The famous hystory of Herodotus - Book 1 (Clio)

THE Famous Hyſtory of HERODOTVS: Conteyning the Diſcourſe of dyuers Countreys, the ſucceſſion of theyr Kyngs: the actes and exploytes atchieued by them: the Lavves and cuſtomes of euery Nation: with the true Deſcription and Antiquitie of the ſame.

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Deuided into nine Bookes, entituled vvith the names of the nine Muſes. At London Printed by Thomas Marſhe. 1584.

To the right excellent and vertuous Gentleman Mayfter Robert Dormer, ſonne to the noble Knight Sir Wyllyam Dormer, B. R. wiſheth increaſe of worſhip, with the fauoure of God.

PRetily was it aunſweared of Praxiteles (right worſhipfull) who beeyng demaunded which of both were moſt to be eſteemed the Paynter or the writer of Hystories: whether of the two would you chooſe (quoth he) to be dumbe and make a ſigne aptly, or to haue the uſe of your tongue, and tell your tale fitly? ſo that hymſelfe beyng a Paynter, and the ſcience ſo greatly regarded as then it was, yet beyng made a iudge of two notable ſciences, he thought meeter to derogate ſomething from his owne arte, then to defame a better. ſuch were the dayes then, and the people ſo farre enamoured wyth the Arte of Paynting, that to haue ſkyll in the draught of fhadowes, and the apt framing of pictures, was deemed the beſt quality that could reſt in a Gentleman: touchyng whiche, wee may well ſay as dyd Parrhaſius, who paynting one that ranne in a race, and not able to make hym ſweate, added this for a note, No farther then coulours. ſo that Praxiteles with his pencill ſhall make the ſigne, and being not underſtoode, Herodotus ſhall tell his tale, by meanes whereof, that which wanteth in the one, ſhall be ſo plentifully ſupplyed in the other, that dyſpiſing the Paynter for ſetting downe to little, we ſhall ſuſpect the wryter for alleadging to much, finding faulte with one for obſcuritie, and in the other fearing flatterie. ſo lyuely in many things, and ſo euident in all things is the pleaſaunt diſcourſe of hyſtories, that a better coūterfayte may be drawne wyth two penfull of incke in Herodotus tale, then with two potfull of coulours in Apelles table. But to leaue the Paynter to his coulours, it was fitly ſayde of Cicero, that to knowe no more then that which was done in his owne time, were ſtill to be a childe, meaning that the chiefeſt parte of wiſedome by the which we fartheſt ſurmount the boundes of childiſh ignoraūce, is to be well ſeene in ſtoryes, out of the which, whether more profite or pleaſure redounde to thoſe that reade them,it is hard to ſay. For what greater commodity may there be, then to fit our ſelues with ſundry ſortes of examples, to direct our wits, to frame our manners, to gouerne the courſe of our whole lyues, an infinite number whereof are offered in ſtories to the ſingulare profite of the poſteritie. Vertue blaſed with excellency, vice defaced with infamy, famous cities vtterly deſtroyed, ſmall townes highly aduanced, auncient frendship turned to enmity, mortall hatred conuerted to amitie, free cities brought vnder tribute, and ſuche as were tributarie,reſtored to freedome, briefly,all things in ſtoryes, that may eyther for profite auayle the reader,or for pleaſure delight hym. It is lefte to memory of Scipio Africanus a noble Gentleman of Rome,that ſeeking to enſue the example of Cyrus which was fayned by Xenophon, he atchieued that fame of wiſedome and valure as fewe had attayned before hym. The lyke happened to ſelimus prince of the Turkes, whoſe auncetours hating ſtories, he cauſed the actes of Caeſar to be drawne into his mother tongue, and by his example, ſubdued a great parte of Aſia and Africa. And Cæſar himſelfe had neuer aſpired to the type of ſo great renowne, but by following of Alexander, reading whoſe victories, he braſt out into teares, forſomuch as at the ſame age whereat Alexander had ſubdued the whole worlde, hymſelfe had done nothing woorthy memory. The delyghte wee receyue by readyng hystories,is euery way ſingulare, a ſoueraigne medicine for the cares of the minde,a ſpeedy remedy for the griefes of the body. ſo that Alphonſus Kyng of Spayne, lefte by Phyſicke as incurable, recouered his health by readyng Lyuy. In which kynde of delightſome veyne, ſithence of all other Herodotus moſt excelleth, both for the pleaſaunt courſe of the ſtory, and the plentifull knowledge cōteyned therein, I thought him not vnfit at his firſt entry into Englande, to growe in fauour wyth ſo noble a Gentleman, by whoſe countenaunce gaynyng credite, hee may with leſſe ſhame and greater acceptaunce aduenture into the hands of ſuch as ſhall reade hym. I leaue hym therfore in your worſhips hands to entertayne as a ſtranger, and as he deſerueth to make hym familiar,not forgetting to wiſh hym good fortune as a forreyner, and to your ſelfe increaſe of fame, and the fauour of God to youre lyues ende. Your Worſhips moſt duty full to commaunde, B. R.

To the Gentlemen Readers.

RIght courteous Gentlemen, we haue brought out of Greece into England two of the Muſes, Clio and Euterpe, as deſirous to ſee the lande as to learne the language; whome I truſt you wil vſe well becauſe they be women,and you cannot abuſe them becauſe you be Gentlemen. As theſe ſpeede ſo the reſt will followe,neyther altogether vnwilling to forſake theyr owne Countrey, nor yetouerhaſty to arriue into this, repoſing the ende of theyr counſayle in the proofe of youre courteſie. If you lyke them not for the attyre they weare, yet bid them welcome for the newes they bring, which I confeſſe are in many poyntes ſtraunge, but for the moſt parte true. The firſt of theſe hath trauelled through three Countreys of auncient fame, Lydia, Perſia, and Aſſyria, making reporte of all ſuche things as in the ſame are eyther memorable for antiquity, or famous for excellency. The ſecond eyther leſſe able to trauayle farre, or more pleaſuring in that Countrey, kepte reſyaunce in Ægypt, where ſhe found the people ſo witty, the countrey ſo wonderfull, all things ſo ſtraunge,and differing from the common courſe of nature, that abiding there, ſhee thoughte Ægypt to haue greater store of myracles, then all the world beſide. Wherefore trauelling to no place but to Ægypt, ſhe telleth no news but out of Ægypt, howbeit, in ſuch exquiſite manner, that for the countrey, the people, the princes, the lawes, the courſe of all antiquitie, hearing her, ye will deſire no more. Neyther of theſe are braued out in theyr coulours as the vſe is now adayes, and yet ſo ſeemely, as eyther you will loue them becauſe they are modeſt, or not miſlike them becauſe they are not impudent, ſince in refuſing ydle pearles to make them ſeeme gaudy, they reiect not modeſt apparrell to cauſe them go comely. The truth is (Gentlemen) in making them newe attyre, I was fayne to take example by theyr olde array, cutting out my cloth by another mans meaſure, beeyng great difference whether wee inuent a faſhion of our owne, or imitate a paterne ſet downe by another. Whiche I ſpeake not to this ende, for that my ſelfe coulde haue done more eloquently in engliſhe then our Authour hath in Greeke, but that the courſe of his writing beeyng moſt ſweete in Greeke, conuerted into Engliſhe, looſeth a great parte of his grace. Howſoeuer the caſe ſtandeth Gentlemen, if it be not ſo well as it might be, I would it were better than it is,wiſhing the beſt albeit I can not attayne to the beſt, yet leaſt I condemne my ſelfe before I neede, I wil ſtay vpon the cenſure and opinion of others when the time ſhall come. Till when, and euer, leauing you to God, and the good ſucceſſe of your affayres,I ende.

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Your very friende. B. R.

HERODOTVS HIS FIRST BOOKE INTITLED CLIO.

HERODOTVS beyng of the¹ citye of Halicarnaſſus in Greece wrote and compiled an hiſtory to the end, that nether tract of time might ouerwhelme & bury in ſilence the actes of humayne kynd: nor the worthye, and renowned aduentures of the Grecians and Barbarians, (as well other as chiefly thoſe that were done in warre)might want the due reward of immortal fame. The Perſian wryters witnes ye² firſt cauſe of debate & controuerſie to haue comen by ye people called Phaenices who ſayling from the redde ſea into this of Greece, & inhabityng the ſelfe ſame regions which at this tyme alſo they holde and retayne: gaue themſelues to long vagaries and continuall viages by ſea. In which ſeaſon by trade of marchaundiſe brought from Aegipt and Aſſyria, as in many other countries, ſo alſo they arryued at Argos. Argos at the ſame tyme was the moſt noble and famous city in Greece. Whither the Phaenices directing their courſe, after they were come,and within the ſpace of foure or fyue dayes, had made a good hand and riddaunce³ of their wares. It fortuned certayne women (in whoſe cōpany was the Kings daughter, whoſe name was Io. Borne of Inachus) to approach the ſhore, in mynde to ſuruay and contemplate the wealth and ſubſtaunce of theſe outlandiſh Marchauntes. Now in the meane ſeaſon whiles the womē were buſye and attentiue in praiſing ſuch thinges as their fancy lead them, the Phaeniſes ranne violently vppon them and hauing caught Io with ſome others, they reſt exceedingly affryghted, and flying through feare, incontinently wayghed ancōre and ſayled into Aegipt. By theſe meanes the Perſians record that Io firſt came into Aegipt, not as ye Phaenices reporte, & that this was the firſt cauſe and beginning of iniuryes. It chaunced afterward that certaine Greekes whaſe names they knew not taking ſhore,⁴ & lauding at Tyrus, in like manner made a rape of the kinges daughter named Europa. Theſe were the people of Crete, otherwyſe called the Cretenſes. By which meanes yt was cardes and cardes betwene them, the one beyng full meete and quit with the other. But in proceſſe of tyme, the ſeconde treſpaſſe was alſo made and committed, by the Grecians, who paſſinge in a galley by the riuer Phaſis to Aea, a city of Colchis, and hauing finiſhed the affayres and buſines for which they came,⁵ caryed away Medea daughter to the King, whom the noble gentleman her father eftſones reclayminge by an Harold of peace, and demaunding puniſhment and reuenge on the treſpaſſer: the Grecians made anſweare, that as by themſelues no correction was done for the rape of Io. euen ſo would they alſo in this cauſe goe voyde of ſmart and eſcape ſcotfree. After this⁶ in the ſecōd age enſuing Alexander the ſonne of Priamus hauing notiſe and aduertiſmēt of theſe things was greatly deſyrous to ſteale and puruay himſelfe a wife of the Grecians, not fearyng the rigour of Iuſtice, or anye manner pey, or chaſtiſment, which they before had vtterly refuſed to beare and ſuſtayne. Hauing therfore gotten Helena, and conuayed her away it ſeemed good to the Greekes, to clayme by embaſſage, reſtitution of the rape and iuſtice on the rauiſher, vnto whom the ſtealth of Medea was obiected and anſweare made that it was not meete for them to require eyther loſſe or law, which in former tyme would be ruled by neyther. Thus the tyme hetherto paſſed on by mutuall pillage betweene them. But of thoſe things which inſue and follow. Vpon theſe ye Perſians affyrme, the Grecians to haue bene the chiefe authors, who firſt inuaded Aſia by the power of warre then euer themſelues attempted the rule and domiminion of Europa.⁷ Reputing it the poynt of rude and groſe iniury to steale away women, and the ſigne of a greater folly to purſue the loſſe of them: ſince no wyſe man would ſet ought by thoſe that without their owne aſſent and free wil could neuer haue bene ſtolne. For this cauſe the Perſians alleadge how lightly they valued the loſſe of their Ladyes, whereas the Greekes on the other ſyde, for one silye danie of Lacedemonia,furniſhed a huge nauy and comming into Aſia, ſubuerted and brought to ruine the kingdome of Priamus. ſince which tyme they haue alwayes thought of the Grecians as of their heauy frendeſ, eſteeming themſelues ſomewhat allyed to Aſia and the nations of Barbaria, but the Grecians to be ſtrangers, and alyens vnto them. And as touching the courſe & proceding of theſe things, the Perſians report on this manner, adding hereto that the firſt cauſe of tumult and contention betweene them aroſe by the ouerthrow and deſtruction of Troy. With whoſe aſſertions the Phaenices agree not aboute the Lady Io. Whom they flatly denye to haue bene caryed by them into Ægipt in manner of a rape, ſhewinge, howe that in theyr abode at Argos, ſhee fortuned to cloſe with the mayſter of a ſhippe, and feelynge her ſelfe to bee ſpedde: fearynge and doubtinge greatlye the feueritye, & cruell tyrannye of her Parentes, and the detection of her owne follye, ſhee willynglye toke shyppe and fledde ſtrayght awaye. Such are the recordes of the Perſians, and Phaenicians, of the truth wherof I meane not to diſcuſſe. Onely whom I fynde to haue done the firſt harme and iniurye to people of Greece of hym I determine to ſpeake proceding orderly wt the declaratiō aſwell of fmall cityes & townes of meaner fortune as of thoſe that are populous & wel frequented, for ſo much as many cityes which former ages haue knowne right ample and wel peopled, are now fallen to a low ebbe: and contrariwyſe, thoſe which in the compaſſe of our memory were greate haue heretofore bene much leſſe: wherefore knowing the tenor of humayne felicity to be eftſones varyable, and neuer at one ſtay, my purpoſe is to vſe the examples of eyther kynd.

Craeſus⁸ a Lidian born deſcended of Halyattes, was King of thoſe countryes, that lye within the riuer Halis, which flowing from the ſouth part of the worlde, betweene the Syrians and the Paphlagonians, right againſt the North wind breaketh into the ſea called Euxinam. Of al the princes Barbarian of whom we haue vnderſtanding this ſame Craeſus was the chiefe that made ſome of the Greekes tributary and other his friendeſ, he fubdued the Iones, Aeoles and Dores that dwell in Aſia:⁹ concluding with the Lacedemonians a friendly league of amity. Wheras before him none of the Graecians were euer thrall, or in bondage to any. For as touching the voyage made by the Cymmerians agaynſt Ionia, it happened long before the tyme of Craeſus: wherein was vſed no ſacking of cities, no diſpoylinge of townes: but ſecret inuaſions and ſeyſing on the pray. And albeit¹⁰ in the countrey of this noble King Craeſus the ſoueraygnty and chiefe rule were peculiare to the ſtock of Hercules which were called Heraclidae, yet was it in this order translated to the bloud of Craeſus whoſe names were Mernadae Candaules (whom the Greekes call Silos) was king of Sardis comming of the lyne and progenie of Alcæus the ſonne of Hercules. The firſt kyng of the family of Haeraclidans that raygned in Sardis beynge named Argon ſonne of Niuus nephew of Belus ſonne to the nephew Alcaeus and the laſt Candaules the ſonne of Mirſus. Before Argon his raygne, they which gouerned the countrey, were the ofſpring of Lydus the ſonne of Atis,¹¹ of whom the whole people toke the name of Lydians beyng before tyme called the Meonyts, of theſe were the Heraclidans brought vp, beyng borue of Hercules & Iardana a bondmayd.¹² Vnto theſe (by vertue of the oracle) was the ſeignory, and ſupreme gouernment translated, who held the ſame for terme of fyue hundred and fiue yeares, the ſonne eftſones ſucceded hys father, euen vnto Candaules the ſonne of Myrſus. This Candaules¹³ was paſſing well affectioned to his wyfe, in ſo much yt for the ſinguler loue he bare her, he thought her to excell al women in the comly feature of the body. And hereof beyng himſelfe fully perswaded, hee fortuned to fall in talke with Gyges ſonne of Baſcylus, one of the chiefe and principall of his garde (whom alſo he eſpecially fauoured, & not ſeeldome employed him in matters of greate weight) aduauncing vnto him the ſeemly ſhape of his wife aboue meaſure. In ſhort ſpace after (for the euill hap haunted hym) meetinge with the aforefayde Gyges, hee beganne thus. My faythfull ſeruaunt Gyges, wheras thou ſeemeſt not to credite the large vauntes and often bragges which I make of my Ladyes beauty and comlyneſſe (the eares of men beyng much more incredulous then their eyes) behold I wil ſo bring to paſſe, yt thou ſhalt ſee her naked. Wherat the pore Gentleman greatlye abaſhed, and in no wyſe willyng to aſſent therto, made anſwere as followeth. My Lord (quoth he)¹⁴ what māner of ſpeech is this which vnaduiſedly you vſe in perswading me to beholde my ladyes ſecrets. for a womā you know, the more in ſight the leſſe in ſhame. Who togeather with her garmentes layth aſſyde her modeſtye, honeſt preceptes haue bene deuiſed by our elders which wee ought to remember, Whereof this is one, that euery man ought to behold his owne. For myne own part I eaſily beleeue you, that of all women in the world, there is none comparable vnto her in beauty. Wherfore I beſeech your grace, to haue me excuſed, if in a caſe ſo heynous and vnlawfull, I ſomewhat refuſe to obay your wil. Gyges hauing in this ſort acquited himſelfe, fearing the daunger yt might enſue. The King began a freſh to replye, faying, My good Gyges, take hart at grace, & feare not, leaſt eyther my ſelfe do goe about to examine and feele thy meaning by the coloured gloſe of fayned ſpeach, or that the Queene my Ladye take occaſion to worke thy diſpleaſure hereby. Pull vpp thy ſpirites, and leaue al to mee: it is I that wil worke the meanes, whereby ſhee ſhall neuer know any part of her ſelfe to haue bene ſeene by anye creature liuing. Listen then awhyle and geue eare to my counſayle. When night is come the dore of the chaumber wherein wee lye beyng wyde ſet open, I will couertly place thee behynde the ſame: ſtrayght at my entraunce thereinto,her cuſtome is not to be long after mee,directly at her comming in, there ſtandeth a bench, wherat vnclothing herſelfe, ſhee accuſtometh to lay her garmentes vppon it, propoundinge her deuine and angelicall body, to bee ſeene and viewed for a long ſpace, this done, as ſhe turnes frō the bench to bedwarde, her backe beyng toward thee, haue care to ſlip priuily out of the dores leaſt happily ſhe espye thee. The gentleman ſeynge hymſelfe taken in a trap, that in no wyſe he could eſcape without perfourmāce of his Lords folly, gaue his aſſent, and at an howre appoynted ſtood in a readines, whom Candaules closly brought into his chaumber: and immediatly after came the Queene: whom Gyges hauyng beheld at his pleaſure, when her back was turned crept out of the dore, yet not ſo ſecretly, but yt the Queene had a glymſe of hym, and perceyued, who hee was. The Lady ſeyng the fond and vndiſcrete treacherye of her huſband made little adoe, and ſeemed as though ſhee had ſeene nothing. Albeit fully mynding to bee reuenged of the ſhameles fooliſh facte of her espouſed Lord. For with the Lydians, and welnygh alſo with the reſt of the Barbarians, it is a greate reproach euen for a man to be ſeene vnclothed. How beit for the preſent tyme ſhe kept ſilence, makyng no ſemblaunce of my diſpleaſure. The day following, hauing aſſembled certayne of her houſhold ſeruauntes, in whom ſhee hadde eſpeciall affyaunce, Gyges was ſent for, who ſuſpecting nothing leſſe then that hys deceipt was knowen: ſpedely and with all diligence, adreſſed hym to come: beyng wont alſo at other tymes to come to the Queene as oft as yet pleaſed hyr to ſende for him. Beyng entred the chaumber ſhe began to aſſayle him in theſe worde. Now Gyges of two preſent wayes I geue thee free choyce which of them both thou wilt take: eyther to ſlay the King Candaules and enioy mee with the Kingedome of Lydia: or thy ſelfe preſently to leeſe thy lyfe. Leſt in obayng thy Lord in that thou oughteſt not, thou be hēſeforth priuye to that which thou ſhouldeſt not. There is no remedy ye one of you both must to the pot, ether the mayſter or the man, ether hee which led thee herevnto, or thy ſelfe that ſaweſt mee naked, and diddeſt thoſe thinkes that wer vnlawful to be done. Gyges herewith amazed beganne firſt to beſeech her humbly, entreating her not to bynd him to ſo harde a condition. Neuertheleſſe being not hable to perswade her, and ſeinge it neceſſarye eyther to murther his Lord, or to be murthered by other, he deemed it the better choyſe to lyue hymſelfe, addreſſing his ſpeech to the Queene in this wyſe. My ſoueraygne Lady (quoth he) ſynce of neceſſity you compell mee to become guylty of the bloude of my Kinge, let mee heare by what meanes wee ſhall ſet vppon him: of a truth (fayd ſhee) our treaſon ſhall proceede from the ſame place from whence he bewrayed my ſhame. The aſſault ſhall be geuen when hee is a ſleepe. The wretched Gentleman dryuen to ſo harde a ſtrayght, that eyther hee must ſlaye or be ſlayne, made no delay but followed the Queene into her bed chaumber, whom with a naked dagger in hys hand, ſhe priuely placed behynd the ſame dore, from whence Gyges afterwardes aryſing bereaued Candaules of his life, and obtayned both hys wyfe and his kingdome.¹⁵ Whereof alſo Archilocus Parius who was liuing at the ſame tyme maketh mention in a verſe named lambie. Trimeter. To bee ſhort Gyges proclaymed himſelfe kyng, and was eſtabliſhed in the gouernment by the oracle from Delphos.¹⁶ For when as the Lydidians greatly diſdayning at the heauy lotts of Candaules, aroſe, and were all in armoure, they came to agreement w^t them that mayntayned the cauſe of Gyges, that wherehe waspronoūced kyng by y^e oracle¹⁷ he ſhould raygne in peace: if otherwiſe the ſupreme authority ſhould bee reſtored to y^t bloud of Hercules. Counſayle beynge demaunded of the oracle: the gouernment and principall authoritye was aſſygned to Gyges. Albeyt Pythia mīgling hony wt gall threatned a reuenge to come vpon y^e ſon of Gyges nephewes nephew: or fift in line all diſcent from himſelfe: which ſayng neither the Lydians, nor their princes any thing regarded vntil ſuch tyme as the end had confirmed it. Gyges beynge in full poſſeſſion of the kyngdome, ſent many giftes to Delphos to the Temple of Apollo,¹⁸ whereof the greater part were framed of ſiluer, and besides the ſiluer, a mightye ſumme of Gold. How beit amonges diuerfe his preſentes one is moſt worthy memory: to wit, 6 diſhes of golde offred by hym wayghing thirty talentes, which were ſafely garded in the cloſe treaſurye of the Corynthians. Albeit (to ſpeake truth) the treaſure wee ſpeake of, was not proper to the people of Corinth, but rather to Cypſelus the ſonne of Ætion. In this manner was Gyges¹⁹ the firſt king of the Barbarians (of whom we haue notice) that preſented any gyftes at the temple of Delphos ſaue only Mydas ſonne to the noble Gordius, and king of Phrigia. For Mydas alſo conſecrated a ſumptuous chayre of eſtate, wherin he was accuſtomed to ſit and adminIſter iuſtice very princely and beautiful to behold, which was kept and cōſerued in the ſame place where ye golden diſhes of Gyges lay. The gold and ſiluer offred by Gyges was termed by the people of Delphos Gygeum, or Gygades, taking the name of the geuer. Beyng ſetled in hys emperiall dignitye he warred agaynſt Myletus, and Smyrna, and toke the city Colophon by force of armes. neither any other act besides this was atchieued byhim, albeithe raigned thirty eyght years, we wil therfore paſſe frō him to hys ſonne named Ardyis,²⁰ who as heire apparaunt to the crowne, ſucceeded his father in the ſtate royall. Ardyis conquered the Prienensis and inuaded Miletus in the tyme of whoſe raygne the people called Cymmerians diſpoſſeſſed of their owne ſeats by the Scithians, ſurnamed Nomades came into Aſia, and aduēturing vpon Sardis the ſeate of prince Ardyis toke the Citye excepting onely the towre and chiefe caſtle of defence. Ardyis hauyng ruled the kingdome forty nyne yeares, then left yt afterward vnto hys ſonne and Heire, called Sadyattes,²¹ who gouerned the ſame the ſpace of twelue yeares. After him the Scepter deſcended to Halyattes,²² who ioyned battayle with Cyaxares ſonne of Beioces and hys people the Medes, baniſhing the Cymmerians out of Aſia. Moreouer by the ſame was the Citye Smyrna ſurpriſed, lying neere vnto Colophon, lykewyſe the famous Citye Clazomenae valyauntlye aſſayled, wherfore (notwithſtandynge) his noble courage was daunted, and he was forſt to depart deſtitute of his hope, other thinges alſo were done by hym in tyme of hys warfare verye worthye of memory: which are theſe following. In his warre with the Mileſians left vnto hym by hys father, he practiſed thys meanes in beſieging the Citye. In time of harueſt the grayne beyng ready for the ſickle, he ſent in his army marching with the ſound of fluites and pypes: which beyng comen into the fieldeſ of the ennemye, their houſes they left vntouched, onely waſted the trees and fruictes of the region, which done, they eftſoones retyred to the place, from whence they came. For the Mileſians hauing intelligence of their ennemyes approach, forſooke theyr city and dwelling houſes, and fled to the ſea, ſo that it behoued not the ennemy to ſtay there: hys dryft and purpoſe in not ſpoyling the manſion places of his aduerſaryes, was onele this, that the Mileſians hauing place wherin to dwell, might returne agayne from the ſea to till and ſow the grounde, which might geue him occaſion to reenter with his power, and bring their labours to none effect. In this manner hee inuaded the countrey, for terme of xi. yeares, wherein the Mileſians ſuffred two notable foyles. The firſt in Lemeneium, a place ſo called in their owne countrey. The ſecond in a certayne field named Meander. Sixe of theſe eleuen yeares did Sadyattes the ſonne of Ardyis raygne in Lidya, and beginning the Milefian warre, troubled his enemyes by perpetuall inuaſions, and often conflictes. For other fyue years hys ſonne Halyattes main tayned the quarel receyued of his father. In all the tyme of this warre, none of the people of Ionia gaue ſuccour to the Mileſians, ſaue onely the inhabitauntes of Chios, who hauing before tyme bene ayded by them in the battayle which they fought with the Erythaeans, ſhewing mutuall goodwil, ſent them now a ſupply in their like extremityes. In the xii. yeare Halyattes deſpoyling the fieldeſ in lyke ſort, as before it chaunced that whyle the corne was on fyre, a great tempeſt aroſe & caried the flames violently to ye temple of Minerua ſurnamed Aſſeſſia, & burnt ye pallaice of ye Goddeſſe welnigh to the ground. Which thing at that preſent was lightly regarded of hym, but being with his army returned to Sardis, he fell ſicke, and beyng much enfeebled with the vehemency of his maladye, whether of his owne heade, or by the counſayle of others moued thervnto, ſent to Dephos to the God for the recouery of his health & welfare, when the meſſengers were come, Pythia refuſed to geue them anſweare, before they had repaired the temple of Miuerua, which the fyer had conſumed at Aſſeſſum. This I heard with myne owneares at Delphos, whyle I there ſoiorned. Hereunto y^e Mileſians adde beſydes, y^e Periander the ſonne of Cypſelius, hearing what anſweare Haliattes had geuen hym by the oracle, in all haſt poſſible diſpatched a meſſenger to Thrasibulus thē King of Miletus his faithful & familiar frend to admoniſh him to workeſome deuyſe, how to delyuer himſelfe & hys countrey from the perpetual moleſtation of his enemyes. Halyattes hauing receiued theſe nowes, ſent incontinent to Miletus for compoſition of a truce till ſuch tyme as the temple was renewed and erected agayn. The ambaſſadoures being arriued Thraſibulus which knew the cauſe of their cōming and vnderſtoode the purpoſe of Halyattes framed this deuiſe, what Corne ſoeuer was in the city ether of his owne, or in the poſſeſſion of others, he commaunded it all to bee brought into the Market place and there to be layed in one heape. This done he gaue in eſpecial charge to all the citye at a priuye ſigne to fall to feaſting, tipling and quaffing betweene themſelues aboue meaſure. Which thing he deuyſed, to the intent the Sardian embaſſadours beholding ſo greate plentye, and aboundance of grayne and vewing the people in ſuch wiſe to diſport them ſelues with al kynde of pleaſure and delight, might make report therof to y^e kinge his ſoueraigne which fell out accordynglye. For the ambaſſadours taking diligent view of all thinges they ſaw, and diſpatching their ambaſſage to Thrasibulus made ſpeedy recourſe to Sardis. And as I am geuen to vnderſtand, hereof onelye proceeded a concluſion of peace betwene them. For Halyattes ſuppoſinge the Mileſians to bee oppreſſed with greate want and penury of grayne, at the returne of hys legates hard other newes then hee looked for. After this, a league was eſtabliſhed between them of mutuall hoſpitality and fellowſhip, and in ſteed of one temple, Halyattes, cauſed 2 other to be ſumptiuouſly built at Aſſeſſū beyng after reſtored to hyſful and perfect ſtrength. ſuch was then the maner of the warre, that Halyattes mayntayned agaynſt the people of Miletus, Periander the ſonne of Sypſelus who aduertiſed Thraſibulus of the oracle, was king of Corinth, in whoſe raigne there happened by report of hys people, with whom alſo y^e cityzens of Leſbos do iustly accord a miracle right ſtraunge and wonderful,²³ Arion Methimnaeus ſitting on the backe of a Dolphine by ſafe and eaſy conduite, arryued at Taenaros, hauing the name to bee the moſt excellent and ſkylfull muſition on the harpe of thoſe tymes, by whom alſo chieflye was inuented, named, and taught the kynde and forme of verſe called Bithyrambus. The fame is, how this Aryon hauing a lōg tyme bene reſident in the court of Periander, was greatly deſyrous to paſſe the ſeas into Italye, and Cicilie, wher beyng growen in wealth, and flowinge with infinite ſummes of money, was lead by a deſire of retyring backe into hys owne countreye, and determyne to in ſhip himſelfe at Tarentum, for the ſpeciall credite and good lyking he had to the men of his owne nation, hyred a Corinthian barck to returne in: which hauing a gall of pleaſant wynde, and beinge nowe without kenne of Lande, the Maryners were all in mind to haue borded Aryon, to enioy his money: which thing ye pore harper perceyuing freely offred to depart from his wealth, if therewith ſatiſfyed they would ſhew mercy on him ſelfe and ſpare his life. Howbeit finding thē cruelly bent, & not to bee moued with anye tears,but yt either he must kil himſelfe,& be buried on y^elād or fling hīſelfe hedlōg into y^e mids of ye ſea:he beſought thē hūbly y^t ſince it ſemed them beſt to deale ſo roughly w^t him they would graunt him liberty in his richeſt aray, to ſing a ſong, wherto they gladly yeldīg, as beyng not a little ioyful to lend their eares to the chiefeſt and moſt famous muſitiō then liuing on the earth. He wēt from them apart into the middeſt of the ſhippe,wher hauing decked his body w^t moſt pretious and coſtlye furniture he framed his voyce to the ſweete and melodious verſe named Orthium, which no ſoner had he brought to an end, but al his pompe & glorious arayment, he threw himſelfe headlonge into the Sea: the ſhipmen held on their courſe to Corinth. Arion receyued by a Dolphin, was in perfect ſafety landed at Taenaros frō whence ſo arrayed as he was he framed his ſteps towarde Corinth to the ſeate and pallace of the king: wher hauing entred a diſcourſe of his ſtraūge caſe & incredible fortune, ye king ſuppoſing him to ouer reach, cōmitted him immediatlyto cloſe ward wher no mā might haue acceſſe vnto hī. After that diligent ſerch was made for the mariners, who beyng apprehended and curiouſlye queſtioned with about Arion, made anſwere that his abode was aboute Italy and how at their comming from thence, they leaft him in floriſhing eſtate at Tarentum, at which words Arion preſētly appearing, draue them into ſuch a quandarye: that hauing no colour of excuſe, they were compelled perforce to confeſſe the truth. Theſe thinges are verifyed by the men of Corinth, and Leſbos. Ther is yet to be ſeene at Taenaros a huge & maſſy monumēt wrought of braſſe, Arion ſitting on y^e back of a Dolphin. Howbeit, Haliattes²⁴ prince of Lydia hauing entred the warre with the Mileſians, & gouerned the kingdome 57 yeares finiſhed his dayes: who ſecond of that linage, after the due recouerye of his ſtrength offred at Delphos a piece of ſiluer plate of value incomparable,and a ſmal diſh of yron curyously wrought, a thinge no leſſe wonderful to behold then ought that hath bene dedicated in the temple of Apollo being the handy worke of Blaucus Chius,²⁵ who firſt found out the meane to worke in yron. After the death of Haliattes, the ſceptor deſcended vnto Craeſus his ſonne, beyng then at the age of thirtye and three yeares. This Kyng mynding to haue a fling at the Grecians began firſt of all,and encountred with the people of Epheſus, who beyng inuyroned by hym with a ſiege: gaue theyr Citty to the Goddeſſe, tying a rope from the temple of Diana to the walles of the Towne. Betweene the olde citye that was beſieged and the Temple was the ſpace of 7.furlonges. Theſe were the firſt that Craeſus began to quarel with amonges the Grecians. After this he began by piecemeale to be doyng with the ſeuerall cityes of Ionia Æolia, pretending agaynſt each diuerfe and fundrye cauſes ſome very weighty and of due regard, other meeretrifles and very friuolous. Now when he had fubdued the Grecians in Aſia, and made them tributory to his ſeat, hee determined to furniſh a nauy agaynſt the inhabitauntes, of the Iſles. To the framing wherof when all things were in readyneſſe, ſome ſay that Bias Prienaeus: other that Pittacus Mitylaeneus comming to Sardis, was demaunded of the Kinge what newes in Greece, who ſhaped him ſuch an anſweare, that it gaue him fmall courage to proceede in his enterpriſe. The people of the Isles, O King (fayd hee) haue made prouiſion of a thouſande horſes, in full purpoſe to come agaynſt thee and thy citye Sardis. Craeſus thinking he had fpoken truth: Would God (quoth he) it might once take them in the brayne to war on horſebacke againſt the ſonnes of the Lydians, who taking his talke by the end, proceeded faying. Moſt noble Prince, it is thy deſire to meete with theſe Sea fiſhes flooting on ſhore: and what dost thou think they more greedy wiſh and long after, then to take thee and thy Lidyans waueryng and toſſing in the water, to gleike the one the other ſyde, for ſo many Grecians become fubiect, & pentionarye to thy kingdome. Wherwith Craeſus verye much delighted, (for that he ſeemed to haue fpoken wiſely) chaunged his mynd, and made a friendly league with the people of Ionia that held the Isles: in proceſſe of tyme hee became conquerour of al thoſe which are within the ryuer Halis. For beſydes the Cilifians, and Lifians, all the reſt were fubiect to the Empire of Craeſus, which were theſe. The Lidians, Phrigians, Myfians, Mariandyns, likewyſe the Chalibes, Paphlagonians, Thraſians, Oetimans, laſtlye the Bithynians, Carians, Iones, Dores, Æoles, Pamphylians, which beyng all fubdued and the Gouernement of the Lydians greatly amplified by Craeſus, there repayred to Sardis, beyng then in y^e flower of her fortune, as well other wyſe men out of Greece, termed ſophIſters, as alſo the moſt famous Solon,²⁶ one of the citye of Athens, who at the inftant prayers of his citizens hauinge tempered the common wealth, with good lawes, vnder coloure of viſittinge ſtraunge countreyes, willingly for terme of yeares abandonned his natyue ſoyle, that hee might not be forced to break the Lawes which he before had made, the Athenians them ſelues ſtanding bound with a ſolemne and religious vowe for ten yeares ſpace to obſerue theſe statutes which Solon had inuented, aſwel then for the maintenance of his lawes as to view and ſee forraine nations, he vndertoke a pilgrimage into Ægipt to King Amaſis, and from thence to Sardis to the court of Craeſus, where in gentle and courteous manner beynge entertayned by the Kinge at the thirde or fourth daye, after his arriuall he was lead about the treaſuryes to view the welth and riches of Craeſus, beholdyng all the ineſtimable and bleſſed iewels that were contayned in them. After he had attentiuely beheld and with curious eye ſurueyed them at his pleaſure. Craeſus began to borde hym on this manner. You Gentleman of Athens, foraſmuche as we hearde greate good wordes of your wiſedome, beyng for knowledge and experience ſake a pilgrim from your countrey, wee haue deemd it conuenient to aſke you a queſtiō, whether at any time you haue ſeene the happieſt man aliue: not miſtruſting, but that the lotte woulde haue fallen to hym ſelfe to haue exceeded all others in bleſſednes. ſolō not mynding to double, as one altogeather vn acquaynted with pleaſing phraſes, deliuered his mynd in free ſpeechin forme as followeth. I haue ſeene O King (quoth he) Tellus,²⁷ one of my coūtriemen of Athens, a man ſurpaſſing all others in happye lyfe, wherat Craeſus wondring, earneſtlye required what cauſe made him thinke ſo highlye of Tellus. For as muche (fayde hee) as in a wel ordered common wealth, heehadde children, trayned vp in vnitye, and honeſty, euery of which hadde likewyſe increaſe of his owne bodye, and yet all liuing. And hauing ſpent the courſe of his age, as wel as a man might, Fortune crowned his end with the perpetual renowne of a moſt glorious death. For the Athenians ioyning in battayle with their next neighbours, Tellus comming with a freſh ſupplye, and putting his ennemies to flight: ended his life in the field, whom y^e people of Athens in the ſelfe ſame place where he had ſhed his bloud, cauſed to be entombed with immortall honour, Solon going forward in a large diſcourſe as touching Tellus was cut of by Craeſus with a ſecond demaunde, who asked him the ſecond tyme, whom in conscience he thought next vnto him, in full hope, that at the leaſt his part had bene next: to whom he anſweared in the next degree.

