white and grene. Next behind the Kyng came .x. thousande, horsemen, which had all their speares plated with siluer & their speares heades gilded. He was enclosed on both sides with .cc of y^e bloud royal, at whose backes there folowed .xxx.M fotemen,* 1.21 and after them .cccc. of the Kynges coursers: wythin the distance of one furlonge Sisigambis the mother of Darius was caried in a Wagone and hys wief in an other, y^t trayne of their women ridinge on horsback. Next them wēt .xv. wagons, wherin the kin∣ges children were caried, their nurces and Enuches, which are greatly estemed in y^e nacion. And after them folowed .ccc. .lx. of the Kinges concubines al aparel∣led like Quenes. Then came .vi.c. mules and .ccc. Ca∣mels that caried the Kynges treasure whych were gar∣ded with a band of Archers. the wiues of the Kinges kinsmen and the other that were about the Kyng came ridinge next. & after them a great companye of slaues and verlets. Last came their reward, lightly armed, of whom euery captaine seueraly with his own company closed in y^e army. Such was y^e order of Darius host on the other side beholding Alexanders Armye,* 1.22 there was to be sene agreat dyfference, niether the men nor the horse were set forthe with such gold nor precious fur∣nymentes glistering only with the brightnes of their harnes, but they were obediēt at their captaines beck, alwaies in redines to stay or to passe forwardes, nether combred with ouer greate multitude. nor pestered with

to muche bagage. Thei wanted not in any place either groūd for their encāping or victualles for their feding wherby theire smalle nombre was alwayes sufficient when they came to fyght. Where as Darius the lorde of so huge a multitude. through the streightnes of the ground. wherein he was driuen to geue battaille could worke theffect but of a small nombre, whiche he before had dispised in his enemy. Alexander appointed Abi∣stamines the rule of Capadocia, and marching with his army towardes Calicia, came to the place that was called Cyrus Campe, because he lodged there when he passed into Licia against kyng Creasus. This place was distant aboutes .50. forlonges from the streight, wherby he must entre Cilicia. The enhabyters vse to cal those streightes Pyloe, where as the natural scitua∣cion of the place had made a fortification as it were made with mans handes,* 1.23 When Arsanes gouernour of Cilicia vnderstode of Alexanders comyng. remem∣bryng what opinion Menon was of in the beginnyng of the warres, put in executiō his wise coūsell, thought it were ouer late, wastyng and destroyeng through out Cilicia, all suche thinges as he thought might stande his enemy in stede, leuyng the countrey waste, whiche he thought he was not able to defend: where as it had bene muche better to haue preuented his enemy in the streightes, where from the hilles lyeng ouer the way he might without hasard either haue letted his entrey. or els haue distressed hym in his passing. But he leuieng a small nombre for the defence of the streyght, retired him selfe back to waste the countrey, whiche his parte had bene to defend from destructiō. Of his departure it came to passe that those whiche he left behynd, thyn∣king them selues betrayed, would not so muche as a∣byde

the fyght of their enemies, when a muche lesse nō∣bre had bene sufficient to haue kept the passage.* 1.24 For the scituaciō of Cilicia is suche that it is enuironed round about with a continuall rough and steade Mountayne whiche rysing from the sea on the one syde, & fetchyng a compasse aboute, ioyneth againe with the sea, on the other syde. Through that parte of this Mountayne whiche lieth furdest from the Sea, beyng thre narowe and rough passages, by one of the whiche they must en∣tre that will passe into Cilicia. This coūtrey towardes the Sea is playne and full of Riuers, amonges which two be notable Pyramus and Cydnus,* 1.25 but Cydnus moste speciall, not so muche for his greatnes, as for the clerenes of his water, whiche from his firste spryng ronneth plesauntly through all the Countrey, and hath no other Ryuer runnyng into hym to disturbe the pu∣renes of his streame. For whiche cause it remayneth alwaies clere▪ and also coold by reason of the woodes that do shadowe all the banckes. Tyme hath consu∣med many antiquities within that countrey, whiche be remembred of the Poeres. There maie yet be sene the foundacions of the Cities of Lyrnessus,* 1.26 and Cebestus with the caue and woode of Coricius where saffron groweth with many other thynges whereof nothyng remayneth sauyng only the same. When Alexander entred the straytes that before be mencioned, and be∣held the scituacion of them, he neuer in all his life mar∣ueiled more of his owne felicitie and good fortune, confessyng that it had not bene possible for hym to haue passed, if any had stand at defence agaynst hym. for that with stones only he myght haue bene destres∣sed, and the strayte besydes was so narrowe, that there could not passe aboue foure in a front. To thencrease

of whiche difficulty the toppes of the Mountaynes hong ouer the ways, whiche in many places were bro∣ken and made hollowe with the streames that ranne downe from the hilles. Alexander sent the Thracians that were lyght armed to scower & discouer the ways, for feare the enemies should lye there in busshement, and sodeynly breake forth vpon hym: He appoyncted also a bād of Archers to take the toppe of the hyl, which were willed so to marche, that they myght be alwayes in a redines to fyghte. After this maner he came with his army to the Cytie of Tarson,* 1.27 whiche was set on fyre by the Percions, because that Alexander should fynde no herborow there. But Parmeno was sent thether with a choyse nomber of horsemen to quenche the fyer, who vnderstandyng that the enemies were fled away through his commyng, entred into the Cytie and by that meanes saued it from burnyng. The Ry∣uer of Cydnus spoken of before, dyd ronne through this Cytie, where the kyng arryued about mydday, it beynge in the Sommer season, what tyme the heate is no where more feruent then in that countrey. He toke suche delyght in the pleasauntnes of the water, that he would nedes bathe his body, to washe awaye the sweate & dust he had caught: and being in an heate entred naked into the water in euery mans syght, thynckyng it should be a contentacion to his souldiers to se that the furnemētes about his body was no other but suche as they cōmonly vsed to weare.* 1.28 He was not so sone entred but all the partes of his body began to shake & tremble, his face waxed pale, & the liuely heate was mortified in all partes of his body: His seruaun∣tes toke hym vp and caried hym into his tent, as one besides him self, and at the poinct of death. Then there

was a great desolacion and heuines in the campe, they wepte, lamented, and bewayled, that suche a Kyng, so noble a Capitaine as had not bene sene in any age, should thus be taken from them in the chief of his en∣terprise and brunte of all his busines, and that after suche a manner, not in battaile slayne by his enemies, but thus cast away bathing in a ryuer. It greued them that Darius now beyng at hand should obtein the vic∣tory by suche a chaunce, without seing of his enemy, & that they should be enforced to retourne back agayne as men vanquysshed by those Countreis, through the whiche they had passed before as victorers. In whiche countreis all thynges beyng destroyed by themselues or by their enemies, it was of necessitie for them to dye for hunger, though no man should persue them. It be∣came a question amonges them selues who should be their Capitayne in their flyeng away? or what he were that durste succede Alexander? And though they might saufely arriue at y^e Sea of Hellespont, yet who should prepare them passage there. And when they had dispu∣ted these questions, their argument by and by was tur∣ned in compassion towardes their Prince, lamentyng as mē out of their wittes, that suche a floure of yought suche a force of courage as was in hym, that thesame their kyng and companion in armes should after this sorte be taken from them. In the meane season Alexā∣der began to drawe his breath somwhat better, & when he came vnto himselfe, he lifted vp his eyes and began to knowe his frendes that were about hym, the vehe∣mens of his sicknes somwhat assuaging, whiche was perceiued in that he began to vnderstand the perill he was in. But the pensiuenes of his mynde was greate hinderaunce vnto his health, for tidinges came that

