The tenth muse lately sprung up in America or severall poems, compiled with great variety of vvit and learning, full of delight. Wherein especially is contained a compleat discourse and description of the four elements, constitutions, ages of man, seasons of the year. Together with an exact epitomie of the four monarchies, viz. The Assyrian, Persian, Grecian, Roman. Also a dialogue between Old England and New, concerning the late troubles. With divers other pleasant and serious poems. By a gentlewoman in those parts.
Bradstreet, Anne, 1612?-1672.
Page 87
The Second Monarchy, being the Persian, begun under Cyrus, Darius (being his Vnckle, and his Father in Law) reign∣ing with him about two years.
CYrus Cambyses, Son of Persia's King,
Whom Lady Mandana did to him bring;
She Daughter unto great Astiages,
He in descent the seventh from Arbaces.
Cambyses was of Achemenes race,
Who had in Persia the Lieutenants place.
When Sardanapalus was over-thrown,
And from that time, had held it as his own;
Cyrus, Darius Daughter took to wife,
And so unites two Kingdoms, without strife;
Darius was unto Mandana brother,
Adopts her Son for his, having no other:
This is of Cyrus the true pedigree,
Whose Ancestors, were royal in degree;
His Mothers Dream, and Grand-fires cruelty,
His preservation in his misery;
His nourishment afforded by a Bitch,
Are fit for such, whose eares for fables itch;
Page 88He in his younger dayes an Army led,
Against great Cressus, then of Lidia head;
Who over-curious of wars event,
For information to Apollo went:
And the ambiguous Oracle did trust,
So over-thrown of Gyrus, as was just;
Who him pursues to Sardis, takes the town,
Where all that doe resist, are slaughter'd down;
Disguised Cressus, hop'd to scape i'th throng,
Who had no might to save himself from wrong;
But as he past, his Son, who was born dumbe,
With pressing grief; and sorrow, over-come,
Amidst the tumult, bloud-shed, and the strife,
Brake his long silence, cry'd, spare Cressus life:
Cressus thus known, it was great Cy•us doome,
(A hard decree) to ashes he consume;
Then on a Pike being set, where all might eye,
He Solon, Solon, Solon, thrice did cry.
Upon demand, his minde to Cyrus broke,
And told, how Solon in his hight had spoke.
With pitty Cyrus mov'd, knowing Kings stand,
Now up, now down, as fortune turnes her hand,
Weighing the age, and greatnesse of the Prince,
(His Mothers Vnckle, stories doe evince:)
Gave him at once, his life, and Kingdom too,
And with the Lidians, had no more to doe.
Next war, the restlesse Cyrus thought upon,
Was conquest of the stately •abylon,
Now trebble wall'd, and moated so about,
That all the world they neither feare, nor doubt;
To drain this ditch, he many sluces cut,
But till convenient time their heads kept shut;
Page 89That night Belshazzar feasted all his rout,
He cuts those banks, and let the river out;
And to the walls securely marches on,
Not finding a defendant thereupon;
Enters the town, the sottish King he slayes,
Upon earths richest spoyles his Souldiers preys;
Here twenty yeares provision he found,
Forty five mile this City scarce could round;
This head of Kingdoms, Caldes excellence,
For Owles, and Satyres, makes a residence;
Yet wondrous Monuments this stately Queen,
Had after thousand yeares faire to be seen.
Cyrus doth now the Jewish captives free,
An Edict makes, the Temple builded be,
He with his Vnckle Daniel sets on high,
And caus'd his foes in Lions den to dye.
Long after this, he 'gainst the Sythians goes,
And Tomris Son, an Army over-throwes;
Which to revenge, she hires a mighty power,
And sets on Cyrus, in a fatall houre;
There routs his Hoast, himself she prisoner takes,
And at one blow, worlds head, she headlesse makes;
The which she bak'd within a But of bloud,
Using such taunting words as she thought good.
But Zenophon reports, he dy'd in's bed,
In honour, peace, and wealth, with a grey head,
And in his Town of Pasargada lyes,
Where Alexander fought, in hope of prize,
But in this Tombe was only to be found
Two Sythian bowes, a sword, and target round;
Where that proud Conquerour could doe no lesse,
Then at his Herse great honours to expresse;
Page 90Three Daughters, and two Sons, he left behind,
Innobled more by birth, then by their mind;
Some thirty years this potent Prince did reign,
Unto Cambyses then, all did remain.
Cambyses.
Page 93
CAmbyses, no wayes like, his noble Sire,
But to enlarge his state, had some desire;
His reign with Bloud, and Incest, first begins;
Then sends to finde a Law for these his sins;
That Kings with Sisters match, no Law they finde,
But that the Persian King, may act his minde;
Which Law includes all Lawes, though lawlesse stil,
And makes it lawful Law, if he but wil;
He wages warre, the fifth year of his reign,
'Gainst Aegypts King, who there by him was slain,
And all of Royal bloud that came to hand,
He seized first of life, and then of Land;
(But little Marus, scap'd that cruel fate,
Who grown a man, resum'd again his state)
He next to Cyprus sends his bloudy Hoast,
Who landed soon upon that fruitful coast,
Made Evelthon their King, with bended knee,
To hold his own, of his free courtesie;
The Temples he destroyes not, for his zeal,
But he would be profest god of their Weal;
Yea, in his pride, he ventured so farre,
To spoyl the Temple of great Jupiter;
But as they marched o're those desart sands,
The stormed dust o'r-whelm'd his daring bands;
Page 91But scorning thus by Jove to be out-brav'd,
A second Army there had almost grav'd;
But vain he found, to fight with Elements,
So left his sacrilegious bold intents:
The Aegyptian Apis then he likewise slew,
Laughing to scorn that calvish, sottish crew.