Moſt mighty Prince, I haue alwayes reputed Cleobis, and Biton two younge menne of the Countrey of Argos, of body ſo ſtrong and actiue, that in all games they wanne the price, of whom theſe thinges are left to memorye. The feaſt of Iuno beynge kept at Argos, the mother of theſe two young men was to bee drawne to the temyle by a yoke of bullocks, which whē the houre came beyng ſtrayed and gone out of the way, the two young youthes yoked thēſelues and halyng the chariot forty fyue furlongs they came to the temple: which after they had done in the ſight & view of the whole multitude in a lucky howre they dyed,wherby y^e Goddeſſe gaue vs to vnderſtand how much better it was for man to die then liue. For when as the people flocking about extolled them to the heauens:the men praiſing y^e good nature and intent of the ſonnes:the women commendinge the bleſſed chaunce of the mother, whom nature had indued with two ſuch children: the good old mother almoſt outof hyr wyttes for ioy, what for the kynd deede of her ſonnes and the goodly ſpeech of the people, aduauncinge their virtue:as ſhee ſtoode before the ymage of Iuno, beſought the Goddeſſe with earneſt prayers to rewarde the kindnes of hir children with the chiefe and moſt precious bleſſing that might happen vnto man. Her prayer made, and both the ſacrifyce and feaſt ended: they gaue themſelues to reſt in the temple, but neuer after awaking, in the mornīg they were founde dead, whom the people of Argos by two carued monumentes placed at Delphos commended to euerlaſtinge memory: for men of rare and excellēt vertue. To theſe men did Solon attribute the next ſtep to perfect happineſſe. Craeſus now beyng throughlye warmed and beginninge to ſtorme: why then (quoth he) thou fooliſhe ſtraunger of Athens is my wealth ſo baſe in thyne eyes that thou demeſt me not worthy to bee compared with two priuate men of Argos. Certes o king (fayd he) you demaund of me a queſtion as one not altogeather ignorāt y^t the hygheſt clymers haue the heauieſt falles, the terme of mans life be threfcore yeares and ten, which yeares conſiſt of twentye fyue thouſande two hundred dayes, omitting to ſpeak of that moneth which is giuen to ſome yeares in addition for the iust compaſſe and reuolution of the tyme. Howbeit if in euery other yeare we increaſe a moneth:for the due concordaunce and euen courſe of times: to threfcore and ten yeres we must adde 35 monethes conteining in themſelues 1500 dayes. Be it then in all theſe dayes (which in full cōputation are twenty ſixe thouſand two hundred and fifty) what thing do wee ſee lyke unto other? what rather not flatly vnlike, ſtraūge & diſagreyng from the former? ſo y^e mā (O Craeſus is altogeather wretched and miſerable, not wtſtanding,thyſelfe art in wealth flouriſhing and a prince of many people: all this I deny not, and yet I cannot call thee hym whom thou wouldeſt be,til ſuch tyme as I heare of thy fortunate death. For wherein is the rych man better then a begger, vnleſſe the courſe of his happines continew to his graue. Ther are many rych but few bleſſed, and many of a meane patrimony, yet very fortune. Two thinges there be wherin the infortunate rich excelleth thoſe who in meaner ſubſtaunce haue fortune their frende: by whom contrariwyſe, they are excelled in many. The wealthy hath to glutte his deſires: & to pay for his default when it happeneth. Both which though fortune haue denyed him y^t in baſer wealth liueth well, yet in this he goeth beyond the other, y^e want of fubſtaunce kepeth him from ryot, & care of well doyng frō ſecurity in offending: the ſame hauing no fmall thankes to yeeld to Fortune, y^t he hath his health,that hee is gauled & greeued with no calamity, that he is a father of verteous children, that he is garniſhed with the beauty and comelye ſhape of the body. Besides al which if his end be lucky: this is hee whom we ſeeke for: a man euery way worthy to bee counted happye. Neuertheles till the laſt gaspe I deeme him not bleſſed, but fortunate. Al which things I think it vnpoſſible to attayne to in this lyfe. For as one coūtrey cānot ſupply vnto it ſelfe all things, but flowing in ſome one thing it fayles in an other: or as the body of a man can not in euery point be abſolute, but happily being fayre in y^e face is deformed in the foote, ſo ſtandeth it alſo with the lyfe of man. Yet who ſo in euery kynd commeth neereſt the mark & ſealeth vp his fortune wt a ſeaſonable death,ſhal in maner of a king be renowned with the famous tytle of felicity. The end of euery thing is to bee regarded what iſſue it is like to haue,becauſe riches are lent by the Gods to many, whom afterward they bring to wrechednes. Solon hauing thus freely and vnfaynedly layde open his opinion, within ſhort ſpace after departed y^e court, & trulye was accomted an vnwiſe mā, in y^t he counſayled euerye one not reſpecting his preſent eſtate, to beholde his end: After whoſe departure y^e heauy anger of the gods fel vpō Craeſus, for y^t he was ſo puffed vp & exalted iu the vain & ineſtimable confidence of his own felicity.²⁸ Who not long tyme after fel into a dreame, which rightly foretolde & ſhewed vnto him y^e great miſfortune & miſery was to lighte vpō his ſon.²⁹ This noble Craeſus had 2. ſonnes, one of the which was dum and impotent, the other ſurpaſſing al of his age in what ſoeuer he betoke himſelfe vnto, whom he called Atis. This Atis (as his dreame gaue him) beyng ſore wounded w^t an heade or poynt of yrō, ſhould ſo periſh & come to his end. The king awaking out of his ſound ſleepe, began to grace vppon the meaning herof, & ſorely agaſt at ſo ſtraunge a visiō, ſought wtout delay to ioyne his ſonne in maryage with ſome beautifull lady of the countrey, and wheras his accuſtomed maner was to employ him in y^e field as a rīgleader of his hoſte frō that time forward he neuer vſed him in ye like affaires. And for the more aſſurance he cauſed al dartes, ſpears and ſuch like weapons of warre that honge in his galeryes to be remoued into by romes and cloſe lodgings of the court, that happily if any thing ſhoulde chaunce to fall, his ſonne might be out of the reach and compaſſe of miſhap. In the meane while when the king was ſolemnizing y^e nuptials and maryage of his ſon, ther came to Sardis a certain young man very pore & miſerable, defyled with bloudſhed, a Phrigian borne,³⁰ & deſcended of princely race. Enteryng y^e Pallace, he beſought the king that it might be lawfull for him to purifye himſelfe after the manner of his courte: which graunted, and in due order accompliſhed, Craeſus aſked him whēce he came and what he was on this maner. My friend, what are you? from what place in Phrigia are you come to my court? what man or womā haue you ſlaine. To whō he anſwered. My Father (mighty prince) is Gordius comen of the line of Midas:my name Adraſtus: And for that vnwittingly I ſlew my Brother, I am caſt out and exiled, from Country, Parents, and goodes. Craeſus replying, ſaid: Of a truth Adraſtus thou art borne of our friēds, and art now comen to thy friends: abide in my houſe and thou ſhalt want nothing. No doubt but the preſent ſmarte of thy calamity will redounde to thy future gayne. Nowe whylſt he made his abode in the kinges palaice. It chaūced that at Olympus in the country of Myſia³¹ there haunted a wyld bore of an huge and incredible bigneſſe, which comming from the mountaine made waſt, and ſpoyle of the labours of the inhabitaunts. Whom the people ſondry times indenouring to take did no hurt to him at al, but rather receyued harme by him. Tyll at lengthe diſpatching meſſengers to the court of Craeſus they framed vnto him a ſute in theſe wordes. There rangeth in our country (moſt famous and noble Prince) a wyld bore, ſtraungely diſmeaſured & ouergrowne by whome our tyllage and huſbandry is piteously waſted and diſpoyled. Neither can we by any meanes poſſible (ſeeking all meanes we can) remoue or rid him frō our borders. We humbly therfore beſeech thy ſoueraygne highneſſe to aforde vs thy ſonne with a company of choyſe and valiaunt youthes, with houn deſ and other neceſſaries to acquyte and deliuer our region of this peſtilent beaſt. To which their ardent ſupplicatians Craeſus callyng to mynde his former viſion ſhaped this replie. Of my ſonne to make any farther mention it were in vaine for I am not determined to ſend him with you, he is newly espouſed to a wyfe ſo that in ſo ſhort ſpace he may not without ſome grieſe eſtraunge and alienate himſelf from the amorous embracemēts of his Lady. Otherwiſe for the moſt tryed and picked out men of y^t Lydians, & ſuch as are ſkilful in the chaſe of wyde beaſt accompanied w^t houndes for the purpoſe, I wil cauſe to returne w^t you with eſpecial charge y^t they let paſſe nothing that may make to the ſpeedy conquering of ſo cruel a monſter. This aunſwere geuen they ſemed therw^t greatly diſcontented, when as in the meane ſpace y^e kings ſon comming in preſence, and hearyng both the requeſt & humble ſuite of the Myfians, and the greeuous repulſe geuen thē by the king his ſire, brake silēce³² & ſaid, deare father. Such things as before tyme wer cōmendable & glorious vnto vs to make profe & tryal of our ſelues, ether in exploits of chiualry, or in excerciſe of chaſe, you haue cleane depriued me of both, nether for any ſhew of slouth, nor defect of courage. With what eies wil the people behold me going & cōming through y^e ſtreets? your fubiects & citezens what will they iudge of me? laſtly what a one ſhal I ſeeme to bee vnto my Lady? Wil ſhe not thinke herſelfe to be coupled w^t a cow:for which cauſes ether permit me to hunt & make one in y^e voiage, or alleage ſome more wayghty & ſeryous reaſon why you retayne me. To whō the king his father made anſwere faying. Myne owne good ſon, not for want of ſtomacke, nor for any diſpeaſure towardes thee do I thus: but being moued hereto by the ſtraunge terroure of a viſion, which foreſhewed to me y^t thy days were ſhort & ſodainly to be ended by y^e pytiful dint of an yrō head. For this cauſe my ſon haue I haſtned thy maryage, & reſtranyed thee of the ſporte and paſtime which is now in hande: for y^t my care is, whyle I am liuing to preſerue thee from peril. Thon art mine only child ſweete Atis, for ſo much as of thy deafe:brother I make non acoūt, thy life is my happines, thy death my miſery. To which words the yoūg prince anſwered. Deare father I hold you excuſed, if prouoked by a dreame ſo rare you be much more diligent & watchful ouer mee: yet in my fācy you cōceaued it not aright. It is needful then yt ſithēce your grace hath miſt the blanke, I lay open vnto youthe true meaning and ſence of the dreame. This ſleepy fantasie (ſay you) hath manaſed my death, by y^t poynt of yron. But why, in this voyage ther be no hands whom I neede to dread:neither any head of yron which you ought to feare,had I either bene to dye by a touth, or ſuch lyke ſome cauſe ther were of doubting the worst, how beit, y^t is the yron head that denounceth my death. For aſmuch thē as we haue not to deale at this time w^t men ther ſemeth vnto me no iust cauſe of abſence, but y^t togeather with the reſt I may enter yt chaſe. Thou haſt wonne me my child (q Craeſus) I can no longer reſiſt, wherfore as vanquiſhed by thee I frankly yeeld and leaue it in thy power to proceede w^t them on hunting, which whē he had spokē, he called for Adraſtus the Phrygian who appearing in preſence was in theſe words aſſailed by hī. Sir Adraſtus at what time you were afflicted w^t miſery & defiled w^t impurity, I yelded ſupply to your wāts & repurged your wickednes hauing receaued you of a ſtraūger into myne own houſe. which things, I do not obiect you as vnthankfull for my bountye, or vnmyndfull of my curteſye: But in that it behoueth you to deſerue well of mee, y^t haue dealt ſo frendly with your ſelfe. I am in mynd to commit vnto thy tender care the ſafeconduit and diligent garde of my ſonne, who is going to hunt, leaſt by fortune you encounter with any theues or robbers that mynd your deſtruction. Beſydes it is thy parte to atchieue renowne by valiant and worthye aduentures, as a thing natural to thy linage, and conueniēt for thy ſtrēgth. To whō Adraſtus anſweared, were it in my choiſe O king (quoth he) I woulde not moue one fote out of thy court: for y^t I deeme it not meete for one in my caſe ſo miſerable to kepe company with the happy and fortunat, from doing wherof, I haue hetherto alwayes refrayned my ſelfe. But for as much as it ſemeth good to your gracious highnes, whom I ought to gratify and ſhew my ſelfe thankefull for ſo great and infinite benefytes receaued, I am ready her in to obay your wil. And for that you haue put me in truſt with the health and welfare of the noble gentleman your ſonne, I auouch and vndertake his ſafe and proſperous returne. Adraſtus hauing ended his talke all thinges beynge in a readynes, w^t approued men and youthes of ſyngular courage: likewyſe, houndes and chaunters of the beſt kynd, they marched on their way. Now when they were come to the hyll Olympus,³³ they began to tract and ſent the beaſt, whom hauyng ſpedily diſloged they flocked about him lyke bees, & with their darts on euery ſide threatned his death. In this gredy aſſault, y^e ſtraūger lately clenſed from bloudſhed, whom they called Adraſtus, diſcharged his dart at the Bore, and deceyued of his ayme, in ſtid of him ſtrake the ſonne of Craeſus, who beyng wounded to death by y^e yron point fulfilled his fathers viſion. Immediatly one of the route retyred ſpedily to the court, & in ſhort ſpace arryuing at Sardis, declared vnto y^e king the great miſfortune & death of his ſonne: wherw^t the woeful father greatly affrighted, yet much more ſorrowed for this that his ſonne was ſlayne by the hands of him who by his meanes had bene lately ſanctifyed and clenſed from ſlaughter. And in the middes of his anguiſh calling vpon the ſanctifyinge God Iupiter, made a piteous complaynt of the wrong done vnto him by a ſtranger. Inuocating like wyſe the Goddes of hoſpitality and friendſhip. The one for becauſe he entertayned a gueſt not knowing that he nouriſhed the manqueller of his ſonne: the other becauſe hee had found him whō he appointed to be y^t tutor & defender of his child a moſt pernicious and deadly enemy. ſcarſly had he ended his prayers, but the Lydians were at hand with the dead corſe, after whom immediatly folowed Adraſtus who beynge comen in preſence, and ſtandynge before the wan, & gastly carcas of Atis ſtretching forth his armes beſought y^t king to ſlea him presēly vpon y^e body of his ſonne, alleadgīg yt what for his former diſtres & euil miſfortue in ſlayng his cleanſer there was no cauſe why any longer he ſhoulde liue. Craeſus albeit in great dolour & vexation of mynd, yet maued with pitty toward Adraſtus, fayd thus. Thou haſt aboundantly ſatisfyed mee (O ſtraunger) in that by thyne owne voyce thou haſt craued death. Neyther art thou y^e cauſe of this heauy chaunce (ſaue that vnawares thou haſt done it) but ſome one of the Gods which foreſhewed vnto me, what was to come. After this Craeſus cauſed his sō to be honourably and magnificially buryed. But³⁴ Adraſtus ſonne of Gordius nephewe to Mydas the fatall enemye of his brother and his frend, when all was hush at the ſepulcher, and euery man had yelded him pardon, yet beynge greuouſly afflycted & gauled in cōscience ſlew hymſelfe miſerably vppon the coffine. For y^e cruel miſhap & deſtenie of his beloued Atis, Craeſus bitterly wailed & lamēted y^e ſpace of 2 yeares, which griefe he aftewards ended: at what time the gouernement of the Medes whas translated from Aſtyages ſon of Cyaxares, to the valiant king Cyrus ſprong of Cambyſes, & that the ſtate of the Perſians begā to encreaſe. Reuoluing & caſtyng with himſelfe what meanes he might vſe to atchieue y^e gouernment of Perſia, before it grew to be bigger. In this quādary it came into his brain to make trial of y^e profecies as wel of thoſe in Greece, as y^e other in Affrica, diſpatchīg meſſēgers euery way, ſom to Delphos, others to Dodona, thyrdly to Amphiara^us & Trophoni^us. Ther were alſo y^t put thēſelues in voyage to Brāchidae in y^e borders of Miletus. & theſe were the oracles of Greece: wherunto Craeſus ſent for counſayle: others trauayled into Africa to the oracle of Ammon, to the ſame entent & purpoſe. Al had this ende to require y^e ſentēce & aduyſe of y^e Gods, yt if they were foūd to accord & agree in truth, nextly he might ſollicite then as touching his own affayres:whether they thoughte it expedient for him to goe in expedition agaynſt y^e Persiās. Herevpō beyng fully reſolued, he gaue his ambaſſadours ſtratly in charge y^t taking a note of the day of their egreſſe, and ſetting forth from Sardis, they ſhould kepe iust accompt of the tyme following: & euery day queſtion w^t the oracle, demaunding of it what Craeſus ſon of Haliattes king of y^t Lidyans did y^t day, & geuing diligent hede to their aunſwers: to tell him at their returne, what anſweare was made by y^e other reſt of the oracles no mā reporteth: but at Delphos the Lydians hauīg entered the temple to aſke of the oracle according as was geuenthem in commaundement by the kīg incontinētly Pythia began to salute thē in theſe verſes.³⁵

The depthe of raginge ſeas,

The number of the ſande,

The myndes intent (ſet woordes aſſyde)

I easly vnderſtand.

A ſauoure rancke that comes

from hedgehogges fleſh I smell,

VVhich ioyntly with the fatte of Lambes

is boylde in braſen kell.

And as it bubbleth vp,

and breathes in burning flame.

There lies theron a lidd of braſſe,

that ouerwhelmes the ſame.

Which verſes geuen by Pythia, and written of the Lydians, they made ſpeedy retyre to Sardis. When y^t reſt alſo were come that Craeſus had ſent about: hee toke view of euery mans notes & liked none of thē:till at length hearing the oracle geuen by Pythia he greatlye allowed and worſhipped it:³⁶ of opinion that the only true prophecy and diuination was at Delphos, which hadde hit him ſo pat in all thinges he did. For after the departure of his meſſengers one day aboue ye reſt he ſet his head a work about y^t finding out of ſom deuiſe yt might be hard to tel, & moſt difficult to diſcry. Wherfore hauing shred the fleſhe of an vrchine, or hedgehog together w^t the fat of a Lamb, he cauſed thē both to be boyled in a braſen pot: the couer or lidde whereof was alſo of braſſe. Such was the anſwere which Craeſus receyued from Delphos, what wordes were geuen by the oracle of Amphiaraus, and what ſentence hee returned. I cannot affyrme, for aſmuch as no other ſpeach goeth thereof, ſaue that this Prophecye alſo was deemed by Craeſus to very true. In ſhort tyme after he determined to do honour to the God of Delphos by greate and magnificall ſacrifyce:³⁷ making oblatiō of three thouſand choiſe cattel, ſuch as might lawfully be offered. Moreouer, he cauſed a greate ſtacke or pyle of wood to be made, wherein hee burnt bedſtyds of ſiluer and gold,likewyſe golden mayſors with purple rayment and coats of exceeding value, hoping thereby to purchaſe to himſelfe the gracious fauour and goodwill of the God. The lyke charge alſo hee layed vpon y^e Lydians, that euery man ſhould conſecrate thoſe iewels which they poſſeſſed moſt coſtly and precious. From which their ſacrifice when as ſtreames of liquid and molten Golde diſtrayned in great aboundaunce, hee cauſed thereof to bee framed halfe ſlates, or ſheardes, the longer ſort as he entytled them, of ſixe handfull, the ſhorter of three a hand breadth in thickneſſe, amoūting to the number of an hūdred and feuentene. Wherof foure were of fayned gold wayghing twoo talents and a halfe, the reſt of whighter golde, in wayght two talentes he made alſo the ſimilitude of a Lyon in tryed and purged gold, waying tenne talentes: which Lyon at ſuch tyme as the temple was on fyre fell downe from the halfe ſlates whereon it ſtood, and is now reſerued in the treaſury of Corinth, poyſed at six talents and a halfe beyng molten from him. All which thinges when Craeſus had finiſhed & brought to perfection he ſent them in waye of dedication to Delphos togeather with other giftes & preſentes, which were theſe: two bookes very fayre and ſtately to ſee to, the one framed of gold the other wrough of ſyluer. Wherof y^e firſt at the ingreſſe or entry into the temple was placed on the right hand. The other on the left, which at ye ſame tyme that the temple was ſurpriſed by fire were taken downe, & the beſt and fayreſt of them beyng of Gold, & wayghing 8. talents and a halfe, wt a ſuperplus & addition of 24 poūdes was curefully garded in the treaſury of the Clazomaeniās. The other of ſyluer beyng kept vnder the eues of the temple at a certayne corner of the church contayning 600. Amphorae, wherin wine was mingled for the feaſt of Theophanius wrought (as the men of Delphos teſtify) by Theodorus of Samos: which opinion I eaſily aſcribe alſo for the ſinguler workmanſhip therof. He preſented beſydes 4. ſiluer tunnes preſerued by the Corinthians, amonges their treaſury. Furthermore two drinking cuppes the one of gold, y^e other of ſiluer, of the which two the moſt principal of Gold hath ingrauen in it a tytle whith doth argue yt to be y^e gift of the Lacedaemonians, albeit contrary to truth, being geuen & dedicated by Craeſus, howbeyt ſome one of Delphos (whoſe name though I very wel know, yet I will not deſcry it) willing to gratify the Lacedaemonians, cauſed this poſie to be entytled. True it is that the ymage of the boy, through whoſe handes the water powreth down in a tricklyng and gentle ſtreame, was geuen to the temple by the Lacedaemonians, but neyther of the two cuppes are belōging to thē. Other giftes alſo of no fmall price dyd Craeſus ſend at yt ſame inftant, to wit, ſiluer rynges, with the ſhape and forme of a woman 3. cubits in height, which y^e inhabitants of Delphos witnes to be y^e image of her whom Craeſus in his court employed y^e office of baking, herewith alſo were offered the chaynes of the Queene his wyfe, notſparīg ſo much her girdles & waſtbands, al which he cauſedto be dedicated at Dephos. in like maner to y^e oracle of Amphiaraus, of whoſe māhod & miſfortune he had iointly bine enformed, he gaue a ſhield & ſpeare of mere & ſolide golde, a quiuer alſo of the ſame metal, wel stored and repleniſhed with dearth, both which, euen to our age wer reſerued at y^e city Thebes in y^e temple of Apollo Iſmenius. They which were ſummoned to this famous ambaſſage & conueyance of y^e giftes to Delphos & Africa, had this in Items to inquire of y^t Gods:whether hemight direct an army againſt Perſia or not, & in ſo doing to aſſociate & ioyne vnto himſelfe y^e aide & felowſhip of forrayn natiōs. The Lydians diſmiſſed, wēt their way, & hauing attayned to their iorneys end, & made oblation of the preſentes ſent by the king, they demaunded y^e oracle on this wyſe.³⁸ Craeſus king of the Lydians, & chiefe lord of many regions, beſide eſteeming theſe to be the onlye true & infallible prophecies amōg men, hath ſent you gifts worthy your diuyne godhead: requiring you counſayle and aduiſe, whether it be ſafe for him to lead a power againſt y^e Perſians vſing therin the helpe & company of other people. This queſtiō beyng framed both the oracles agreed in ſentence faying: that if ſo be he addreſſed an army agaynſt the Perſians he ſhould fubuert and ouerthrow a mighty kingdome:³⁹ counſayling him moreouer to ſeeke and procure the aide of the moſt puissāt & coragious people of the Graeciās. Theſe anſwears geuen & receiued, Craeſus was ſo puffed vp and exalted in courage, yt already he ſwallowed and deuoured in hope the whole gouernment and empyre of Cyrus. Wherfore he returned a meſſēger wt a freſh preſent to Pythia, and for euery one their abyding, (whom he hadde intelligence to be verie many) 2. ounces of Gold. For which his magnificent bounty the people of Delphos to ſhew themſelues thankefull agayne, yeelded hym the chiefe preheminece in counſayling the oracle, the principall place in ſitting and a perpetuall priuilege of a voice & ſuffragie, for any man that ſhould be adopted into the ſociety of Delphos on this maner.⁴⁰ Craeſus powred out his preſente vppon the temple of Apollo, ſolliciting the God by a third demaund: for that hauing tryed the oracle to be true, hee now tooke his pentworthes in aduyſe and counſayle. His queſtion at this tyme was dyrected only to know how longe hee ſhould enioy the kingdome of Perſia.

whom Pythia anſweared in theſe wordes.

VVhen ſeate and Scepter of the Medes

vppon a mule ſhall light,

To ſtony Hermus valiant lyde

addreſſe thy ſpeedy flight.

It ſhall be then no ſhame to flye

And yeld to ſuch an enemy.