Darius within fiue dayes would be in Cilicia, whiche was the thing that made him to sorowe and lamēt. He could not take it but greuously, that suche a victory should be plucked out of his handes through his infir∣mitie. And that he should be taken as one tied in bon∣des, and be put to some shamefull and vile death. He called therfore to hym both his frendes and Phisiciōs, and sayd vnto them: ye see in what state of my busines fortune hath taken me.* 1.29 Me thyncke the noyse of myne enemies do ringe in mine eares, and I whiche moued first the warre, am now chalenged and prouoked to fyght. When Darius did wrytte to me suche proude letters, he was not ignoraunt of myne estate, yet per∣aduenture he shalbe deceyued if I may vse myne own mynde in recouery of myne owne health. My case re∣quireth no slacke medicines, nor slowe Phisicions. I had rather dye sloutly at ones, then to consume long tyme in my recouery. Wherfore if there be any hope or connyng in physicke let it be shewed. And thincke that I seke not remedy so muche for mine own life, as I do for the care I haue to encountre with myne enemies. When they harde him speake those wordes, they were in great doubte of his sodein rashnes, & therfore euery one required him apart, that he would not encrease his perill through any haste, but suffre himself to be ordred by thaduise of his Phisiciōs. For thei alledged that vn∣proued remedies were not suspected of them without cause, seing his enemy had gone about to corrupt suche as were about him, by promising a .M. talentes to his killer. Which cause alleged, they thought no mā would be so bold to make any experiment of phisicke vpō him, which for the want of triall therof, myght in any wyse geue cause of suspection. There was amongest the ex∣cellent

phisicions that came with Alexāder out of Ma∣cedon one Philip of Acaxnon whiche was preferred to him for preseruacion of his health,* 1.30 and had faithfully serued him from his childhode, and therfore loued him with entire affection. He promised to prouide for the Kynge an approued remedy, but suche one as would worke sore vpon him, by the drinkyng wherof he doub∣ted not (he sayd) but to expulse the force of his disease: That promise pleased no mā, but only him which in the proufe therof should abide the perill: For he could abide all thinges better then delay. Darius and his power was alwayes in his eye, and he had assured confidence that y^e victory should fall on his side, if he myght be able but to stand in the sight of his mē. The thing that only greued him, was that the Phisiciō would not minister vnto him before the third day. In the meane season Parmenio, whome of all his nobilitie he trusted moste, had exhorted him by his letter, that he should not cōmit himself to the cure of Philip, for that he was corrupted by Darius with a thousand talentes, and the promis of his syster in mariage. Those letters brought the kyng in great care and doubt, and moued hym to way and pondre secretly with himself all those thinges, that fear or hope could put in his hedde, of thone syde or thother. Shall I aduenture (thought he) to drynke this medi∣cine?* 1.31 what if it be poyson? shal I not then be accoūpted the cause of myne owne death? shall I suspecte the fi∣delitie of my Physicion? or shall I suffre myne enemy to kyll me in my bedde? yet were it better to peryshe by other mens treason, then thus to dye through myne owne faynt herte. His mynde beyng thus diuersely wrought, he would shewe the contentes of the letter to no man, but sealed it with his owne ring, and layde it

vnderneth his pillowe. Two dayes nere passed on in these Imaginacions, and the third daye the Phisicion came to his beddes syde with the medicine redy made. When the kyng sawe hym he raysed vp hymselfe vpon his elbowe, and takyng the letter in his lefte hande, with the other hande toke the cuppe, and streyght sup∣ped it of. When he had so done he delyuered the letter to Philip to reade, and whyles he was readyng he be∣held hym continually in the face supposing that if he had bene faulty, some token would haue apeared in his countenaunce. When Philip had redde the letter he shewed more tokens of displesauntnes then of feare, and there withall fell downe vpon his knees, and said: Sir I se my lyfe doth depende vpon your health. But your recouery shall declare that I am falsely charged with this treason: But when that by my meanes you shall get your health; I truste ye will not deny me then my lyfe. In the meane season laye feare asyde, and suffre the medicine to worke, and to haue his opera∣cion. Kepe your self quiet, and suffer not your self to be troubled with the supersticious carefulnes of your frē∣des, which though it procedeth of good wil, is yet much impediment vnto your health. His wordes not only sa∣tisfied the kyng, but made him to conceiue perfite hope to be hole, and said vnto Philip: If the goddes would haue graūted y^t to deuise a meane to proue y^e cōfidēce I haue in the, & the good wil towardes the y^u couldest not haue chosen any so good as this is: for notwithstāding y^e lfe, I drāke of y^e medicine, beleuing y^t to be no lesse ca¦reful for declaraciō of thine own truth, thē for my heth, & therwith gaue him his hād: yet afterwardes whē the medicine begā to worke it was such in operaciō, y^t it se∣med to verefie Parmenios accusemēt: for he faited oft

and had muche labour to drawe his breath. Then Phi∣lip left nothing vnproued or vndonne that might serue for his purpose. He laid warme clothes to his body, and alwaies as he fainted reuiued him againe with the sa∣uour of one thing & other. And when he perceiued him once to come to him self, he ceased not to fede him with talke, and one while put him in remembraunce of his mother and his susters, and an other while of the great victory that was at hand.* 1.32 When the powre of medicine was once entred into his vaines, ther apeared streight in all partes of his body manifest tokens of healt. First quicknes came to the spirites, and after the body reco∣uered his strength a great deale soner then any mā lo∣ked for he should. For the third day after he had bene in this case, he walked in y^e sight of his souldiours, which wonderfully reioysed to see him. And they shewed no lesse affeccion vnto Philip, whom euery one seuerally embraced & gaue him thankes, as vnto God. It cannot be expressed besides the naturall veneraciō the Mace∣dons vse to beare vnto their prince, in what reuerence they especially had Alexander, and how feruently they loued him. They had conceiued of him an opinion that he could enterprise nothing but that it was furthered by God, & fortune was so fauorable vnto him that his rashenes was always encrease of his glory. His age besydes scarcely rype, and yet sufficient for so greate thynges, dyd marueylously set forth all his doynges. And thinges whiche out of the warres should be coū∣ted lightnes, are wōt to be moste acceptable to the soul∣diers, as thexercising of his body amonges thē, his ap∣parell not differing from the cōmon sort, with his cou∣rage & forwardnes in the fielde: whiche giftes geuen him of nature, & thīges done of policy did get him both