If all his heat, had been for a good end,
Cambyses to the clouds, we might commend;
But he that 'fore the gods, himself preferrs,
Is more prophane, then grosse Idolaters;
And though no gods, if he esteem them some,
And contemn them, woful is his doome.
He after this, saw in a Vision,
His brother Smerdis sit upon his throne;
He strait to rid himself of causlesse fears,
Complots the Princes death, in his green years,
Who for no wrong, poore innocent must dye,
Praraspes now must act this tragedy;
Who into Persia with Commission sent,
Accomplished this wicked Kings intent;
His sister, whom incestuously he wed,
Hearing her harmlesse brother thus was dead,
His woful fate with tears did so bemoane,
That by her Husbands charge, she caught her owne;
She with her fruit was both at once undone,
Who would have born a Nephew, and a Son.
O hellish Husband, Brother, Vnckle, Sire,
Thy cruelty will Ages still admire.
This strange severity, one time he us'd,
Upon a Judge, for breach of Law accus'd;
Flayd him alive, hung up his stuffed skin
Over his Seat, then plac'd his Son therein;
Page 92To whom he gave this in rememberance,
Like fault must look, for the like recompence.
Praraspes, to Cambyses favourite,
Having one son, in whom he did delight,
His cruell Master, for all service done,
Shot through the heart of his beloved son:
And only for his fathers faithfullnesse,
Who said but what, the King bad him expresse.
'T would be no pleasant, but a tedious thing,
To tell the facts, of this most bloody King.
Fear'd of all, but lov'd of few, or none,
All thought his short r•ign long, till it was done
At last, two of his Officers he heart,
Had set a Smerdis up, of the same years;
And like in feature, to the Smerdis dead,
Ruling as they thought good, under his head.
Toucht with this newes, to Persia he makes,
But in the way, his sword just véngeance takes.
Unsheathes, as he his horse mounted on high,
And with a Martall thrust, wounds him ith' thigh,
Which ends before begun, the Persian Wa•re,
Yeelding to death, that dreadfull Conquerer.
Griefe for his brothers death, he did expresse,
And more, because he dyed issulesse.
The Male line, of great Cyrus now did end.
The Female many ages did extend,
A Babylon in Egypt did he make.
And built fair Meroe, for his sisters sake.
Eight years he reign'd, a short, yet too long time,
Cut off in's wickednesse, in's strength, and prime.
The inter Regnum between Cambyses, and Darius Hyslaspes.
Childlesse Cambyses, on the sudden dead,
The Princes meet to chuse one in his stead,
Of which the cheife were seven, call'd Satrapes,
(Who like to Kings, rul'd Kingdomes as they please,)
Descended all, of Ach•menes blood,
And kinsmen in account, to th'King they stood,
And first these noble Magi 'gree upon,
To thrust th' Imposter Smerdis our of throne,
Their Forces instantly they raise, and rout,
This King, with conspirators so stout,
Who little pleasure had, in his short reigne,
And now with his accomplyces lye slaine.
But yet, 'fore this was done, much blood was shed,
And two of these great Peers, in place lay dead:
Some write that sorely hurt, they 'scap'd away;
But so or no, sure tis, they won the day.
All things in peace, and Rebells throughly que•'d,
A Consultation by the States was held.
What forme of Government now to erect,
The old, or new, which best, in what respect,
The greater part, declin'd a Monarchy.
So late crusht by their Princes Tyranny;
And thought the people, would more happy be,
If governed by an Aristocracy.
But others thought (none of the dullest braine,)
But b•tter one, then many Tyrants reigne.
What arguments they us'd, I know not well,
Too politicke (tis like) for me to tell,
Page 94But in conclusion they all agree,
That of the seven a Monarch chosen be;
All envie to avoyd, this was thought on,
Upon a Green to meet, by rising Sun;
And he whose Horse before the rest should neigh,
Of all the Peers should have precedency.
They all attend on the appointed houre,
Praying to Fortune, for a Kingly power;
Then mounting on their snorting coursers proud,
Darius lusty stallion neighed full loud;
The Nobles all alight, their King to greet,
And after Persian manner, kisse his feet.
His happy wishes now doth no man spare,
But acclamations ecchoes in the aire;
A thousand times, God save the King, they cry,
Let tyranny now with Cambyses dye.
They then attend him, to his royall roome,
Thanks for all this to's crafty Stable-groome.
Darius Hyslapses.
DArius by election made a King,
His title to make strong omits no thing;
He two of Cyrus Daughters now doth wed,
Two of his Neeces takes to nuptiall bed;
By which he cuts their hopes (for future times)
That by such steps to Kingdoms often climbs.
And now a King, by marriage, choyce, and bloud,
Three strings to's bow, the least of which is good;
Yet more the peoples hearts firmly to binde,
Made wholsome gentle Laws, which pleas'd each mind.