With theſe verſes Craeſus was much more delyghted then with the former, aſſuredly hoping that y^e tyme ſhould neuer be wherin a Mule ſhould gouerne the Medes in ſtid of a man and for the ſame cauſe neyther hee nor his heyresſhould at any tyme be driuen to forſake the kingdome.⁴¹ His next care was how make frendes and copartners of thoſe which among thee Grekes were of greatteſt might, & nobleſt mind, whō by curious enquyry he foūd to be the Lacedaemoniās & Athenians? y^t one beyng y^t moſt excelēt amōg y^e Dores, y^e other in the Nation of the Iones, without cōpariſon chefeſt. Of theſe 2 nations⁴² ther hath ben an auncient and grounded opinion as concerning their virtue. Wherof the one toke their begynning and original of Pelaſgos, the other of Helen, or Grece. The later of theſe two neuer altered their ſoyle, but alwayes kept the ſame place of abode The other making often charge wandred very much. For in the tyme of king Deucalion they helde a coaſt called Phthiotis and vnder Dorus the ſonne of Hellen, a certayne region bounding vppon the mountaynes Oſſa and Pyndus by name Iſtyaeotis, from whence beyng caſt out and chaſed by the Cadmeans, they inhabited a place in Pyndus, which they cal Macedonus. How beit fleeting agayne from thence into Driopis, they came at length to Poloponeſus, & were ſurnamed the nation Doricke. What toung or language the Pelagians vſed, I cannot certaynly affyrme but by geſſe y^t ſeemeth to haue bene the verye ſame that thoſe Pelaſgians vſe, which ſomewhat aboue the Tyrrhenians poſſeſſe y^t city Crotona in time neighbours to them whom the now call Dores: at what tyme they peopled a region in Thessalye, the like may be gathered by thoſe Pelaſgiās, that built the city Plaecia and Sylax, and were in league & felowſhip with the Athenians. By theſe I ſaye wee may rightly coniecture, that y^e language which was then in vſewhich the Pelaſgians was very groſſe and barbarous. For the Cretoniatae & Platiens differ in ſpeech from thoſe that lye next them: but betweene themſelues they vſe both one toung, and euidently declare, that they kept the ſelfe ſame phraſe and manner of talke, ſince their firſt comming into thoſe countreys. ſo that if al the people of Pelaſges were ſuch, they alſo that dwelt in Attica, and the reſt of the Pelaſgian cityes whatſoeuer that chaūged their name at their firſt arriual into Hellen, forgat alſo & let ſlip out of memory their mother tounge. But the Greekes⁴³ themſelues (as I iudge) haue without chaunge from the beginning retained the ſame kynd of language, and wheras beyng feuered & diſtinguiſhed, from the Pelaſgians, they wer very weake and feeble in might, of a ſmal and tender beginning: they grew to great increaſe, by concurſe of many nations, and huge multitudes of the Barbarians repayring thither. In lyke ſort I ſuppoſe that the people of Pelaſgos beyng barbarous remayned at a ſtay without amplifyinge and augmenting their ſtrength and gouermnent. Craeſus therfore had notice that the countrye of Attica was inhabited by theſe people and at that time iniuriously dealt withall, and kept in fubiection by Piſiſtratus⁴⁴ the ſon of Hipocrates who ruled then as a Tyrant at Athens, hys father beyng a priuate man and bearyng no rule in the cōmon weale, whilst he beheld the games at Olympus, yt chaunced hym to ſee a verye ſtraunge and moſt wonderfull miracle. For hauing prepared ſacrifyce to the Goddes, the chalderne filled with fleſh and water, without any fyre vnder it. boyled and played in ſuch ſot, that the water ran ouer the brymmes of the veſſayl which thing Chilō a Lacedaemonian vewing who then happily was preſent, gaue him counſayle in no wyſe to marye a wyfe that was a breeder or of a fruitful wombe: and if ſo be he were already maryed, hee willed him to forſake and renounce his wyfe: thyrdlye if by her he were indued with a man childe to make ryddaunce therof and conuay it away. But Hipocrates geuing litle care to his tale begat afterward Piſiſtratus, who in the broyle and controuerſie betweene the inhabiters of y^t ſhore (chiefe wherof was Megacles ſonne of Alcmaeon) and the people of the playne (who had to their captayne Lycurgus ſprong of Ariſtolades) made a third tumult ſeeking and affecting a tyrannicall and vnlawful gouernment, and gatheryng togeather a company of rebellions and ſeditious perſons vnder pretēce of ayding the people of the mountains, wrought this fubtiltye⁴⁵ hauing wounded him ſelfe and hys mules he came flynging amayne into the market place w^t his charyot as on new eſcaped from his enemyes, whom they (as he fained) taking his iorney into y• coūtrey, ſoughte for to haue ſlayne. For this cauſe he made humble ſute and petition to the peoplefor y^e gard and defence of his body, hauing tryed himſelfe to be a valeaunt Captayne in the voyage, and ſetting forth agaynſt Megara, at what tyme being generall of the army he toke Nyſaea and atchieued other famous & valiant actes. The people of Athens induced to beleue hī appoynted for his ſauegard & cuſtody certain choiſe & tryed men of the citezens, who being armed not w^t ſpears but w^t clubs, were always wayting & attendant on him: w^twhō Pisiſtratus geuing a violent aſſault to y^e town, & chiefe hold of the city, toke it & by yt means vſurped y^t empire of y^e Athenians. Neuertheles w^tout chaūge or alteratiō of magiſtraties or lawes, obſeruing ſtil y^t ſame forme of gouernment, he adorned & beautified the City in excellent manner. But he had not long enioyed y^t when as the ſouldiours of Megacles and Lycurgus came to a truce and conſpiring togeather caſt him out of the city.⁴⁶ In this manner did Pyſiſtratus, firſt aſpire to the chiefe rule of Athens, which he was eftſones conſtrayned to leaue, before his tyrannye had taken roote. They tyme was not long after but hys aduerſaryes renewed their quarel, and fell at varyaunce and debate a freſh, wherwith Megacles being tyred, diſpatched an harrold of peace to Piſiſtratus offring him his daugher in meryage with condition of the kingdome. Which hee not refuſing, they deuyſed a meanes to reſtore him againe (in myfancy) very fonde and ridiculous, eſpecially yf theſe men (beyng of the number of the Athenians, who had the name to be the moſt wyſe and prudent people of the Graetians) pleaſed themſelues onely with a deuiſe ſo fooliſh and baſe.⁴⁷ There lyeued in the Trybe of Paean a woman named Phya of ſtature foure cubits high, wanting three fingers. furniſhed with ſeemly beauty, whom hauing arayed in cōpleite harneis, they placed in a Charyot gallantly attyred to the ſhew, in which habite as ſhe paſſed through y^e ſtreets of the citye, there ranne ſome before hir cryinge: ye people of Athens receyue willingly Piſiſtratus againe, whom Minerua eſteeming worthy the greateſt honor amongeſt men, hath in her owne perſon brought back into the tower. The citezens ſuppoſing it had bene the Goddeſſe indede, bowed themſelues and honouryng her admitting agayne Piſiſtratus for their liefe ſoueraygne. Pyſiſtratus hauinge in ſuch ſort recouered the kingdome vppon a couenant made with Megacles toke his daughter to wife. But hauing 2 yoūg youthes to his ſonnes, and hearyng moreouer the whole lineage of Alcmaeon to be atteinted and guilty of an heinous cryme agaynſt y^e Goddeſſe:vnwilling for that cauſe to haue any children by his new wife, accompanied with her vnlawfully and agaynſt nature which beyng a long tyme by her concealed and kept ſecrete: at laſt, eyther vppon demaund, or of her owne free will, ſhe reuealed it to her mother, who alſo made her huſband acquaynted with the matter. Megacles taking in ill part the ſlaunder & contumelie done hym by Pyſiſtratus, brought him in diſpleaſure & hatred with y^e ſouldiours:⁴⁸ which thing he perceiuing fled y^e coūtrey, and came to Eretria to aſke counſayle of his ſonnes. Amongeſt whom the ſentence of Hyppias ſeeming to be the beſt wherby he was incited once again to lay clayme to the kingdom, they made a gathering throughout all cityes, with whom they had any ſmal acquayntance: many of the which made liberall contribution, & eſpecially the Thebans. In fyne to compriſe the matter in breefe, y^e time was come, & al things were in a readines for his returne. For out of Peloponneſus there reſorted to him certaine Arguies marching vnder pay: & a captayne of Naxos named Lygdamis, who of his owne accord made offer of his ſeruice being very wel furniſhed w^t men and money: which gaue thē great alacrity and encouragmēt to go forward in their attempts. In ſo much as ſetting forth from Eretria the II. yeare after his flighte from Athens, fyrſt of all he toke the citie Marathon in Attica, wher hauing incāped his army, there repayred to him diuers ſeditious felowes out of the city, & out of al y^e tribes very many who liked better a tyrannical empyre thē a free ſtate. Whlst Piſiſtratus leuied many for his affaires, & held himſelfe at Marathon y^e Athenians which kept within the city, made light of the matter, vntil ſuch tyme as hearing him to be diſlodged frō thence, & to draw towardes y^e citye, they put themſelues in array, and went forth to encounter hym. Wherfore with might and mayne they valiauntye ſet forward to mayntayne and defend their liberty agaynſt the enemy. Likewyſe Piſiſtratus and hys confederates came fiercely agaynſt the city till both the armyes met ioyntlye in one fielde, where approachinge neere vnto the Temple of Mynerua Pallenis, and diſpoſinge all hys Armye in order there came vnto him Amphilytus Acarnen a prophet, who being inspired with a deuine motiō, vttered this oracle in verſe.⁴⁹

The bayte is layed, the nets are caſt,

The fiſh inclosde ſhall play apace

VVhen Phoebe from the gliſtring ſkyes

In view reueales her golden face.

Which Piſiſtratus perceiuing to be a prophecye of hys good ſucceſſe immediately gaue the ••cet and encountered y• Athenians which were come forth of the city, who hauing then newly dyned, and beyng partly ſet to dice, partly taken with ſleepe, welny without reſiſtaunce he put them to flight and wanne the field. Neuertheles in the purſuite he found out a way how nether the Athenians might be spoyled in ſuch ſort, neyther yet ioyne themſelues and come togeather agayne to his further trouble. Wherefore hauing cauſed certayne of his ſeruauntes to mount on horſebacke, he ſent them ſpedely after the people to bid thē bee of good courage, and euery one to depart to his own houſe. Whervnto the willingly obaying, Piſiſtratus raygned the thyrd tyme in Athens,⁵⁰ eſtabliſhing & fortifyīg the tyranny as wel by ſupply of forrayne power, as by reuenues of hys money which he leuyed partly from his owne countrey men, and in part alſo from the riuer ſtrymon. In like manner the children of thoſe men that yeelded not the fyrſt, but bare the brunt of the battell, he toke in hoſtage and ſent them ouer to Napos: which Isle after he had conquered & brought in fubiection he committed the gouernment & adminiſtratiō therof to Lygdanus: hauing heretofore alſo halowed & purged the Isle Delos according to the oracle, which hee clenſed in this ſort. Out of all thoſe places that weare with in the view and prospect of the temple he cauſed the corſes and deade Bodyes to be digged vp and buryed in another place of the Island. In this wiſe ſome if the Athenians beyng ſlayne in battayle, other fled away togeather with the houſhold and family of Megacles. Piſiſtratus obtained y^t ſeat roial: whom Craeſus vnderſtode at the ſame tyme to beare rule in Athens. He heard moreouer that the Lacedaemonians, hauing eſcaped a scowring, were triumphant conquerous ouer y^e Tegeates. For in the raygne of Leon and Hegeſicles princes of Sparta, the Lacedaemonians hauing right goodeuent in al their enterpriſes and affaires, were commonly repulſed and fayled by the Tegeates. The ſelfe ſame before tyme were the moſt diſordered and lawleſſe people of the Graetians, vſing no cōmunity or felowſhip eyther betwene themſelues or with ſtraungers. Notwithſtanding they were reduced to a more orderlye kynd of gouernment by Lycurgus⁵¹ a mā of approued virtue amongeſt the people of Sparta. Who comming to the oracle at Delphos and being entered into the tēple, Pithya ſaluted him in theſe termes.⁵²

VVelcome vnto my pallace noble knight,

Beloued of Ioue and thoſe that rule aboue:

For God or man to blaſe thee out aright

In doubtful waues my wandering mynd dothmoue.

Yet to the firſt by force I do enclyne,

And deme thy ſtate not earthly but diuyne.

Some are of opinion y^t the lawes and statutes which are now in force with the Lacedaemonians, were vttered & told him by Pythia. Howbeit themſelues affyrme that Lycurgus beyng both tutor and vucle to young Leobotus Kynge of the Spartans brought theſe ordinances out of Crete. For no ſooner was he inſtituted gouernour to the young prince, but he chaunged all the lawes and eſtabliſhed new, making a diligent prouiſo that no man ſhould break them. He made alſo decrees for warre, ordayning the ſociety of the twenty magiſtrates, likewyſe the colledge or fellow of the thirtye men,ſo called. Laſtly he diſtributed and deuyded the Citizens into trybes and companies, not omitting the appointment of certayne protectours in defence of the commons agaynſt the noble named Tribuns of the people, erectinge moreouer y^e ſenate and counſayle of the Ephor, with an order of other ſages and wyſe men. By this meanes the ſtate of the Lacedaemonians was reformed by Lycurgus: whom after his death by the buildīg vp of a famous temple in his name, they honoured & reuerenced as a God. And beynge reſident in a countrey verye populous and plentifull, they made an inrode and inuaſion into other regions with very good fortune and lucky ſucceſſe in battayle. Wherfore as profeſſed enemyes to peace, ſuppoſing themſelues to excell the Arcadians in might and courage they were in mind to denounce warre agaynſt Arcadye aſkinge in that caſe the aduyſe of the oracle. To whom Pythia made anſweare.⁵³

You ſeeke to conquere Arcadye,

Your ſuite is great, but all in vayne:

VVhere many men contented lye,

By acornes swage their hungars payne.

As hott as fire, as hard as oke

Vnfit to beare a forreine yoke:

Yet ſince I cannot ſay thee nay,

I freely yeeld into thy hand

A fertill coaſt and fit for pray

The compaſſe of Tegea Land

VVhere thou ſhalt meaſure by a rope

The fruites of thy deſyred hope.

This anſweare geuen, the Lacedaemonians leauing the other partes of Arcadie leuied a power againſt the people of Tegêa, carying with them chaynes and fetters, in full hope (albeit deceaued by the double meaning of the oracle) to haue brought them into captiuity. Notwithſtandinge, hauing coped in fight with the enemy they were forced to forſake the fielde and take themſelues to their fete. Such of them as were taken in the chaſe alyue, faſt bound & inchayned in the ſame gyues which they brought with them, were conſtrayned to meaſure out theire dwellinges in the playne of Tegêa with a rope ther to inhabite. The fetters wherwith they were clogged indured welny to our age, beyng hung vp in the temple of Minerua Alea in Tegêa. Thus in the former conflictes and battayles the Lacedaemonians, had alwayes the worst hand of the people of Tegea ſaue in the tyme of Craeſus, and vnder their rulers Anaxandrydes and Ariſton in whoſe raygne and dominion they gaue the better of their enemyes in this ſort. Aggreeued at their often foyles and continuall repulces receyued by their aduerſaryes, they went in embaſſage to Delphos to witt, of the Oracle, which of all the Gods they might pleaſe, to become conquerours ouer Tegêa. The queſtion propounded Pythia willed them to ſerch out the bones of Oreſtes ſonne of Agamemnon, and translate them into their countrey. But being ignorant in what part of the world to make inquirye they eſtſones returned *** meſſengers to require of the God where, or in what place Oreſtes lay.

Whereto anſwer was made on this maner.⁵⁴

In Arcady there lyes

an ample coaſt Tegêa hyght,

VVhere two wyndeſ vſe to blowe,

and breath their blaſtes with raging might.

VVhere forme to forme is foe,

and blow to blow an enemy.

Here doth Oreſtes lye,

whom fynd and take the victory.

Which the Lacedaemonians hearyng were neuer y^e wyſer: who albeit they had made curious ſearch aboute him neuertheles they found him not. Till at length one Lyches a Spartan of the number of thoſe whiche are called free knightes, by good fortune escryed the Tombe. Theſe free Knightes, are fyue ſouldiours of the Spartan horſemen, wel ſtricken in yeares, which annually haue a releaſe from the field: who beyng in this wyſe by the common conſent of the horſemen priuileged and diſmiſſed, may in no wyſe for that yeare remayne idle, but are employed in iourneys and voyages, ſome one way, ſome another. One of theſe was the forenamed Lyches, who by the helpe aſwel of a currant and ready wyt as of a gratious and proſperous happe, came to knowledge wher Oreſtes lay.⁵⁵ For this beynge the yeare wherein the people of Tegêa and Sparta, hadde entercourſe of marchaundiſe one with an other, by fortune comming into a ſmiths forge he behelde the ſmith himſelfe working on yron, who on the other ſide perceauing Lyches to be very intentyue and in maruailing wyſe to view his worke: a litle pauſing, fayd. Thou ſtraunger of Lacedaemon, if this baſe worke in yron ſeeme ſo rare in thy ſight: thou wouldeſt much more haue wondered to haue ſeene that which I did. For going about in this litle court to dig a well or pit for water, y^t was my chaunce to light vpon a ſepuicher 7 cubites long. Which when I ſaw, ſuppoſinge that men were neuer of greaterſtature then they are at theſe dayes. I opened the Coffyne and found theriu a dead Carkaſſe of equall length: wherof hauing taken meaſure I couered it agayne. Lyches liftening to the diſcourſe of the ſmith, coniectured by the oracle that it ſhould be Oreſtes: conſtruinge the ſmithes Bellowes for the two mynds wherof the oracle ſpake, the hammer and anuyle he thought to be the two formes to each other foes: and one blow enemy to an other he toke to be the yron wroughte and beaten by the ſtroake of the hammer, conſideryng that yron was found out to yt h••t and damage of men. Pouderyng theſe thinges with himſelfe, he returned to Sparta and opened the matter to the Lacedaemoniās who perceiuing the caſe to be likely, wrought this pretēce, cauſing of ſet purpoſe a queſt to proceede vppon their cicizen Lyches, they condemned him for ſome offence, and baniſhed him the ſoyle, who incontinently retyryng to Tegêaand lamenting his miſerable caſe to the smyth, couenaunted with him for the hyre of his baſe court, for aſmuch as he refuſed altogeather to alienate it from himſelfe, and ſell it outryght. Wher hauing made his abode for certaine daies he diſcouered the ſepulcher, and taking out Oreſtes bones, ſtale priuily away and came to Sparta. From that tyme forward the Lacedaemonians ioyning battaile with Tegêa, remayned victors, and alwayes after obtayned the glory of y^tfield, hauing beſydes a great part of Peloponneſus in their power and dominion. Of al which thinges Creſus⁵⁶ not ignoraunt, furniſhed an Ambaſſage to Sparta with greate giftes, to deſyre theire ayde and felowſhip in war, whither beyng come they vſed theſe wordes. We are ſent from Craeſus kyng of the Lydians and lord of other nations, who ſayth thus. Ye noble Lacedaemonians, wheras I am prouoked by the Gods to enter league and frendſhip wt the Graetians, amongeſt whom you haue the report to be the moſt warlike and valiaunt. I deemed it conuenient (without fraude or gūile, to deſire your ayde and aſſistauuce in the enterpryſe which I haue in hand. The Lacedaemonians right glad & ioyous of theyr arryuall and gentle entreaty, hauing alſo intelligence of the oracle, entered bands with them of perpetual hoſpitality and frendſhip. Beyng alſo not vnmyndful of the bounty of kyng Craeſus ſhewed before tyme towards their nation. For hauing ſent to Sardis for prouiſion of golde, to make the ymage of Apollo, which is ſituated in Thornax a part of the Lacons countrey. Craeſus without counterchaunge freely beſtowed the gold vppon them. For which cauſe, the Lacedaemonians in that alſo principally aboue the reſt of y^t Craecians he had made choyſe of their amity, willingly aſſented and declared themſelues to be readye at all aſſayes. Lykewyſe to auoyd ingratitude: in lue of his preſentes they returned vnto hym a braſen Veſſell, wroughte about the brymmes wich the pictures of diuerfe wylde beaſtes, containing the meaſure of 30 Amphorae, which for one of theſe cauſes that we ſhal alleage, was neuer brought to Sardis. The Lacedaemonians teſtify, that the veſſel beyng in voyage to Sardis, was intercepted by y^e people of Samos, wher they lay at rode. The Samians aſſayling them by a fleete of gallies. Contrariwiſe they of Samos affyrme, that the Lacedaemonians beynge in the waye to Sardis, and hearing newes that Craeſus was takē, and the whole city ſacked by the Perſians, ſold the veſſel to certayne priuate: men of Samos, who made dedicatiō therof in the temple of Iuno. But immediatly returning to Sparta, they fayned themſelues to be robbed by the Samyans, and the veſſel to bee taken away by force. To make briefe, Craeſus deluded by the oracle, prepared an armye agaynſt Cappadocia, in hope to fubdue Cyrus,and the whole power of Perſia. Whileſt he was buſied in theſe affayres, a certaine Lydian named Sandanis⁵⁷ a manne of ſingular regarde for hys wyſedome, and for this ſentence and aduiſe much more eſtemed then before, coūſayled the king on this manner. Thou determineſt a voyage agaynſt thoſe (O king) which are wrapped & clothed in beaſtes ſkynnes: not farynge as they would, but as they can, abyding in a region vnfruitful and barreyne. Their drink is water not wyne, their chiefe foode is figges: besides the which they haue nothīg good. From whom as thou canst take nothing if thou conquer, ſo conſider I beſeech thee how much thou ſhalt leeſe if thou be conquered, if once they tast of our ſweete, then they wil dayly ſwarme about vs, and wil neuer be driuen from vs. Truly I thanke the Gods that they neuer put into the heads of y^t Perſians to inuade the Lydians. By which wordes, notwithſtanding he litle preuayled with Creſus. True it is, y^t the Perſians⁵⁸ before they vanquiſhed Lydia, were far from all elegancy and ſumptuous dayntines. Furthermore the Capadocians were called by the Greekes, Syrians. Who before the empyre came to the Perſians, did homage to the Medes, but at that preſent acknowledged Cyrus for theyr Kinge. The dominion of the Medes, and Lydyans is deuyded and ſundered by the ryuer Halis,⁵⁹ which taking his beginning from the hill Armenus firſt waſheth the Cilicians, and ſecōdly the Maciens lying on the ryght hand, laſtly the Phrygians declyninge towarde the leaſt, after this, wynding to the North pole, that floweth betweene the Cyrians, Cappadocians, and Paphlagonians, waterynge the coaſt of Cappadocia on the right hande, and the borders of Paphlagonia on the lefte. In this ſort the floud Halis doth part and diſtermine all thē hygh places of Aſia, from the ſea Cyprian, vnto the waters of the Euxine ſea the backe, and hinder part of this region is in length fyue dayes iourney for a light and ſpedy footeman. Craeſus therefore ſpeeding himſelfe towarde Cappadocia, was greatlye deſyrous⁶⁰ both to ioyne vnto his owne kyngdome a land ſo battle and plentifull, and then alſo to reuenge Cyrus in the behalfe of Aſtyages ſonne of Cyaxares king of the Medes his nere kynsman: whom Cyrus yſſued of Cambyſes had taken captiue in y^e field. The meanes wherby kynred and alliance grew betwene the two kings Craeſus and Aſtyages, were theſe. The graſiers of Scithia⁶¹ and ſuch as were conuerſant in reyſing and breeding cattel falling to debate and ſedition betweene themſelues, a certayne company of them fledde into the lande of the Medes, at what tyme the Scepter was held by Cyaxares, ſonne of Phraeortas nephew of Deioſes. To whom the Scythians humbling themſelues were at the begynninge much made of, and grewe in credite and fauoure with the kinge, in ſo much that he committed to their charge certayne younge ympes to inſtruct in the Scithian language, and to trayne vp in the art and facultye of ſhootinge.⁶² In tract of tyme the Scythians being accuſtomed daily to hunt, and for the moſt part wont to bryng home ſome thing with them for a pray, notwithſtanding otherwhyles returned empty: which the king perceyuing (who in his rage was very fierce & ceuell, ſharply rebuked them) and in reprochfull and tauntynge wordes toke them vp very ſhort, wherat the Scythians ſtomackes beyng moued ſuppoſing themſelues to be hardlye dealt withall by the kyng, toke cou*ſayle togeather, that hauing ſtayne ſome one of the children whom they taught, they might ſerue him vp to the kyng in lieu of Veniſon or ſome other wylde and ſauage pray: which done, they would put themſelues to flight to Sardis and become ſupplyaunts to Halyattes ſonne of Sadyattes for theyr defence & ſafetye, which fell out accordingly. For aſwel Cyaxares as others that were preſent at the Table, taſted of the fleſh, and the Scythians hauing committed the villanye, iucontinentlye fledde to Haliattes, whom Cyaxares rechalinging, & Haliattes refuſing to ſurrender and yeelde them vp, ther aroſe warre betweene the Medes and Lydians which indured y^t ſpace of v. yeares. In the which their broyle and diſcord the Medes ſometime atchieuynge the conqueſt, it happened them to encounter in a night battell. For in the ſixt yeares the armyes comming to the cloſe and the fight being equal: ſodeinly the day became nighte,⁶³ which chaunge and alteration of the day. Thales Milesius foretold to the people of Ionia preſining the ſelfe ſame yeare wherein it ſhould happē. The Medes and Lydians perceauing the day to be ouercaſt with darkeneſſe, abandoned the field: and by meanes of Syenneſis of Cilicia, and Labynetus of Babilō⁶⁴ were brought to accord and compoſition of peace, who haſtening to haue them ſworne, and to eſtabliſh their agreement by the bands of affinitye, they decreed that Aſtyages ſonne of Cyaxares ſhould eſpouſe and take to wyfe Ariena daughter of Halyattes. ſuppoſing the condition would not long remayn ſoūd and inuiolate, were it not confirmed by the ſure and infolluble knot of alyaunce. In ſtricking league and concluding peace⁶⁵ aſwell other thinges vſuall to the Greekes, are obſerued by theſe nations,as alſo cutting their armes tyll y^t bloud iſſue out,which ech of them lycke vp and ſucke together. This Aſtyages⁶⁶ graūdfather to Cyrus by the Mothersſide was by him held pryſoner and went vnder cuſtody, for ſuch cauſe as in the ſequele of this hiſtory ſhalbee declared: Craeſus therefore moued with diſpleaſure, requyred of the Oracle whether he might proclaime war agaynſt Perſia, & hauing receiued a double & deceitful anſwere, deeming it to make w^t him, went out w^t his army to aſſaile & fight againſt a certain part of the Persiā dominiō. And approaching neare to the Riuer Halis (as I iudge) hee trailed and convewed ouer his armye by brigges built vppon the water: but as ſome of the Graecians affyrme, hee paſſed the ryuer by the means of Thales Milesius⁶⁷ who deuiſed another way. For Craeſus ſtandīg at a bay, vncertayn what way to paſſe the water (for aſmuch as the brygges which are now made for paſſage as then were none at al) Thales Milesius being then in the campe, inuented a meanes to chaūge the courſe of the water, and cauſe the ryuer that ranne on the righte ſide of the army to flow on left. Hee made therefore to bee dygged a mighty deepe trench or dytch, begynninge aboue the tentes, and procedinge in compas lyke a Mone on the backſide of the hoſt, whereinto the water hauing iſſue frō the proper chanel, became ſo low and fleet, that the ryuer on both partes was paſſable, & eaſy to be waded. Some holde opinion that the olde courſe of the riuer was hereby wholly altered and became drye, from whom I diſſent. For by what meanes the regreſſe of Craeſus into Lydia could the armye haue retyred ouer. Craeſus hauing recouered the other ſyde of Halis came into a part of Cappadocia named Pteria, ſafely ſituated and neere adioyning to the city Synopis that lyeth to the ſea Euxinum, where hauing encamped his whole power, hee ſpoyled, and foraged the mannours and ferme places of the Syrians, fubduinge alſo and ſacking the city Pteria. More ouer he vanquiſhed many other cityes roūd about, caſting out the Syrians that neuer offended hym:wherof⁶⁸ Cyrus hauinge aduertiſement gatheryng an armye of the myddle part of hys countrey, & came out to meete him, notwithſtanding, firſt he ſollicited the Iones to reuolt from Craeſus, which they refuſing, hee marched on forward, and encamped agaynſt the Lydians. Where the Armyes beyng in viewe, the one Armye to the other, and hauinge geuen ſignes of defyaunce, they ioyned in force and cruell battayle, wherein many beynge ſlayne on eyther ſyde, and Nyght drawyng very nere, they blew the retrayte, the victory remayning on neyther part. But Craeſus laying for his excuſe the fmall number of his men (as farre exceeded by Cyrus in multitude of Souldiours) the next day following (the Perſians abſtaining from battayle) he moued his campe and repayred backe to Sardis, in mynd to ſummon and call out the Aegiptians according to couenaunt, with whoſe king Amaſis he had concluded a league before euer he attempted the Lacedaemonians, purpoſing beſides to challenge the helpe of the Babilonians promiſed and auowed to him by league and compoſition. Not forgetting alſo to clayme the aſſiſtaunce of the Lacedaemonians, appoynting them a day to bee preſent at Sardis:that hauing made a generall aſſembly of all his power, and taken his eaſe that winter, he might ymmediatlye at the beginninge of the next ſpringe lay charge to the kingdome of Perſia by a new and freſh aſſault. Whilst hee leueled at this mark, he ſent abroad heroldeſ to his league fellowes and friendeſ, with earneſt requeſte that the fifte moneth after they would come togeather, and mete at Sardis. Lyke wyſe the ſouldiers ſtipendary, which hee hyred, and conducted to ayde him agaynſt the Perſians, he diſfeuered and ſent away: nothing doubtinge leaſt Cyrus (with whom ſo ſhort tyme before he had fought euen hand & without diſuantage) ſhould aduenture to come nere & approche to Sardis.⁶⁹ In this ſort reaſoning the caſe and debating with himſelfe yt fortuned that all the fuburbes & places conterminate to the city were filled with aboundance of Snakes, and Adders: which the horſe leauing their paſture & foode ſwallowed greedily and in mouſtruous ſort eate vp and deuoured. Which Craeſus adiudging (as it was) to be a tokē on premonſtration of ſome *** to come, ſente to the ſouthſayers & ***. The meſſengers y^e went were *** y^e ſence, and ſignification of *** they neuer brought newes therof to Craeſus, who before their returne to Sardis was taken captyne. The wyſe men Telmiſſes declared vnto them,⁷⁰ y^e Craeſus ſhould be ſet vppon with a forrayne army, which ſhoulde vanquiſh and fubdue the towne borne and natural people of the countrey, alleaging that y^e ſnake was the child of the earth, properly bred and ingen: dred of the groūd, but the horſe, an enemy, and a forrainer. This meanyng and expoſition the Telmiſſes ſent backe agayne to Craeſus but now captiue, altogeather ignorant of theſe thinges which befell vnto hym, and alſo to hys Citye Sardis. Cyrus a certayned of the determination of Craeſus that preſently after the conflict at Pteria hee was in purpoſe to diſperſe & ſcatter his army, thought it expedient in al haſt poſſible to remoue hys hoſt to Sardis, to intercept and preuent his ennemy, or euer he could aſſemble the Lydians agayne, which aduiſe he altogeather allowed, & put in practiſe and ſpedely arryuing into Lydia with his power was hymſelfe a meſſenger unto Craeſus of his comming. Craeſus caſt into a greate penſiuenes, and anguiſh of mynd, to ſe himſelfe ſo farre deceiued of his accompt: notwithſtanding put the Lydians in array to battayle. At that tyme⁷¹ there was no nation in the worlde, neyther in value & might neyther in haughty courage & magnanimity equall and comparable to the Lydians, who commonly warred on horſeback as moſt expert & nymble in ryding: weaponed with ſpeares of a meruailous length. The field wherin the fight was committed lyeth beforethe citye Sardis: through the which, both other ryuers haue a pleaſaunt and delyghtſome courſe, and chieflye the famous ryuer Hellus, flowynge into the mayne ſtreame called Hermus, which taking hys yſſue and firſt head from the ſacred Mountayne of the holye mother Dyndimena, ys caryed wholly into the ſea, not farre from the City Phocyas. In this field Cyrus beholding the Lydians prepared to the battayle, and greatly dreading the proweſſe and puiſſaunce of theyr horſemen, determined by the counſayle of Harpagus the Mede,⁷² to put in execution this ſtraunge deuiſe. Hauing gathered together all the Camelles that folowed the Army, and diſburdened them of theyr loadeſ of corne and veſſels wherewith they wer charged, he cauſed certain mē to ſit on them apparelled in a robe accuſtomably worne of the Perfian Horſemen. Whome in this ſorte attyred hee gaue in charge to march in the forefronte of the battayle agaynſt the horſemen of the Lydians. After theſe incontynently followed the footemen:and in the laſte ranke were placed the horſemen, into whych order and aray hauing directed and contryued his Armie, he ſtraightly commaūded them to ſpare none of the Lydians, but whomeſoeuer they found to make reſiſtaunce, him to diſpatch and ſlay preſently: Craeſus onely excepted, towards whome he warned that no violence ſhould be ſhewed how peruerſlie ſoeuer he behaued himſelfe. This charge geuen, he cauſed his Camels⁷³ to proceede forward agaynſt the Lydian ryders, to this ende: for that a horſe is very much afrayd of a Camell, and can neither away with the ſight of him, nor abyde his ſmel. Which pollicy he founde out to defeate Craeſus of his greatteſt hope, whoſe chiefeſt confidēce he knew to be placed in the ſtrēgth and virtue of his horſemen. Aſigne of battayle beyng geuē, and the armies comming to the cloſe: the Lydian courſers what with the ſight and ſent of the camels, fledd backe and retyred violently: which clean diſcouraged Craeſus, and put him out of hope. But the Lydians nothing abaſhed therat as hauing learned the cauſe, alyghted ſpedily, and buckled with the Perſians on foote, tyll at length manye fallyng on ether ſide, they were forced to flye and gard them ſelues with the walles of the city, beyng inuyroned by the Persiās with a ſiege: which ſiege Craeſus ſuppoſing to put of and delay for a long time, ſent other meſſengers from y^e walles to his freyndes and confederates: hauinge by the firſt ſet downe and prefyned the fift moneth ensuinge for the tyme of their aſſembly. Contrariwiſe by theſe he requeſted and deſyred mature and ſpeedy ayde, beyng held at a baye, and incloſed within the walles and gates of hys citye. The meſſengers vndertoke a ſpeedy courſe, as well to other nations as to the Lacedemonians his aſſured frendes. It fortuned that at the ſame tyme,⁷⁴ there fell a ſtrife and contention betwene the men of Sparta and Argos, about a certayne field called Thyrea, which grounde, albeit properly belonging to the Arguies, was vnlawfullye helde backe and retayned by the Spartans. For what land ſoeuer in the mayne bendeth and inclyneth toward the Weſt, as farre as Malea is peculier and appertinent to the Argiues with the tytle alſo and dominion of certayne Isles, in the number wherof is reckoned Cythera. Therfore the people of Argos gathering an army for the recouerye of theire owne territory and freedome: they fel to condition for the matter to be tryed out by cōbratry of three hundred choiſe men on eyther ſyde conſenting and agreeing that the right of the lande ſhould follow the victorers. Prouiding moreouer that both the armyes ſhould forſake the field and retyre home: leaſt beynge preſente they might be moued to ſuccour ye part that was moſt diſtreſſed The couenant ratifyed and confirmed betwene them, they departed each to theyr owne cityes. The partyes ſyngled out, and delected from both armyes, remayning behynd, gaue byter aſſault each to other, & continued the combate til ſuch tyme as of ſixe hundred, there were left but three men alyue the battayle beynge interupted and broken of by the nere approach and comming of the euening. The remaynētes were theſe. Two of the Argyues, Aleinor, and Chromius, who in manner of conquerours haſtened their ſteps to Argos one of the Lacedaemonians named Othryades who diſpoyling the deade bodyes of the Argyues, caried their weapons to his tentes keeping himſelfe in his due order and array. The next day the cauſe beyng known, the people of both Cityes were preſent in y^e field laying equall clayme to the victory. The Argyues, for that the men on their ſyde eſcaped, and remayninge aliue were more in number. The Lacedaemonians, for that the Argyues fled the field, and their men onely abode behynde, taking the ſpoyle of his ſlayne enemyes. Incontinently fallyng from ſowre woordes to sad blowes, many were loſt on both partes and the conqueſt atchieued by the Lacedaemonians. ſince which time the people of Argos shauing their heads (wheras of neceſſity before time they nouriſhed their hayre) made a law with a ſolemne and religious vowe, neuer to ſuffer their lockes to grow, or their women to weare gold before they had recouered the field of Thyrea. On the other ſide the Lacedaemonians decreed from that tyme forward to goe long headed contrary to their former vſe & cuſtome. But Othryades the onely ſuruiuour of 300. Spartans, moued with ſhame and greefe, that the reſt of hys cōpany were vanquiſhed by the Argyues wt his owne hands ended his owne lyfe in the field of Thyrea. Whyle theſe thinges were freſh at Sparta, the Lydian herauld arryued to intreat ayde and helpe for Craeſus, whō they hauing heard, thought meete without delay to aſſyſte, and ſuccoure him. Wher••ore puttynge themſelues in a readines and being at the point to take ſhipping to Sardis:
there came another meſſenger with newes, that the wall & bulwarke of the Lydians was scald, and Craeſus himſelfe takē alyue. Wherat the Lacedaemonians greatly greued eſteeming themſelues to haue ſuffered no fmall loſſe, altered the intent of their purpoſed voyage. Furthermore the conqueſt and winning of Sardis, was in this ſort.⁷⁵ Cyrus hauing layne at a ſiege the ſpace of 14. dayes, ſent courſers about his army, and propounded a great reward to him that firſt scaled y^e city wall, which beyng oftentimes in vayne enterpryſed by the whole armye: when the reſt were quiet, a certain Mardane by name Hyraeades, ſought ſpeedy meanes to aſcend and clymbe the wall on that part which was naked and vndefended of the Lydians: neuer fearyng or ſuſpecting leaſt the citye ſhould be taken on that ſide, which for the roughneſſe and craggines therof was demed inuincible.⁷⁶ On which ſyde onely Meles firſt kynge of Sardis had not lead hys baſtard ſonne Leo: The wiſe men of Telmiſſes holding opinion that vppon what part of the walles ſoeuer this Leo paſſed, they ſhoulde become inexpugnable, and not to be vanquiſhed. Meles therfore by all partes of the citye walles wherby any daungerous aſſault mighte laye to the Towne, lead and trayned hys vnlawful ſonne: omitting that ſyde only which lieth toward Tmolus, for that he thought it to be of power and ſtrength ſufficient agaynſt the vyolent charge and counterpeaſe of the enemy. From this part the Mardane Hyraeades hauinge marked a Lydian deſcending the day before to recouer his helmet thither tombled downe, conſidered with hymſelfe, and began to attempt the lyke. After whom followed other of the Perſians, who conſequently wer purſued by the reſt in great routes and multitudes. By which meanes y^e citye Sardis was taken and ſacked. Amids this diſtreſſe and e***eame miſery ther chaūced to Craeſus a verye rare and ſtraunge miracle: hauinge a dumbe ſonne of whom wee made mention before, hee toke greate care and wroughte all meanes poſſible, whyle hys kingdome flouriſhed to recure his malladye, approuinge and trying aſwell other thinges, as alſo the aduyſe and ſentence of the oracle. To whoſe demaund Pythia made this aunſwere.

