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

¶ Demetre, Antigone his sonne, vanquisheth in a battaill at Sea Ptolome, before the Citie of Sala∣mine in Cypres, and by that meane winneth the whole Isle from him. And after the said Antigo∣ne, Demetre and Ptolome take vppon them the Tytles and Dyademes of Kings.

The .viij. Chapter.

WHen Demetre had executed and performed hys Fathers commaundement, concerning the re∣stauration of the Cities of Grece, he sailed into Carie, & from thence sent his Ambassadoures to the Rho∣dians, to persuade them to allie and ioyne with him in the warre against Ptolome, whereunto they would not agrée, but concluded to be in amitie and friendship with them both, and not to make or medle with any of their doings, which was the first occasion and chief cause that plucked away the harts of the Rhodians from Antigone. From thence loused Demetre, and passing elongest the Isle of Sicile, leuied shippes and Souldiours and sayled into Cypres, hauing with him .xv. thousand footemen .iiij. hundred horsse, and of Pumasses and excellent fine Gal∣lies .Cx. besides .Liij. other of greater burden, méete for the warres, and a number of Barques laden with victu∣als and other necessarie hablements for the armie. And first he landed on the coast of Carpasie,* 1.1 and there encam∣ped hard by the shoare, which he entrenched with déepe ditches and trenches. From thence he went to the siege of Vranie,* 1.2 making incursions on the Countrey in the waye, and tooke them. That done, leauing a sufficient number for the garde of his shippes, he marched on to Salamine,* 1.3 whereof Menelaye was deputie for Ptolome,* 1.4 who had leuied a number of mē in the Isle, and retired into Salamine, & hauing intelligēce that Demetre was ap∣proched within .xl. furlongs of the citie, he marched oute against him with .xij. thousande footemen and .viij. hun∣dred horsse, and encountred him in battaill, but after the horssemen had a while lustely charged one another, the Menelaians retired and fled, and the Demetrians séeing the victorie theirs, subsecuted and chased them harde to the walles of the citie, so that they slewe aboute a thou∣sand, and tooke aboue thrée thousand prisoners. Whome Demetre reteyned in wages, and deuided amongs hys bandes. But when he see they dayly fled from him to

Menelaye, bycause their goods and baggage, were left in Egipt with Ptolome: and that he could not reduce thē to his amitie and seruice, he enbarqued y^e rest, and sent them to his father lying in the hier Syrie, where he buylt about the ryuer Oronte a verie sumptuous Citie, called after his owne name Antigone, being foure score fur∣longs about. Now was this a méete and necessarie place to get and hold the imperiall dominion of Babylon and al the hier and lower Satrapies in subiection, notwith∣standing, it stoode not or continued long: for Seleuke shortly after destroyed it and transported the inhabi∣taunts into an other citie of his foūdation and building called after his name Seleuke. After Demetre hadde bene victor in the battaill aforesaid, Menelaye and the reste of his Souldiours which escaped and had gotten the Citie of Salamine, made great preparation of shot and engines for their defence and suretie, deuiding the quarters of their walles with the towers and flankers betwene them, bycause they sée that Demetre determined with al his power and force, to attempt and assault the citie. They also sent into Egipt to Ptolome, signifying to hym of their estate aud daunger, solliciting him to send hys ayde and helpe. When Demetre sée that the Citie was mightie and strong, and throughlie māned, he determi∣ned to make huge & mightie engines wherewith they commonly vsed to besiege and ouerthrow Townes and Cities, which shot stones and other kinde of shot of all sortes against the walles, and the residue of his prouisi∣on maruelous terrible to batter & ouerthrow the same. For exploiting wherof he sent for a wonderful number of workemen and artificers, & plentie of yron and such other stuffe out of Syrie, so that in short tyme he had pre∣pared and made readie all things to batter and ouer∣throw the walles. But amongs other his deuises he caused an engine to be made called Helepolis,* 1.5 to saye, an ouerthrower of cities .xl. cubits eche waye square, and

foure score and ten cubits hie, in which were .ix. stories or sellers deuided one from another with planchers of wood, all running vppon foure great wheles .viij. cubits hie. He had also many other engines called Rammes, very large & great to batter any wall, & two great and puissaunt Tortoises to helpe them. In the lowermost sellers of the Helepolis he planted store of engines and ordinaunce which threw and shot stones, the greater sorte waying thrée Talents. In the middle stories he planted engines made like boltes shooting long & sharpe shot, and in the hier stages were other whiche shot lesse and lighter. He placed also in the saide roomes or sto∣ries two hundred experte Souldiours to shoote off and handle the said ordinaunce and engines. After he hadde placed his engines of battery against the wall, he in short time beat down the toppes and batlements of the curten, and after sore battered and shaked the walles: Howbeit the besieged so valiauntly defended their Ci∣tie with such weapon and engines as they had prepared against the assaultes, that for certen dayes no mā could iudge of the winning of the citie, suche were the noble hartes and courages inuincible of the honorable Cap∣taynes and lustie Souldiours on eyther side. But to be short, the wall was so sore battered and shaken, and a long breach made, that the citie was disfurnished of de∣fence and no remedy but to yelde or be taken the nexte day following, if there were not found some newe ma∣ner of defence that night, before the assault ceassed. Wherfore the Menelayans hauing great store and plen∣ty of drie wood and suche like stuffe whiche soone would take fire, about midnight so néere approched y^e engines of the enimie, that with long poles and other which they had lighted, they cast in fire: so that in lesse thā an houre, the fire grew so quicke and terrible, that they had burnt the greater part of the engines and the souldiours with∣in them: which thing the Demetrians coulde not helpe,