Page 95His affability, and milde aspect,
Did win him loyalty, and all respect;
Yet notwithstanding he did all so well,
The Babylonians 'gainst their Prince rebell;
An Hoast he rais'd, the City to reduce,
But strength against those walls was of no use;
For twice ten months before the town he lay,
And fear'd, he now with scorn must march away:
Then brave Zopirus, for his Masters good,
His manly face dis-figures, spares no bloud,
With his own hands cuts off his eares, and nose,
And with a faithfull fraud to'th' town he goes,
Tels them, how harshly the proud King had dealt,
That for their sakes, his cruelty he felt;
Desiring of the Prince to raise the siege,
This violence was done him by his Leige;
This told, for enterance he stood not long,
For they beleev'd his nose, more then his tongue;
With all the Cities strength they him betrust,
If he command, obey the greatest must:
When opportunity he saw was fit,
Delivers up the town, and all in it.
To loose a nose, to win a Town's no shame,
But who dare venture such a stake for th' game;
Then thy disgrace, thine honour's manifold,
Who doth deserve a Statue made of gold;
Nor can Darius in his Monarchy,
Scarse finde enough to thank thy loyalty;
But yet thou hast sufficient recompence,
In that thy fame shall sound whilst men have sence;
Yet o're thy glory we must cast this vaile,
Thy falshood, not thy valour did prevaile;
Page 96Thy wit was more then was thine honesty,
Thou lov'dst thy Master more then verity.
Darius in the second of his reign,
An Edict for the Jews publish'd again,
The temple to re-build, for that did rest
Since Cyrus time, Cambyses did molest;
He like a King, now grants a Charter large,
Out of his owne revenues beares the charge;
Gives sacrifices, wheat, wine, oyle, and salt,
Threats punishment to him, that through default
Shall let the work, or keep back any thing,
Of what is freely granted by the King;
And on all Kings he poures out execrations,
That shall, but dare raze those firme foundations;
They thus backt of the King, in spight of foes,
Built on, and prosper'd, till their walls did close;
And in the sixth yeare of his friendly reign
Set up a Temple (though, a lesse) again.
Darius on the Sythians made a war,
Entring that large and barren country far;
A bridge he made, which serv'd for boat, and barge,
Over fair Ister, at a mighty charge;
But in that Desart, 'mongst his barbarous foes,
Sharp wants, not swords, his vallour did oppose;
His Army fought with Hunger, and with Cold,
Which two then to assaile, his Camp was bold:
By these alone his Hoast was pinch'd so sore,
He warr'd defensive, not offensive, more;
The Salvages did laugh at his distresse,
Their minds by Hieroglyphicks they expresse;
A Frog, a Mouse, a Bird, an Arrow sent,
The King will needs interpret their intent;
Page 97Possession of water, earth, and aire,
But wise Gobrias reads not half so farre:
Quoth he, like Frogs, in water we must dive,
Or like to Mice, under the earth must live;
Or fly like birds, in unknown wayes full quick,
Or Sythian arrows in our fides must stick.
The King, seeing his men, and victuall spent,
His fruitlesse war, began late to repent;
Return'd with little honour, and lesse gaine,
His enemies scarce seen, then much lesse, slaine;
He after this, intends Greece to invade,
But troubles in lesse Asia him stay'd;
Which husht, he straight so orders his affaires,
For Attica an Army he prepares;
But as before, so now with ill successe,
Return'd with wondrous losse, and honour lesse.
Athens perceiving now their desperate state,
Arm'd all they could, which elev'n thousand make;
By brave Miltiades (their chief) being led,
Darius multitude before them fled;
At Marathon this bloudy field was fought,
Where Grecians prov'd themselves right Souldiers, stout;
The Persians to their Gallies post with speed,
Where an Athenian shew'd a valiant deed,
Pursues his flying-foes, and on the strand,
He stayes a landing Gally with his hand;
Which soon cut off, he with the left
Renews his hold; but when of that bereft,
His whetted teeth he sticks in the firm wood,
Off flyes his head, down showres his frolick bloud.
Go Persians, carry home that angry peece,
As the best trophe that ye won in Greece.
Page 98Darius light, he heavie, home returnes,
And for revenge his heart still restlesse burnes;
His Queen Attossa, caused all this stir,
For Grecian Maids ('tis said) to wait on her;
She lost her aime; her Husband, he lost more,
His men, his coyn, his honour, and his store;
And the ensuing yeare ended his life,
('Tis thought) through grief of his successesse strife.
Thirty six years this royall Prince did reign,
Unto his eldest Son, all did remain.
Xerxes.
XErxes, Darius, and Attossa's Son,
Grand-childe to Cyrus, now sits on the throne;
The Father not so full of lenity,
As is the Son, of pride, and cruelty;
He with his Crown, receives a double warre,
Th' Aegyptians to reduce, and Greece to marre;
The first begun, and finish'd in such hast,
None write by whom, nor how, 'twas over-past;
But for the last he made such preparation,
As if to dust he meant to grinde that Nation;
Yet all his men, and instruments of slaughter,
Produced but derision, and laughter;
Sage Artabanus counsell, had he taken,
And's cousen, young Mardonius forsaken,
His Souldiers, credit, wealth, at home had stay'd,
And Greece such wondrous triumphs ne're had made.