Thou vnaduyſed Lydian King

what makes thee take ſuch care

To yeeld vnto thy silent ſonne

the freedome of his toung?

The gayne God wot is not ſo greate

thou mayſt it wel forbeare:

The day drawes on when he ſhall ſpeake,

for which thou nedeſ not long,

Now the walles beynge taken a certayne ſouldiour of y^e Perſians came vyolently towards Craeſus to haue done him to death, not ſuppoſing him to haue bene the king. Whom he perceyuinge, neuertheleſſe regarded not the daunger making no difference whether hee periſhed by ſword or otherwyſe. The dumbe ſonne ſeeyng the imminent perill of the King hys father, and fearynge his death, brake out in theſe wordes fayinge.⁷⁷ Hold thy handes (Good fellow) ſlay not king Craeſus. Which beyng the firſt wordes that euer he ſpake, hee had alwaies after the ready vſe and practiſe of his toung. Thus Craeſus and hys city Sardis, after he had raygned 14. years and abiden ſo many dayes ſiege, fell into the hands and power of the Perſians: hauing lost a great kingdome, accordyng to the voyce and ſentence of the oracle,⁷⁸ beyng in this ſort apprehended, he was brought to king Cyrus, who cauſing his hands & feete to be clogged with great & weighty giues of yron, ſet him in ye midſt of a woodpile, made for the nonce accōpanied wt 14. children of the Lydians: determinīg to offer theſe firſt fruites to ye Gods ether for perfourmāce & accōpliſhment of ſome vow or for profe or tryall whether any of the Gods (vnto whoſe honor & ſeruice he vnderſtode Craeſus to be greatly addicted) woulde ſaue & deliuer hī frō y^e fyre. Theſe things are cōmonly ſpred & reported of Cyrus. In this moſt yrkſome & lamentable caſe whiles y^e kynge of y^e Lydiās ſtode on ye heape or pyle of fagots he bethought hymſelfe of the words and faying of Solon:⁷⁹ who lead by the diuine inſtinct of ſome heauenly influence, had told hym before that in the number of the liuinge, there was no man ſo ſingular that might be named happy. Wherof beyng admoniſhed in his mynd, and fetching from the bottom of his hart a deepe and ſtreyning sigh, by report wept bitterly, & three fundrye tymes cryed out aloude vppon the name of Solon, which Cyrus hearing willed the interpreters to aſke hym whom he called vppon. To whom Craeſus made no anſweare at all, vntil ſuch tyme as beynge compelled by conſtraynt, he fayd. I named him whom I had rather then al the wealth in the worlde, hee had lykewyſe talked with all thoſe who beynge placed in the hygheſt degree of honoure haue the chiefe gouernment of the kingdomes on Earth, which woordes for that hee vttered not halfe playnlye, and to the cleare and perfyt vnderſtanding of thoſe which were attentyue, and listened vnto hym, they vrged him a freſh to make a recytall therof agayne. At whoſe inftant and importunate halinge beynge now conſtrayned to begynne his ſpeech anew, he told them how a long tyme ſynce Solon an Athenian, arriued at his court: who beholding his infinite treaſure & aboundance of wealth made verye light accompt thereof as a thinge of ſmal and baſe value, in ſo much that whatſoeuer he had spokē and pronounced of hym, the ſame in due meaſure had fallen out and comen to euent. Which thinges neuertheleſſe, were not peculiarly fpoken by hym but generally of the whole nation and company of men: and chiefly of thoſe which pleaſe themſelues here on earth in a pleaſaunt dreame and ſingular cōtentment of happy bliſſe. Whyles Craeſus ſpake theſe thinges, and the fagottes had taken fyre on euery ſyde: Cyrus⁸⁰ vnderſtandynge by the expoſiters of the Lydian toung what he had ſaid, was moued with compaſſion, knowinge himſelfe alſo to bee but a man who was now in hand to frye another to death by fyre, that of late dayes was nothinge inferiour to himſelfe in power and proſperitie. And fearing vengeaunce for the ſame and conſydering the instable courſe and fickle flower of mans affayres, commaunded with all diligence the fyre to be extinguiſhed and Craeſus with the reſt of his company to bee ſet free. But they ſtroue in vain the fyre hauing taken ſuch vehement holde, that it ſeemed vnquencheable and not to bee ouercome. In this place the Lydians recounte that Craeſus knowing kyng Cyrus his minde to be chaunged & ſeeing euery man endeuoure to abate the rage and furie of the flame howbeit nothing at all profiting: he lyfted vp his voyce & cryed to Apollo for ſuccour: that if euer any giftes offered by him had ben pleaſaunt in his ſight, he would acquite and deliuer him from this presēt daunger. As he was pitifully ſhedding his teares in plainte and lamentation to the God, ſodainly⁸¹ the ſkye being faire & the weather ſmoth and calme the daye was ouercaſte and fhadowed with the darke vale of dimme and duskie cloudes, which breakynge out into maine ſhowres cleane put out and quenched ye fire: Herby Cyrus perceiuing that Craeſus was a vertuous mā and reuerenced the Gods he ſaued him from the fyre: & demaunded him the queſtion faying. Tell me now O Craeſus whoſe counſaile was it to inuade my country, and became of my friend myne enemy: Certes (quoth hee) G Kinge I haue done this to mine owne great loſſe and thy gayne the God of the Graecians incyting and leading me hereto, who was the cauſe that I warred agaynſt thee. For no man⁸² is ſo franticke to deſire warre rather then peace: when as in tyme of concorde the ſonnes bury the fathers: but in warre the father carieth the ſonne to hys graue. Howbeit it ſeemed good to the God to bringe theſe things to paſſe, which hauinge ſaide. Cyrus placed him by, and hadde hym in great honour and reuerence, and stedfaſtlye beholding him greatly wondred with the reſt of his company. All which while Craeſus in a deepe muſe and profound ſtudye sat ſtil without ſpeaking any worde. But ſodainly lifting vp his head and vewing the Perfian ſouldiers ſpoyling and ryflyng the citye. Whether ſhall I ſpeake my mynd (noble Cyrus fayde hee) and vtter that I thinke, or holde my peace at this preſent and ſay nothinge: But beyng lycenced to ſpeake freely and without feare, he aſked him faying. Wherin is al this company ſo busily cōuerſaunt: or what ſeeke they to do: of a truth (quoth Cyrus) naught elſe but to pole, and diſpoile the city, and make a hand of thy riches and treaſure. To whom Creſus answeryng: neyther do they waſt my city mighty prince (fayd he) nor conſume my goods, (for the righte of theſe thinges is no longer myne) but they are thy goods which they trayle and lugge aboute, and al this wealth pertayueth to thee: vpon which wordes the king aduyſinge hymſelfe drewe Craeſus aſyde from the company, and demaunded of him what he thought meet to be done in this caſe. Who replyed ſaying. For aſmuch as it hath pleaſed the Gods to make mee thy ſeruant. I hold it my duty whatſoeuer I ſhal perceiue more then thy ſelfe to make thee priuy and a counſaile therto. The Perſians (quoth he) are a croked generation, and of nature peruerfe and stubburne: yet neuertheles, verye bare and beggerly, whom if in this ſort thou ſecurely permit to ryg and ranſacke cityes, and recouer store & plenty of wealth, I feare me that as euery one groweth to greatteſt aboundaunce, hee will ſoneſt ſlipp the coller, and become of a true fubiect, a trayterous rebell. Wherefore yf thou wilt follow my counſayle do this. Place at euery gate of the city certayn of thy gard with preciſe commaundemēt that no goods be caryed out of the Citye, pretending of the tenth parte therof to make an oblation and ſacrifice to Iupiter: which doing thou ſhalt neyther purchaſe their diſpleaſure by takyng away the wealth: and themſelues acknowleging the intent to bee good, wil eaſily condiſcend, and bee pleaſed therwith. This counſayle greatly lyked king Cyrus: wherfore hauinge in lyke ſorte diſpoſed and ſetled, his Garde as Craeſus had warned him, to him ſelfe he ſpeake in termes as followeth. My good Craeſus, whereas thou art a kinge, and by nature framed both to do well and ſpeake wyſely, aſke of me what ſeemeth thee good, and it ſhalbe geuen thee.⁸³My ſoueraygne Lorde (quoth Craeſus) I ſhall eſteeme my ſelfe hyghlye benefyted by your Grace, yf by your maieſtyes leaue and ſufferaunce I may ſende theſe my letters to the Gods in Greece. Demaundinge whether it were lawful for him in this order to double with his freyndes. But Cyrus requeſting to know the cauſe yt ſet him ſo farre out of fauour with Apollo: hee brake out, and rypt vp the matter from the begynning, declaryng vnto him the Oracles which were geuen, and chiefly hys offeryngs wheron he preſumed to denounce warre agaynſt Perſia. After a large rehersal made as touching all theſe thinges, he returned to his former ſute, requeſtyng the Kinge that it might be lawful for him to challenge the God for theſe matters, and caſt them in his teeth. To whom Cyrus ſmylyng, fayd. Not this onely (O Craeſus) but what elſe ſoeuer ſhalbe gaunted to thee, and not at this tyme alone, but as oft as it ſhall lyke thee to make petition. Leaue obtayned) he forthwith diſpatched certayne men of the Lydyans to Delphos, with charge, that laying the gyues at the entry of the temple, they ſhoulde queſtion with Apollo yf hee were not aſhamed to delude and couſyne Craeſus, with his fraudulent and deceitful Oracles: making him to aſſaulte the Perſians in hope to vanquiſh the power of Cyrus, of which his hoped victory, theſe were the firſt fruites: commaunding them therwt to ſhew him the manacles, with the which beyng firſt captiue, he had bene chayned. Moreouer to aſke him, whether the Graecian Gods had a priuilege and peculiar liberty, aboue the reſt to bee ingrate and vnthankful to their friendes. The Lydians arryued at Delphos,⁸⁴ and declaryng theyr meſſuage, Pythia made them aunſweare on this maner. The neceſſary euent of fatall deſtiny, it is vnpoſſible for the Gods themſelues to auoyd. Craeſus layeth the diſloyalty of the fift age before him, yt is to ſay, of his great graūdfathers father:⁸⁵ who beyng squyre of the body to y^e Heraclidans was induced by the fraud & deceypt of a woman to kill his Lorde, and was after inueſted with his dignity, which nothing appertayned to him. Notwithſtandinge Apollo by al meanes endeuouringe to cauſe the fal of Sardis to light on the poſterity of Craeſus, not vpon himſelfe: for all this could not prolōg or alter the inchaungeable race of deſtenye: but diſpenſinge therewith as much as might be, in ſome part he requyted his curtesy by deferryng the battery and conqueſt of Sardis for terme of three yeares. It is meete therefore that Craeſus knowe, how his ſeat imperiall came three years later to ruine then was determined and appoincted by fatall neceſſity. Agayne it was no fmall benefite that he ſaued him from frying at a ſtake, for as touthing the oracle he hath no cauſe to cōplain being forewarned by Apollo that furniſhinge an armye againſt Perſia he ſhould ouerturne and deſtroy a great Empyre. Of this fayinge if in caſe he had bene better aduyſed it was his part to haue enquyred of Apollo what empyre he meant, whether his owne gouernment, or the kingdome and principality of Cyrus. But the prophecy beyng neither ſufficiently pondered by himſelfe nor ſought to be diſcuſſed, if any thing happened otherwyſe then he would and wiſhed for: let him thanke hym ſelfe and not blame the God. Now for that he aleageth beſydes the ſentence of Apollo as concerning the Mule: it was better fayd bythe God, then conſidered by him. For by the Mule was kyng Cyrus vnderſtode, whoſe parents were of dyuers nations, and his mother of a more noble progeny and lineage thē his father. The one beyng a Mede, daughter to Aſtyages, kynge of y^e Medes. The other a Perfian, and in homage and fubiection to the Medes, who beyng a man of baſe account, and verye meane regard, neuertheleſſe crept into fauour, and wedded the daughter of his ſoueraygne liege. The Lydians thus aunſweared by Pythia, made their ſpedy regreſſe to Sardis declaring to Craeſus what they had hearde. Wherby he came to confeſſe that the blame reſted in his owne folly, and was vniustly and without cauſe imputed to Apollo. It suffyceth therfore to haue fpoken this of the dominion and rule of Craeſus, ann by what meanes hee firſt vanquiſhed & fubdued Ionia. Furthermore beſides thoſe which before are mentioned: many other notable preſentes were offered by this king which are yet apparant, & to be ſeene in Greece. For at the Citye Thebs in Boaetia there is a table of three feete all of Gold dedicated vnto Apollo Iſmenius. Certayne young heighfers alſo wroughte of Gold, with fundry pillers of the ſame kynde. Lykewyſe in the entrey and porch of the temple there is to be ſeene an huge ſheyld of ſolide golde. All which were extant, and remayning euen vntil our age. Albeit, by length of tyme many were conſumed and brought to decay. As for the gyftes he beſtowed at Branchidae (as farre as we can learne) they were nothinge inferiour to them in value which were ſent to Delphos. Notwithſtanding as wel thoſe which hee preſented at Delphos, as alſo the other that were geuen to the temple of Amphiaraus were of his owne propre and hereditary fubſtaunce, the firſt fruites of his fathers poſſeſſions: as for the reſt which in lyke maner he conſecrated were of the wealth and fubſtaunce of his enemy: who before Craeſus aſpyred to the crowne was of the ſecte and faction of Pantaleon.⁸⁶ For this Pantaleon alſo had to father Halyattes and was brother to Craeſus but by fundrye women, themother of Craeſus beynge of Caria, the other of Ionia. no ſoner was Craeſus indued with the ſoueraygntye but hee toke his enemy y^t conftantly withſtode him, & drawing hym aſyde into a fullers ſhoppe, he bereft hym of his life: whoſe goods before hand vowed to the immortal Gods hee made conſecration of in thoſe places wherereof wee ſpake before. And thus much as concerning his liberalitie and magnifycency vſed toward the Gods. Now as touching⁸⁷ the countrey of Lydia, there is nothing therof recounted worthy admiration like as of other regions: ſaue that only out of the hyll Tmolus are digged fmall peeces of gold in manner of grauel. There is alſo a monumente by them erected the ſtraungeſt that euer was heard or ſeene (onely excepted the maruaylous works done by the Egyptians, and Babylonians) to witte, the tombe of Halyattes⁸⁸ father to Craeſus. The foundation or grounde wherof is of mighty greate ſtone, the reſt of the ſepulcher of earth and mould caſt vp and heaped togeather in forme of a mount, finiſhed and brought to perfection by the toyle and payne of certayn day men, and hyred labourers, beyng holpen therin and aſſisted by maydes of the countrey. In the toppe or higheſt part of the Tombe ther appeared in our dayes fyue limits or feuerall precinctes and borders declaryng by letters therin ingrauen how much euery one had wrought and done, wherby it was euident by meaſure takē that the greateſt part therof was built vp and framed by the labour and handyworke of the maides. For ye daughters of y^e Lydiās,⁸⁹ are al proſtitute and common vntill ſuch tyme as by the vſe of their bodies they haue gayned and collected a dowry wherwith they be placed out, & geuen in maryage, which is at theire owne choyſe & arbitrement. The compaſſe of the ſepulcher was ſixe furlonges and two acres about, the bredth 13. acres, nere vnto the which there paſſeth a mayne riuer, which the Lydians hold opinion to be perpetuall, named by them Gygaeus, and thus much of the tombe. The lawes⁹⁰ which the Lydians vſe are almoſt all one with the statutes and ordinaunces of the Grecians ſaue that they ſet theyr virgins to open ſale and cauſe them to kepe publique ſtewes and brothel houſes. Theſe firſt of all (to our knowledge)⁹¹ broughte in vſe the coine of ſiluer and gold, inſtituting ſhops of mercery, and marchaundiſe, and ſetting vp Tauernes and vittailinghouſes. They challenge alſo to themſelues the firſt inuention and deuyſe of playes and games, which are iointly in vſe and obſeruation with the Grecians, alleaging that togeather, & at the ſame tyme they deuyſed theſe thinges: and made a drauft and ſequeſtration of theire countreimen whom the ſente to inhabite and poſſeſſe a part & portion of Hetruria The meanes alſo and occaſion they affyrme to haue bene theſe. In the tyme⁹² of Atis ſonne of kinge Manes there was a great ſcarſity and dearth of vittayles, throughout y^e whole land of Lydia. In the beginning wherof the Lydians iuſtaned themſelues by day laboure, and continual toyle, but after fyndinge the famyne to encreaſe, they ſought other ſhiftes and deuyſed meanes whereby to allay and diminiſh the greate diſtreſſe & intollerable rage of hungar, whereof aroſe the gallaunt deuiſe of playinge⁹³ at Cheſſes: alſo dyce playing, teniſe, and ſuch lyke, which the Lydians clayme and vendicate as proper to themſelues, obſeruinge this order to delay and forget their hungar: one whole day they ſpent in play and gamīg, neuer ſeeking after any meate, another (leauing of to diſport and recreate themſelues) they made prouisiō of foode for the maintenance of their bodies. In which maner they liued the ſpace of eyghtene yeares. But hauing no releaſe of their miſerye,⁹⁴ and perceiuing the dearth & penury nothing at all to ſurceaſe: the king deuyded his people into two parts: one of the which he allotted to abyde and ſtay in their owne countrey, commaunding the other to abandon the lande. Ouer thoſe that remained ſtil in Lydia, & departed not the listes of their natiue countrey, the king himſelf held the chiefe rule and gouernmēt: placing ouer the reſt his ſonne for their Lord and principal whom he called Terrhenus. Furthermore they vnto whom the lot fell to relinquiſh and leaue the region, held their way to Smyrna: where hauing built ſhippes ſuch as were fytteſt and moſt conueniente for caryage: they toke the ſea to ſeeke both ſeates and ſuſtenaunce. Vntil ſuch tyme as hauing paſſed manye nations, they came to the Vmbrians, wher founding and building vp cityes they made their abode, and dwel their to this day Changinge the name of Lydians, with the name of theyr kinges ſonne whom they had theyr prince and guide, beyng after called Tirrhenians.⁹⁵But ſufficeth it vs to know that the Lydians were fubdued and brought in fubiection by the Perſians. It reſteth now that wee declare and expreſſe who that Cyrus was,⁹⁶ which vanquiſhed the power and fubuerted the kyngdome of Craeſus. Conſequently by what meanes the Perſians atchieued the principality and rule of Aſia, wherin I wil alleage that of which the Perſians themſelues are authors: who ſet downe vnto vs a playne and euident truth, not ſeeking by the vayne florysh and pompe of wordes to augment the noble and valiant actes of theyr famous kynge. Cyrus. Right wel knowing that alother hiſtoryans which make report of the ſame king are found to vary in three fundrye tales. The Aſſyrians⁹⁷ hauing held the dominion of Aſia y^e higher for terme of 520 yeares, the fyrſt that made inſurrection and rebelled agaynſt them were the Medes, who behauing themſelues manfullye and couragiouslye in the behalfe of their liberty ſhoke of the yoke of bandage, & deliuered themſelues from the ſlauery and ſeruitude of their gouerners, whoſe example alſo other nations immediatly followed & attempted the like, in ſo much yt al the people of the mayne land became free, were ruled and gouerned by their owne lawes. Til at length they were made thral agayu by theſe meanes. Ther liued in ye countrey of the Medes, a man of rare & ſingular virtue named Deioces⁹⁸ ſonne of Phraortes: Who determining to atchieue ye ſupremiſie framed in his head this conceipte. The Medes dwelling here and there, ſcattered by villages, Deioces in very good credite beforetyme began more ſtrictly and feuerelye to obſerue iuſtice, and follow equitye then earſt he was accuſtomed: for that he ſaw the Medes vniuerſally addicted to liberty and licentiouſnes, and aſſuryng him ſelfe that iniury and wrong were flatly contrary and repugnant to right. The people that dwelt in the ſame village takinge diligent heede to his manners, appoynted hym a iudge to decide their controuerſies. But hee (as hauing an eye to the ſeate royall and kingdome of the Medes kept the ſincere rule of Iuſtice and swarued not one ynche from lawe and equity. Which doing, beſydes that he reaped no fmall prayſe of his neyghbours and acquayntance, he had reſort alſo and repayre to him by thoſe that dwelt in other places, and in tyme welny frō all places of ye realme, who moued with the good report, and fame of hys Iuſtice, came in flockes, adhibiting Deioces for an arbitratour in theyr cauſes, hauinge bene foyled and put to the worst, by the falſe ſentence and iniurious verdite of others, and admitting no man to the lyke office and dutye.⁹⁹When the numbers of his Clientes were encreaſed, knowing all cauſes to be iustly determined and takē vp by him Deioces perceauinge himſelfe to bee the onely man for the whole countrey, preciſely refuſed ether to abyde any longer there where earſt he was wont to adminIſter iuſtice, or at all to intermedle and deale with anye cauſes, alleagynge y^e it was fmally to hys profite to spend whole dayes in determination and arbitrement of other mens cauſes, omitting the care of his owne houſhold, and priuate affayres. Wherfore robbery ſpoyle, vyolence, and all kynde of villany beyng now more freely and with greater impunity in euery place committed then euer before: the Medes aſſemblyng a general counſayle, begā to deliberate and conſult as touching the ſtate and condition of theircommon weale. Where (as I am brought to thinke) the friends and familiars of Deioces conſideratlye and ofſet purpoſe, ſpake in this ſence. It cannot be (ſay they) that in this corruption & lewdnes of manners we ſhould long enioy and abide in our countrey. Goe to then let vs appoynt and ordayne ouer vs a kinge, that our laude may bee gouerned by good lawes: wherby it may be free for euery man quietly to diſpoſe of hys owne affayres and haue no cauſe to feare leſt by the ahomination and outrage of wicked and pernicious maners we be caſt out and diſpoſſeſſed of our owne ſeats. By which woordes the Medes indured to couch & fubmit themſelues to a kyng: they began to conſider whom they might electe and choſe for the ſoueraygne lord of their libertye. Which there doubt the name & remembrance of Deioces, ſtraight ways cut of, who by general conſent and one voyce of the whole multitude was named and approued kynge. And beyng aduaunced to the chiefeſt dignity, he cōmaunded forthwith a pallace to be erected and built vp ſeemly for the maieſty and magnificient eſtate of a prince. Moreouer y^e choyſe ſhould be made of ſtronge and likelie men for the gard and preſeruation of his body. Which the people of the Medes (willing to gratify him by their proue and ready obediēce) immediatly perfourmed rayſing a mighty and ſumptuous court notably fenced and garniſhed for his ſafe abode: ſituated alſo in ye part of the countrey which he beſt fancyed, leauing it free and his owne liberty to ſelect and picke out of the whole countrey of ye Medes ſuch as he thought meete for the defence and care of hys health. Deioces in full autority and power of a kyng compelled them alſo to founde a city,¹⁰⁰ which beyng by them accordingly furniſhed & fortifyed, they might haue ye leſſe regard of their ſmal & homely cotages, which thinge the people willingly agreeynge to he enuyroned and fenſed in a citye with ſtronge and mighty walies, which is now called Ecbatana, where one wall boundeth vpon an other in ſuch manner that the onely compaſſe of the one cleane encloſeth and whollye conteyneth the other euery one in lyke maner excedinge each other in height. Whereunto the nature of the place gaue no fmall aduauntage, as hauinge his reiſe and rearynge towards the pitch of a hyll. How bee it, farre more greate was the helpe of art and induſtry of man, hauing wrought feuen ſeueral cloſurs and countermures nere adioyning the one to the other. In the laſt circuit wherof was the pallace of the king togeather with the treaſure of the city. The ſcope & compaſſe of the laſt and greateſt incloſeth welny as much, ſpace or more as the wall of Athens. The batlement of the firſt wall is coloured with whyte: the ſeconde with blacke, the third with redde, the fourth alſo with blew: or ſkye coloured, the fyft with yellow, the two laſt beyng coped with battlementes, the one of ſiluer the other of gylt. The pallace of the king beyng (as we haue heard) ſtrengthned and corroborated with defence and munition, he commanded the reſt of the people to dwell aſſyde on euerye part rounde aboute prouiding moreouer that no mā at any time ſhould haue acceſſe or entraunce to his perſon but that all things ſhould be done by meſſages to and fro: in ſo much, that the king ſeldome or neuer came vnder view or ſight to any. Aboue this, it was held neyther ſeemely nor lawful for any man to laugh or ſpit in preſence of the prince or anye other. Theſe thinges are therefore practiſed and obſerued by the Medes: that thoſe which wer his equalles before of approued courage and valiancy: might not haue any cauſe by ſeyng hym to be greeued at his dignity, and conſequentlye to brew treasō againſt hispersō: but cōtrarily being abridged of his ſight & cōpany yt might come into opinion yt the king was no part of his people, but a mā ſingled & ſequeſtred frō y^e reſt of the multitude. •erewt Deiocos hauinge garniſhed and ſet forth his maieſty, & in perfyte manner autorized, & ſetled himſelfe in his empyre, he miniſtred iuſtice w^t great rygor and feuerity. They which were in plea & controuerſye one with an other put their cauſes in wrytinge, and by a meſſenger ſent them in to the king, which whē he had determined he fubscribed his iudgement, and ſent them back agayne, executing iuſtice on this manner. In other thinges he held another order, yf happily he had intelligēce of any that had done wrōg or iniury toan other, ſending for him he put him to a payne accoring to the meaſure of his offence: to which end he had diſperſed diuers eſpyalles to prye and watch throughout the whole Realme. Thus the whole nation of the Medes fell to the rule & gouernment of Deioces, wherof himſelfe was the only principal. Appertinent to the tytle and ſeate of the Medes are thus many feuerall peoples.¹⁰¹ The Buſans, Paratacenians, Struchates, Arizantyns, Budyans, Magians. All which were vnder the ſoueraignty of the Medes. After ye deceaſe of Deioces,¹⁰² whoſe raygne continued the terme of 53. Yeares his ſonne Phraortes tooke vppon him the gouernmente. Who not content to be kynge of the Medes alone, moued warre vppon the Perſians,¹⁰³ and made them fubiect to the power of Media, and hauing the rule and dominion of both nations the people of the which were mighty and valyaunt he fubdued alſo Aſia, muadynge dyuerſ other countryes, now one and then another, tyll at length hee came to geue aſſault to the Aſſyrians, I meane thoſe that whylom were chiefe of al the reſt, but at that inftant renounced and forſaken of all theire Subiectes by rebellion. Neuertheleſſe of themſelues in very good eſtate. Agaynſt whom Phraortes vnder taking a voiage the 22. yerre of his raygne,¹⁰⁴ was ſlayne in battel and the moſt parte of his armye put to the ſwoord.

