Of the byrth of Xerxes and of the solempne feast thereof.
THe great Xerxes king of Persea vpon the very day that he succeeded his father Darius Hisdaspis as king, hee yearely most solempnly vsed to celebrate such a princelie noble feaste in memorie of that day, which the Perseans so ho∣noured, tanquam imperii natalem, as he would command all the Nobles of Persea to come in the greatest pompe they could,* 1.1 and he himselfe in his most sumptuous Persean robes with his Diadem vpon his head, solempnized the feast with al pompe and glorie. Vpon the which day Xerxes was called of all the Peeres, Nobles, and all his people Titan. This day was so celebrated among the Perseans in remembrance of Xerxes first day to his kingdome, so the Siracusianes honou∣red Timolion for his great victories,* 1.2 in memorie whereof they yeerely vpon the day of his byrth decreed, that plaies and games of musicke, with running, wrastling, throwing of darts swimming, running of horses, with other exercises of the bo∣dy should be celebrated.
In like sort, the Parthians obserued that day, that Arsa∣ces their King had subdued Seleucus with all kinde of ioies,