The first deports, and layes before his eyes,
His Fathers ill successe in's enterprise,
Page 99Against the Sythians, and Grecians too,
What infamy to's honour did accrue.
Flattering Mardonius on th' other side,
With certainty of Europe feeds his pride;
Vaine Xerxes thinks his counsell hath most wit,
That his ambitious humour best can fit;
And by this choyce, unwarily posts on,
To present losse, future subversion;
Although he hasted, yet foure yeares was spent,
In great provisions, for this great intent;
His Army of all Nations, was compounded,
That the large Persian government surrounded;
His Foot was seventeen hundred thousand strong,
Eight hundred thousand Horse to them belong;
His Camels, beasts, for carriage numberlesse,
For truth's asham'd how many to expresse;
The charge of all he severally commended,
To Princes of the Persian bloud descended,
But the command of these Commanders all,
To Mardonius, Captain Generall;
He was the Son of the fore-nam'd Gobrias,
Who married the sister of Darius:
These his Land Forces were, then next, a Fleet
Of two and twenty thousand Gallies meet,
Mann'd by Phenisians, and Pamphilians,
Cipriots, Dorians, and Cilicians,
Lycians, Carians, and Ionians,
Eolians, and the Helispontines;
Besides, the Vessels for his transportation,
Three thousand (or more) by best relation,
Artemesia, Halicarna's Queene,
In person there, now for his help was seen;
Page 100Whose Gallies all the rest in neatnesse passe,
Save the Zidonians, where Xerxes was.
Hers she kept stil, seperate from the rest,
For to command alone, she thought was best.
O noble Queen, thy valour I commend,
But pitty 'twas, thine ayde that here did'st lend,
At Sardis, in Lidia, these all doe meet,
Whither rich Pithyus comes, Xerxes to greet;
Feasts all this multitude, of his own charge,
Then gives the King, a King-like gift, most large;
Three thousand Tallents of the purest gold;
Which mighty s•m, all wondred to behold.
He humbly to the King then makes request,
One of his five Sons there, might be relead;
To be to's age a comfort, and a stay,
The other four he freely gave away:
The King cals for the Youth, who being brought,
Cuts him in twain, for whom his Sire besought.
O most inhumain incivility!
Nay, more then monstrous barb'rous cruelty!
For his great love, is this thy recompence?
Is this to doe like Xerxes, or a Prince?
Thou shame of Kings, of men the detestation,
I Rhetorick want, to poure out execration:
First thing, Xerxes did worthy recount,
A Sea passage cuts, behind Orthos Mount.
Next, o're the Hellispont a bridge he made,
Of Boats, together coupled, and there laid;
But winds, and waves, these couples soon dissever'd,
Yet Xerxes in his enterprise persever'd;
Seven thousand Gallies chain'd, by Tyrians skil,
Firmly at length, accomplished his wil;
Page 101Seven dayes and nights, his Hoast without least stay,
Was marching o're this interrupting Bay;
And in Abidus Plaines, must ring his Forces,
He glories in his Squadrens, and his Horses;
Long viewing them, thought it great happinesse,
One King, so many Subjects should possesse;
But yet this goodly sight produced teares,
That none of these should live a hundred yeares:
What after did ensue, had he fore-seen.
Of so long time, his thoughts had never been.
Of Artabanus he again demands,
How of this enterprise his thoughts now stands;
His answer was, both Land and Sea he feared,
Which was not vaine, as it soon appeared:
But Xerxes resolute, to Thrace goes first,
His Hoast, who Lissus drinks to quench their thirst,
And for his Cattell, all Pissirus Lake
Was scarce enough, for each a draught to take.
Then marching to the streight Thermopyle,
The Spartan meets him, brave Leonade,
This 'twixt the Mountains lyes (half Acre wide)
That pleasant Thessaly, from Greece divide;
Two dayes and nights a fight they there maintain,
Till twenty thousand Persians falls down slain;
And all that Army, then dismay'd, had fled,
But that a Fugative discovered,
How part, might o're the Mountains goe about,
And wound the backs of those bold Warriours stout.
They thus behemm'd with multitude of foes,
Laid on more fiercely, their deep mortall blowes;
None cryes for quarter, nor yet seeks to run,
But on their ground they dye, each Mothers Son.
Page 102O noble Greeks, how now, degenerate?
Where is the valour, of your antient State?
When as one thousand, could some Millions daunt;
Alas, it is Leonades you want!
This shamefull Victory cost Xerxes deare,
Amongst the rest, two brothers he lost there;
And as at Land, so he at Sea was crost,
Four hundred stately Ships by stormes was lost,
Of Vessels small almost innumerable,
Them to receive, the Harbour was not able;
Yet thinking to out-match his foes at Sea,
Inclos'd their Fleet i'th' streights of Eubea;
But they as valiant by Sea, as Land,
In this Streight, as the other, firmly stand.
And Xerxes mighty Gallies batter'd so,
That their split sides, witness'd his overthrow;
Yet in the Streights of Salamis he try'd,
If that smal number his great force could bide;
But he, in daring of his forward foe,
Received there, a shameful over-throw.