After whoſe death Cyaxares hys ſonne and Nephew to Deioces came to the crowne, who hadde the name to be of greater proweſſe and might in warre then any of his aunceſtors. Wherfore he diſtinguiſhed into bandes trowpes the people of Aſia, and fyrſt of all arranged his army into an order of ſpearemen: horſemen and bowmen, whereas before all were confuſed and out of aray. This is hee who warred with the Lydians, at ſuch time as the day was turned into night:¹⁰⁵ and who hauinge purchaſed the fauour of all Aſia that lyeth about the ryuer Halis, mustered a power of men agaynſt the city Ninus, aſwell to take reuenge of his fathers death as to vanquiſh and deſtroy the citye. But in the meane tyme whyle hee foyled the Aſſyrians in the field, and held them at bay within the citye, hee was of a ſodaine incountered with an huge army of the Scythians lead and guided by Madyis their kinge, ſucceſſor to his father Protothias. Who hauinge driuen the Symmerians out of Europe brake from thence into Aſia, and beynge in queſt and perſute of thoſe whom they had flighted in battel came into Media. The diſtaūce betweene y^e two riuers Maeotis & Phafis euē vnto the countreye of Colchis is 30. dayes iorney for a light footman: but betwene Colchis, & the land of the Medes the way is ſhort, & the trauell eaſye, one onely region lying betwene them, which is the countrey of the people called Saſpires: which after wee haue paſſed, the next ſtepp is into Media. Notwithstāding the Scythiās toke not this courſe but fetcht a compaſſe about another waye, towardes the vpper regions leauing the mount Caucaſus on their right hand. The Medes entring battell with the Scithians. were by them vanquiſhed, and lost the tytle and ſuperiority of all Aſia. Wherfore the Scythiās ſurpriſing y^e dominiō of Aſia, went from thence the next way into Aegipt, but arryuinge in Siria Palaeſtina they were met by Pfammiti•hus Prince of the Ægyptians by whoſe gentle intreaty and greate rewardes they were ſtayed from goyng anye further, wherefore retyring backe agayne after they were come to ye citye Afcalon in Syria, many of them paſſed by quietly, without offer of damage or iniury, howbeit ſome drouping behind rifled the chappel of Venus Vrania,¹⁰⁶ beyng of greateſt ſtanding and antiquity, amonges all the temples that were euer erected to that Goddeſſe: for the Pallace of Venus in Cyprus toke oryginal of this, as the Cyprians themſelues teſtify. The temple alſo extant at Cythera was built by y^e Phaenicians, which were a progeny and ofſpring of the Syrians. But the Goddeſſe moued with wrath agaynſt thoſe that wrought the ſpoile and pillage of her temple, puniſhed both themſelues and all thoſe which came of them with the feminine ſicknes. Which thing the Scythians alſo graunt: who are eaſily brought to confeſſe that the cauſe was ſuch, and none other why they are tainted and infected with this diſeaſe. Neither is it hard for thoſe that trauayle into Scythia, with their owne eyes to behold them, which are thus diſeaſed, whom the Scythians call Enareas,¹⁰⁷ that is, execrable and accurſed. Aſia therfore was held by this people 28. yeares, for which tyme proudly and iniuriously exercyſing gouernment they made waſt and hauocke of al. For beſide the ordinary penſion of tribute, they exacted ſo much of euery one feuerally as theyr pleaſure was to rate them at. Wherwith alſo hardly satisfied they committed ſpoyle and robberye throughout all the countrey. Wherfore Cyaxares and his people the Medes, intertaining the moſt part of them with ſumptuous feaſtes, and all ſortes of delicious and dayntye fare: watching their time when the Scythians were ouerladen with drinke, they ſet vppon them and flue them. By which meanes recoueryng the empyre with all that they had before, they toke alſo the citye Nynus. The which in what ſort it was by them taken, and howe they brought vnder their rule all the Aſſyriās, ſaue only Babylon, it ſhall elſe where be declared. Nowe when as Cyaxares¹⁰⁸ had raygned 40. yeares and reclaymed the kyngdome from the Scythians, he ended his life, & Aſtyages hys sōne ruled in his stede: of whoſe loynes iſſued a goodly gentlewoman named Mandâne: whom hyr father on a night dreamed¹⁰⁹ to haue let her vryne in ſo great aboundāce, yt to it filled the whole citye, and couered Aſia w^t a maine floud. The meaning wherof after he had learned of the Magi (who had ſkil to lay opē & interprete dreames) atteynted with exceeding feare, hee reſolued to marye his daughter (beyng now of ripe yeares) to none of the noble bloud of y^e Medes which might ſeeme worthy of her persō: but to a certayne Perfian named Cambyſes, whō he knew to be of a good houſe and of nature remiſſe and quiet. Albeit with him ſelfe in farre leſſe accompt then a meane mā of the Medes. The ſame yeare he had placed his daughter with Cambyſes, hee ſaw another viſion no leſſe ſtraunge then the former: wherein ther ſeemed vnto hym out of the wombe of his daughter to grow a vyne that ouerſpread & fhadowed all Aſia, and hauing knowledge what it meant, immediatly ſent for his daughter from Perſia, where ſhee abode: to whom beyng greate with childe, and neere the tyme of her deliuery, hee aſſygned a ſtrayght and diligent watch, in full purpoſe to deſtroy that whatſoeuer ſhee had brought forth into the world: beynge geuen him to vnderſtand by the wyſe Magi, the interpretors of dreames, that the yſſue of his daughter ſhould raygne in hys ſleed. Which thing Aſtyages carefully noting, preſentlye at the byrth of Cyrus, ſent for Harpagus his moſt familiar and faythfull counſayler, and the onely ſolicitor and dealer in al his affayres. To whom hee fayde on this manner: My good and truſty ſeruaunt Harpagus, I ſtraightlye warne thee not to neglect ye charge I ſhal lay vpon thee, nor in any wyſe to delay the ſpeedye diſpatch and accompliſhment of the ſame. Beware thou dost not deceiue me, and take hede, leaſt repoſing thy truſt in other to do it for thee, thou bee a cauſe vnto thy ſelfe of grieuous reuenge. Take this litle bratte of my daughter Mandâne, and, cary it home with thee to thyne houſe, and ſlay it: which done, take order alſo by ſome ſecrete meanes to ſee it buryed: to whom hee anſwered. Moſt noble Prince, your maieſty at no time enioyned ought to Harpagus that he fcorned to doe, and ſhall hee from henceforth neglect your heſtes?

Be it your wil and pleaſure, I ſhall do it: it is my dutye & deuoyre to perfourme it.

Which hauing fayd, the young infant was deliuered into hys handes in a rych and coaſtlye mantle whom hee receyuing departed home to his own houſe the teares trickling downe his cheekes for ſorrow. Whether beyng comen hee opened to his wyfe all the wordes that had paſſed betwene himſelfe and the king, who began to demaund him in theſe wordes. And what then my lord are you mynded to do?

