Certaine small poems lately printed with the tragedie of Philotas. Written by Samuel Daniel.

THE ARGVMENT.

PHilotas the sonne of Par∣menio,* 1.1 was a man of great estimation among the Ma∣cedonians, and next vnto Alexander held to be the most valiant of the Greekes: patient of trauaile, excee∣ding bountifull, and one that loued his men and friends better then any Noble-man of the Campe: but otherwise noted of vaine-glorie and prodigallitie, in so much as his fa∣ther hauing notice of his carriage, warned him to make himselfe lesse then he was, to auoide the enuie of the Campe, and the dis∣like of the King, who grew suspicious of him in respect of the greatnesse of his Father,

and his owne popularitie, and by hauing in∣telligence of certaine vaunts of his vsed to Antigona a fayre Curtizan borne in the cittie of Pidna, with whome being in loue, he let fall many braue wordes, and bostes of a Sol∣dier, to aduance his owne actions and his fathers, terming Alexander at euery worde the young man. Which speeches Anti∣gona reuealing to a companion of hers, were at length brought to Craterus, who with the woman carryed them to Alexander, where∣by Philotas lay open to all the aduantages that might worke his ouerthrow.* 1.2 And in the end concealing a conspiracie (which was reueald vnto him) intended against the King, was thereby suspected to haue beene a partie in the plotte: but brought before Alexander, hee so defended him∣selfe, that hee obtayned his pardon for that time, suppd with the King that night, and yet the next day notwithstanding, was arraignd for the same fact, which he stout∣lie denying, was afterward put to torture, and then confest his treason. And indeed Alexanders drawing a pedegree from heauen

with assuming the Persian magnificence; was the cause that withdrew many the hearts of the nobilitie and people from him, and by the confession of Philotas was that, which gaue a purpose to him and his father to haue subuerted the King assoone as he had esta∣blished Asia, and freed them from other feares, which being by Ephestion and Cra∣terus, two the most especiall Councellors of Alexander grauely and prouidently discer∣ned, was prosecuted in that manner as be∣came their neerenesse, and dearenesse with their Lord and maister, & fitting to the safe∣tie of the state, in the case of so great an as∣pirer: who no doubt, had he not beene pre∣uented, (howsoe••er popularly in the Armie it might be otherwise deemed) he had turnd the course of 〈…〉〈…〉ment vpon his Fa∣ther and himselfe, or else by his imbroyl∣ments made it a monster of many heads, as it afterwards pro••••••d vpon the death of Alexander. The Chorus consisting of three Graecians, (as of three estates of a King∣dome) and one Persian, representing the mul∣titude and body of a people, who vulgarlie

according to their affections carryed rather with compassion on great mens misfor∣tunes, then with the consideration of the cause, frame their imaginations by that square, and censure what is done.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Plutarch in the life of Alex.
• * 1.2

  Q. Curtius lib. 6.