loue and reuerence of his people. When Darius harde of Alexanders sicknes, he marched towardes the riuer of Euphrates with all the haste he could make in con∣ueying of so cōbrouse an army. He made there a brydge and in .v. daies passed ouer his people, hauing great de∣sire to get Cilicia before his enemy. By that time Alex∣ander had recouered his strength, and was come to a Cytie called Solos,* 1.33 whiche the inhabitauntes yelded vnto him, and for two hundred talentes obtayned assu∣raunce. Notwithstāding he put a garison in the Castle, and there celebrated playes, and triumphes whiche he had vowed to Aesculapius, and Minerua for the reco∣uery of his health: Where being geuē so quietly to his pastime, shewed howe litle he estemed the commyng of his enemies. Whiles Alexāder was busied about these thinges, he receiued plesaunt newes, how his men had wonne a battaille of the Percians at Halicarnassus, and that the Myndians, and Cawnians,* 1.34 with diuers other nacions in those partes were brought vnder his obediēce. This triumphe ones ended he remoued, and by a brydge made ouer the ryuer of Piramus, he came to the Cytie of Malon:* 1.35 and from thence with an other remoue, came to a towne called Castabulon. There Parmenio returned to the kyng whiche had bene sent to searche the strayte that lay betwene them and the Cytie of Isson. He had preuented the Percians at the passage, and so leuyng men for the defence therof, toke the Citie of Isson that was lefte desolate:* 1.36 he departed from thence and did driue the Perciās out of the moū∣taynes, & serched all the waies. So that hauing made all thinges clere for tharmy to passe, he returned again both the aucthour of the acte, & the reporter of the thing done. Alexander encamped within the Citie, & debated

there in coūsail, whether it were better to passe on fur∣ther, or els to tary there for a more power whiche was cōming to him out of Macedon:* 1.37 Parmenio was of o∣pinion that this place was moste metest to abide Dari{us} in, and geue him battaille, where both tharmies should be of like force by reasō of y^e straytes, wherein no great multitude could fight at once: He shewed reasons why thei ought to eschue the plaines, wherein their enemies shoud haue great auantage through their great nōbre that might enclose thē about. Wherin (he said) he doub∣ted not his enemies stoutnes, but only feared that their own men might be ouercōme with werenes, where a multitude should fight with a fewe, & freshe men suc∣cede in the place of them that fainted. This counsaill was receiued for good, and Alexander determined in y^t place to abide his enemies. There was in the host of y^e Macedons one Sysenes a persone sent before tyme from the gouernour of Egipt vnto kyng Philip:* 1.38 who being aduaunced with rewarde and promociōs choyse to lyue out of his own con̄trey, & so folowing Alexāder into Asia, was estemed among those that the kyng tru∣sted well: A souldier of Create deliuered hym a letter from Nabazzanes, Darius Lieutenaunt, wherin he ex∣horted him to do some notable enterprise, wherby he might wynne fauour & reputaciō with Darius. Syse∣nes innocēt of this matter was about diuers times to present the letter to the king, but seing him occupied w^t weyghty affaires of prouision for the battaille, prolon∣ged the matter. And whiles he wayted for a more con∣uenient time he brought himself in suspiciō of treason, for the letter was brought to the kinges handes before it was deliuered vnto him: who readyng it, did seale y^e same with a strong seale, and caused it to be deliuered

to Sysenes, to proue therby his fidelite, but because he counsealed the thyng many dayes and opened not the matter to the kyng it semed that he consented there∣unto: And therefore by the kynges commaundement he was put to death by the band of y^e Cretēsians: The Greke souldiers whiche Tymodes had receyued of Pharnabasus, beyng those that Darius trusted moste, were come vnto him.* 1.39 They perswaded muche Darius to retire backe into the playnes of Mesopotania, and if he would not do so, that at the leste he should deuide his power, and not commyt the hole force of his estate, to one stroke of fortune. This counsaill was not so dis∣plesaunt vnto the Kyng, as it was to suche that were about hym: For they sayd, mercinary souldiours were alwayes full of treason, and were to be doubted the more for that they counsayled the Army to be deuided, whiche was for no other purpose but only that they myght haue commoditie to flee vnto Alexander, when they should haue any charge committed vnto them. There is nothyng therefore more sure for vs (quod they) then to enclose them round about with our army and to cut them in peces, to be an ensample to the worlde that treason should neuer be vnreuenged. But Darius whiche was of a meke and good dispo∣sicion,* 1.40 refused to commit so cruell an acte in sleyng suche as had betaken themselues to his truste:* 1.41 For if we should fyle oure handes (quod he) with their bloude, what straunge nacion would euer then com∣mitte them selues into our handes? alledgyng that there ought no man to lose his lyfe for geuyng folyshe counsayll. For who would be bolde to geue Coun∣saylle, yf in counsayllyng there should be any peryll? For I call you (quod he) to counsaill daily, and heare the

diuersitie of your opinions, & yet mistruste not thē that geue me not always the best counsaill. He caused the Grekes to be aunswered, that he gaue them thākes for their good will. But in retourning backe (he saied) he should geue vp him his countrey into his enemies hā∣des, whiche were not conuenient. And considering y^e force y^t fame is of in the warre, in going backe he shuld appeare to flee. But to deferre the fight he thought it worste of al, seing so great an army as he had (the win∣ter thē approching) could not be victailed in a desolate coūtrey, that had bene wasted both by them selues & by their ennemies. And for the deuiding of his power, he shewed that he could not do it, obseruing the customes of his predecessours, which were not wont to hasard y^e battaille, but w^t their hole power. He declared y^t Alexā∣der before his cōming semed terrible to the worlde, and through his absence was brought in a vaine presump∣tion. But after he sawe him come, became ware & wel aduised, hiding him in the straytes of the mountaines, like those coward beastes, that hearing the noyse of cō∣mers by, do hide them selues in the dēs of the woddes. He hath blynded his souldiers (qd he) with his coūter∣feit sicknes, but nowe I will not suffer him to prolōge the fyght any longer, whiche if he will refuse, I wyll oppresse hym in his lurkyng hole. These wordes he spake with greater auaunte. then truthe. And sent his treasure and Iuelles with a smalle conuoye to Da∣masco in Syria, and entred with his Army into Ci∣licia, bryngyng with hym accordyng to hys Countrey maner, both his mother, his wyfe, his little sonne, and his doughters. It chaunsed thesame night that Alexā∣der was come to the strayte entryng into Siria. Da∣rius came vnto y^e place which thei cal Pylae Amāicae.* 1.42 The Perciās not doubtīg at al, but that the Macedōs