Twice beaten thus by Sea, he warr'd no more:
But Phocians Land, he then wasted sore:
They no way able to withstand his force,
That brave Thymistocles takes this wise course,
In secret manner word to Xerxes sends,
That Greeks to break his bridge shortly intends;
And as a friend, warns him, what e're he doe,
For his retreat, to have an eye thereto:
He hearing this, his thoughts, and course home bended,
Much, that which never was intended!
Yet 'fore he went, to help out his expence,
Part of his Hoast to Delphos sent from thence,
Page 103To rob the wealthy Temple of Apollo,
But mischief, Sacriledge doth ever follow;
Two mighty Rocks, brake from Parnassus Hil,
And many thousands of these men did kil;
Which accident, the rest affrighted so,
With empty hands they to their Master go;
He seeing all thus tend unto decay,
Thought it his best, no longer for to stay;
Three hundred thousand yet he left behind,
With his Mardon'us, judex of his minde;
Who for his sake, he knew, would venture far,
(Chief instigater of this hopelesse War;)
He instantly to Athens sends for peace,
That all Hostility might thence-forth cease;
And that with Xerxes they would be at one,
So should all favour to their State be shown.
The Spartans, fearing Athens would agree,
As had Macedon, Thebes, and Thessalie,
And leave them out, the shock for to sustaine,
By their Ambassador they thus complain;
That Xerxes quarrel was 'gainst Athens State,
And they had helpt them, as confederate;
If now in need, they should thus fail their friends,
Their infamy would last till all things ends:
But the Athenians, this peace detest,
And thus reply'd unto Mardon's request;
That whilst the Sun did run his endlesse course,
Against the Persians they would use their force.
Nor could the brave Ambassador be sent,
With Rhetorick, t' gain better complement:
Though of this Nation borne a great Commander,
No lesse then Grand-sire to great Alexander.
Page 104Mardonius proud, hearing this answer stout,
To adde unto his numbers, layes about,
And of those Greeks, which by his skil he'd won,
He fifty thousand joynes unto his own;
The other Greeks, which were confederate,
One hundred thousand, and ten thousand make.
The Beotian Fields, of war, the seats,
Where both sides exercis'd their manly feats;
But all their controversies to decide,
For one maine Battell shortly, both provide;
The Athenians could but forty thousand arme,
For other Weapons, they had none would harme;
But that which helpt defects, and made them bold,
Was Victory, by Oracle fore-told:
Ten dayes these Armies did each other face,
Mardonius finding victuals wast apace,
No longer dar'd, but fiercely on-set gave,
The other not a hand, nor sword will wave,
Till in the entrails of their Sacrifice,
The signall of their victory doth rise;
Which found, like Greeks they fight, the Persians fly,
And troublesome Mardonius now must dye:
All's lost, and of three hundred thousand men,
Three thousand scapes, for to run home agen;
For pitty, let those few to Xerxes go,
To c•rtifie this finall over-throw.
Same day, the small remainder of his Fleet,
The Grecians at Mytale in Asia meet,
And there so utterly they wrack'd the same,
Scarce one was left, to carry home the fame;
Thus did the Greeks destroy, consume, disperce,
That Army, which did fright the Universe;
Page 105Scorn'd Xerxes, hated for his cruelty.
Yet ceases not to act his villany:
His brothers wife, sollicites to his will;
The chaste, and beautious Dame, refuses still.
Some years by him in this vain suit was spent,
Yet words, nor guifts, could win him least content:
Nor matching of her daughter; to his son:
But she was stil, as when it first begun.
When jealous Queen Amestris, of this knew,
She Harpy-like, upon the Lady flew:
Cut off her lilly breasts, her nose, and ears;
And leaves her thus, besmear'd with blood, and tears
Straight comes her Lord, and finds his wife thus lie,
The sorrow of his heart, did close his eye:
He dying to behold, that wounding sight;
Where he had sometime gaz'd with great delight.
To see that face, where Rose and Lilly stood,
O're-flown with torrent of her ruby blood.
To see those breasts, where chastity did dwel,
Thus cut, and mangled by a hag of hell.
With loaden heart unto the King he goes,
Tels as he could, his unexpressed woes,
But for his deep complaints; and showres of tears,
His brothers recompence was naught but jears:
The grieved Prince finding nor right, nor l•ve,
To Bactria his houshold did remove.
His wicked brother, after sent a crew,
Which him, and his, most barbarously there slew,
Unto such height did grow his cruelty,
Of life, no man had least security.
At last his Uncle, did his death conspire,
And for that end, his Eunuch he d•d hire.
Page 106Which wretch, him privately smother'd in's bed,
But yet by search, he was found murthered,
The Artacanus hirer of this deed,
That from suspition he might be freed,
Accus'd Darius, Xerxes eldest son,
To be the Authour of the deed was done,
And by his craft, ordered the matter so,
That the poor innocent, to death must go.
But in short time, this wickednesse was knowne,
For which he dyed, and not he alone.
But all his family was likewise slain,
Such Justice then, in Persia did remain,
The eldest son, thus immaturely dead,
The second was inthron'd, in's fathers stead.
Artaxerxes Longimanus.
AMongst the Monarchs next, this Prince had place
The best that ever sprang of Cyrus race.
He first, war with revolting Aegypt made.