and auoide by reason of the sodainenesse therof. And al∣thoughe Demetre for that time was frustrate of hys de∣termination & purpose, yet had he good hope and still vr∣ged to take the citie, continuing the siege both by Sea & land, not doubting but in the ende to winne it. In this meane while Ptolome hauing intelligēce of the affaires and slaughter of his people, departed oute of Egipt, and tooke sea with a great power sayling towardes Salami∣ne, and being dryuen into the Porte of Paphe in the Isle of Cypres, he there landed and got togyther all the ships of the cities thereabout, and from them made his course to Syrie, distaunt from Salamine two hundred furlongs. He had in his Nauie an .Cl. Gallies, wherof the greater were of .v. tier of ores on a side, and the lesser of foure: he had also aboue two hundred Barques, wherein were enbarqued aboue ten thousand souldiours, and the reste laden with baggage and other prouisiō. He sent by land likewise certen Messangers to Menelaye, commaunding him if it were possible to send the .lx. Gallies lying in the hauē of Salamine, which ioyned with his, & he thought to be much stronger at sea then Demetre, hauing two hun∣dred Gallies or better. When Demetre vnderstoode of Ptolome his comming, he left the siege furnished before the citie, and enbarqued the rest of his Souldiours with great store of shot and engines which shot far off, plan∣ting them in the noses of his Gallies, and when he had arranged them all in order of battaill, he enuironed the Towne, and in the mouth of the hauen cast ancre, and road there all that night withoute the daunger of the shot, bothe for stopping of the Gallies which laye in the Port, that they should not get out to ioyne with Ptolo∣me, and also to sée what course Ptolome kept, to the ende that which waye soeuer he came, he would be arranged and readie in order of battaill to fight. But after the day once appeared, he might descry a mightie and terrible Nauie of Ptolomes, sayling towards the citie, whereat

he was astonied:* 1.6 wherfore he left his Admirall Anthi∣ston with ten Gallies of fiue tier of ores, in the place where he laye, to garde and take héede that the Gallies of the Towne made not out, & commaunded hys horse∣men to ryde all alongest the shoare, to the end, that if any mischief happened him, they might saue them which were ouerthrowen into the sea and swamme to lande: and him selfe in order of battaill, sailed against the ene∣mie with a Nauie of a .Cviij. saile with those he recey∣ued of the cities he wanne, whereof the greater were of vij. tier, and the rest of .v. tier. And first in the left wing or rereward he placed .vij. Phenician Gallies of .vij. tier, and of the Athenians .xxx. of foure tier, appointing Me∣de,* 1.7 the leading of that battaill: behinde them he placed ten of sixe tier, and ten of fiue tier, meaning to fortifie and strengthen that well, wherein him selfe paraduen∣ture would fight. In the middle wing or maine battaill he placed the lesser Gallies, the charge of which he com∣mitted to Themise the Samian, and Martian the Historian who writte the déedes and gestes of the Macedonians. The right wing or vowarde lead Egesippe the Alicarna∣sian, and Plescias of Coho, Admirall of the whole Nauie. Now had Ptolome in the night loosed, and with all pos∣sible speede sailed towardes Salamine, thinking to pre∣uent the enimie, if he could gette into the Porte of Sala∣mine. But when it waxed néere daye, he might discry not farre of the Nauie of the enimie in order of battaill. Wherefore he got togyther hys Gallies and arranged them as followeth: First he commaunded that the bar∣ques should come a good way behinde, and arranged the rest in good and compotent order, placing him self in the left wing or rereward, wherin was the greatest pow∣er and strength. When he had ordered and placed hys battaill, the Souldiours on eyther side made the pray∣ers and supplications to the Goddes in loude maner ac∣cording to their custome. And y^e Chieftayns considering

that y^e hazard of their liues & whole estate stood thereon, were very carefull and sore troubled in mynde aboute the same. But so soone as they were approched within thrée furlongs one of an other, Demetre first gaue the signe and token of battaill to his Souldiours, halsing a terge of golde in the poupe of hys Gallie in the view of the whole Nauie: and shortlie after, Ptolome did the like.