would haue forsaken the Citie of Isson, and fled away for feare, for certayne of thē that were weke and could not folowe were taken, the whiche Darius through in∣stigacion of the great men about him, raging in barba∣rouse crueltie, caused their handes to be cut of, and to be lead about his campe, to the entēt they might behold the multitude of his men, whom after sufficient vowe taken, he lette go to shewe Alexander what they had sene. Darius remoued and passed the riuer of Piram{us} of purpose to pursue after the Macedons, whiche he thought had bene fleing away. They whiche had their handes cut of, came runnyng in amonges the Mace∣dons, declaryng that Darius was commyng in greate haste. There was scarsely any credens geuen to their wordes, but to be sure Alexander sent spyes towardes the Sea coaste, to knowe whether Darius were there in persone, or els had sent some other to make a shewe of a powre. The Spies retournyng dyd reporte that his hole army was at hand, and strayght wayes the fierce myght be sene, whiche gaue suche a shewe (by reason they lay straglyng so farre abrode to get forage) as though the hole Countrey had bene on fyre. When Alexander was assertayned of the truthe, he encam∣ped in the same place where the tydynges came vnto hym, beyng marueylous glad that he knewe he should fyght, specially in the streyghtes whiche was the thing that he had alwayes desyred. But as it is commonly sene when daunger and extremitie is at hand, con∣fidens is conuerted into feare.* 1.43 So he doubted not without greate cause, that fortune myght charge vpon hym, by whose fauour he had done so great actes, & con¦sidered her mutabilitie by such thinges as she had takē from other and geuen to hym, he sawe there was no

prorograciō of the time, but that after one night passed the victory should be determined. But on y^e other side, he called vnto remēbraunce howe the reward ensuing of the victory, farre exceded the aduenture. For as the same was dowbtfull, so beyng disconfited, he was cer∣tayne to dye with honour and perpetuall praise. When he had waied these thinges, he gaue ordre that the soul∣diours should refresshe them selues, and at the third watche to be armed and in a redines to set forwardes. He himselfe went vp into the toppe of a moūtayn with many torches and lightes about hym, where he made sacrifice vnto the goddes after his Countrey maner. And when the houre was come apoincted vnto the souldiers, at the third sound of the trompet, they ware in a redines both to marche and fight. Then exhorta∣cion was geuen vnto them to passe on with bould cou∣rage, and so by the spryng of the day they were come to the streightes wherein their purpose was to preuent Dari{us}. By that time such as were sent before to scowre the contrey, came in and reported that the Percians were within .30. furlonges. Then the battayles were stayed and set in suche ordre as they should fight. Lyke as Alexander was enfourmed of Darius, so he was ad¦uertised of Alexander by the pesauntes of the coūtrey, whiche came fearfully runnyng vnto hym, declaryng that Alexander was at hande. These wordes were not beleued, for they could not thinck them to be comming, whom they thought before to be fledde. But when thei perceiued that it was so in dede, because they were in better ordre to pursue their enemies then to encoūtre with them in battaile, they were striken with a maruei∣lous sodeine feare. Euery man toke him to his armour in haste, whiche haste and the callyng that one made

vpon an other, did put a greater feare amonges them. Some ran vp to the toppes of the hilles to view the Macedons, other fell to brydling their horses. So that the hoste full of diuersite and not ruled by any certayn gouernement, with their hurley burley, put all thinges out of ordre.* 1.44 Darius at the first had apoincted one part of his power to take the mountayne. Whiche settyng vpon his enemies backes might enclose them both be∣hynde and before: and assigned an other company to passe along the sea syde whiche was on the right hand, to kepe his enemies doing on euery parte. He gaue or∣dre also that .xx. thousand fotemen with a band of Ar∣chers should passe the ryuer of Pyramus, and geue an vnset that way. But if they found any impedimēt why they might do so, then he willed them to retire amōges the mountaines, and to inuade their enemies on their backes. But fortune whiche was of greater force then any policie, determined those thinges that were wel de¦uised according as she thought good. For some durste not for feare execute the thing that was commaunded them, and then the rest worked in vayne, for where the membres faile the hole body is confounded.* 1.45 The ordre of Darius army stode thus arāgid to fight: his power being deuided into two battailles, one marchīg on the left hand and the other on the right. Nabarzanes en∣paled the battaille on the right hād with a great power of horsmē, and .xxx. thousand Slingers and Archers. Thymones was also in y^e battaille with .xxx. thousand mercenary Grekes, being in very deade Dari{us} chiefest force, a power equall vnto Phalanx of the Macedons. In the battaille on the left hand Aristomenes was in the fore front with .xxx.M. fotemen hauing plāted for his succour & relief such naciōs as were coūted moste

valiaunt. There were about the kynge beyng also in that battayle thre thousand choyse horsemen that were of the ordinary guard of his persone, and .xl. thousand footemen with the horsemen of Hircany and Medya, and the horsemen of other nacions were wynges on both sydes. And besydes these nombres there went before this battaille in a forlorne heape .vi. thousand Slingers and casters of Dartes. All the plaine groūd betwene the streightes was filled with men of warre▪ and Darius battaille stode araunged from the moun∣tayne downe to the Sea syde. The mother and wyfe of Darius with all the flockes of women were recey∣ued into the myddes of the battaille.* 1.46 Alexander on the other syde set his square battaille of fote men called Phalanx (beyng the Macedons chiefest force) in the fore fronte. Mycanor the sonne Parmenio was capi∣tayne of the battaylle on the ryght hande, and with him Cenos and Perdicas Meleager, Tolomeus, and A∣mintas were ioyned euery one with his owne bande. Parmenio & Caterus had the rule of the battaille on the left hand, whiche stretched towardes the Sea, but Parmenio had the chief charge. Horsemen were set in wynges to both those battailles. The Macedō & Tes∣salien horsemen beyng apoyncted to the rygth hande battaille, and the horsemē of Peleponese to the battaile on the other side, before whiche battaylle there were also set Slingers with Archers amonges them, and the Cretences that were lyghtely armed, went before the mayne battaille. The band of Agrians that were lately come out of Grece, were assigned to encoūtre w^t those y^t Darius had sent to take y^e toppe of y^e moūtaine. He willed Parmenio y^t as much as he might he should stretch out his bād towardes y^e sea, to w^tdrawe as farre