Certes (quoth he) albeit I am commaunded by Aſtyages: yet whyle I liue wil I neuer be brought to commit ſo deteſtable a villany: be he neuer ſo madd, and tenne hundred times more enraged then he is at this preſent, both for that this pore ſeely brat is of myne owne kyndred and allyance, and then becauſe Aſtiages himſelfe is now olde and without iſſue of a man child. After whoſe whoſe death if by fortune his daughter ſhould aſpyre to yt crowne (whoſe ſonne I am charged to bereaue of his life) what elſe could I hope for but the moſt cruel and miſerable death that coulde bee deuyſed? Neuertheleſſe, for myne owne ſafetyes ſake, I hold it neceſſarye this childe ſhoulde dye, yet not by anye of myne, but by ſome of the kinges owne ſeruantes. Hys talke ended, forthwith he ſent a meſſenger to yt heardman of Aſtyages whom he knew wost cōueniently to be reſident in ſuch paſtors and hils as were haunted and frequented wt wyld beaſtes. The heard mannes name was Mitradates: whoſe mate in bedde and fellow in ſeruice was a poore laye woman named in the Greeke toung Cyno, which ſignifyeth a Bytch: in the Median lauguage Spaco, Spaca, in the commō vſe of their ſpeech being the right name for a vitch. The paftour where hee graſed his cattell were borderyng to the foote or bottom of a deſert mountayne, lying to the North ſyde of Eobatana, and to the Euxine ſea: al that coaſt of the land of Media which tendeth towardes the people Saſpires, beinge very hygh & full of hils and forreſtes, but the reſt much more low and playne. The heardman receyuing the meſſuage, and repayring to the houſe of Harpagus after he was comen thither, he began to salute hym in theſe wordes.¹¹⁰ Gentle Syria (quoth he) it is the kinges wil you take this litle infante and laye hym in the moſt wilde and deſert place of the woods where he may ſooneſt bee deuoured. Which wordes his maieſty cōmaunded me to ſay vnto you, with this greeting moreouer, that if in caſe thou make not ſpeedy diſpatch of it, but by ſome meanes ſaue it and kepe it aliue, thyſelfe in sted therof ſhalt dye the death. Which thing alſo that it might be done without deceipt, he gaue me in precyſe charge with myne owne eyes to behold the child dead, with which wordes the poore ſoule toke the babe, and returned the ſame way hee came to his baſe and fimple cottage. Now it fortuned that all that day his wife laye in traueile of childbyrth, and (as the Gods would haue it) in the meane ſpace whyle her huſband went to the city, was deliuered of a ſonne: beyng very ſollicitous and careful one for another: Mitradates for yt ſafe deliuerye of his wife: Cyno for the good ſucceſſe of hyr huſband, who beſides cuſtome was ſent for by Harpagus. Beyng returned home, & with great ioy receaued of his ſorrowful wyfe, ſhe curiouſly demaunded of hym what the cauſe might be, that in ſuch poſt haſt he was ſummoned by Harpagus to come to the city. To whom he fayde (my deare wyfe) at my comming to the city I both heard and ſaw that which I woulde to God I had neuer ſeene, nor it had bene done by our Lordes and mayfters. All yt houſe of Harpagus reſounding with teares and yellyng with moſt pitifull outcryes and lamentation. Wherinto after I was entered all agaft & astonied for fear I beheld a comly younge chyld lying in the middes of the houſe quaking and cryng wrapped in a rich mantel of gold and diuerfe colours, whom Harpagus (hauing espyed me) commaunded me to take by and by, and caſt it out in the mayne forreſt for a pray and ſpoyle to the ſauage and rauenous beaſtes: addynge moreouer yt Aſtyages charged me ſo to do, with great threats and men•cinges if I ſhould do otherwyſe. The child I toke and haue brought with mee ſuppoſing it to belong to ſome one of the court: for that I would neuer haue thoughte it to haue bene of the kings owne bloud. Notwithſtanding I maruayled much to ſee that ſo rychly arayed with gold and ſumptuous attyre: as alſo what it might meane that Harpagus and all his family ſo bitterly wayled in extreame wae and heauines. Now in the way I was acertayned of all the matter by a ſeruaūt that brought me out of the city, and deliuered the child into my handes: who told me it was the ſonne of Mandane our kinges daughter, begotten of Cambyſes ſonne of Cyrus,, and that Aſtyages commaunded it ſhould bee ſlayne: and this is he. Wherwithall he vnfolden the mantle & ſhewed the child to his wyfe. The ſelye woman beholding the young babe to be fayre and beautiful and of body large and well proportioned, fell downe on her knees, and bathinge her huſbandes feete wt her lukewarme teares ſhe beſought him in no wyfe to imbrue his handes in the bloud of an infant ſo goodly and well fauoured. Who alleaging that it could not be otherwyſe, becauſe that Harpagus would ſend his ſeruauntes to ſee it dead, and that himſelfe ſhould bee miſerably tormented to death. The woman which by thys tyme had ſet abroach a new deuiſe begā a freſh to counſaile hym faying. If there be no remedye but needeſ thou must lay it out: yet heare me once agayne & follow my counſayle how thou mayſt craftely diſpenſe with the kings commaūdement and ſaue the childe. This day haue I brought forth a young infant which was ſtil borne and dead in yt wombe. Take yt therfore and faying it out in the deſert: let vs kepe and foster this in the ſteed, ſo ſhall it neither be knowne y^t thou haſt diſobayed the king, and our ſelues ſhall gayne the heauenly ioy of ſo goodly an infant. By this meanes (my good huſband) both our dead chyld caſt out in this kynglye¹¹¹ veſture ſhall enioy a royall and princely ſepulcher: and this poore ſeely innocent that is aſſygned to dye ſhall be preſerued and kept aliue. Which deuyſe fytted the neatheardes humoure ſo wel that without any longer deliberation, hee put it in practiſe. Wherfore giuinge to his wyfe the childe which he was mynded to haue ſlayne, his owne bratte that was ſtill borne gallantly decked in the others aray, he toke and layd out in a moſt wilde and waſt mountayne. Which done the 3. day after he had caſt it forth (leauyng another to ouerſee the neat)he poſted him to the city to the houſe and mansiō place of Harpagus,geuing him to vnderſtande that the child, was dead, and that for more aſſurance he myght behold it wher he lay: who ſending with him certaine of his ſeruauntes in whom he repoſinge geateſt affyaunce willed them to take view thereof, who fyndyng it to be ſo (as they thought) in ſteede of Mendanes¹¹² ſonne toke the heardmās child, and buryed it. Now the other yoūg brat y^t was after called Cyrus was brought vp and cheriſhed by yt graſiers wyfe who notwithſtanding, as yet did not call hym Cyrus, but by ſome other name. The child arryuing to the age of tenne yeares, deſcryed his progeny, and opened hymſelfe by this deed, and sportyng in a village where the hearde graſed, and beynge at sporte and playe with his equalles, hee chaunſed by the other children his playfellowes to be chosē kynge.¹¹³ The boy incontinentlye limittynge to euerye one hys propre charge, toke vppon him lyke a younge Prince in dede, ordaining ſtrayght ſome of them to builde houſen, and others to garde hys Bodye, and to attende vppon hys perſon, one for the ſteward of his court, another for his legate and ambaſſadour to forreine countries: laſtly ſuch a one as might controll and ouerſee the reſt: bynding euery man with a feuerall dutye. Among this company of little wagges ther vſed to play a young boy the ſonne of Artembares, a man of great calling and principal respect among the Medes, whō Cyrus for that he refuſed to obay his authority, and do as hee bade hym, cauſed the other boyes to take and lay hold on, which they doing, he beat him ſpightfully & without meaſure. The boy taking it heauily to be thus abuſed, was no ſoner eſcaped from them, but he rāne home crying to the city where his father dwelled and complayned of the wrong & vyolence done to hym by Cyrus: albeit not callīg him Cyrus (for as yet he had not that name) but the ſonne of Aſtyages heardman. Artembares transportted with choller, in a rage toke his ſonne by the hande, and lead him to the kynge, where declarynge the intolerable miſuſage of hys child, opened his coate & ſhewed hys ſhoulders, ſayng. Is it meete (O kyng) that we be thus abuſed by the wretched brat of thy heardmā? Aſtyages willing to gratifye Artembares and do him honour by reuenging his ſonnes quarel, cauſed the heardmas boy to be ſent for: who bryng come, Aſtyages caſtyng towardes hym a sterue and frowning loke, began in this wyſe: why syrra (quoth hee) you litle punion, is it for ſo baſe a brat as thy ſelfe, borne of a beggerly vaſſall, to scourge and whip in ſuch ſort a childe ſprong of a noble houſe, whoſe father is one of the peeres and chiefe men of my realme? The boy¹¹⁴ beholdyng the king with a bold and stedfaſt countenaunce aunſweared thus. Why my Lord (quoth he) that which I haue done I haue done by iuſtice, for our towne boyes, in whoſe crew this was, appoynting me their king, as the meeteſt of them all to beare rule, this fellow would not obay me, and thought fcorne to do as I bad him: for which cauſe according to hys due deſert I ſharply puniſhed him,and if I for ſo doyng be worthy to be beaten, here I am do with me what thou wilt. Whyles the boy ſpake theſe wordes, Aſtyages his hart began to riſe: for he ſeemd to himſelf to acknowledge the coūtenaunce of the boy, callynge to mynde the forme and ſignes of his face, beſydes, his ſtately and liberal geſture:the terme alſo of his yeares hit ſo pat with the time of his caſting out, that he verily thought hym to be his yong nephewe. Wherat ſome what astonied he remained silent for a ſpace, & hardly at the length returning to himſelfe (being deſirus to ſend away Artembares, to the end he might talke alone with the heardman) he ſpake thus. My meanyng is O Artembares (quoth he) in ſuch ſort to deale in this matter that you ſhall thinke your ſelfe ſatisſy, and your ſonne haue no cauſe to complayne. With which wordes Artembares taking hys humble leaue of the king, Cyrus was lead into an inner parlour. Aſtyages beyng now alone with the heardman, began to parle with hym where he had the boy, or how he came by hym. Who thinking it beſt to ſtand to hys tacklinge affirmed stoutly that he was his own ſonne, and that his mother was liuing with hym at home at his houſe. To whom the king caſtyng an angry smyle: Certes (quoth hee) good fellow thou art not thyne owne freynd to runne wilfullye into the briers, and to be cauſe vnto thy ſelfe of a terrible death: and preſently making a ſigne to hys gard to lay hold on him they toke him in purpoſe to haue lead hym awaye. But the miſerable neatheard oppreſſed with extremity and driuē to ſo nere a ſtrayght, reſolued with hymſelfe abandoning all fayned allegations to ſeeke refuge by confeſſynge the truth: wherfore openyng the whole matter from the firſt head and begynning, he fell downe on his knees, and humblye craued pardon of the kyng. Aſtyages hearyng hym without gloſe or colour to ſpeake as it was, made light of his fault and let him goe, ſending certaine of his court for Harpagus againſt whom hys ſtomacke was inflamed with greate wrath and indignation, to whom appearing in prefence hee ſpake as followeth. Tell me Harpagus¹¹⁵ in truth (quoth he) by what death didst thou murder ye childe that I gaue vnto thee begotten & borne of my daughter Mandâne: who ſeeing Mitradates the heardman preſent, thought it not beſt to diſſēble and conceale the matter by fayning, leaſt he were taken vp for triping and conuicted of a lye: but framing this aūſwere: he fayd. My ſoueraigne lord and King, after I had receiued the Infant at your graces hand, I caſt in my head the beſt way & fitteſt meanes to obey and fulfill your wil: and that in ſuch ſorte alſo, that auoydinge your Maieſtyes diſpleaſure, I might neyther be a mineſter of bloudſhed to your princely ſelfe, nor to your noble daughter. For which conſideratian I wrought thus. ſendinge for this heardman graſier of your maieſties Neat, I gaue into his handes the new borne brat, with a weighty and preciſe cōmaundement from your gratious highneſſe to put him to death: and in ſo faying I ſpake no more then truth, for ſo much as your pleaſure was it ſhould be ſo. In this ſort I committed vnto him the babe with an earneſt and carefull charge to lay it out in the deſert chaſes of the wilde and inhabitable rockes & mountaines, adding a hundred thouſād threats of the moſt cruell and peſtilent death in the worlde if in caſe he ſhould let, or in ye leaſt point refuſe to perfourm it with diligence. Which done by him and the infant beyng dead, of my moſt aſſured and truſty ſeruauntes I ſent ſome to behold the child hauing nowe expyred and breathed forth hys laſt blaſt who fynding it cold, and without ſence, layd it in the earth and buryed it. This ſtandes the caſe O king and by this death the child periſhed. Now as touching this diſcourſe of Harpagus his talke was directed and grounded on a flat and ſincere truth. But Aſtyages makinge no ſemblaunce of anger of that which had happened, began and told him fyrſt of the heard mans confeſſion procedinge orderlye with the reſt, till at length he came to ſay thus. For that the childe liueth and by the benefyte offortune and fauour of the Gods hath eſcaped death I greatly reioyce as beyng diſquieted with no ſmal anguiſh and torment of conscience to conſider the villany and wicked treeſon wrought agaynſtyt, and beyng often challenged by my daughter, for the priuy murder and concealed death of hyr child, I was not a litle gauled and aſtlicted in thought. But in that fortune hath turned all to the beſt: ſend me hether thy ſonne to bee a playfellow and companion to my litle nephew, and ſee thou come thy ſelfe backe agayne and accompany me at ſupper. For the truth is I am in purpoſe to do ſacrifyce to the Gods immortall for the ſafe recouery of the child, to whom the honour and chiefe prayſe of this gracious and fortunate happe doth eſſpecially belong. Harpagus hearynge this, dyd hys humble reuerence to the kinge, exceedynge ioyous at the fauourable yſſue and good euent of his fault, and not a litle glad beſydes that as a fellow and companion of the kynges mirth and comfort he was inuyted to ſupper. Wherefore departing home he no ſooner entred within the dores but with all ſpeede he cauſed his ſonne to be ſought out, whom beyng of the age of 13. yeares he ſent to the court willyng hym to do whatſoeuer he was commaunded by the kynge. Hymſelfe as one ready to leape out of hysſkynne for ioy, with mery counteuaunce and smyling cheere declared to hys wyfe imediatly the whole courſe and tenour of hys happye ſucceſſe. Hys ſonne arryued at the kyngs pallace:¹¹⁶ Aſtyages incontinently ſlew, and cutting and diſmembringe him into fmall peeces: part therof hee commaunded to bee rosted, and other part ſodden: both excellently wel ſeaſoned and reliſhed, to be kept in a readines. At ſupper time ye gueſtes beynge gathered togeather, and amonges them Harpagus the kyng hymſelfe with the reſt were ſerued with meſſes of mutton wherewith the borde was generally ſpred, ſaue only Harpagus, before whom were ſet the partes of his torne and mangled childe, except the head, the handeſ, and the feete, which were feuerally kept and ſet aſyde in a baſket. Of theſe lamentable deintyes,¹¹⁷ after Aſtyages iudging hys gueſt to haue well fedde, hee demaunded hym the queſtion how he lyked hys chere: who hauinge auouched hymſelfe greatly delighted therewith as the ſweeteſt and moſt delicat meate that euer he taſted: certayne appoynted for the nonce drew nere with the baſket conteyning thehead, handeſ, and feete, who willing hym to open it, and chooſe of thoſe things which were in it what liked him beſt, he diſcouered ye maūd and beheld the reſidue of his murthered childe: wherewith ſomewhat abaſhed, yet patiently kept him ſelfe from open outrage. Now Aſtyages aſkyng hym whether he knew y^e head of that beaſt, of whoſe fleſh he had fed ſo freſhlye, hee made him anſwere, yea, & ſtood contented with that, whatſoeuer his maieſty ſhould do at any tyme. Immediatly he aroſe from the table and taking the remnauntes of his vnfortunate and wretched bratt, framed his ſteps towardes hys owne houſe, in mynd (as I iudge) to interre and burye the remnauntes of that accurſed and boucherlye acte. On this manner did king Aſtyages take reuenge of his faythful and beloued ſeruaunt Harpagus. After which entringe into deliberation of Cyrus,¹¹⁸ hee called for the wyſe men named Magi, by whoſe meanes he came to knowledge of hys dreame, to whom after they were come he moued a queſtiō about the true conſtruing and expoſition of hys viſion, who yeeldyng the ſame anſweare that they dyd before, that it behoued the boy if he were liuing to raigne and be kyng. Astyages tooke immediatlye theyr talke by the end, and goinge forward: Of a truthe (quoth hee) it is moſt certayne that the Chylde is liuinge, and fareth very well. And when as in the Countrye where hee was brought vppe, the children of his owne village in wayof paſtime had made him a king loke what they do that are kynges indeede, the ſelfee ſame in like maner did hee. For appoynting his wayghters, his porters, his meſſengers to goe to and froe with other ſuch like dutyes and offices, hee bare himſelfe amonges them lyke a young prince. Now tel me therfore you that haue ſkill, what thinke you of this? If the chyld liue (ſay they) and haue already borne rule and that not aduyſedly or of premeditate purpoſe but by chaunce & deſtinye. Be of good courage then (O king) wee warrant you hee hath taken his leaue and ſhal rule no more. For ſome of our prophecies, ſothfayinges, and coniectures come to fmall effect: & as meere phantasies, and ydle dreames proue very light and fall to nothing. Surely (quoth the king) and I thinke no leſſe beynge of this opinion alſo that for aſmuch as hee hath once bene named & held for a kyng, my dreame hath his end, and that wee haue no more need to feare him anye longer. Neuertheleſſe I leaue it to your wyſedome carefullye to cōſider what may befall, and geue me ſuch counſayl and aduyſe as may be ſafeſt both for the maintenaunce of my scepter and for the cōtinuaunce of your owne eſtates, to whom they aunſwered. It is greatly to be wiſhed and deſyred of vs (O mightye Prince) that thy kyngdome perpetually indure, for otherwyſe if it ſhould deſcend or be translated to this boy, which is a Perfian what could wee loke for that are Medes and aliens, then to be held and kept vnder in bondage and ſlauery. Whereas on the other ſyde vnder thy gouernment (whoſe natural fubiectes we holde an accompt ourſelues) wee are in maner princes ouer them, and with thy ſelfe in great credite and honor. By how much ye rather we ought to haue diligent respecte of thy proſperous raygne, and at this tyme alſo to aduertiſe and warne thee if wee ſawe, or were priuye to oughte that might bee preiudiciall to thy royall perſon, but for as much as the viſion is comen to ſo ſlender proofe, that in euent it ſeemeth a tryfle, both our ſelues are in good hope, and wil your grace alſo not to diſpayre, but to ſende home the childe into Perſia, to his parentes: wherat Aſtyages greatly reioyſing, calling for Cyrus fayd vnto him: My ſonne, albeit heretofore by meanes of a fond & friuolous viſion, I did thee iniury: yet by thyne owne good fortune and happie deſteny, thou art kept aliue. Now thefore ioyfully get thee home to the Perfians with thoſe whom I haue appoynted to be thy guydeſ, wher thou ſhalt fynde a father not like to the heardman Mitradates, and a mother much better then thy nourſe Cyno. With which wordes he toke his leaue of hym and ſent hym away. When they were come¹¹⁹ to the houſe of Cambyſes,Cyrus was receiued of his parentes, who hauing knowledge that he was their ſonne, kyſſed and embraced hym a myllion of tymes, holding themſelues the moſt happy and fortunate people in the world, for the ſodayne and vnhoped recouery of their ſweete ſonne, whom they neuer thoughte to haue ſeene alyue. And curiously demaunding of him how, and by what meanes he eſcaped, he made them anſweare, that til this tyme he neuer knew: beyng altogeather ignoraunt of hys kyndred & lineage, addyng moreouer yt for ought he knew he was the very naturall and lawful child of Aſtyages his heardmā, ſaue that onely in the way he had intelligēce of his whole miſfortune & ſtraūge hap by thoſe which were geuen him of Aſtyages for his ſafe cōduct into Perſia. He declared therfore in what ſort he was nouriſhed, & kept vp by the field mans wyfe, whom in al his talke he greatly prayſed and commended, in ſo much yt alwayes at one ende of hys tale was his swete and dearly beloued Cyno:which name his parents hearing,¹²⁰ to the end yt deliuerance of their ſonne mighte ſeeme more ſtraunge & miraculous, they blazed abroad y^• Cyrus was brought vp & cheriſhed of a bitch: wherof conſequently sprang and aroſe a fayned tale. Cyrus growing in yeares and approaching nere to mās eſtate, waxed of all equals the moſt valiant and hardye, & in paſſinge fauour & goodwill with al men, whō Harpagus oft tymes vrged by fundry gyftes and preſentes to take reuenge of his graundfather Aſtyages. For ſeynge that by himſelfe beynge a priuate man ther was no waye to repay the iniury done him by the king (Cyrus beyng now at ripe and mature age) he thought good to make him, who had all one cauſe to haue all one ogethe. Furthermore, hee wrought this, at what tyme Aſtyages through the peuiſhnes of age dealt very cruelly, and lyke a tyraunte with the Medes. Harpagus clawing fauour, and inſinuatynge himſelfe with the Peeres of the realme, perswaded thē to depryue Aſtyages of the ſupreme dignity, and make choyſe of Cyrus for their high and ſoueraigne Prince. And ſeing his pretended treaſon together well to fadge & goe forward, willyng to make Cyrus of counſayle (which thing for that all the oge into Perſia were intercluded & garded by watch and warde, was hard to be done) he came in mynd of thys conceipt:¹²¹ hauing finely and cunningly drawen out the garbedge of an hare, he conueied into her belly a letter wherin was ſet forth and declared hys whole mynd: which togeather with the hare and nets deliuerynge to an huntsman, one of hys owne houſhold ſeruauntes, whom he eſpeciallye truſted, he ſent into Perſia, geuīg him in charge to deliuer it into Cyrus hys owne handeſ, and to requeſt hym to og vp the hare ſecretely by hymſelfe and without company. The fellow together executing his mayfters will, toke y^e hare to Cyrus, who opening her belly found the letter encloſed, which he vnfolded and read in theſe termes.¹²² Thou ſonne of Cambyſes (whom no doubte the Gods tender and regard, for otherwyſe thou haddeſt neuer moūted to ſo great eſtate) take vengeance now of Aſtyages,the ſeeker of thy vtter ſpoyle and deſtruction. For by his deſire thou haddeſt dyed the death, but by y^e fauour of the Gods & by means of me, thou remayneſt alyue. All the courſe of which thy bagicall and vnhappye fortune I doubt not but thon knoweſt of olde: as alſo the villanye and execrable together done to mee by Aſtyages, in that my ſelfe refuſinge to kil the gaue the ouerinto the oget of his neathearde. Now together if thou wilt listē to me, the whole kingdome of the Medes ſhall be fubiect to thy power. Seke firſt of al to allure the myndes of the Perſians to ſlippe ***ogeth, and***oget, which done put thy ſelfe in voyage agaynſt the Medes, in full hope and aſſurance to enioy the crowne. For be it my ſelfe or any other of the nobles of Media whom y^e king ſhall aſſygne to come forth agaynſt thee and geue the battell, wee haue all geuen handes with one conſent to rebate the power of the Medes, and ioyninge auncientes to march vnder one banner, to the vtter ouerthrowe and depriuation of that cruell and malicious tyraunt. The account is caſt, the ogether made, and nothinge wantinge, but that which we earneſtly with for, and ſhortlye for, thy quicke and ſpeedy arriuall. The letter read and peruſed,¹²³ Cyrus caſt with him ſelf what sleight or art he might now vſe to induce and moue the Perſians to ſedition and fynding one not altogeather vnfyt for his purpoſe, hee determined to make tryall therof, indytinge a letter in ſuch wordes as hee thought beſt, after this he ſummoned a generall concourſe and meeting of the Perſians, wher opening the letter he ſignifyed to them that Aſtyages had apoynted him lieuetenaunt or principall of Perſia. For which cauſe you Perſians (fayd he) I will and commaunde you, to reſort hether euery man furniſhed and prouided of his hooke or bill, which charge geuen he brakevp the aſſembly. Now it is meete wee knowe that many ſorts of people are together vnder the generall name of Perſians. Certayne wherof Cyrus together intyſed them to rebell, which were ſuch that of them all the reſt depended. The names of the people be theſe. The Arteatians, Perſians, Pasargadians, Meraphians, Mafians: of which number the Pasargadians are the moſt noble and renowmed: amonges whom is the ſtocke and familye of the Achaemenides, out of the which the kinges of Perſia are alwayes choſen and elected. There be alſo other Perſians beſydes theſe, as the Parthelians, Derufians, Germanians, addicted to the trade of tillage and manurynge the ground. Other alſo that haue principall regard of graſinge and feedyng cattel, to wit, the Dayans, Mardians, Drophicians, Sagartians. All which ready preſt with their ſicles & hedging billes, Cyrus toke and lead into a field of 18. or 20 furlonges exceedyngly ouergrowen and peſtered with buſhes, which in one dayes ſpace they cleane cut vp and caried away. Wherfore the next day following hee commaunded them to be preſent agayne euery man handſomly and well arayed. Himſelfe in the meane ſeaſon gatheryng togeather whole heards of goats, ſheepe and oxen, all that his father had, hee ſlew them to make prouiſion of a ſumptuous and magnificent banquet wherewith to feaſt and entertayne the whole hoſt and company of the Perſians. The next day inſuing when (as Cyrus had commaunded) the Perſians were aſſembled and comen togeather, he cauſed them to ſit downe in a great and large field, where as mery as crickets, they fell freſhly to thoſe chats which in great plenty and aboundance were ſet before them. At after dynner Cyrus demaūded of them whether of the two they rather wiſhed, the labour paſt, or the pleaſure preſent. To whom they replyed that there was no compariſon or equality betweene them: for as no payne and miſery was abſent from the one: ſo no pleaſure and felicity was wanting to ye other. Which their anſweare Cyrus takyng hold of preſentlye went forwarde faying. My frendes and countriemen of Perſia, euen ſo it fareth with you, and at ſuch choyſe and electiō you now ſtand. For geuing your conſent to obay and follow me: both theſe and many other infinite cōmodityes ſhal redound vnto you, without the toylſome yoke of ſeruitude and ſlauerye, but refuſing my coūſayle, a whole ſea of miſeryes do dayly threaten you, not vnlyke the toyle and wretchedneſſe that yeſterday you abode. Be ruled then by me and attaine your freedome, for both I my ſelfe am prouyded by deuyne lotte and appoyntment of the Gods, by whoſe meanes you ſhould enter into this paradiſe of bleſſedneſſe, and you in nothinge (eſpecially in martial courage) were euer accompted inferiour to the Medes. What reſteth thē but that in defyaūce to Aſtyages and the tytle of the Medes, you caſt of the yoke of ſeruitude, and become free. The Perſians long ſince moued¹²⁴ with diſdayne to ſee thēſelues ouertopped and kept vnder by the Medes: hauing y^e oportunity of a captayne, with handeſ and feete (as they ſay) vowed themſelues to obay Cyrus, and recouer their liberty. Theſe thinges ſounding in the eares of Aſtyages: Cyrus by a purſeuant was cyted vp to appeare at ye court:whom he returned backe agayne with this anſweare, that his meaninge was to come verye ſpedily and ſomewhat to ſone for his purpoſe. At which newes Aſtyages imediatlye prepared a power of the Medes, ouer whō in an ill hower¹²⁵ he placed Harpagus generall, not mynding the iniurye hee had done vnto hym. The army prepared, and the Medes & Perſians meeting in the field: they which were not priuye to the purpoſe of Harpagus, began to fight and bicker with the ennemy: the reſt without offer of violence ioyning with them. Other there were, that with fmall reſiſtaunce turned their backes to the Perſians and fled amayne. The hoſt of Aſtyages beynge in this wyſe diſperſed and ſhronke in the wetting, newes was broughte thereof to the king, who in a greate heate of choller and outrage, menacing Cyrus fayd. Let the traytour bee aſſured hee ſhall not thus eſcape. How be it, firſt of all¹²⁶ apprehending the wyſe men Magi, by whoſe counſayle hee was brought to let Cyrus depart, he hanged them vp euery man, not leauing one aliue. After this he put in armour the reſt of the Medes, y^t were in the city both young and old: with whom beyng preſent in the fielde. After that for a whyle he had abidden the might and power of the Perſians, he was driuen to flie, and in the eadin was taken alyue, with the loſſe and perdition of hys whole army.¹²⁷ Ouer whom beyng now captiue, Harpagus his counſaylour greatlye insulted, with open ſcoffes and reproachful tauntes, eading nothing yt might gaule and greeue him to the verye hart: laying in his teeth the ſupper wherin he hadde cauſed hym to ſeede of his ſonnes fleſh. For which cauſe hee had now made him of a kynge a vaſſal. Why then (quoth Aſtyages) dost thou now challēge the dead of Cyrus to thy ſelfe, who alleaginge on the other ſide that it was his deede and done by hym, for that Cyrus was moued ther unto by his letters. Aſtyages aunſweared that of all men he held hym moſt voyd of wit and goodwill to his countrey. The one, for that hauing power to be king hymſelfe, he had yelded it ouer to an other: the other in that for malice of one ſupper he had brought his owne countrey into perpetuall eading. For had it bene neceſſarye to haue put ouer the kingdome from hymſelfe to an other, it had bene much better to haue choſen a Mede then a Persiā wheras now the Medes being nothing giltye of that fact, were become of rulers, ſlaues, and y^e Perſians that hetherto had liued in bondage were now come to be lordes themſelues. On this manner¹²⁸ king Aſtyages hauinge the ſpace of 35. yeares borne rule in Media: was depryued of his ſeate: by whoſe cruelty and ſore dealing the Medes came in fubiection to the Perſians after they had held the ſupremiſye of all Aſia aboue the floud Halis an hundred twenty eight years, ſauinge the tyme that the Scithians eading the eadin. Afterwardes the Medes repenting themſelues of that they had done, reuolted from Darius, but beyng ouercome in battayle, they were agayne perforce driuen to obedience. The Perſians by whoſe meanes Cyrus vanquiſhed his graundfather Aſtyages, hauing the chiefe rule and dominion of Aſia. Cyrus doinge no violence to Aſtyages, kepte him in his houſe to the houre of his death. ſuch therefore was the byrth and education of Cyrus, & the meanes wherby he atchieued the kyngdome: who not longe after tryumphed ouer kyng Craeſus his profeſſed enemy, of whom wee ſpake before: by which his victory he wan the ful title & poſſeſſion of all Aſia. Furthermore the rytes and cuſtomes which the Persiās vſe I fynd to be theſe. Firſt for ymages, temples, & aulters, they neuer build any, and accompt it great follye and madnes in thoſe that do builde them. For this cauſe as I iudge they think not the Gods to come of the progeny and lineage of men, as the Graetians doe. Wherfore making choyſe of the kigheſt and moſt lofty hyls of the coūtrey on the toppes of them they do ſacrifyce vnto Iupiter by which name they vnderſtand the whole cope and vaute of heauen, geuing alſo lyke honor and reuerence to the ſunne, the Moone, the Earth the Fyre, the Water, and the Wyndes: imputing to theſe alone a deuyne nature and deity, which from the beginnīg they haue had in honour. Notwithstāding in courſe of time they began to buckle and pray to Vrania: which maner they drew from the Aſſyrians and Arabians. Venus of the Aſſyrians is called Militta, in Arabia Alitta, by the Perſians Metra. The ceremonies eading by them to bee kept and obſerued in time of ſacrifice are theſe. They neyther ſet vp any aulter, or eadin anye fyre at all, omittinge alſo to ſay or tast of the ſacrifyce before the immolation. Pypes, Myters, saltcakes, they neuer vſe. But as euerye one is purpoſed to make oblation to the heauenly powers, ſo eading his hoſt or ſacrifyce into a fayre and cleanē place, hee humbleth himſelfe in prayer to ſome one of the Gods hauing his head decked with a nightcap vſuallye worne of the women of Perſia, bounde about for the moſt parte, and roned with mirtle. Beyng alwayes prouided that the party which maketh the offeryng hold it not lawful to pray for hymſelfe only or to make ſupplication for any priuate or peculiar commoditye of his owne, but vniuerſallye for the whole realme and multitude of the Perſians, and chiefly for the king. The ſacrifycer hymſelfe being a part and parcell of the whole number: ſo that in praying for all others hee prayeth for himſelfe. This alſo: cutting and hewing y^e halowed beaſt into fmall and ſlender peeces, they incontinently boyld it: which done makinge diligent inquiſition for the ſofteſt and smotheſt graſſe they can find, and eſpecially trifolly or three leaued graſſe, they ſpred thereon the ſodden fleſh, ouer which a Magician yalpeth out a ſonge of the beginning & childhod of y^e Gods, which they accompt a moſt forceable and valerous incantation. Without this Magitian:¹²⁹ They hold no ſacrifice lawful or rightly perfourmed. After this the ſacrifycer taketh the fleſh, and applyeth it to what vſe it ſeemeth him good. Of all the dayes in ye yeare they obſerue with greateſt ioy and ſolemnitye theyr byrthday. Wherin, then at other tymes, they vſe larger dyete with greater plentye and aboundaunce of meate: in ſo much that the richer and wealthier ſorte ſet whole oxen, camels, horſes, and aſſes vppon the borde, prepared and rosted in a fornace. ſuch as are of meaner ability and fubstance celebrate their natiuity wt beaſtes of leſſe quantity. Litle meat ſufficeth them: the greateſt part of theyr prouiſion conſiſtīg in choiſe chats and iunkettinge diſhes. And thoſe not verye tothſome and daynty. Hereof it commeth that the Perſians obiect to the Grecians their ſhort meales & quicke dinners, for that (ſay they) they haue nothing pleaſaunt, dilicate, or worth eatyng, whereby they may be allured to ſitte longe at meate. Which if they hadde (no doubt) they woulde quatt theyr Stomakes to the full and ſeeldome or neuer aryſe hungrye. Moreouer the Perſians¹³⁰ generally are verye much geuen to wyne. Beyng notwithſtanding forbidden by the law to perbreake or vomite in company, or to make water wher they may be ſeene, which maner and cuſtome they kepe as yet.