To whom the perjur'd Grecians lent their aide,
Although to Xerxes, they not long before,
A league of amity, had sworn before.
Which had they kept, Greece had more nobly done,
Then when the world, they after over-run:
Greeks and Egyptians both, he overthrows,
And payes them now, according as he owes,
Which done, a sumptuous feast; makes like a King
Where ninescore days, are spent in banquetting,
His Princes, Nobles, and his Captaines calls,
To be partakers in these festivalls.
Page 107His hangings, white, and green, and purple dye;
With gold and silver beds, most gorgiously.
The royall wine, in golden cups doth passe,
To drink more then he list, none bidden was:
Queen Vashty also feasts, but 'fore tis ended,
Alas, she from her Royalty's suspended.
And a more worthy, placed in her roome,
By Memucan's advice, this was the doome.
What Hester was, and did, her story reed,
And how her Country-men from spoile she freed.
Of Hamans fall, and Mordica's great rise;
The might o'th' Prince, the tribute on the Isles.
Unto this King Thymistocles did flye.
When under Ostracisme he did lye.
For such ingratitude, did Athens show
This valiant Knight, whom they so much did owe;
Such entertainment with this Prince he found,
That in all Loyalty his heart was bound;
The King not little joyfull of this chance,
Thinking his Grecian wars now to advance.
And for that end, great preparation made,
Fair Attica, a third time to invade.
His Grand-sires old disgrace, did vex him sore,
His father Xerxes losse, and shame, much more,
For punishment, their breach of oath did call,
The noble Greek, now fit for generall.
Who for his wrong, he could not chuse but deem,
His Country, nor his Kindred would esteem,
Provisions, and season now being fit,
T'Thymistecles he doth his war commit,
But he all injury, had soon forgate,
And to his Country-men could bear no hate.
Page 108Nor yet disloyall to his Prince would prove,
To whom oblig'd, by favour, and by love;
Either to wrong, did wound his heart so sore,
To wrong himselfe by death, he chose before:
In this sad conflict, marching on his ways,
Strong poyson took, and put an end to's dayes.
The King this noble Captaine having lost,
Again dispersed, his new levyed hoast.
'Rest of his time in peace he did remain;
And dy'd the two and fortieth of his reign.
Daryus Nothus.
THree sons great Artaxerxes left behind;
The eldest to succeed, that was his mind.
But he, with his next brother fell at strife,
That nought appeas'd him, but his brothers life.
Then the surviver is by Nothus slaine;
Who now sole Monarch, doth of all remaine,
These two lewd sons, are by hystorians thought,
To be by Hester, to her husband brought.
If they were hers, the greater was her moon;
That for such gracelesse wretches she did groan,
Disquiet Egypt, 'gainst this King rebells,
Drives out his garison that therein dwels.
Joynes with the Greeks, and so maintains their right,
For sixty years maugre the Persians might.
A second trouble, after this succeeds.
Which from remissenesse, in Asia proceeds
Amerges, whom their Vice-roy he ordain'd
Revolts, having treasure, and people gain'd:
Page 109Invades the Country, and much trouble wrought,
Before to quietnesse things could be brought,
The King was glad, with Sparta to make peace,
So that he might, these tumults soon appease.
But they in Asia, must first restore
All Townes, held by his Ancestors before.
The King much profit reapeth, by these leagues,
Re-gaines his own, and then the Rebell breaks:
Whose forces by their helpe were overthrown,
And so each man again possest his owne.
The King, his sister, like Cambyses, wed;
More by his pride, then lust, thereunto led.
(For Persian Kings, did deem themselves so good,
No match was high enough, but their own blood,)
Two sons she bore, the youngest Cyrus nam'd,
A hopefull Prince, whose worth is ever fam'd.
His father would no notice of that take;
Prefers his brother, for his birth-rights sake.
But Cyrus scornes, his brothers feeble wit;
And takes more on him, then was judged fit.
The King provok'd, sends for him to the Court,
Meaning to chastise him, in sharpest sort,
But in his slow approach, ere he came there;
His fathers death, did put an end to's fear.
Nothus reign'd nineteen years, which run,
His large Dominions left, to's eldest son.
Artaxerxes Mnemon.
MNemon now fits upon his fathers Throne,
Yet doubts, all he injoyes, is not his own.
Page 110Still on his brother, casts a jealous eye,
Judging all's actions, tends to's injury.
Cyrus o'th' other side, weighs in his mind,
What helps, in's enterprize he's like to find,
His interest, in the Kingdome, now next heir,
More deare to's mother, then his brother far.
His brothers litle love, like to be gone,
Held by his mothers intercession.
These and like motives, hurry him amain,
To win by force, what right could not obtain.
And thought 'it best, now in his mothers time,
By lesser steps, towards the top to climbe;
If in his enterprize he should fall short,
She to the King, would make a fair report:
He hop'd, if fraud, nor force the Crown could gaine;
Her prevailence, a pardon might obtain.
From the Lieutenant first, he takes away,
Some Townes commodious in lesse Asia,
Pretending still, the profit of the King,
Whose rents and customes, duly he sent in.
The King finding, revenues now amended;
For what was done, seemed no whit offended.