as he could from the hilles, whiche the enemies had taken. But such as had directiō by Darius to take the hilles neither durste resiste suche as came against thē, nor yet to cōpasse those about that were passed by thē, but fled away at the first sight of the Slingers. Which thing chaunsed wel for Alexander, for it was the thing that he doubted moste, that they from the higher groūd should inuade the open side of his battaille, whiche lay vnflancked towardes them. The Macedons marched xxxii. in a rāke, for the streightnes of the groūd would not suffer them to go any broder, but by little and little as the playne betwene the mountaygnes began to en∣large, so they had libertie both to make their battailles broder, and also for the horsemen to marche vpon the sydes. Whē both the battailes were come within sight togethers, the Percians first gaue a terrible and rude shoute, whiche was agayn doubled of the Macedons, not with their nombre whiche were farre inferiour vnto the Percians, but with the rebounde of the hilles and the rockes, which doubled euery voice of theirs. A∣lexander did ryde vp and downe before the frontes of his battailles, makyng a sygne to his souldiours with his hand, that they should not make ouermuche haste to ioyne with their enemies, for bringing thēselues out of breath. And as he passed by,* 1.47 he vsed to euery naciō son∣dry exhortacions, as he thought mete for their disposi∣cions and qualitie. He put the Macedons in remem∣braunce of their olde prowes and māhode with the nō∣bre of battailles that they had wonne in Europe, howe that they were come hether aswel by their own desires as by his conducte, to subdue Asia and the vttermoste bondes of the Orient. He shewed them to be the people that were ordayned to conquere the worlde. & to passe

the boundes both of Hercules, & Bachus. He declared that both Bactria and Inde should be theirs, in respect of whiche the coūtreis that they had sene were but tri∣fles, & yet were to be gotten all with one victory, wher∣in he said their trauaile should not be in vain, as it was in the baraine rockes of Illiria, or in the mountaynes of Thrace, but that in this cōquest the spoyle of the hole Orient was offred vnto them. For the getting wherof they should scarsely nede to occupie their wordes, since the battailles of their enemies wauered so alredy for feare, that with their approche only they should put thē to flight. He reduced his father Philip vnto their me∣mory how he cōquered the Atheniās with the coūtrey of Boetia, where he rased to the ground the noble cytie of Thebes. After that he made rehersall of the battail wonne at the ryuer of the Granik, and of all the Cities that he had taken, or that had bene youlden vnto hym, with the countreis thei had passed through & subdued. When he came vnto the Grekes, he desired them to call to mynd the greate warres that had bene made a∣gainst their countrey in tymes past by the Percians. First by the pride of the Xerxes and after by Darius who made destruction both by water and land in suche sorte that the riuers could not serue them of drinke, nor the earth of victualles for to eate: rehersyng also howe the Temples of their Goddes had bene by them polu∣ted, and put to ruen, their Cyties ouerthrowen, and the truces and promyses by them violated and broken that were confirmed both by deuine and humanie lawes. When he was passed by the Illirians and Thracians whiche were accustomed alwayes to lyue vpon thefte, and spoyle: he had them behold their enemies whiche glistered with gold, and bare no armour, but spoyle fro

them & take. He encouraged them to go forwardes like men, and pluck the pray from those effeminat womē, & to make exchaunge of their kraggie rockes and bare hilles alwaies full of snowe, for the plentiful groundes and ryche landes of Perce.* 1.48 By the time he had made these exhortacions they were come within throwe of their dartes. And Dari{us} horsemē gaue a fierce charge vpon the right hand battaille of the Macedōs. For Da¦rius desire was to trie. y^e battaille by horsemen iudging (as it was indede) that y^e chiefest power of his enemies consisted in their square battaille of fotemē. So that y^e battaille where Alexāder was, was brought to the point of enclosing about, if he had not {per}ceiued y^e same in time. who cōmaunded two tropes of his horsemē to kepe the top of the hill, & brought all the rest to the encounter of his enemies. Then he cōueied the Tessalians horsmē from the place where they stode to fight, willing their captain to bring thē about behind the battailles, & there ioyning with Parmenio to do the thing manfully y^t he should appoinct thē. By this the Phalanx of the Mace¦dōs in maner enclosed about w^t their enemies, fought notably on all partes, but they stode so thick, & so were ioyned one to an other, that there wāted scope to welde their dartes. Thei were so mīgled together, y^t in castīg one letted another: very few lighted vpō y^e enemies w^t weake dintes, & the moste parte fel on y^e groūd without harme doing, wherfore being enforced to ioyne hād for hand, they valiaūtly vsed the sworde. Then there was great effusiō of bloud, for both tharmies closed so nere that their harnes classhed together, wepō against wepō & foyned one at an others face w^t their swordes. Ther was no place for y^e fearfull or y^e coward for to fle back, but eche set his fote to other, & by fighting kept stil their place, til thei could make their way bi force, & so always

passed forwardes, as they could ouerthrowe their ene∣mies, being weried and trauailed thus with fightyng, they were euer receiued with freshe enemies: & suche as were wounded myght not parte out of the battaille (as it hath bene sene els where) their enemies assayled them so fierssy before, and their fellowes thrust on so hard behind. Alexander did that day not only suche thynges as pertained to a Captayne, but aduentured himself as farre as any priuate souldier, couetyng by al meanes to kill Darius whiche he estemed the greatest honour. Darius did ride alofte vpon his chariot ge∣uing great prouocation both to his enemies to assayle hym,* 1.49 and for his own men to defend him. As Oxatres his brother apeared moste notable amonges them all in his furniture and personage, so in hardines and af∣fection towardes the kyng he exceaded farre the rest, specially in that case of necessitie. For when he sawe Alexander aproche so nere, he thruste in before Darius with the band of horsemen wherof he had the charge, where as ouerthrowing diuerse, he put many to flight. But the Macedones swarmed so about the kyng and were in suche a courage by thexhortaciō that eche made to other, that they charged againe vpon that band of horsemen. Then apeared the slaughter lyke an ouer∣throwe. About the Chayre of Darius lay the moste no∣ble of his Captaines, all dyeng honorably afore the eies of their kyng, with their faces to the groūd like as they fel, receiued their death woūdes without turnyng their backes: Amonges whome Aticies, Romythres, & Sa∣baces gouernour of Egipt, that had the charge of great nombres of men, were ouerthrowen and slayne, and a∣bout them there lay by heapes a huyge nombre of the vulgare sorte, both of horsemen and fotemen. Of the