¹³¹ Commonly when they haue typled ſo long they ſee a peece of the deuil, they by and by fall into queſtion and conſultation of graue and ſerious matters: and loke what is agreed vpon among their cuppes the ſame thenext day following is propounded by the hoſt of the houſe where the ſenate was held: and if in lyke manner they allow and thinke well of it beyng ſober, they vſe it, if otherwyſe, they refuſe it. On the other ſide what ſoeuer in time of ſobriety hath bene determined by them, the ſelfe ſame they ruminate and run ouer a freſh, beyng wel moſtned with wine. If they meete one an other in the way it is no hard matter to know whether they be equalles or ſuperiours ech to other. For beyng of like reputation they kyſſe each other on the mouth. If the one be ſomewhat the others ſuperiour, after a more modeſt and bashfull faſhion they kiſſe on the cheekes. If much more ſet by and of farre greater regard the baſe and vnnoble falleth flat on the earth in honour and reuerence to the other. Behauinge themſelues with all dutifull demeanour and curteous vsage towardes them, which are nexte dwellers, and neyghbours vnto them. In the ſecond degree imbracing and making much of thoſe who dwell nere alſo and border uppon their neighboures, and ſo conſequently the nerer euery one is in place to them y^e greater he iſin friendſhip and familiarity, eſteeming thēſelues of all men the beſt. To thoſe which are furtheſt ſeperate and diſioyned from them in diſtaunce of place they diſdayne to ſhewe the leaſt poynt of ciuility, in ful accompt that of al men liuing there is none lyke vnto them ſelues in any thinge, and as euerye man hath nereſt propinquity to them in place and neighbourhod ſo they deeme hym to excell others in vertue and good liuing, making leaſt accompt of thoſe that dwell furtheſt of and moſt of themſelues. Furthermore in the tyme of the Medes empyre,certain familyes exerciſed mutuall gouernment, that is, were rulers ouer ſome and ruled by others, for the Medes generally weare rulers and chieflly ouer thoſe that dwelt next them: who in like ſort had the ouerſight of ſuch as bordered vpon them: to whom alſo in order was permitted the rule and moderation of others. Like to this manner of gouernment was the loue and familaritye that was alſo of the Pefians, alwayes louinge thoſe beſt that were their neereſt neighbours. Of all countryes in the world y^e Perſians are moſt delighted with forrayne and outlandiſh maners: wherfore leauing their owne countrey veſture, they put themſelues in Mediſh attyre, deeming it better & more ſeemly them their owne, wearyng vpon their hands a kind of placars or stomacher vſed of the Ægyptians. Moreouer they are drawen with all kynd of pleaſure & delight which they can either inuent thēſelues or learne of other: learning of the Grecians to be in loue wt beautiful boyes. They wed many virgines, & woo more cōcubynes. In the next place to ſtrenght & valiaunt courage, they make moſt of him yt hath moſt childrē, whō anually ye kīg indueth wt a great reward as though he had atchined ſome notable act. Their childrē from 5. yere old til they come to 20. they trayne & bringe vp in 3 principal things in ryding, in ſhoting, & ſpeaking truth. The child neuer cōmeth into the fathers ſight before he 5 yeare old, but is brought vp priuily among the company of women, to the end yt if the child dye before he aſpyre to that age the father may conceaue no griefe or ſorrow for y^e ſame. Which cuſtome truly I greatly cōmend: as alſo this y^t it be not lawfull for the king for one offence to bereaue a man of hys lyfe: nor for any of yt Perſians to practiſe cruelty vpō his family beīg moued therto by one only transgreſſiō. But breathing vppon the cauſe if by good aduyſemente he founde more and greater faultes committed then duties perfourmed: then to geue the brydle to hys anger & worke hys wil. Beſides they are in opinion in yt countrey, yt no mā at anye tyme ſlew his owne father: but that the child ſo doing vppon examination and tryal had of his byrth is awaies found to be a baſtard and changling. Thinkinge it a thinge vnpoſſible that the naturall childe ſhould euer aduenture to brew the deſtruction of his owne and lawfull ſyre. Whatſoeuer is diſhoneſt to do that alſo they eſteeme vnſeemly to ſpeake. But of all thinges they accompt it moſt abhominable to lye: and next to that to bee much in debt: both for many other respectes, and chiefly becauſe they thinke it skarſe poſſible for him that oweth much not to diſſemble and lye much, if any one be infected with leproſie, or otherwyſe di••eined with vncleannes of the body, he may not come within th• citye, or vſe the company of any Perfian, alleaging that for offence and transgreſſion agaynſt yt ſunne they were puniſhed and attaynted with ſuch diſeaſes. And if happily it befall a ſtraunger or forreyuer to be taken with ſuch like ſickneſſe, they baniſh and expell him the countrey: for the ſame reaſon alſo chaſting and ſkaringe all Pigeons and doues out of the circuite and compaſſe of theyr region. It is open blasphamy with the ſame people, (not onely repugnant to good maners and ciuility) to piſſe or ſpitte into anye brooke or riuer, likewyſe to wash his handes therein, or any ſuch lyke, wherof the water may cōceaue any maner fylth or corruption: verye deuoutlye and with great religion, yelding worſhip & honour to yt flouds & riuers. This alſo is peculier to yt Persiās, which not marked by them, is knowē of vs, yt all the wordes in theyr language which cō•ist of 4 or more sillables do commonly end in one letter: which letter the Dores cal ſan the Iones Sigma. And if we loke more narrowlye into theire ſpeech, and note that wel we ſhal fynd not onely ſome but all the names of the Perſians to haue their termination and endinge alike which for yt I know it aſſuredly I am not afraid to auouch it conftantly, being in halfe a doubt in like ſort to awarrant & beare out the truth of thoſe things which the ſame people are fayd to obſerue about the dead bodyes of their countrimen, whom (as the rumor is) they neuer b•ryeor intumulate before ſuch tyme as either by dogges or foules of the aire, they are drawen and haled about. Which thinges that their wiſemen doe, whom they call Magi, I dare vndoubttedly affyrme, becauſe they manifeſtly do them. The Perſians therfore inrowling and wrapping yt dead body in waxe they afterwardes interrupt and lay it in the graue. The Magi do much diſſent and differ from other men: beyng alſo vnlyke and diuerfe in their cuſtomes from the prieſtes of Aegipt. For the Ægyptian Prieſtes refuſe to defyle and pollute themſelues with the ſlaughter of any creature, ſauing of thoſe which they ſacrifyce to the Gods. But y^t Perfian Magi are not squemiſh or dainty to imbrew their hāds in the bloud of any liuing thing what ſoeuer, onely excepted a man or a dogge eſteeming it in maner of a conqueſt to be noted for a common kyller and deſtroyer of Ants, Serpentes, byrdes, wormes and ſuch lyke, wherin they greatly glory. ſufficeth it now of the Perfian faſhions and order of liuing to haue fpoken hetherto, eftſones making recourſe to that from the which we haue ſomwhat digreſſed. The people of Ionia & Æolia¹³² hearyng y^• Lydians with ſo ſmal endeuour and welny without blowes to be conquered by the Perſians put in ambaſſage to Cyrus certayne of the chiefe peares of either coūtrey offring to stād at y^• ſame cōditiōs to hym as they did before tyme to Craeſus. To whoſe ſuite & humble petition Cyrus made anſweare by this ſimilitude or apology. A certayn fiſher (quoth he) beholding in the ſea great plenty of fyſhe began to play very pleasūtly on his pype suuyoſing y^• at the ſweete ſound of his harmony y^• fiſh would haue leaped out to the land: but fruſtrate of his hope, in a great heathe caſt his nets into y^• ſea & iuclusīg a geate number drew to ſhore where ſeyng them leape and play vpon the dry ground: Nay now (quoth he) you daūce to late, ſeyng yt when I pyped before, you refuſed to come. Which ſpeech he vſed for that hauing before tyme diſdayned his gentle offer beyng ſollicited by him to reuolt from Craeſus to the Perſians: Now when they ſawe the worlde chaunged, & the euent of thinges not answearable to their expectation, they made offer of their ſeruice, and ſignifyed themſelues ready preſt to do hys commaundements: wherfore moued with diſpleaſure agaynſt them with this briefe anſweare he ſent thē away. The people of Ionia hearyng this, repayred euery one to their owne cityes, to fortify and make ſtrong their walles. Hauinge before by a generall counſayle or ſynode aſſembled themſelues in Panionium where they all mett ſauing the Mileſians whom Cyrus receyued into fauour, vnder the ſame condition as he had taken the Lydians, to the reſt of the Ionians it ſeemed beſt by common conſent to ſend legates into Sparta, aſwel to certify the Lacedaemonians of their preſent eſtate as to craue & implore their aſſistance. The people of Ionia vnto whō the temple of Panionium doth belong, haue their places of reſidence and abode ſo pleaſaunt and delectable, that what for the excellent temperature and myldneſſe of the ayre and deuyne benefyte and commodity of the mountaynes, there is no people in all Greece comparable vnto them. For neither the hygher region nor the lower, nether ye Eaſt cōmeth, nor y^e weſt approacheth any thing nere to ye excellency therof, y^e one beyng for ye moſt part very coulde or to much ouergone w^t water: y^e other (that is to ſay ye higher coaſt) burnt vp & peſtered w^t heat, and dust. The lāguage vſed in Ionia is not all one, but reduced and brought to 4 fundry propertyes & formes of ſpeech Myletus ye chiefe city amongs thē, bounding to the ſouth, & after yt Myrus & Pryene ſituated in Caria vſe all one tosig. But ye cities in Lydia (to witt) Epheſus, Colophō, Lebedus, Teos, Clazomenae, Phocaea: albeit they agree not in ſpeach wt the places forenamed, yet betweene themſelues they ſpeake alike. The reſidue which are three: two are Isles, Samus & Chios: one in the mayne called Erythrae, doe differ much in phraſe and manner of wordes. Chios & Erithrae iumping in one, the other which is Samus challenging vnto it ſelfe a diuerfe & ſtraūge form of language from the reſt: wherbyit is euident, that theyr ſpeach is qualifyed by 4 fundrye differences. Of theſe people were the MILESIANS who vnder coloure and pretence of feare came to league and couenant with Cyrus. As for thoſe cityes that were incompaſſed by the ſea, they had leſſe cauſe to feare & more to liue in greater ſecurity then the reſt. Both for yt the Phaenecians were not yet tributory to the ſeat of Perſia, and the Perſians thēſelues were vnaccuſtomed to ſea battels & vſed no ſhippes. The ſame for no other cauſe then that they knew the Graecians to be weake and mightles, and of all the reſt, the Ionians to be of leaſt power and fmalleſt valure, withdrew & alienated themſelues from the other cityes in Ionia. Foras much as ſetting Athens aſide there was noe citye of principal fame in all that toast. ſo yt both other regions there inhabitaunt, and alſo the Athenians flatly renounced to bee called Ionians many of them beynge aſhamed of the name. wheras cōtrariwyſethe 12 cities are not alitle proud therof greatly vaunting themſelues vnder the tytle of Ionians wherefore hauinge once called them ſelues Paninoi, they built alſo a temple, intytling it after their owne name Panionium, decreeyng and conſenting neuer to admitte any other to the ſociety and felowſhip of the ſame.¹³³ Neyther was ther any very deſyrous to be made pertakers therof ſauing the Smyrneans. The lyke thing happened to the Dorienſes that inhabite Pentapolis which before was called Heyapolis, who by the generall decree and ordinaunce of the reſt, arenot suffred to inioy the libertyes of the palaice Triopium. Excluding therfore certayne of theire owne natyue people For the violation and breach of a law or priuilege belongīg to the temple. For in the games of Appollo Triopius certayne three footed stooles beynge appoynted for hym that wan the price (which neuertheles it was not lawful to cary out of the temple, but in the ſame place to make dedication therof to the god) one Agasicles of Halicarnaſſus attayning the victorye ſtrayned cursye with the law, and taking away the ſtole with him caryed it home to his owne howſe: For which deed y^e 5 other cityes, Lyndus, Ialiſſus, Cameirus, Cos, and Cindus. ſequeſtred Halicarnaſſus beyng the ſixt from the right and freedome of the temple: leuiyng a mucle or peine vppon the whole citye, for the bold enterpriſe of their valerous champyon Agaſicles howbeit the Ionians ſeeme vppon good ground and iust conſideratiō to haue parted their countrey into 12 cityes refuſing to amplify and augment the number beyng iust ſo maney partes of Peloponneſus, wherin that tyme they dwelt, euen as now alſo the Acheans, who draue and expelled the Iones out of theyr proper ſeat are iustlye deuyded into ſo many partes. The firſt and principall whrerof is named Pallena: after whiche are recounted Aegyrae and Aagae perpetually waſhed and moyſtned with the pleaſaunt ſtreame of the riuer Crathis which is alſo called Italicus. In the next place are reputed the cityes Bura and Helice, whether ye Ionians diſcomfited in battayle by the Achoeans fledde for ſuccoure, next vnto Helice are theſe Aegion with the people called Rhypes, alſo the Patrenſes, Pharenſes, and the city Olenus, by the which ſcowreth the ſwift and maine riuer Pyrus. Laſt of al Dyma and the Trytaeenſes that dwell in the middle tracte of the region. Theſe are the 12 feuerall and diſtinct parcels of Achaea: which afore tyme were held and poſſeſſed by the Ionians, who for the ſame cauſe onlye, and none other kept the number of twelue Cityes, without deſyre to multiplye or increaſe the ſame. Whom precipuallye notwithſtandinge and aboue others to call Ionians yt were great madnes, ſince the people Abantes alſo are of the proper lineage and naturall ſtocke of Ionia, which neuertheles haue eſtranged themſelues from the name of Iones Lykewyſe the Minyans intermedled and mingled with the Orchomenians, the Cadmaeans, Dryopians Phocenſes, Moloſfians, Arcadyans, Pelaſgians, Dores, Epidaurians, & many other nations confuſed and ioyned one with another. Of which number they that went out of the court or caſtell of Athens named Prytanêum and reputed themſelues the nobleſt and moſt principal of the Iones (at what tyme, being ſingled from the whole multitude of the Athenians they went to dwel in an other prouince) had with them no wiues of their owne: in ſteed whereof they vſed certayne women of Caria, whoſe parentes they had before tyme ſlayne. By reaſon of which ſlaughter ye dames of Caria, toke a ſolemne vow (which they likewyſe cauſed their daughters diligētly to obſerue) neuer to ſit at meate with theyr huſbandes, nor cal them by their own names. For that hauing cruelly murthered their fathers, their firſt huſbandes, & their ſonnes: they had alſo haled thē poore widowes much agaynſt their willes, to their vnchaſt and fylthy couches. All which thinges were done at the city Miletus in Ionia. Furthermore the kinges of Ionia and ſuch as weare aduaunced to the ſumpreme regiment of the countreye: were partly of Lyſia comen of the lyne of Glaucus ſonne of Hippolochus, and partly ſelected and choſen out of the Citye Pylus, drawing theyr progeny from Codrus ſonne of Melanthus. Notwithſtanding the name and tytle of the Ionians, they moſt willingly holde and embrace, of whom wee ſpake before: and in very deede are naturally ſo: howbeit not they onely, but all the reſt which comming of the Athenians kepe and ſolemnize the feſtiuall dayes called Apaturia, are fubiect to the ſelfe ſame name. Which cuſtome of celebration, is vniuerſally held and obſerued of all beſydes the Ephefians and Colophonians, who by means of a murder committed, are prohibited and reſtrayned therefro. Now it is meete we know that Panyonium is a certayne holy and religious place in Mycale inclyninge to y• North dedicated by the whole countrey of Ionia to Neptune, ſyrnamed Heliconius. Mycale is a promontory or high place lyinge in the firme lande towardes the ſea, the wa•e ſyde wherof pertayneth to the ys•e Samus. To this mountayne the people called Iones aſſemble and gather togeather, to perfourme the ceremonies of immolation and ſacrifyce, which they call by the name of the place Panionia. It is to be noted alſo, not onely in the ſolemnity of Ionia, but in the feaſtes & religious dayes of al the Graetians, how like vnto the name of the Perſians they end all in a letter. We haue heard then of the cityes of Ionia, what & how many in number they are, it followeth,¹³⁴ that wee ſpeake of thoſe that are in Æolia which are theſe Cumae, which is alſo called Phryconis, Larissae, Newalle, Teuus, Cylla, Notium Ægyroessa, Ægaea, Myrina. Crynia. And theſe eleuē were the auncient cityes of Æolia. Hereunto was added in tyme paſt Smyrna, a city belonging to this regiō, which now hangeth as it were betwene the Ionians and Æolians, and is reckned for part of neit her. Otherwyſe (as we ſee) both the nations had bene equall in the number of cityes. All the townes of Æolia are ſpred in the mayne in power and dominion going beyond the Iones but in the temperate calmneſſe of the ayre comming farre behynde them. The occaſion & meanes wherby they lost Smyrna was this.¹³⁵ Hauing entertained the Colophonians dryuen from their coūtrey by ciuil tumult and ſedition: the people of Ionia bearyng grudge and malice towardes them, lay in diligente wayght to ſurpryſe and take their city. Which thinge they did at ſuch tyme as the Smyrneans were buſied in the ſolemniſing of Bacchus feſtiuall, which they vſually kept wtout the city. The Iones therfore when euerye one went out ſtale priuely into the city, and shuttinge the gates held poſeſſion by vyolence. Which thinge beyng knowen and ſpedy helpe yelded from al partes of Aeolia, they fel to condition y• reſtoring to the Smyrneans all their neceſſaryes and mouable goods, yt ſhoulde bee lawful for them to hold the city in peace: wherunto the contrary part hauing geuen theire conſent it was agreed by the eleuen cityes of Aeolia to deuyde the reſt betwene thē, eueryone making choyſe of their owne citizens. ſuch therfore and ſo many in number are y• cityes of the maine, excepting thoſe that inhabite Ida, which are not referred to the former accompt. This alſo: Leſbos is impeopled with fyue ſea Cityes planted in ylandes: hauing once alſo poſſeſſed the ſixte called Ariſba, with the Methymneans, ſeduced and withdrew from the reſt, as alied to themſelues in kyndred and lyneage. There was alſo a citye founded in Tenedos, and an other in the place called the hundred Iles. Now the people of Leſbos and Tenedos with the reſt of the Graecians inuyroned by the ſea, had no cauſe to bee diſmayed or troubled. But the other cityes of the land determined to take ſuch part as the Iones did and to follow them. Wherefore the ambaſſadours of both nations in ſhort ſpace landing at Sparta: they choſe one Pythermus a Phocaean to be the mouth of yt reſt, and to reueale their ſuite to the Lacedaemonians, who at y^t fame of the ambaſſadours arryuall flockinge together in greate heapes, Pythermus ſtoode forth & in many wordes moued the Lacaedemonians to imploy their ayd & aſſistance to ſuccour the reſt: but they geuing litle eare to his talke w^tout purpoſe to moue one foote in the behalfe of Ionia ſente them away, Pythermus and his company in this wiſe repulſed, made ſpeedy returne to Ionia. Howbeit the Lacedaemonians deſyrous to vnderſtand the ſucceſſe of Cyrus, and the Graecians ſent forth a bragandyne or ſhippe of eſpyall to prye and listen how all thinges wente. Who beyng ſodaynlye driuen to ſhore at Phocae a ſpyed one Lacrines the ſtouteſt champyon in the rout of Sardis, wher king Cyrus made his abode to geue hym to witt from the Lacaedemonians that he ſhould not endamage or abuſe the Grecians any way vnder payne of theyr, heauye wrath and diſpleaſure. Cyrus hearyng the bold meſſage of Lacrines, demaunded of certayne Grecians that ſtode about him, what maner of fellowes the Spartans were, and how manye in number, which after he vnderſtode he made hym this anſweare. Verily (my friend fayde he) I neuer ſtode in awe or feare of thoſe which in the middeſt theyr citye haue avoyde place wherby mutuall othes, fayned vowes, and proteſtations, they defraude & coſine each other: whom if the Gods ſpare me life I wil one day cauſe to leaue of the regarde of other mens miſeryes and bewayle theire owne. Which wordes were vttered by Cyrus in mockage and deriſion to all the Grecians, for hauing ſuch wyde and waſt marketplaces, for open ſale and marchaundiſe. For the Perſians neyther haue any ſuch place for exchaūge and chapmandry, neyther are troubled at any tyme with buyinge or ſelling. After this leauing the rule and gouernment of Sardis to one Tabalus a Perfian: and hauing in like maner geuē one Pactyas a man of the countrey of Lydia in charge with the goods of Craeſus, and the reſt of the Lydians accompanied with Craeſus, he toke hys voyage toward Ecbatana, the chiefe citye of the Medes and hauing no greate regarde of Ionia, albeit they were fyrſt to bee dealt withall (as ſcanning more ſedious in his heade touching the Babilonians, Bactrians, Sacans, Ægiptians, all which he determined to aſſayle by warre) hee ſent agaynſt the Iones ſome other of his capteynes. Being newly departed from Sardis Pactias cauſed the Lydians to rebell from Tabalus, and the Perſians, and hauing in hys cuſtodye all the wealth and treſure of Sardis he toke ſea and leauied a power of hyred ſouldiours, procuring the helpe and ſupply of all the cityes lying on the ſhore. Who beyng moued by his earneſt intreaty ioyned with him: and remouing hys tentes to Sardis, forced Tabalus to take the tower for hys defence and ſauegarde, where he planted his army in a ſiege againſt him. Tydings hereof beynge brought vnto Cyrus, who was yet in his iourney, he turned himſelfe vnto Craeſus, and ſpake on this maner. When wil it be O Craeſus (quoth he) that I ſhall be quiet & haue nothing to do? wil the Lydiaus neuer leaue of to trouble me and themſelues in ſuch wyſe? were I not beſt to make ſlaues of them and kepe them vnder by miſerable thralldome and bondage? For in this that I haue already done I am not vnlike to hym that hauing ſlayne the father, taketh pity on the children. Foraſmuch as I haue led thee awaye captyue beynge more then a father to the Lydians: and reſtored to themſelues theyr city againe. So that I cannot but greatly maruayle what cauſe mighte moue them ſo ſodaynly to caſt of obedience and become diſloyall. Craeſus fearyng leaſt in his fury he would haue beatē down and defaced the city: began thus (and fayde) moſt worthye Cyrus thou haſt fpoken very well and wiſely: yet neuer theleſſe it behoueth thee to moderate thyne anger, and not to ſuffer a citye of ſo great fame and antiquity to be wholly ouerthrowen: whiche (the Gods doe knowe) is all togeather innocent both of the former offences that were done agaynſt thee & of the preſente treaſon which is now in hand, the firſt treſpaſſe (o kinge) I did my ſelfe, and I ſmart for it: the ſecond hath Pactyas done, and let him feele the price of it. But to the Lydians (noble prince) ſhew mercy & compaſſyon, and fynd ſome meanes by infeebling their ſtrength to preuent their courage, and to take from them all occaſion of treaſon heareafter. Commaund therfore that no man amonges them be founde to keepe any war like weapons in his houſe: ordayninge beſides that auorde their coats they weare cloakes, drawing on their feete pumpes and buſkins, inioyne them to bringe vp their children in playing on the cithren, in ſinging, in keping of tauernes and vintninge houſes: and vndoubtedlye thou ſhalt ſee that of valiant men and warlike people they will ſhortely become effeminate and like vnto women: y^t there ſhal be no cauſe to feare leaſt euer hereafter they riſe agaynſt thee. Theſe things Craeſus put into his head, thirking it better for the Lydians to liue in this ſort then to bee comonly ſolde for salues and vaſſals, knowing that if in caſe he had not framed a very reaſonable deuyſe, he could neuer haue remoued Cyrus from his purpoſe. It is alſo to bee thought that he feared leaſt the whole nation of the Lydians ſhould be cleane rooted out and deſtroied by the Persiās if escaping this at any tyme hereafter they ſought to rebel. Cyrus right glad at the counſayle and deuyſe of Craeſus, gaue him promiſe to do thereafter, wherfore callinge vnto him Mazares a captayne of the Medes, hee warned him to charge the Lydians with the accompliſhmēt and perfourmance of all thoſe thinges that Craeſus had told hym: with a ſtraight cōmaundement to let none of thoſe eſcape vnſold for bondmen which had accompanied the Lydians in the aſſault of Sardis. As for Pactyas the principall, he commaūded himto be taken and brought aliue. Which thinges after he had left to the diſcretion of Mazares, hee proceeded immediatly towardes Perſia his natiue countrey. Nowe Pacyas hauing knowledge that the army drew nere, rayſed the ſyege and fled to Cumae, whom Mazares ſpedily arriued at Sardis, and hearing him wt the reſt of his company to be vaniſhed away. Fyrſt of al bound the Lydians diligētly to perfourme all thoſe things that Cyrus had commaūded. In the next place ſending meſſengers to Cumae to wil them to render and yeld vp Pactyas. The Cumaeans toke counſayle togeather & decreed to ſend Branchyde to ye God inguiring of him what was beſt to be done. For as much as in ye place reſted an oracle very auncient & of long continuance, which ſēblably ye people alſo of Ionia & Aeolia did vſe and frequent. This prophecy was ſituate in a certayne field of the Mileſians about the hauen Panormus whether ye Cumaeans at this time ſent for aduiſe in their affayres, demaūding what they might do in this caſe yt might ſeme moſt acceptable and approued to the gods. Anſwere was made y^e Pactyas ſhould be reſtored to ye Perſians: which the people hearyng and thinking it wiſedome to obay the oracle, were fully mynded ſo to do. Howbeit, the more part of thē bendyng & inclyning hereto one Ariſtodicus borne of Heraclides, a man of no fmall accompt amongs thē, either for y^t hee beleued not ye oracle or miſtruſted ye meſſengers y^t were ſent vnto it, earneſtly wt ſtood it tooth & naile, in no wiſe ſuffering y^e Cumaeans to obay the voyce & suggeſtion of ye God, whervpon it came to paſſe ye other meſſengers were ſent the ſeconde tyme, to wit ye prieſtes & religious mē of the citye, Ariſtodicus himſelfe making one of the company, who beyng come to the place where the god held his ſeate, humbly beſought hym in theſe wordes. Ther came vnto vs (O king) a certayne Lydian named Pyctyas proſtrate in all humility, pitifully crauing & beſeeching vs to ſaue & aſſist him frō the vyolent & cruel hands of his ſpyteful & enraged enemies we (albeit dreading the might & power of ye Perſians:)yet haue not deliuered him, vntil we vnderſtoode of thy diuine wiſedome what pertained to vs to doe in ſo doubtful a caſe. Hauing ended his ſpeach, he receaued ye like anſwere as before, ye Pactyas was to be yelded into ye hands of the Persiās: wher wt all Ariſtodicus being angry of ſet purpoſe wrought this fact. As he walked about ye temple certain yoūg ſparrowes & other birds yt built there he toke out of their neſts & ſodaynly a voice was hard out of the inner part of y^e temple faying: thou wicked & malicious wretch what makes thee in this ſort, to ſpoile ye neſts of my innocēt ſuppliantes, wherunto Ariſtodicus anſweryng: (o king quoth hee) dost thou ſo greatly fauour and regard thoſe that flye vnto thee for ſuccour, and yet biddeſt the Cumaeans to delyuer Pactyas into the handes of hys enemyes? To which the God replying. Truly, fayd he, I bid you all goe to the deuil, and neuer hereafter to ſollicite this oracle about the reſtoring of your ſuppliantes. The Cumaeans certifyed of this laſt anſweare determined nether to giue vp Pactyas to be ſlayn of the Perſians: nor yet by keeping him ſtil to bring Cyrus to the fuberſion and ruine of their citye. Wherefore they ſent him ſecretly away to Mytelaeane. But Mazares in lyke ſort making challenge of him from thence, the Mitylinaeans couenaunted vppon a certayne pryce to ſurrender hym. Which notwithſtanding I dare not auouch and veryfie for that the matter came not to full iſſue and perfection. The people of Cumae vnderstādyng in what diſtreſſe Pacctyas was at Mytilaene, ſent a barke to Leſbos, where hee went a borde and was ſpedely landed at Chyus, where hauing taken ſanctuary in the gardian temple of Minerua, he was neuertheles haled out violently by the Chians, & geuē to his ennemyes. The Peraeans gaue in reward to the citye Chius a certayne field of Myſia named Aetarnaeus right ouer agaynſt Leſbos. By this meanes was Pactyas in warre with the Persians, when oportunity ſerued to be geuen into the handes of Cyrus. Neuertheleſſe of the fruites and increaſe of Atarnaeus, for a longe tyme after the people of Chius, neyther made any barly cakes to offer to the gods, nor wrought any paaſt of ye meale thereof for iunkets & banquetting diſhes. And in briefe what ſoeuer the ground yeelded they flatly aboliſhed from the ſeruice and worſhip of the gods. Pactyas beyng betrayed by the Chians, Mazares without further delay lead his army agaynſt thoſe that had miniſtred ayde to hym in gettyng the city, and conqueringe the Pryenſes, he began to waſt and depopulate the fieldes of Maeander, geuing the whole pray and booty to his ſouldiours. Which done, in ſemblable manner he gaue the onſet to Magneſia, and laſtly attached with extremitye of ſicknes, finiſhed hys lyfe. In whoſe ſteed Harpagus,¹³⁶ who was alſo a Mede, guyded the army. This was hee whom king Aſtiages intertayned with a banket of his ſonnes fleſh: and by whoſe meanes Cyrus before tyme aſpyred to the eſtate royall. To hym the chiefe gouernment of the army was nextly committed: who comming into Ionia, intrenched many cityes and tooke them. For hauing firſt of all compelled thē to vſe the refuge and defence of their walles, he rayſed bulwarkes agaynſt their townes, and with fmall force cauſed them to yeelde. In which manner he wanne Phocaea, the chiefe city of the Iones, the people whereof firſt of all the Greciās wandered on ye ſea in long and ample voyages, fynding out and diſcrying both the countreyes themſelues, Adria, Tyrrhenia, Iberia, Tarteſſus, and the nereſt cu•• alſo and redieſt way of nauigation to the ſame. At which tyme they had in vſe no beaked or snow•ed ſhippes armed with a pyke or stemme of iron, but fmaller and lighter veſſels driuen with {is} oeres apiece. Theſe at their firſt arryual to Tarteſſus, were very welcome to ye king whoſe name was Arganthonius and by whom the kingdome had bene gouerned 80 yeares, liuing by the ſpace of 120. Who made ſo paſſyng much of the Phocaeans; and ſhewed them ſo curteous intertaynment, that he left it in their power to choſe any part of his kingdome to inhabite, wherevnto not able to allure them by any perswations, and hearyng by them how the power of Harpagus dayly increaſed, hee gaue them an infinite ſumme of moneye to inuyron and compaſſe about their citye with a wall. The circuit of their wall beyng no fmall number of furlongs in ſcope and compaſſe, framed & compacted of greate and huge ſtones layd togeather wt ſinguler cunning: by this meanes was y^e wall of the Phocaeans builded. Agaynſt whō Harpagus incāping his power gaue fierſe & mightye aſſault to the city, giuing them vnderſtanding withal that it ſhould suffyce and content him if they would throw downe but one fortres or gardure of their wall for himſelf to build an houſe on. But the Phocaeans abhorryng nothing more then ſeruitude & loſſe of liberty, required of him one dayes deliberation in the cauſe, and for that whyle to reclayme his armye from the walles Harpagus (albeit as he fayd) hee verye well knewe what they meant to do neuertheleſſe, graunted them ſpace to breath and bethinke themſelues. The army goyng from the city, forth with the people of Phocaea with their wiues and children and all their fubſtaunce tooke ſea, in ſhippinge beſides all the ymages of theyr temples and gyftes offered to the gods, ſauing thoſe that were of iron or ſtone or onely paynted and wrought in colours. Which done with al their caryage they ſayled into Chius▪ Phocaea left deſolate without any liuig creature in it was ye next day takē by the Perfians. The people wher of hauing cheapened of ye Chyans y^e Iles Oenusiae (who refuſed to ſel them fearing leaſt ye mart and cuſtome of marchandize ſhoulde bee translated from their owne Ile, thither) departed thence into Cyrnus. Where twenty yeares before lead by a certayne prophecye they had founded a city named Ætalia. Whyle theſe things were doyng Argathonius the Tarcefian kyng dyed. But y^e Phocaeans holdyng their courſe toward Cyrnus turned out of the waye and came to their old citye where they s•ue the gariſon and power of the Perſians planted there by Harpagus for the poſſeſſion and cuſtody of the Citye. Curſinge & banning thoſe with moſt blasphemous and execrable ſpeaches which ſhould ſeeke to leaue theyr companye and turne behynd. Wherewithall taking a fiery wedge of hoat iron, they caſt it into the ſea, deepely vowing neuer to returne to their city Phocaea, before the iron ryſinge from the bottome of the water ſhould ••ote aloft and ſwimme one the toppe. Howbeit launchinge towardes Corsica: the halfe part of the rowt were moued with a great longing and deſire of their countrey, and the maners and cuſtomes therof, inſomuch that many of them without regard of their oth, returned backe to Phocaea. Others lead with a greater care of theyr late uow, leauing the Iles Onusae, went ſtrayght to Cyrnus. Where beyng come on ſhore, for terme of 5 years they ioyned felowſhip with other their countreymen which before tyme were ſhed from the city to inhabite that place, making ordinaunce and appoyntment of diume ſeruice and honoure to the Gods. Neuertheleſſe beyng accuſtomed in manner of enimyes by open pillage to ſpoyle and deſtroy the fields of their neighbours round about: the Tyrrheniās and Carthaginians determined by common conſent to encounter them by power of warre hauing furniſhed to the ſame end a fleete or Nauye of threfcore ſhippes. The lyke number on the other ſyde beyng prouyded by the Phocaeans, wel ſtored and repleniſhed with ſouldiours they ſet forth to meete the enemy in the ſea called Sardonium. Where ioyninge in battell the Phocaeans obtayned a victory much lyke vnto that of Cadmus. For of threfcore veſſels fourty beyng ſunk and ouerwhelmed in the ſea, the other twenty were ſo mangled and torne, and the noſes and stemmes thereof blunted and beaten backe, that they ſerued afterwards to fmall vſe. Retiring therefore to Ætalia they toke theyr wiues and children with the reſt of their wealth aſmuch as coulde wel lye aborde and remoued from Cyrnus to Rhegium. The men wherewith the drowned ſhippes were filled, loke how many eſcaped the water and came into the handeſ of their enemies (which hapned to many) at their cōming to land wer ſtoned to death. Inſuing which murder they cattell & people of the Agilleans, as manye came into that place where the men of Phocaea were ſtonned were ether ſcorched and blaſed all with lightning or attached with extreame furye & madnes. For which cauſe the Agylleans willing to make ſatisfaction for the offence, ſent to Delphos, where Pythia commaunded them to do all thoſe thinges which they hold and obſerue to this houre: annuallye perfourminge to the Phocaeans that were ſtayne the ſolemne pompe of funeral exequies with a game of wrastling and exerciſe of the body. Such was the euent and ſucceſſe of thoſe people after they forſooke their countrey ſoyle. Of which rout and companye they which eſcaped the dynt of battel and cut the ſeas to Rhegium, planted a city in ye Fielde of Oenotria, called Hyêla: beyngtherto moued by the aduyſe of one Posidoniates, a manne very well eſteemed and thoughte of in all the lande of Phocaea. In this manner did Fortune deale with thoſe that dwelt in Ionia. The very lyke thing chaunced to them that held the city Teios: whoſe towne by meanes of a vulwarke caſt vp agaynſte the walles veynge at a poynte welnye vanquiſhed and ouercome by Harpagus, they paſſed the ſeas into Thracia, fyniſhinge the citye Abdêra in the ſame place: the foūdation and grounde whereof was fyrſt layed by Temesius Clazomenius. How bee it, not inioyinge the fruite and due guerdon of his labour, hee was driuen thence and expelled by the Thracians. Albeit, the menne of Teios in the ſelfe ſame citye of Abdêra haue hym in honour and reputecion of halfe a God. Theſe people onely of the whole natiō of Ionia moued with hate and diſdayne of bondage, left the places, where they all were naturallye resyaunte, and ſoughte forrayne and ſtraūge countries. The reſt remayninge (except the Mileſians) tooke heart at graſſe, and foughte both ſtoutlye and valtauntlye in the behalfe of their landes and liberty. But the fortune of warre proceedynge agaynſt them, they came into captiuitye. And abydinge ſtill in theire owne ſeates, dyd as they were commaunded. Onely the Milesias (who were in league with Cyrus and the Perſias) as wee fayd before, were quiet and voyde of trouble. By this meanes was Ionia the ſecond tyme bereaued & ſpoiled of theire libertye. The people of the Iles perceyuinge the mayne land to bee all vnder the dominion and rule of the Perſians: fearyng the worst yelded themſelues to Cyrus to be at his pleaſure. Now the Ionians albeit in very miſerable eſtate and condition, yet oſyng their olde haunte and accuſtomed meetinge at Panionium, the fame is that one Bias¹³⁷ a Prienian gaue them ſuch counſayle, as had they purſued it with diligence, they had liued in the moſt happy and bliſſeful eſtate of all the Greciās. His aduyſe was this, that the people of Ionia abandoninge their owne howſes & places of habitation, ſhould imbarke themſelues to Sardinia, and there for their whole multitude to build and erect a city to be helde and inhabited by them al in general which doyng they might caſt of the yoke of ye Perſians, and hauing in their dominion the griateſt and moſt principall of all the Iles, might alſo hold ye chiefe rule & dominion ouer all the reſt. This was ye coūſayl of Byas, to ye pore afflicted Iones. Not much inferyour to this was the graue aduiſe and ſentence of Thales¹³⁸ whereby he prouoked and ſtyrred vp the people before their captiuity to the inſtitution of one generall parliament to be cōmonly held at Teios both for that ye city was fixed in the midle part of the region, and that the other Cityes rounde aboute, mighte neurrtheleſſe bee reckened as tribes appertinēt therto. This was ye holeſom doctrine & wyſe coūſayl geuen by theſe 2 learned sages to y^e people of Ionia. Harpagus after his tryumph ouer Ionia, directed hys power agaynſt the Caryans, Caunians, and Lyfians, leading with him the Iones and Æoles. Of which number the Carians forſoke the Iles to come dwell in the mayne. For in auncient tyme they were vnder the authority and gouernement of Minos, bearyng the name of Lelages, at what tyme alſo they were reſident in the Ilandes w^tout rent or penſion of tribute, as far as I can learne by y^e diligent ſcrutiny (& hearſay) of times forepaſt & conſumed. onely they weare leauied at a certayne number of ſhyppes furniſhed and prepared with men of armes as often as it ſemed good to the Prynce. Moreouer King Mynos inioying a very large & ample Oilion, very fortunate in the euent of warre. The nation of Caria was exceedingly aduaūced aboue the reſt in royall fame & dignity: of whom the Gretians borowed three principall thinges, firſt found out and deuiſed by them. It was their inueſtion to weare a Creſt or Cope on their Helmets, to paynt and ſet forth their Targets in gallant ſhewe & brauery of colours: laſt of all the steele or handle of the ſhielde came likewiſe frō thē, whereas, before they vſed no ſteeles, but hanging them about their neckes and right ſhoulders, with lyſtes and thonges of leather they moued and guyded them to and fro. Along time after the Caryans, the Dores alſo and Iones chaunged the Isles with the mayne or continent, and rows•ed thē there: all which things are affirmed of y^e Carians by the people of Creta. From whom the Caryans themſelues doe greatly diſſent and swarue in opinion, cōftantly auouching how from the beginning and beyond all memory, thoſe ſeates haue bene helde by them without chaunge or mutation eyther of name or place. In teſtimony whereof they ſhewe the temple of Iupiter Carius, founded at Mylaſſus whereunto the Lydians alſo and Myfians haue common reſorte as allyed to the Carians in neere kindred & affinity. For the Carian calleth the Myfian and Lydian brother, whereof it commeth that they vſe all one place of prayer and worſhip to the powers deuyne. All other nations beſide though in tongue they differ not from thy Carians, yet are they not ioyned wyth them in fellowſhip of ſacrifice and ſeruice to the Gods. The people Caunij, though they fetch theyr Progeny, from Crete, yet (as mee ſeemeth) they rowst now in theyr naturall Reſt where in they haue alwayes bene reſiaunt. Theyr ſpeach or forme of phraſe they haue drawne from the Caryans, or the Caryans deriued theirs from them: whereof I am not able to ſet downe an abſolute and infallible ſentence. The lawes they vſe are very dyuerfe and ſtraunge, both from the maners of Carya, and other Nations. Foraſmuch as with them it is a very laudable cuſtome & hyghly commended accordinge to the respect and degree of age, for men, women and children to flocke together in companies to open feaſtes and bankettinges. The ſtate of theyr religion and maner of ceremonies accuſtomably vſed by them were firſt taken from forrayne Nations: wherewith after being wearyed and diſcontented, they tyed themſelues to y^e Saynctes of theyr owne Countrey. The ſelfe ſame takeing Weapons in their handes marched forward like madde men till they came to the Calyndian hilles, beatinge and ſwynging ye antes alleadging that they baniſhed out of their coaſtes, ſtraunge and forreyne Gods. Sutch were the maners and cuſtomes alſo of thoſe people. But the Lycians moſt aſſuredly are an offpring and braunch of the Cretenſes: for in the beginning Creta was inhabited by the Barbarians, but afterwardeſ the ſonnes of Europa, Sarpêdon, and Minos, fallinge at variaunce for the Empyre, Minos gettinge the better of his brother, chaſed him and all his cōſederates out of the lande: who beinge diſpoſſeſſed of their ſeates ſeyſed vppon a Region in Aſia called Mylias, which name at this day is ſometime attributed to that place where the Lycians dwell. Mylias ſo properly called, hauinge at that time to name ſolinij. During the rule and gouernance of Sarpêdon they were called by ye name which they brought with them. Which is to ſay, Termiliae, which as yet is held and reteyned of thoſe that lye next vnto them. Howbeit Lycus the ſonne of Pandion beinge dryuen from Athens by the rigour and violence of his Brother Aegêus, and comming to Sarpêdon Prynce of the Termilians: in continuaunce of tyme it came to paſſe that they tooke the name of Lycus, and were called Lycians. They accuſtomed themſelues to the lawes of Creta, and Caria. Albeit they haue one thinge of theyr owne proper and peculiar, wherby as by Badge, or cognizaunce they are ſeperated from other nations, in that they call them ſelues by the names of their Mothers not of their fathers: as if the queſtion be demaūded of any of them what he is, or whoſe ſonne, the manner and vſe is to blaſe hys pedegre from his mother, reherſynge beſydes his mothers mother and ſo vpward. Ouer and beſydes, if a Woman free borne couple hirſelfe in matrimony with a ſlaue or bondma:: neuertheleſſe their Children and ſeede generallye ſhall be held and accompted free. Contrariwyſe if a man free by byrth and natiuitye ſhall ioyne in wedlocke with a forrayne woman, or one that is reputed for a scalant or common ſtrumpit, their diſcent and yſſue ſhalbe alway ſigned with the note of infamye, and neuer be called to any degree of credite or eſtimation. Furthermore the people¹³⁹ which at thoſe tymes held the dominion of Caria without atchieuaunce of any famous or notable act were conquered and ouercome by Harpagus. Neither were the Carians onely deſtitute of the glorye and renoune of noble dedes: but the reſt alſo of the Gretians there about lurked in silence and had their name darkened and ouerwhelmed with obſcurity. There kept resiaūtes in thoſe places aſwel others, as alſo the Cnydians, which were a remnaunt of the Lacedaemonians thither drawen and deriued, whoſe region wyndeth to the ſea called Tryopium and is almoſt on euery ſyde hemmed in by the ſea. The North part beyng limitted with the salte waues of Ceraunium: the ſouthſide by the Rhodian and Simanian ſea. The reſt which is a very narrow ſtrayght, not paſſinge fiue acres in breadth: the people of Cnydus (whyle Harpagus was buſied in y^e affaires of Ionia) thought to haue digged a way, & in ſo doyng to haue brought ther countreye into the forme of an Iland geuing free courſe and paſſage to the ſea on euery ſyde. For their whole territory was within the broken circle of the ſea: ioyninge to the mayne or firme lande in that ſtrayght where the waters almoſt mette, which ſpace they were in mynd to haue trenched throughout, wherby the ſea in manner of a circle mighte haue his full ſcope and iſſue about the Ile, whereto employing their whole force and indeuour it chaunced them in the middeſt of their toyle to bee taken in manye partes of the bodye, and chiefly with an extreme ſmarting and ſorenes of the eyes. Wherupon reſoluinge to ſend to Delphos to Apollo, they inquired of him what it might be that ſo greatly hyndred them to proceed in their enterpriſe. To whom Pythia made anſwere in certayne verſes cōſiſtyng of ſixe feete after this maner.