Then next, the Lacedemons he takes to pay;
(One Greeke could make ten Persians run away)
Great care was his pretence, those Souldiers stout,
The Rovers in Pisidia, should drive out.
But least some worser newes should fly to Court,
He meant himselfe to carry the report.
And for that end, five hundred Horse he chose,
With posting speed towards the King he goes;
But fame more quick, arrives ere he came there,
And fills the Court with tumult, and with fear.
Page 111The young Queen, and old, at bitter jars:
The one accus'd the other, for these wars:
The wife, against the mother, still doth cry
To be the Author of conspiracy.
The King dismay'd, a mighty Hoast doth raise;
Which Cyrus heares, and so fore-slowes his pace:
But as he goes, his Forces still augments,
Seven hundred Greeks now further his intents:
And others to be warm'd by this new sun,
In numbers from his brother daily run.
The fearfull King, at last, musters his Forces;
And counts nine hundred thousand foot and horses:
And yet with these, had neither heart, nor grace;
To lo•k his manly brother in the face.
Three hundred thousand, yet to Syria sent;
To keep those streights, to hinder his intent.
Their Captain hearing, but of Cyrus name.
Ran back, and quire abandoned the same,
Abrccomes, was this base cowards name,
Not worthy to be known, but for his shame:
This place was made, by nature, and by art;
Few might have kept it, had they but a heart.
Cyrus dispair'd, a passage there to gain;
So hir'd a fleet, to waft him ore the Maine,
The mazed King, was now about to fly;
To th'utmost parts of Bactr'a, and there lye.
Had not a Captain; sore against his will;
By reason, and by force, detain'd him still.
Up then with speed, a mighty trench he throwes,
For his security, against his foes.
Six yards the depth, and forty miles the length,
Some fifty, or else sixty foote in breadth.
Page 112Yet for his brothers comming, durst not stay,
He surest was, when furthest out o'th' way.
Cyrus finding his campe, and no man there;
Rejoyced not a little at his feare.
On this, he and his Souldiers cuelesse grow,
And here, and there, in carts their Armes they throw,
When suddenly their Scouts come in and cry,
Arme, arme, the King is now approaching nigh;
In this confusion, each man as he might,
Gets on his armes, arayes himselfe for fight;
And ranged stood, by great Euphrates side,
The brunt of that huge multitude to bide.
Of whose great numbers, their intelligence,
Was gather'd by the dust that rose from thence:
Which like a mighty cloud darkned the skye;
And black and blacker grew, as they drew nigh
But when their order, and silence they saw;
That, more then multitudes, their hearts did awe:
For tumult and confusion they expected,
And all good discipline to be neglected.
But long under their fears, they did not stay,
For at first charge the Persians ran away.
Which did such courage to the Grecians bring,
They straight adored Cyrus for their King,
So had he been, and got the victory,
Had not his too much valour put him by.
He with six hundred, on a squadron set,
Of six thousand, wherein the King was yet;
And brought his Souldiers on so gallantly,
They were about to leave their King and fly,
Whom Cyrus spi'd, cries cut, I see the man,
And with a full career, at him he ran.
Page 113But in his speed a Dart hit him i'th' eye,
Down Cyrus fals, and yeelds to destiny;
His Host in chase, knowes not of his disaster,
But treads down all, for to advance their Master;
At last his head they spy upon a Launce,
Who knowes the sudden change made by this chance;
Sencelesse and mute they stand, yet breath out groans,
Nor Gorgons like to this, transform'd to stones.
After this trance, revenge, new spirits blew,
And now more eagerly their foes pursue,
And heaps on heaps, such multitudes they laid,
Their armes grew weake, through slaughters that they made.
The King unto a country Village flyes,
And for a while unkingly there he lyes;
At last, displayes his Ensigne on a Hil,
Hoping with that to make the Greeks stand stil,
But was deceiv'd; to it they make amain,
The King upon the spur, runs back again;
But they too faint, still to pursue their game,
Being Victors oft, now to their Camp they came;
Nor lackt they any of their number small,
Nor wound receiv'd, but one among them all:
The King with his dispers'd also incampt.
With infamy upon each fore-head stampt;
After a while his thoughts he re-collects,
Of this dayes cowardize, he feares the effects;
If Greeks unto their Country-men declare,
What dastards in the field the persians are;
They soone may come, and place one in his Throne,
And rob him both of Scepter, and of Crown;
That their return be stopt, he judg'd was best,
That so Europians might no more molest;
Page 114Forth-with he sends to's Tent, they straight addresse,
And there all wait his mercy, weaponlesse;
The Greeks with scorn reject his proud commands;
Asking no favour, where they fear'd no bands.
The troubled King, his Herauld sends again,
And sues for peace, that they his friends remain;
The smiling Greeks reply, they first must bait,
They were too hungry to capitulate;
The King great store of all provision sends,
And courtesie to th' utmost he pretends;
Such terrour on the Persians then did fall,
They quak'd, to heare them, to each other call.
The King's perplext, there dares not let them stay,
And feares as much to let them march away;
But Kings ne're want such as can serve their will,
Fit instruments t' accomplish what is ill;
As Tyssaphern, knowing his Masters minde,
Invites their chief Commander, as most kinde;
And with all Oathes, and deepest flattery,
Gets them to treat with him in privacy,
But violates his honour, and his word,
And Villaine-like, there puts them to the sword.