Macedons also some were slayne of suche as pressed moste foreward, amonges whome the ryght shoulder of Darius was somwhat hurte with a sworde. In this thronge the horses that drue Darius Chariot, were thruste in with pykes, whiche beyng woode for payne of their woundes, began to stroggle and ouerthrowe their maister Darius. He fearyng therfore to be taken a lyue, leaped downe and was set vpon a ledde horse, and so fledde away castyng from his head his diademe because he would not be knowen.* 1.50 Then all his men for feare disparkled, flyeng by suche wayes as were open for them, and throwe away their armoure whiche before thei had taken for their defence. Suche a thing is feare, that refuseth the thyng that should be his sa∣uegarde. When Parmenio sawe them flee, he straight commaunded the horsemen to pursue them in the chase, and put all his enemies to flyght that were on that parte. But on the other hand the Percians dyd put the Tessaliens horsemen to a sore stresse, for at the first shock they had broken one of their tropes: yet for all that when the Tessalians sawe their enemies passe through them, they closed themselues together agayne and charged vpō the Percians, who by reason of their onsetgeuing and for that they though themselues sure of the victory, became cleane out of ordre, & were ouer∣throwen with great slaughter. The Tessalians had herein a great aduauntage by reason that the Perciās besides that they be armed thēselues haue their horses also barbed with plates of stele, whiche was the cause that they could not, either in the vnset, or retire be so quicke as y^t Tessaliās were: for by their celeritie wher∣in the feate of horsemen chiefly consiste, they had ouer∣throwen many of them before they could tourne their

horses about. When Alexāder vnderstode that his mē preuailed of their enemies on that parte likewise, was bold then to folowe in the chase, whiche he durst not do before he knew the battail to be clerely wōne & thenne∣mies repulsed on all sides. Alexāder had not about him aboue a .M. horsemē, with whō he slewe innumerable of his enemies. For who is he that in an ouerthrowe or a chase can nōbre men? Those few Macedōs did driue the multitude of their enemies before thē like shepe. & thesame feare that caused thē flee, stayed thē likewise in their flieng. The Grecians that were on Darius side, vnder their capitain Amyntas which sōtime had bene in great aucthoritie with Alexander,* 1.51 but then against him, brake out from the rest and marched away in ordre of battaill. All the rest fled diuerse wayes, some directly towardes Perce, & some by pathes, & priuy wayes esca∣ped by the moūtaines & the woodes. A few ther where that recouered their former cāpe, whiche they could not defend any time against the Macedons that were vic∣tours, but the same immediatly was wonne being ha∣bundāt of all riches of gold & siluer with appertaining not only to the warres but to all voluptuousnes & ex∣cesse: whiche riches whiles the souldiers violētly spoi∣led, they strowed the waies full of packes and fardels, whiche they would not touche in respect of y^e couetous desire they had to thinges of greater valew. But when thei came vnto the women as their tirementes were moste precious, the more violētly thei plucked thē away and their bodies were not fre from their luste & enfor∣cement. The campe euery where was ful of tumulte & lamentaciō, as chaūce fel to eche one. The libertie of y^e victours was suche, that their crueltie raged vpon all ages & kynd of creatures, & no kynd of mischief wāted

amonges thē. There might haue bene sene the varia∣blenes of fortune, when they whiche had prepared Da∣rius pauilion with al kynd of delicacie and riche furni∣ture reserued & kept thesame for Alexand as for their old maister, for the Macedons had lefte that vnspoiled according to their aunciēt custome which are euer wōt to receiue their king whē he is victorious, into the kin∣ges pauilion that he hath vanquished.* 1.52 The mother and wyfe of Darius that where there taken prisoners mo∣ued all men to caste their eyes and inwarde contēpla∣cion towardes thē, wherof thone deserued to be reue∣renced for the maner that was in her, & for her yeares and the other for thexelēcy of her beuty, which through her misaduentur was nothing stained. She was sene embrasing her littell sonne in her armes not yet of the age of .vi. yeares, borne as inheritour to the dominion whiche his father newly had loste. There lay also two yong virgines in their grādmothers lappe, yeuen then mariable, whiche languyshed and lamēted not somuch through their own priuate sorowe, as for y^e dolorousnes of thould woman. About the mother and the wife were a great nombre of noble womē that pulled their heare, and tare their clothes without respecte what appertei∣ned to their estate. Who vnmyndfull of the falle Da∣rius wife and his mother were come vnto▪ called them by the name of Quenes, with suche other titles of ho∣nour as they did before. They all had forgot their own misery & were diligēt to enquire y^e fortune of the field, & what successe y^e battell had that Darius was in. For if he were aliue (they sayd) they could in no wise thinke thēselues prisoners: But he by the chaunging of many horses was by that tyme fled far awaye. There were slayne of the Percians a hundred thousand footemen,

and .x.M.* 1.53 horsemen. And of Alexanders cōpany only v.C.iiii. hurte, & .xxxii. fotemē and .Cl. horsemē killed: So great a victory was gotten with so small a losse. A∣lexander that was weried with pursuyng of Darius, when he perceaued the night to drawe on. & that there was no hope to ouertake him whom he folowed, retur∣ned into the Percians campe whiche a little before his commyng was taken by his men, that night he made a banquet to suche as he accustomed to call for the hurte of his shoulder, wherof the skinne was but smaly peri∣shed, letted him not to kepe cōpany. As thei sat at meat sodainly they heard a piteful crie with a straunge how∣ling and lamentacion, that put them all in great feare: Insomuche that the band that kept the watche about y^e kinges pauilion, fearing it to be the beginning of some greater matter began to arme themselues. The wyfe and mother of Darius with the other noble womē that were taken prisoners, were the cause of this sodayne feare by lamenting of Darius, whō they supposed had bene slayne. Which opiniō they conceiued through one of the Enuches, whiche standing before their tent dore sawe a souldier cary a parcel of Dari{us} diademe, which he a litle before had cast from his head. When Alexan∣der vnderstode their errour wept (as it was said) to cō¦sider Darius mysfortune, and the womens affectiō to∣wardes him. And for their comforte sent to them one Mythrenes that betrayed Sardes who was expecte in the Percian tonge,* 1.54 but yet cōsidering that the sight of him beīg a traitour should but encrease their sorow. sent a noble mā called Leonatus to declare to thē how they were deceiued,* 1.55 & that Darius was a liue. He came towardes the tent where the womē were, with certain men in harnes, & sent worde before that he was come

