A righte noble and pleasant history of the successors of Alexander surnamed the Great, taken out of Diodorus Siculus: and some of their lives written by the wise Plutarch. Translated out of French into Englysh. by Thomas Stocker

¶ The Tarentines desire Cleonyme the Lacedemo∣nian to ayde them against the Lucaines: of the villanies and lecheries he committeth, and after two mischiefes which in one tyme betyde hym, he retireth into Corcyre.

The .xvj. Chapter.

WHile the Tarentines warred all this time vppon the Lucaines & Romaines in Italy, they sent their Ambassadoures to the Lacedemonians, into the citie of Sparte, praying them, that they would send them Cleonime to be their Leader and Generall, with a cer∣ten numbre of men: which thing the Lacedemonians rea∣dely graunted them. And shortly after Cleonyme leuied in the countrey of Laconie, about .v. thousand men, with whome he tooke shipping and sailed to Tarent, and arry∣uing there, he leuied an other numbre of men in that countrey, so that he had well néere about .xx. thousande footemen, and two thousand horse, amongs which were many Grekes, lying then in Italy. Of this so great assem∣ble, the Lucaines were in such terror, that they grewe to an agréement with the Tarentines. Howbeit, the Meta∣pontines forced not their power, for which cause Clonime by the consent of the Tarentines, sodenly assailed them. Wherewith he put them in such feare, that they suffred him vnder the colour of friendship, to enter the citie, but after he was entred, he exacted of them aboue sixe hun∣dred Talents, and tooke two hundred of the beautiful∣lest maydes within the Town, vnder the Title & name of ostages: but trueth was, it was to saciate his leche∣rous desire and beastlie luste, so as in that and also in diuerse other things he euidently declared hys mon∣strous and abhominable villanies. For besides that, he

lest wearing of his Grecian apparell, and apparelled him after the maner of the most lasciuious and effeminate countrey. Ageyne, so many as rendred vppon his faith & promisse, to be assured, he made bond. And in déed whē he had so goodly and mightie an armie, he did nothing wor∣thie and beseaming a citizen of Sparte. He also tooke on hande to indict warres to Agatocles in Sic•••• e, to enlarge his tiranny•• and to restore the Sicilians to their auncient libertie, but he to much delayed and deserred hys sayde enterprise, and before he went thyther, tooke his iorney to Corcyre, and brought the citie vnder his obeisaunce, of which he leuied a great summe of golde and siluer & gar∣risoned it, meaning to kéepe that as a receptacle or re∣fuge, whereby he might alwayes be at hand, to marke & •• spie out the affaires and doings of the Grecians. And du∣ring the time of his aboad there, the Ambassadoures of Demetre, and after the Ambassadours of Cassander came to him, eche of them praying his alliaunce. Howbeit, he would not graunt eyther to one or an other, but being aduertised that the Tarentines and their neighboures re∣belled, left sufficient numbre in Corcyre, & with the reste tooke shipping and sailed with all spéede into Italy, to the ende to be reuenged of the rebelles. So he arriued at a citie named Tyrice, by the Barbarians kepte, and by force tooke it, sackt it, and forraged the territorie therof: the lyke dyd he to an other Citie named Tripole, where he tooke aboue thrée thousande prisoners. After this, the Barbarians in that quarter assembled and by night assay∣led him in his campe, and there slew aboue two hundred Souldiours, and tooke aboue a thousand prisoners. Not long after chaunced hym an other losse at Sea, for (through a tempest that sodenly arose) he lost .xx. sayle, of those which rydde néerest his campe, at which mishaps he was so greatlie astonied, that he retired with the rest of hys armie and Nauie into Corcyre.

Notes

• Cleonyme.