Then sounded y^e trumpets to battaill, and forthwith beganne a fierce and violent fight with shot and dartes, being a pretie distaunce asundre, wherein on eche side were many sore hurte: but after they drew neerer, there was flinging of great mightie stones, and the Marry∣ners for their liues rowed as harde and forcibly as they could, so that at the bording was a terrible affray, for they violently rushing one by another, brake and carri∣ed away one anothers ores, to the ende there should be no flight nor yet any great forcible assayling. Some en∣countred one an other afore, and there fought hande to hand, some borded on the broad side y^e eas•• ier to get into the enimie, bycause it is difficile and hard to laye abord about the beake or forebough of a Gallie, other some thinking to enter, fell into the Sea and were slaine w^t the shorte pikes of the enimie, some entred and slewe many en•••• ies, and made the rest leape into the Sea, so that in the ende happened diuerse aduentures and victo∣ries vnlooked for. For often tymes the lesser Gallies borded and tooke the greater, bycause they were so hea∣uie that they could not so readily remoue and turne to and fro. And although in fight on lande the vertue and prowes of the Grekes winneth them victorie whiche by no fortune or chaunce can any way be let or stopped: yet in conflictes at Sea, diuerse and sundrie wayes it chaunceth that the greater power and most lykely,* 1.8 con∣trary to mannes reason, is soonest vanquished and ouer∣throwen. But in this battaill Demetre amongs the rest

most valiauntlie bare him selfe, for he getting vp to the poupe of a Gailie of .vij. tier of ores which he had wōne, so stoutely fought against the Souldiours within, that what with dartes and Iauelings he slewe of thē a great number, and some with playne hand stroks. And althou∣ghe great store of shot came against him, yet put he by and eschewed some, & receyued the rest on his armoure. And for the thrée men whiche continually were aboute him, the one was with the pushe of a pyke slayne, & the other two with shot sore hurt. But to be short, he so che∣ualrouslie exployted his matters, that he put to flight y^e right wing or voward of y^e enemie, & as many as were next them. And Ptolome with his greatest and most warlike Gallies put to flight the leaft wing or rere∣warde of the enimie, sinking some and pryzing the rest with so many as were within them. And returning as victor to the ayde of his right wing or vowarde, whiche was discomfited and put to flight, he séeing the Deme∣trians pursuing and chasing them, and after making to∣wardes him, was so afraid, that he fled into the Citie of Citin.

When Demetre had at Sea atchieued and gottē this victory, he deuided hys Nauie and gaue the charge to Neon and Burick two of his Captaynes,* 1.9 commaunding them to pursue and chase the enimie, and take in as ma∣ny of his souldiours as they founde swimming, and him selfe with the rest of his Nauie and his prizes carried ensignes and tokens of victorie into his campe, lying a∣bout the Porte of Salamine. In the meane while that these two Prouinces were in fight, Menelaye deputie of the Citie of Salamine had enbarqued a numbre of men of warre in the .lx. Gallies, ryding in the hauen of Salami∣ne, to send in Ptolome his ayde, appointing for Admirall Menete,* 1.10 who with such violence rowed out vpon the .x. Gallies which garded the entry of the hauen, that he put them all to flight, and made them haste towardes the

shoare where Demetre his horssemen were. But the Me∣netians preuented of the enemie, came a daye after the faire, and were fayne to returne to their citie. In this fight were aboue a hundred Barques taken with .viij. thousand Souldiours .xl. Gallies and the Souldiours within them, and foure score sore frushed and shaken, which Demetre his Souldiours brought awaye laden to the siege lying before the entry of the Porte of Salamine. There were not of Demetre his Gallies aboue .xx. lost. After this victorie Ptolome despayring in the defence & kéeping of the Isle of Cypres, returned into Egipt: and in∣continent after his departure, Demetre got in subiection all the Townes and Cities of the countrey, togyther al the garrisons within them, to the number of .xvj. thou∣sand footemen, and .vj. hundred horsse, whiche he deuided amongs his armie. When he had finished and accompli∣shed all these things, he embarqued certen of hys most warlikest Gallies he had, and sent them to hys Father, signifying to him of his notable and triumphāt victorie: who was so glorious and proude thereof, that he tooke vppon him the name of a King and Diademe Royal, and after bare hym as a King, willing Demetre his Sonne to do the same. Ptolome likewise (notwithstanding hys great ouerthrow and losse in Cypres) to shewe he had lost neyther hart or courage, tooke vppon him the name of a King, and in all his letters and proclamations to all mē so entituled and named him self. By whose example the other Princes which before were but as Uicegerents and Gouernours, entituled them selues then by the names of Kings, to saie, Seleuke of the Satrapies and hier Prouinces by hym newlie conquered, Lysimache and Cassander, of those whiche at the first were gyuen them and still reteyned.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Carpasie.
• * 1.2

  Vranie.
• * 1.3

  Salamine.
• * 1.4

  Menelaye.
• * 1.5

  Helepolis.
• * 1.6

  Anthiston.
• * 1.7

  Mede.
• * 1.8

  The valiaunt∣nesse of De∣metre.
• * 1.9

  Neon. Buricke.
• * 1.10

  Menete.