thether frō the kyng, but when such as stode at the tent dore sawe armed men cōming, supposing their errand had bene to murther their mestresses, ran into them & cried out that their laste houre was come, for the men were at hand that were sent to kill thē. The seruaūtes therfore y^t neither durst let Leonatus in, nor kepe him out, brought him no aunswere, but remained quietly to se what he would do. When Leonatus had long taried at the dore & sawe none came fourth to call him in, left ••is men without & entred amōges the women. Whose ••omming vnto them before he was admitted, was the ••hing that feared thē moste of al. The mother therfore & wyfe of Darius fell down at his fete, requiring hym ••hat before thei were slaine, he would suffer thē to bury Darius after his countrey manner▪ whiche laste obser∣••aunce perfourmed they were cōtent (they said) gladly ••o suffer death. Leonatus assured them that both Da∣rius was aliue, & that there was no harme towardes ••hem but should remaine in thesame estate thei were in ••efore. When Siligābis heard those wordes, she was content to be lift vp from the groūd, & to receiue some comforte. The next day Alexander with great diligēce buried the bodies of such of his owne men as could be founde and willed thesame to be done to the noble mē of the Percians. geuing licence to Darius mother to bury so many as she liste, after y^e custume of her cōtrey, whiche thing she perfourmed to a fewe that were next of her kynne▪ according to the habilitie of her presente fortune, for if she should haue vsed the Percians pōpe therin, y^e Macedons might haue enuied it, which being victours vsed no great curiositie in the matter. Whē y^e due was perfourmed to the dead, Alexāder signified to ••he women prisoners that he himself would come to vi∣sitie

them and causing such as came with hym to tarie without, he only with Ephestion entred in amonges thē.* 1.56 Thesame Ephestion of all men was moste dere vnto Alexander brought vp in his companie from his yougth▪ & moste preuie with him in al thinges. There was none that had such libertie to speake his mynde plainlye to the kinge as he had. Which he vsed after suche sorte, that he seamed to do it by no authoritie, but by suffraunce. and as he was of like yeares vnto him. so in makīg and personage he did somwhat excel hym. Wherfore the women thinking Ephestion to be the kinge, did falle downe and worshyp hym as there con∣trey maner was to do to kinges till such tyme as one of the Enukes that was takē prysoner shewed which of them was Alexander. Then Sisigambis fell downe at his fete requiring pardon of her ignoraūce, forsomuche as she did neuer se him before. The king toke her vp by the hand, and saied: mother you be not deceyued, for this is Alexandar also. Whiche his humi∣litie continēcy of mind if he had continually obserued to this latter daies,* 1.57 I would haue thought him muche more hapier then he was, whē that he hauing subdued all Asia from Hellispont to the Occiā see, would coun∣terfiet the triūphes of Bacchus. Or if that amonges the reste of hys conqueste he woulde haue labored to conquere his pride and his Ire, which be vices inuin∣cible. Or if that in his dronkenes he would haue ab∣stayned from the slaughter of his nobilitie, and not to haue put to deathe those excellent men of warre without iudgemēt, that helped him to cōquere so many naciōs. At this time y^e greatnes of his fortune had not yet altered his nature, but afterwardes he coulde not beare his victories whith y^t vertue, y^t he did winne thē.

Thē he behaued him self after suche a manner that he exceded in continencie and cōpassion all the kinges y^t had bene before his time.* 1.58 Entreating y^e two Quenes with those Virgines that were of excellent bewtye so reuerently as if thei had bene his siesters. He not only absteyned from all violacion, of Darius wief, with in beuty excelled all the women of her time, but also toke great care and diligence y^t none other should procure her to any dishonour. And to all y^e womē he cōmaūded their ornementes and apparell to be restored. So y^t thei wāted nothing of the magnificēce of their former estate, sauing only that assured cōfidēce that creatures want in myserye. Whiche thinges considred by Sisi∣gambis she said vnto y^e king.* 1.59 Sir your goodnes to∣wardes vs doth deserue y^t we shuld make y^esame praier for you y^t we did somtyme for Darius, and we perceiue yow worthye to passe so greate a kyng as he was, in felicitie and good fortune, that habound so in iustice and clemencie. you vouchsaue to cal me by the name of mother and of Quene, but I confesse my selfe to be your hand maide. For bothe I conceiue the greatnes of my estate paste, and feale y^t I can beare this present seruitude. It lieth only in your handes how we shall be delt with all, and whether ye wyll make vs notable to the worlde through your clemencie or crueltie. The kynge comforted them all he myght, and willing them to be of good chere, toke Darius sonne in hys armes. Wherat the childe was nothinge afrayde. hauyng neuer sene him before, but toke and embra¦sed him about the necke. He was so moued with the constancy of the child that he beheld Ephestron, and saied, oh I would that Darius had, had some part of thys gontle disposiicon. When he was deperted

from thence he caused .iii. aultars to be made vpon the Ryuer of Piramus, and there did sacrifice to Iupiter. Hercules and Mynerua and so went forewardes into Siria.* 1.60 He sent Parmenio before to Damasco, wheras Darius treasure did remayne: who vnderstanding by the way that Darius had sent one of his nobles the∣ther, fearing that for the smalnes of his owne nombre, the Damascēs would kepe him out, determined to send for a greater power,* 1.61 but by chaunce one Mardus fell into the handes of the horsemē that he had sent before to score the Countrey, whiche beyng brought before Parmenio deliuered hym the letters that the Capi∣tayne of Damasco had sent to Alexander, and besydes the letters added of hym selfe, that he doubted not but all Darius ryches and his treasure should be delyue∣red to hym at his arriuall. Parmenio gaue the charge to certayne of his men for his sure keapyng, and then opened the letters, wherin it was cōteined that Alexā∣der in all haste should sende one of his Capitaines the∣ther with a small power. Whiche thyng knowē, he sent Mardus backe agayne to Damasco with certayne to accompany him, but he escaped out of their handes & came to Damasco before day light. That thīg troubled greatly Parmenio, doubting that they had layde some embushement for him, & therefore durst not go an vn∣knowen way without a guide. yet notwithstāding vpō the confidence he had in the felicitie of his prince, toke pesantes of the coūtrey to cōduite him the way, which the fourth day brought him to the Cytie of Damasco. The captain doubting y^t credēce should not haue bene geuen to his letter pretended to mistruste the strength of the towne, and made countenaunce as though he would fle away. And by spryng of the daye he caused