The Greeks, having their valiant Captaines slaine,
Chose Xenophon, to lead them home again;
But Tyssaphern did what he could devise,
To stop the way in this their enterprise;
But when through difficulties still they brake,
He sought all sustinance from them to take,
Before them burnt the country as they went,
So to deprive them of all nourishment;
But on they march, through hunger, and through cold,
O're mountains, rocks, and hils, as Lions bold;
Page 115Nor rivers course, nor Persians force could stay,
But on to Trabezond they kept their way;
There was of Greeks, setled a Colony,
These after all, receiv'd them joyfully:
There for some time they were, but whilst they staid,
Into Bithynia often in rodes made;
The King afraid what further they might doe,
Unto the Spartan Admirall did sue,
Straight to transport them to the other side,
For these incursions he durst not abide;
So after all their travell, danger, pain,
In peace they saw their Native soyl again.
The Greeks now (as the Persian King suspects)
The Asiatiques, cowardize detects;
The many victories themselves did gain,
The many thousand Persians they had slain;
And now their Nation with facility,
Might win the universall Monarchy;
They then Dercilladas, send with an Hoast,
Who with his Spartans on the Asian coast;
Town after town, with small resistance take,
Which rumor makes great Artaxerxes quake;
The Greeks by this successe, incourag'd so,
Agesilaus himself doth over-goe,
By th' Kings Lieutenant is encountered,
But Tyssaphernes with his Army fled;
Which over-throw incens'd the King so sore,
That Tyssapherne must be Vice-roy no more;
Tythraustes now is placed in his stead,
And hath command, to take the others head,
Of that false perjur'd wretch, this was the last,
Who of his cruelty made many tast,
Page 116Tythraustes trusts more to his wit then Arms,
And hopes by craft to quit his Masters harmes;
He knows that many towns in Greece envies
The Spartans height, which now apace doth rise;
To these he thirty thousand Tallents sent,
With suit, their force, against his foes be bent;
They to their discontent, receiving hire,
With broyls, and quarrels, sets all Greece on fire.
Agestilaus is called home with speed,
To defend, more then oflend, he had need.
They now lost all, and were a peace to make,
The Kings conditions they are forc't to take;
Dissention in Greece continued long,
Til many a Captain fel, both wise, and strong,
Whose courage nought but death could ever tame,
'Mongst these Epimanondas wants no fame;
Who had (as noble Raleigh doth evince)
All the peculiar vertues of a Prince:
But let us leave these Greeks, to discord bent,
And turne to Persia, as is pertinent;
The King from forraign foes, and all at ease,
His home-bred troubles seeketh to appease;
The two Queens, by his means, 'gin to abate
Their former envie, and inveterate hare;
Then in voluptuousnesse he leads his life,
And weds his Daughter for a second wife;
His Mothers wicked counsell was the cause,
Who sooths him up, his owne desires are Lawes:
But yet for all his greatnesse, and long reign,
He must leave all, and in the pit remain;
Forty three years he rules, then turns to dust,
As all the mighty ones, have done, and must:
Page 117But this of him is worth the memory,
He was the Master of good Nehemie.
Darius Ochus.
GReat Artexerxes dead, Ochus succeeds,
Of whom no Record's extant of his deeds;
Was it because the Grecians now at war,
Made Writers work at home, they sought not far?
Or dealing with the Persian, now no more
Their Acts recorded not, as heretofore?
Or else, perhaps the deeds of Persian Kings
In after wars were burnt, 'mongst other things?
That three and twenty years he reign'd, I finde,
The rest is but conjecture of my minde.
Arsames, or Arses.
Page 118
WHy Arsames his brother should succeed,
I can no reason give, cause none I read;
It may be thought, surely he had no Son,
So fell to him, which else it had not done:
What Acts he did, time hath not now left pend,
But as 'tis thought, in him had Cyrus end:
Whose race long time had worn the Diadem,
But now's divolved, to another Stem.
Three years he reign'd, as Chronicles expresse,
Then Natures debt he paid, quite Issue-lesse.
Darius Codomanus.
HOw this Darius did attain the Crown,
By favour, force, or fraud, is not set down:
If not (as is before) of Cyrus race,
By one of these, he must obtain the place.
Some writers say, that he was Arses son,
And that great Cyrus line, yet was not run,
That Ochus unto Arsames was father,
Which by some probabilities (seems rather;)
That son, and father, both were murthered
By one Bagoas, an Eunuch (as is sed.)
Thus learned Pemble, whom we may not slight,
But as before doth (well read) Raleigh write,
Antd he that story reads, shall often find;
That severall men, will have their severall mind;
Yet in these differences, we may behold;
With our judicious learned Knight to hold.
And this 'mongst all's no controverted thing,
That this Darius was last Persian King,
Whose warres and losses we may better tell;
In Alexanders reign who did him quell,
How from the top of worlds felicity;
He fell to depth of greatest misery,
Whose honours, treasures, pleasures, had short s•ay;
One deluge came, and swept them all away;
And in the sixt year of his haplesse reigne,
Of all, did scarce his winding sheet retaine.
And last; a sad catastrophe to end,
Him, to the grave, did •raytor Bessus send.
The end of the Persian Monarchy.