Darius treasure (whiche the Percians call Gaza) with the rest of all his precious thinges to be brought forth of the towne, of purpose to betray thesame into the Ma¦cedons handes. Then there were many thousandes of men and women that folowed, a piteous syght to all that sawe them, sauyng to hym to whose fidelitie they were committed. For he to wynne hymself thancke, purposed to deliuer to his enemies a praye more pre∣cious then all the rest, which were those of the nobilitie he had in keping. With the wiues and childrē of great men that bare rule vnder Darius, and besides the Em¦bassadours of the Cities of Grece, whome Darius had left in the Traitours handes as in a fortresse (as he thought) of moste suertie. The Percians call those Gangabe that cary burthens vpon their shoulders, who hauing the cariage of thinges of moste valoure, when they could not endure the colde for the frost and snowe that sodainly fell, they put vpon them the robes of cloth of gold and purple, which they caried wrapt vp together with the money, there being no man to let thē, for the aduersitie of Darius caused that base sorte of men to vse a licencious libertie. Those kynde of men seamed to Parmenio at the first sight to be no smal ar∣my, and therfore regarded not the matter litle, but gaue exhortaciō to those that were with him, as though they should haue fought a sore battaill, and willed them to put their spurres to their horse and geue the charge: Whiche thynge perceiued by them that bare the bur∣deyns fled awaye for feare, and so dyd the men of warre that were with them by such wayes as they best ••newe. The Capitayne of Damasco counterfeityng suche feare as other feared in dede, was the cause of all this confusion. The ryches of Darius was left a¦lone

and lay sparkled abrode ouer all the fieldes, with the money that was prepared for the wages of so infy∣nite a nombre of Souldiers, and also thapparell of so many great men and noble women, vessell of golde, golding furnimentes for horses, pauilions adorned with regall magnificens, and wagons full of infinite ryches. A thing euen sorowfull to behold to the spoiles if any thing could stay the couetousenes of men. Was it not a pytefull thynge to behold the ryches that had bene gathered together in so great nombre of yeares, whiles the state of the Percians stode in that incredy∣ble heigthe of fortune, one parte to be torne with bus∣shes, and an other drowned in the myer, it beyng so great besides that the handes of the spo••lers could not suffise for the spoile. When the horsemē had ouertaken them that fled first they found diuers womē harying of the smale chyldren amonges whome there where foure Virgins the doughters of Occhus that reigned next before Darius.* 1.62 Thei before that time had suffred chaunge of fortune, when the state was altered from their fathers line. But this aduarsitie was much more greuous vnto them. There was in thys flocke the wife of Occhus, the daughter of Oxatrix that was Da¦rius brother, and the wife of Artabasus which was of the head house of Percia. And also hys sonne called Ilionesus. The wyfe and the sonne of Farnabazus were also taken, to whom Darius had commytted the charge of al y^e sea costes. With thē the thre doughters of Mentor, and the wyfe and the Sonne of the noble captain Memnon, there was scarsely any house of the nobilitie of Percia that was fre of that euel aduēture There were bothe Lacedemonians and Athenians. that contrary to the league betwene Alexander and

them, toke Darius parte. Amonges the Athenians Aristogiton, Dropides, and Leuertes were of moste notable fame, and linage. And of the Lacedemonians the chefest were Perisippus and Onomastorides with Omanys and Callicratides. The sōme of the coined money there taken was two thousand .lx.* 1.63 talentes & of massy siluer .v. hundred talentes. Besides .xxx. thousand men. and .vii. thousand beastes that caried burdeins on their backes. But the goddes did perse∣cute with due punishement the betraier of such a trea∣sure. For one whom he had made priuie to y^e matter pitieng therin the state of hys prince dyd sle the traitour and brought his head to Darius a comfort not vnapte for the tyme to the betrayed kyng for therby he was both reuenged of his ennemy, and perceiued that the memorie due vnto hys estate, was not growen ••ut of al mens hartes.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Geander.
• * 1.2

  Celenas.
• * 1.3

  Marcia.
• * 1.4

  Lycum.
• * 1.5

  Cytye of Gordyn.
• * 1.6

  Gordies knotte.
• * 1.7

  Amphi∣torus.
• * 1.8

  Egilocus.
• * 1.9

  Lesbos. Scyo. Coos.
• * 1.10

  Menon.
• * 1.11

  The Cytye of Ancire.
• * 1.12

  Rhaphla¦gomya.
• * 1.13

  Calas,
• * 1.14

  Capadocia
• * 1.15

  Themnu∣bre of Dar∣ius men of warre.
• * 1.16

  Charide∣mus words ••nto Drius
• * 1.17

  The Pha∣lant of the Macedons
• * 1.18

  Thymones
• * 1.19

  D••riue dreame.
• * 1.20

  The order of the per∣cians in their mer∣chins.
• * 1.21

  Sisigambis darius mo∣ther.
• * 1.22

  Alexanders Armye.
• * 1.23

  Arsanes.
• * 1.24

  The destruc¦cion o•• Cili∣cia.
• * 1.25

  Pyramus, Cydnus.
• * 1.26

  Lyrnessus, Cebestus. Coricius.
• * 1.27

  Tarson.
• * 1.28

  Alexander by bathing in a Ryuer became in great perill of his life.
• * 1.29

  The wor∣des of Alex¦ander to his frendes in his sickenes
• * 1.30

  Philip Alex¦anders phi∣sicion.
• * 1.31

  Alexanders Imaginaciō
• * 1.32

  Alexanders recoueryng.
• * 1.33

  Solos.
• * 1.34

  Myndians. Cawnians.
• * 1.35

  Malon. Castabulon.
• * 1.36

  Isson.
• * 1.37

  Parmenios opinion.
• * 1.38

  Sysenes.
• * 1.39

  The grekes ad••ise.
• * 1.40

  Darius cle∣mency.
• * 1.41

  Darmes an∣swere vnto his counsail
• * 1.42

  Pylae Ama¦nicae
• * 1.43

  Alexanders Imaginaciō before the battaille.
• * 1.44

  The ordre that Dari{us} gaue for the battaille.
• * 1.45

  The order of the Pere¦cians.
• * 1.46

  The order of the Ma∣cedons.
• * 1.47

  The exhor∣tacions that Alexander gaue vnto his souldi∣ours.
• * 1.48

  The battal betwixt Da¦rius and A∣lexander.
• * 1.49

  Oxatres Da¦ri{us} brother.
• * 1.50

  Dari{us} ouer¦throwen.
• * 1.51

  Amyntas.
• * 1.52

  Dariu•• mo∣ther his w••fe & his children ta∣kē prisoners
• * 1.53

  The nōbre of thē that were slayne
• * 1.54

  ••ythrenes
• * 1.55

  Leonatus.
• * 1.56

  Ephestion.
• * 1.57

  A disgrssion.
• * 1.58

  Alexanders cō••ynuance and Clemē∣cye.
• * 1.59

  Sisigambis words vnto Alexander.
• * 1.60

  Syria. Damasco.
• * 1.61

  Mardus.
• * 1.62

  Occhus kyng before Darius.
• * 1.63

  The ••omme of the trea∣sure taken at Damasco