Seeke not to ſaue your ſeate

by trenche or heaped pyle.

If mightye I oue had pleaſde

Your land had bene an Ile.

This anſwere receiued, the Cnydians made holiday, & attempted no further to delue the ground. Wherefore Harpagus inuading their countrey with his army they fubmitted themſelues without reſiſtaunce. More then this, ſomewhat about Halicarnaſſus in the region dwell the Pedaceans: with whom at the ſhew or appearance of any daunger or miſfortune either to themſelues or their neighbours, it falleth out that Mineruas Prieſt hath continuallye a longe bearde: which happened vnto them three fundry tymes. Theſe alone of all the people in Carya kept Harpagus at lenghth of weapon, and defended their city a long tyme, fencing the mountayne Lyda with principall garde and munition, howbeit in ye end they were driuen to yeeld. From thence Harpagus mouing hys tentes into ye fieldeſ of Xanthus was encountered by the Lyfians. Who albeit they were fewer in number, neuertheles hardened themſelues to all extremity & with māful courage ſuſteined the might and puiſſaunce of their ennemyes. Who preuayling againſt them at the laſt made thē to recoyle and take their Citye. Whereinto being entred, they toke their wiues Children, and all their fubſtaunce and shut them vppe into the Tower or caſtle of the city, and ſetting fyre to the ſame without pity or regard they burnt them all. And immediately after binding themſelues with a moſt horrible and dreadefull othe, they cloſed the ſeconde tyme with their enemyes: with whō they perſiſted in valiaunt fight: ſo longe as one man of their number remayned alyue. All the Lycians which are called by the name of Xanthians, and forreiners and arriued from ſtraunge places, except 40 familyes, which by fortune at ye ſame tyme being oute of the city eſcaped death. By this meanes came Xanthus into the handeſ of the Perſians. In like manner alſo the city Caunium was taken by them whoſe people for y^e moſt part followed the example of the Lycians. Harpagus therefore hauing added to the ſeate of Perſia all the cityes the lower: the ſuperiour and hygher partes thereof Cyrus by his owne proper Mart and valiauncy had ouercome and vanquiſhed leauing no part of the ſame free and vnfubdued. Wherefore in preſence we will leaue of to ſpeake of the reſt of their noble actes & deedeſ, letting paſſe many things wittingly for deſire to reueale and diſplaye thoſe thynges which to them ſelues were moſt labour ſome and difficulte and deſerue to bee prynted in eternall memory. Now when king Cyrus had brought into his power all the nations that lye in the mayne, he leuied his whole ſtrēgth againſt the Aſſyrians. There be many and great cities of Aſſyria, but aboue all one eſpeciall and pryncipall, both in defence and dignitie ſurmounting the reſt, by name Babylon, where after the occaſion and ruine of Nynus was planted the ſeate and palace of the greate kinge. This city had the foundation and being in a wonderful huge playne: and was builte and contriued into a foure ſquare forme: euery ſide thereof conteining in length an hundred and twenty acres. Whereby it is euidente that the circuit and compaſſe of the whole city amoūted to the ſumme of 480 acres of grounde, ſo greate and of ſo huge bygnes and amplitude was the mighty citye Babylon. Moreouer within the walles faire and beautifull paſſing meaſure, garniſhed & ſet forth with rych and ſumptuous buildings, as no Citye whereof we haue notyce approacheth any thinge to the incomparable dignity of the ſame. Firſt of all it is caſt about and incompaſſed with a wyde and deepe Ditch filled and implet with water, in the nexte place is rayſed a wall 50 royall cubits in thyckeneſſe and 200 in heigth: a cubute royall contayninge three fingers more then the vulgare & common cubyte, which we vſually follow in meaſuring. It ſhall not be impertinent to ye matter to ſhew and declare to what vſe & ſeruice the earth was imployed, which was caſt and voyded out of the trench, as alſo in what maner and forme the wal was builte. Of the clay caſt out, and clenſed from the ditche were drawed and framed certayne brickes, which aryſynge at length to a great multitude they were dryed and burnte in a kill or fornace. Afterwardes cloſing the ſame togeather with morter betwixt euery thirtith courſe or row of brickes they layd y^e toppes of canes or reedeſ dipped and steeped in boylyng lyme, and firſt of in this manner they curbed and garded about the brinckes of the mote wt a list or hemme of brickes obſeruing alſo the ſelfe ſame arte in the frame and workemanſhip of the wal. On the toppe of the wall along the edges and margentes therof were built & cituated certaine ſmal howſes one ſtory hygh facing and ful oppoſite one to an other, betweene euery of the which was ſo much ſpace and diſtance, as a carte might haue gone betweene them. Through the walles ther opened an 100 broad gates for paſſage and ingreſſe into the citye all of braſſe, with poſtes and hynges of the ſame. Eyght dayes iourney from Babilō is placed a city called Is, faſt by the which floweth a riuer of no great bygnes, named alſo Is, caryinge his ſtreme into y^e floude Euphrates: This ſeely brooke ſcowreth through his chanel greate plenty of lyme wherof they had principall vſe in the buildyng of the walles of Babilon. Of the forme and deſcription wherof ſufficeth it thus to haue fpoken. How be it, it behoueth vs to vnderſtande that the citye Babylon, ys cutt and ſundered in twayne by the mayne ſtreame of the rithe riuer Euphrates: which is very great deepe and ſwift of courſe and taking hys fyrſt yſſue from the mountaynes of Armaenia, breaketh at the length and emptyeth yt ſelfe into the red ſea. The partition of the walles made by the intercourſe of y^e riuer ſhootes bppon the bankes on eyther ſyde, which are breaſted out and fortifyed with a countremure of bricke to kepe the waters from flowing into the citye. The Citye it ſelfe is repleniſhed with houſes four ſtoryes in heighte beyng alſo deuyded, & as it were chekered into fundry ſtreets and lanes ſome leādyng long wayes, other ſome croſſe and ouerthwort, at the end of one ſtreete openeth a braſen dore through the wall and countergard of the ryuer, whereby the people haue acceſſe to the water. And this wall is in defence of the citye agaynſt the vyolence of the floud. Moreouer in either part and region of the citye there is another wall, not much inferyour in ſtrenghe (albeit in thickneſſe ſomewhat leſſe then the former. One of theſe in ye one parte of the citye incloſeth aboute the ſtately court and resyaunce of the Prince exceeding ſtrong, and of a mile compaſſe. Likewiſe in the other parte of the Citie is a wall, in the circle and cloſure whereof is conteined the Temple of Iupiter Belus, wherevnto entry is made through the wall by mighty braſen gates, ſtanding yet in this our age, to the open view and beholding of trauaylers. This wall is built in maner of a quadrangle, foure-ſquare, being on euery ſide two acres long. In the middeſt of the Temple ſtandeth a towre of ſound worke, very firme and ſolide, without vaut or holowneſſe, a furlong thicke, and as much high: on the top of the which was planted another towre, which in like manner vphelde and vnderpropped the third: wherevppon likewiſe were fiue other turrets placed, each taking hys ground and foundation from the top of another. On the outſide of euery towre do winde certaine degrees of ſteps or ſtayres leading to the top or higheſt part of the ſame. In the midway vp the ſtayres are framed certayne ſeates or benches for thoſe that go vp to reſt and breathe by the way. In the top or ſupremity of the higheſt turret is another Chappell, within the whiche is placed a bed decked with moſt coſtly and ſumptuous furniture, beſides the which ſtandeth a beautifull table of fine gold. In this sacred houſe or veſtry no image is erected, neyther doth any creature lye in the ſame, ſaue one woman alone, beeing of the ſame countrey (as the Prieſts of Babylon affirme) and ſuch a one, as it pleaſeth the god to chooſe for his owne dyet. Who do alſo conftantly reporte (albeit I am hardly brought to beleeue it) that the god himſelfe entring into the Temple, taketh vp his lodging in that chamber. Like as alſo it falleth out at Thebes in Ægypt by the voyce and record of the Ægyptians, where in the oratory or place of ſeruice dedicate to Iupiter Thebanus, a woman vſeth to lye: who (as alſo the other of Babylon) is conftantly auouched at no time to haue cuſtome or fellowſhip with men. Such is alſo the prioreſſe or woman prieſt at Paterae in Lycia when time or occaſion ferueth, for there the Oracle is not continually held, but at ſuch time as it approcheth, the Abbeſſe ouer night is faſt lo•kt and included into the Church. In the temple of Babylon beſides there is another temple ſomewhat lower, wherein is kept the famous monument of the god Iupiter wrought of golde, neere vnto the which adioyneth a table, which together with the frame and ſettle thereto belonging, is alſo of meere and ſolide gold, eſteemed of the Chaldaean prieſts at the ſumme and value of 800. talents. At the comming out of the chappell, there is alſo to be ſeene an aultar of cleane gold: not farre from the which ſtandeth another of ſtrange and wonderfull bignes, whereon are offered all ſuch beaſtes as are of perfect age and ripe growth: contrarywiſe on the aultar of golde it is not lawfull to ſacrifice any but ſucklings, and ſuch as are newly drawne and taken from the teate. On the greater of the two aultars, the Chaldaean Chaplaynes burne incenſe to the god, with expence of a C. M. talents of frankincenſe. In the ſame temple is alſo another image of. 12. cubites in length of maſſy and beaten golde, which albeit I ſawe not with mine owne eies, yet preſuming vpon the credit of the Chaldaeans, I haue aduentured to ſet it downe. This image Darius the ſonne of Hyſtaſpes, and King of Perſia, would faine haue bin fingering, neuertheleſſe, for feare of afterclaps, he was contente to coole his thirst, and forgoe the ſpoile, howbeit, Xerxes his ſonne & heire in later daies rifeling the temple, made a booty therof, hauing done to death a chaplaine who stoutly forbad him to moue the image out of his place. With theſe & ſuch like ornamēts was yt temple of Babylon gorgeously adorned, besides an infinite number of gifts and preſents, franckly geuen and beſtowed to the poliſhing and ſetting foorth of ſo rare & famous a monument. Furthermore, the genealogy and ſucceſſion of the Kings of Babylon is very manyfold and diuerfe, of whome ioyntly with yt affaires & eſtate of Aſſyria we meane to intreate: parte of theſe laid their wealth & treaſure on the trimming & beautifying of the city walles: other ſpared no coaſt to inrich & adorne the temples & palaces of the gods. In the lineall diſcent of the bloud royall, mention is made of two women: the one of theſe raigned fiue ages before the later, and was called Semiramis. This Queene cauſed to be caſt vp & raiſed great mounts & mighty banckes, very wonderfull to be ſeene, which kept the riuer within the courſe of his naturall chanell, beeing wont before time to ouerflow & couer the whole plame. The ſecond Queene named Nitocris was of wit more ſharp & fubtile, and of much more fiue inuention then ye former, by whom both other things were brought to paſſe right woorthy memory, whiche wee purpoſe to recount: and chiefly this, that perceiuing the power and gouernement of the Medes to grow and increaſe, and as well other townes, as alſo the city Ninus to be vanquiſhed by thē, ſhe forethought all the meanes that could be deuiſed, to arme & defend hirſelfe againſt the enemy. Firſt of all the riuer Euphrates that whilome by a ſtreight & equall courſe ſtreame throughout the towne, flowing in a right line towards the ſea by meanes of certaine trenches caſt vp and digged for the ſtreame, ſhe drew into a confuſe and intricate race, folding & winding many waies, inſomuch that in three fundry places it hath eftſoones recourſe vnto one little village in Aſſyria called Arderica ſo that they which come frō the ſea to Babylon by y^t riuer Euphrates, are cōſtreined to ariue thrice at Arderica & that alſo in three feuerall dayes. This was alſo one worke of hers which ſhe did about y^t riuer, the borders wherof besides ſhe hath hemmed & garded in with a banke ſo ſtrōg & mōſtrous, & what for yt vnmeaſurable hignes & bignes of yt ſame, it would greatly astoniſhe thoſe that do view & behold it. ſomewhat aboue the city, a little off from the riuerſ ſide, ſhe cauſed a place to be caſt & trenched for the receipt of a ſtanding water or poble, which they digged ſo deepe, till they came to the water, extending euery way in breadth the ſpace of. 320. furlongs. The earth that was voyded heerefro was referred and employed to the bancking of the riuer. The edge and brinckes of the poole were layde aboute and paued with ſtone. In both which things, as well in turning the courſe of the water, as in deluing the trench or lake, ſhe had this purpoſe, that the violēce of the floud being hindred by ſo many windings and turnings, might flowe in a more quiet and peaceable ſtreame: then, that the paſſage from the maine ſea to Babylon might be made more troubleſome to the ſaylers, by the often creekes and circuites of the water: finally, that the next way and readieſt path from Media to Babylon being shut vp, and intercepted by the mutable courſe of the riuer, the Medes hindered from mutable trade of Merchandize with the Aſſyrians, might be ignorant and vnſkilfull of hir aſſayres and counſayle. Thus did Queene Nitocris on the lower ſide of Babylon prouide for the ſafetie and good eſtate of the Realme, hauing another meaning in the fenne or mariſh which ſhe cauſed the people to digge aboue the towne, for the City being ſeparate and diuided into two partes, by meanes of the riuer which floweth through the middes, vnder the raigne and dominion of other Princes, whoſoeuer of the Citizens was deſirous to go ouer on the other ſide, he was fayne to be feried ouer, and paſſe by a boate, whiche coulde not be voyde of greate toyle and trouble, of which extremity by the good inuention of Queene Nitocris, the City obteyned ſpeedie releaſe by one and the ſelfeſame meanes, leauing behinde two famous monumēts of perpetual memory. Wherfore hauing turned the riuer into the maine gulfe or lake that was caſt vp and digged in the plaine, ſhe incontinently cauſed mighty ſtones to be hewed out, ſquared for ye purpoſe. The floud hauing a breach and iſſue another way, within the compaſſe of his owne chanell became drye and voyde of water, Nitocris therefore fenced the bankes and ſhores of the riuer within the Citie, with a skirt or edge of bricke, to ſaue the water from abating and wearing the earth. In like maner the ſteppes leading downe from the braſen wickets to the water, ſhe framed of bricke layd and mortered together in like ſorte as the walles. About the middeſt of the Citie ſhe made a bridge ouer the water, built of ſtone cut and poliſhed to the ſame ende, which ſhe cauſed to be knit & mortered together with leade and iron. This bridge in the day time ſhe couered with planckes of foureſquare forme, to giue paſſage & recourſe to her fubiects: which in the euening were continually drawne & remooued from thence, to the end all occaſion of mutual theft and villany in the night might be foreſeene & preuented. The worke being ended, ſhe wrought the meanes for the water to returne to his proper courſe, eftſoones boyding the lake againe, which then by continuall feeding of the ſtreame, drew to be full. Thus the end prooued the deluing of the fenne to be very profitable & cōmodious, by meanes whereof a bridge was made for the vſe & benefit of the city. The ſame Nitocris alſo put in practiſe this fubtile and deceitfull inuention. Alost vppon the moſt ſtately and portlike gate of the City in open ſhew and appearaunce to all mē, ſhe built her a ſepulchre, engrauen with this title or ſuperscripcion: If any of the Kings of Babylon after me ſhall ſtand in neede or pen•ry of money, let him open the tombe and take as much as he will: but not vnleſſe he be driuen by extremity, for it ſhall not be good for him. This ſepulchre was ſo long vnmoued, till the kingdome fell into the hands of Darius, who very much diſdaining that he neither had vſe of theſe gates (becauſe that ouer them was placed a dead body, ſo that he counted it vnwholeſome to go through them) nor any profit or commodity of the money, eſpecially being allured and prouoked thervnto by the Epitaph and inscription, he brake open the monument and looked in, not finding one croſſe nor ought elſe ſaue the dead carkeſſe & certaine letters, faying thus: Vnleſſe thou hadst bene an vnſatiable wretch, and greedy of filthy gayne, thou wouldst neuer haue diſcouered the graues of the dead. Theſe things are left to memory of the Queene Nitocris, againſt whoſe ſonne Labynitus hauing the name of his father, and the gouernement and principality of all Aſſyria; Cyrus prepared his whole army, at whoſe approch the great King gathered a power of mē, hauing made aboundant prouiſion both of corne and cattell. Moreouer, great plenty of water was had in readineſſe, brought from the floud Choaſspis, running a little beſydes Suſa, of which riuer alone the King is accuſtomably wont to drinke. The water of Choaſspis being firſt ſodden and after reſerued in veſſels of ſiluer, is continually borne after the King whether ſoeuer he goeth by Chariots driuen on four wheeles, which follow his trayne in great number. Cyrus therefore vndertaking a iourney to Babylon, after he came to the riuer Gyndes (whiche proceeding from the Mantien mountaynes necre vnto the people Darnei, meeteth with the riuer Tigris, whoſe ſtreame paſſing by the City Opis, floweth into the red ſea) he attempted to paſſe the water, which by no meanes can be gone ouer without ſhipping, where ſtepping foorth a lusty gallant of the army, and mounting on the backe of a milkewhite ſteede, ſacred and holy to the gods, aduentured in a brauery to take the water, and go ouer, whome the floud winding and wreathing with in his ſtreame, ſwallowed vp ſo that he was neuer after ſeene. But King Cyrus greatly agreeued at the vnkind and iniurious deede of the riuer, threatned the water in furious manner, faying, that the time ſhould not be long erre he brought it ſo lowe, and to ſo ſcant an ebbe, that the very women of the countrey ſhould dare to go ouer it, not weeting themſelues to the knees, which thing for the vehemency of his rage he immediately put in practiſe, intermitting and leauing off hys voyage to Babylon: wherefore diuiding his campe into two partes, he leuelled out and drew by a line. 180. trenches on eyther ſide of the riuer, whereinto he determined to draine the water: which enterpriſe (as in ſo great a multitude) was at lēgth brought to paſſe, albeit he conſumed the whole ſommer in performance thereof. The mighty riuer Gyndes being in this ſort ſhed and deriued into. 360. brookes at the approach of the next ſpring Cyrus renewed his purpoſe, and ſet foorth afreſh towardes Babylon, whome the great Kyng with an hoast of men well prepared, exspected and looked for in the fielt. When he drewe neere to the city, ſigne of battell was giuen, and a fierce encountry made on both ſides, but the Perſians preuailing, compelled the contrary part to flie into the city, where the Babylonians (for that lōg before they perceyued King Cyrus to be of a buſie & an vnquiet nature, giuen to controuerſy & trouble, intermedling & dealing with other nations) had made plentiful prouiſion of vittailes, & all kind of ſuſtenance for many yeares, for which they liued in ſecurity, nothing at all waying to be kept in and encloſed with a ſiege. Cyrus in like caſe hauing a long time layne at the walles without any ſucceſſe or auayle, was altogether ignorant of what wood to frame his arrowes, howbeit at laſt, eyther of his owne trayne, or by the counſayle and aduertiſement of others, he caſt about another way, and wrought thus: placing his army on eache ſide of the city, ſome on that part where the riuer entereth in, others on the backſide where it floweth out, hee gaue commaundement, that at ſuch time as they ſaw the water to fall and berome fleete and eaſy to be waded; they ſhoulde inuade the city by the chanell of the floud: leauing therefore his ariny in this order and aray, with the vnfitteſt and weakeſt part of his power, he withdrewe himſelfe aſyde to the poole, made by the handyworke of Queene Nitocris, whether beeyng come, looke what before time had bene wrought by her whyle the bridge was building, the ſelfe-ſame alſo dyd Cyrus, piercing the bancke of the riuer; and geuing a vent to the water to paſſe into the fenne: whereby the ſtreams decreaſing, became very shalow, and without daunger to thoſe that aduentured to paſſe through which thing being marked by thoſe that ſtayd behinde at the walles, they tooke the riuer, and wading very little aboue the knees with manfull and valiant courage, brake into the City: whome the men of Babylon (if in caſe they had foreknowne the fact of Cyrus) had not onely not permitted to take the Towne, but contrarywiſe had deſtroyed them all by a miſerable death: for hauing faſt barred the little gates that open to the riuer, and placed themſelues partly on the top of the wall, partly on the bankes without the City, they had pent and included them as it were in a caue or denne from whence they could neuer haue eſcaped aliue: wheras now the Perſians stealing vpon them of a sudden, were at their elbowes before they were aware. In which their diſtreſſe (ſo huge was the City in digneſſe) that (by report of thoſe that dwelt next them) they which inhabited the middle part of the City, were flatly ignorant that the towne was taken. Wherefore being a feſtiuall day, they egerly perſued their delight and paſtime, diſporting thēſelues with dauncing, and all kind of pleaſaunt recreation, vntill the caſe was too plaine that the enemies were within the walles. ſuch therfore were the meanes whereby the City Babylon was firſt of all taken and ſurpriſed by warre. As touching the power and value whereof, we will ſhewe many teſtimonies, this one eſpeciall and of manyfeſt euidency. The whole coaſt which is vnder the gouernance of the great King, being leuied at a certayne rent to finde the Prince and his armie (I meane besides thoſe reuenewes and penſions which euery moneth in the yeare are duely payde and yeelded to the Crowne) at the fourth part of thys rent or fubsidie is the region of Babylon rated alone, the other eyght partes beéing gathered and contributed out of the whole Countrey of Aſia: ſo that the puiſſance and hability of this region is equiualent and matchable to the third part of Aſia. The ſeigniorie alſo and principality of this part (which the Perſians call a Satrapy, that is, a Dutchy or Countey) doth in great meaſure exceede all other prouinces that are vnder the protection of the great King. For ſo much as Tritechmas ſonne of Artabazus whome the King made his Lieutenant, and principall ouer this Countrey, had duely rendered vnto him for tribute euery day in the weeke more then eyght gallons of ſiluer, according to the Perfian meaſure called Artaba, which exceedeth by three quarts the meaſure that is vſed in Attica, which they call by the name of Medimnus. Moreouer he had a stable of couragious and lusty courſers for the ſaddle, besides thoſe which were purpoſely kept and managed for the vſe of warre: to theſe were added eight hundred stalions or ſtone horſes, with ſixteene thouſand maares which were couered by thoſe horſes, one stalion being reſerued and admitted to the couering of twenty maares. Beſides all this, ſo great a multitude of dogs or maſtifes comming of the kinde and breede of India were belonging to him, that four great townes ſtanding in the plaine of Babylon, ſtoode at no other reuenue, then to find and maintayne a company of curres. All whiche things were peculiar and appertinent to him that was the viceroy or preſident of Babylon. In the countrey of Aſſyria they haue fmall ſtore of rayne: ſuche graine as the land yeeldeth beeing euermore watered by the floud, not after the maner of Nilus in Ægypt (which of his owne accord riſeth ouer the bankes,and giueth moiſture to the fields round about) but partly by the labour and hāds of men, partly alſo by brookes and ditches deriuing the water throughout their ground. For through all the region of all Babylon (euen as in Ægypt alſo) are drawne many trenches and ditches, the greateſt whereof is nauigable, and caryeth ſhips, bearing to that coaſt where the ſunne is at a ſtand in winter, and reacheth from Euphrates to the floud Tigris, neere vnto the which was planted and ſituated the city Ninus. This ſoyle for corne and all kinde of grayne, is the moſt battle and plentifull of all others, being very barren and naked of wood: wherein, eſpecially the figge tree, vine, and olyue, could neuer proſper or come to any proofe, but for ſeede and tillage ſo fruitefull and aboundant, that it neuer fayleth to yeeld increaſe two hundred fold: and if the ground be very well taken, and the yeare fauourable, it multiplieth to three hundreth times as much as was caſt into the earth. The eares of their wheate and barly are more then a handfull broade. Likewiſe ye fmall ſeede of Millet or Hirſe, together with the graiue of India called ſesamum, to what exceeding growth and tallnes they ariſe in this countrey, that almoſt they ſeeme in manner of mighty trees, albeit I aſſuredly know & could iustly affirme, yet I will rather keepe silence, knowing that thoſe which hath bene already fpoken of the greate encreaſe of their graine are ſuche, that they far ſurmount aboue the cōmon credit and vſuall courſe of nature. They vſe no kinde of oyle but ſuch as is made of the ſeede Seſamum. Palme trees are cōmon with thē in euery place of the countrey, many of the which beare fruite & are very fertile. Parte of this fruite they turne and employ to foode and ſuſtenaunce, making wine and honny of the reſt. The trees themſelues they prune and manure not vnlike theyr figge trees. ſome of theſe palmes (as they vſe alſo to do in other) the Graecians call male trees, the fruite wherof they eate not, but only bind it to the fruite of the female trees, whereof breedeth a fmall woorme or flye, which with her ſharpe and forcked nebbe biteth through the fruite of the female palme, whereby it commeth to ripeneſſe and maturity, being otherwiſe wont to drop off and decay before it arriue to full growth and perfection. For of the fruite of the male palme is bred and produced this little worme, ſuch as come alſo of a wilde figge tree. Let vs now proceede vnto that which next after the city it ſelfe, is (in my fancy) the ſtraungeſt mirrour and wonder of the whole region. The veſſels wherein they are accuſtomed to paſſe downe ye ſtreame to Babylon, are made circlewiſe, and of round compaſſe, drawne ouer on the outſide, and couered with leather: for the people of Armenia,whoſe countrey lyes aboue the Aſſyrians, hauing hewed & ſmoothed out of willow certaine round veſſels very hollow and deepe, they caſt ouer a paast or couering of leather, applying them both to the vſe of houſhold affayres to contemne licour in & ſuch like, and alſo to rowe in and paſſe the water. They haue neither head nor tayle that a man may poynt at with his finger, there to be the noſe and forepart of the ſhippe, and heere the hinder part or sterne, but are contriued into a circulare forme like a buckler or target. The bottome of theſe veſſels they matte and fence with ſtrawe or ruſhes, wherevpon laying their chaffer and merchandiſe, they commit themſelues to the water. Theyr chiefeſt cariage is fmall roundlets or firkins of wyne, makyng the caſke it ſelfe of the leaues of palme. The veſſels are gouerned by two feuerall rothers, at the which, two men continually ſtande and are attendaunt, the one whereof drawes the ster•e towardes hym into the ſhippe, the other thruſteth from hym outwarde. Theſe kynde of ſhippes are maruaylous greate, and very capable, albeit ſome of them be of ſmaler making then other. The greater ſort are of power to carry the waight of fyue thouſand talentes. In euery of which there is one liue Aſſe at the leaſt, and in the bigger three or foure. Beeyng landed at Babylon, and hauyng made theyr marte of ſuche thynges as they broughte, they ſell alſo the woodde of theyr Shyppes, wyth the ſtrawe, ruſhes, and ſuche lyke, loadyng backe theyr Aſſes with the ſkinnes, which they driue home before them into Armenia: forſomuch as to ſaile vpwards againſt the courſe of the riuer, it is not poſſible for them, by reaſon of the ſwiftneſſe and violence of the ſtrcame, which is the cauſe alſo that they make their veſſels not of wood, but of ſkinnes. After they are returned to Armenia they make prouiſion of other ſhips, all one in ſimilitude and faſhion with the former: ſuch are the veſſels wherein the Aſſyrians ferry downe the water to Babylon. Now for their habite and attyre it is on this manner. Their vſuall cuſtome is to go clothed in two garments, one of linnen downe to the feete, another of wollen drawne vppon the ſame: aboute their ſhoulders they caſt a cloake of whyte coulour. In their ſhowes following the cuſtome of the whole countrey, they vſe all one faſhion, not much vnlike the Thebane ſlippers. Their hayre very long, tied and bound vp behinde with a coyfe. In all partes of their bodye embaulmed with ſweete oyles and precious oyntmentes. On their fingers they we are a ſignet: bearing in their hāds a ſlender rod in forme of a scepter, very ſkilfully and artificially wrought, on ye top whereof is carued either an apple, a roſe, a lilly, an eagle, or ſome ſuch like thing, being accompted wickedneſſe with them, and againſt all lawe, to carry a rod or scepter without ſuch an enſigne on the top. And thus much for their attyre. The lawes which they vſe are theſe. One moſt commendable, and for the ſingulare wiſedome and commoditie thereof greatly to be regarded. Likewiſe another, which (if I be not deceiued) the people Eneti comming of the Illyrians do commonly practiſe throughout their whole lande. Once in a yeare they obſerued this cuſtome. The virgins that were arriued to the due time and eſtate of marriage, they aſſembled all into one place, faſt behind theſe ſtoode a great multitude of yong men and batchelers. When all were come and the company was hush, there aroſe vp a common cryer, proclayming feuerally the ſale of euery one to ſuche as were minded to buy them, and in the firſt place ſhee that was the paragon and moſt beautifull damoſell of all the route, was in like manner firſt publiſhed and ſet forth to be ſold, whom ſome one or other hauing purchaſed with a great ſumme of money, ſhe that was next in beautie to the faireſt, was next priced, with a condition annexed, that they whiche bought ſhoulde alſo marry them. Suche therefore of Babylon that were of good wealth, and wanted wines, bought vp the braueſt wenches, euery one ſpeeding beſt for beautie that badde beſt for the beautifull. The baſeſt ſorte of yonkers that were not ſo deyntely toothed, contenting themſelues with the homelieſt laſſes, choſe rather to take a good nutbrowne wench with a dowrie, with whome to practiſe the daliaunces of Venus. The market being made of the beſt and fayreſt, incontinently the moſt vggly and fouleſt droſſe of the company was by the voyce of the crier cyted to appeare, whome he ſet foorth and propounded to the liking of any, who with the leaſt expence and ſinaleſt charge that might, woulde be contente with a wife. In which ſort ſhe ſtandeth, til there ſtep foorth a mate that will holde himſelfe satisfied with a ſluttiſhe wife and a ſlender dowrie, euermore making a gayne of thoſe vppon whome nature and the heauens had largely beſtowed theyr graces and treaſures, whereas with the reſt, that were eyther impotent, lame, or in part of the body diſfigured, or generally ſluttiſh and ylfauoured, they endowed with a portion of goodeſ the ſooner to procure and get them huſbands. Neither was it free and indifferent for any man to place and diſpoſe his daughter to whome he would: nor for the byer without ſufficient warrant or ſuretie of his good vsage of hir to take hir away: but hauing brought ſuch as ſhould plight their faith and honeſtie in his behalfe, that he ſhould vndoubtedly vſe hir in place of his wife, he tooke hir with him, whereof if by fortune they coulde not agree, the law commaunded that the money whiche was geuen for price of the virgine ſhould be eftſoones reſtored to the buyer: wherein the cuſtome was not ſo ſtrict and feuere, but that a couple of contrary villages might match together, and enter the eſtate of mariage one with another, the man alwayes rendering a certaine ſumme and price for his wife if ſhe were worth the buying. This law was very well and wiſely ordeyned by them, which within a while after lost his force, and was vtterly neglected: albeit in later dayes they coyned a new deuiſe that no man ſhould abuſe or anyway iniurie a woman, nor carry hir away into a ſtrange citie, for the citie being taken, and themſelues ſhamefully intreated by their enemies, in ſo much that the moſt part of them had waſted their goodeſ and fubstance, the poore lay people that were in great extremity and want of ſuſtenāce, cauſed their ſtocke, ye care of their honeſty & chaſte liuing ſet apart, to purchaſe lucre by the common vſe of their bodies. Another law and statute they had of equal prayſe and commendation with the firſt, whereby it was prouided that all perſons poſſeſſed with any griefe or diſeaſe, ſhould be caryed out and layd in the open market place, to the end that (vſing no Physicions) euery one might giue their verdit of their ſickneſſe and maladie. As euery one therefore approcheth neare vnto the diſeaſed, if at any time they haue had triall and experience of the like payne and diſtreſſe eyther in themſelues or in other, they let not to minIſter connſaile to the ſicke, & prescribe ſuch order & dyet, as hath bin heretofore either profitable to themſelues, or wholeſome to other: vtterly abhorring from all lawe and ciuility, to paſſe ſecurely & carelesly by the feeble, & not to enquire the ſtate and maner of his griefe. They eſteeme it no fmall bliſſe to them to be buried in ſepulchers, reſembling very narrowly the cuſtome of the Ægyptians in funerall ſorrow and lamentation for the dead. As oft as they haue ſociety and fellowſhip with their wiues, placing themſelues in ſeates one ouer agaynſt another, the men take ſweete perfume, and burneth it, the women likewiſe doing the very ſame. At the drawing neere of the euening they wash and wrinſe themſelues very cleane, not attempting to touch any thing with their hands, before they haue thoroughly cleanſed and purged the filth from their bodies, which thing is in vſe likewiſe with the Arabians. The ſelfeſame Babylonians acquaint themſelues wyth an order full of all abhomination and wickedneſſe. All the women of their nation once in their whole liues, reſort to the Temple of Venus, where abandoning their chaſtity, they giue vp themſelues to be defiled and corrupted by ſtraungers: howbeit, ſuch women as are of great reputation, and haue wealth at will, diſdeining to ſit and accompany with the reſt, are drawne to the temple in charlots or litters caſt ouer and couered with a vale of leather: whether being come, leauing the trayne of their meyny and ſeruants behinde them, they place themſelues in ſeates before the gates of the palace, which is the common vſe of all ſuch as are of high degree. Within the Churche they ſit in greate multitudes, bound about the temples of the head with garlands of ſweete and pleaſaunt flowres, ſome of them are comming, others going, for certayne paſſages and wayes feuerally made by cords & lines, leade and direct the ſtrangers to ſuch as they fancy beſt and haue moſte minde to. Moreouer, hauing once taken her ſeate in the Temple, ſhe neuer returneth home vntill ſome one or other of foreigne countreys hath geuen her money, and reapt her chaſtitie, who approching neere to his lady whome he liketh, ſayeth thus: The Goddeſſe Militta be fauourable and gracious vnto thee. By this name Militta is Venus called with Aſſyrians, neither is it lawfull to deſpiſe the money which is geuen, how much or how little ſoeuer it be, being applied to a ſacred & holy vſe. Neither may ye womā be her own caruer to reiect any yt commeth to her, but whoſoeuer is her firſt chapman him ſhe immediately followeth wtout reſpect of perſons: with whome, after ſhe hath accompanyed for a while, hauing made her offring to ye Goddeſſe, ſhe returneth home, for the time to come not to be allured by mountaynes of gold to acquaint themſelues with any in the like ſort. Of this noble route ſuch as are moſt prayſeworthy for beautie and comely proportion of the body, haue ſooneſt made theyr market and are gonne, the groſſer and baſer ſort being held by the law to remaine there ſo long, till they haue accompliſhed the rites and cuſtomes of the Countrey, ſo that it chaunceth thē otherwhiles to abide in the Temple a yeare or two, yea ſometimes three, before the poore ſoules can be acquit of their ſeruitude. The like ordinaunce is of force & vertue in ſome part of Cyprus. Theſe are the lawes of the people of Babylon, of whome there be three ſortes, ſome which liue only by fiſh, whiche beeing purged and dried againſt the ſunne, they vſe in this manner, firſt they powne & bray it in a morter, which done, they preſerue and keepe it in linnen ſheetes, whereof they take at their pleaſure, and putting thereto liquour, they kneade and bake it in maner of bread. The Perfian prince Cyrus hauing obteyned the victorie ouer all the countrey of Babylon, was pricked with deſire to bring into his power the people of the Maſſagetes; a nation very large, and in armes couragious and valiaunt, hauing their habitation in the Eaſt towardes the morning ſunne beyond the floud Araxes, right ouer againſt the Iſſedonians, and being (as ſome men ſuppoſe) a part of Scythia. The Riuer Araxes is both greater and leſſe then the mighty ſtreame called Iſter, wherein alſo are many Iles not inferiour in compaſſe to the Iland Leſbus. The people of thoſe Iles liue in the ſommer time by all kinde of rootes whiche themſelues plucke vp and gather, reſeruing the fruite of their trees that is ripe and ready to be eaten for their winter foode and ſuſtenance. By theſe people were found out and deſeryed certayne trees, whoſe fruite being caſt into the fire (which they vſe to kindle swarming together in great flockes) doth no leſſe incharme and make drunken the ſenſes of thoſe that fit by, with the ſauour and ſmell proceeding therefro, then their wyne doth intoxicate the heads of the Grecians, being ſo much the more idle in their braynes by how much ye more they burne of the aforeſaid fruite: euen ſo farre at length, that they fall to ſinging, dauncing and leaping paſt meaſure. Now the floude Araxes (like as alſo ye ryuer Gyndes which Cyrus broached and deuyded into 360 trenches) beginneth at the Mantien hylles parting it ſelfe into ſixty feuerall ſtreames, the reſt (one only excepted) haue their endinges in fennes and mariſhe groundeſ: where certayne people are fayde to make their abode, which are nouriſhed by rawe fiſhes, being clothed and apparelled in ſeale ſkinnes. The other parte of Araxes continueth his courſe vnto the ſea called Caſpium, which is a ſea of it ſelfe, not permixt and mingled with any other, for aſwell the salte water through the which ye Grecians vſe to ſaile, as alſo the other without ye pyllers called Atlanticum, finally, ye red ſea & it do meete each with other and are all one: but the Caſpian waters are hemmed in & incloſed with their owne ſhores, being in length 15. dayes ſayle for a light ſhippe that goeth with oares: in bredth ſuch that the wideſt parte (which is toward the weſt) may be paſſed ouer in eyght dayes. The weſt ſide of this ſea is edged in by the mountayne Caucaſus, being of incomparable height and greatneſſe: vpon this hill one people of all ſortes inhabyting: very many & diuerfe ſuſteyned by wilde foode and fieldiſhe reliefe. The leaues which their trees beare are much like vnto ours in ſhew, though different in nature: theſe they beate to powlder, and rempering them with a quantity of water they make of them a certayne colour of ſuch force and vertue that paynting therewith vppon their garments the ſimilitudeſ of fundry wilde beaſts, it neuer chaungeth hue, but euen as if the pictures had bene wouen and wrought in the cloth: ſo together with ye woolle it ſelfe they weare out and decay. Theſe men after the maner of brute beaſtes meddle and accompany with their women in open ſight. Now the Weſt parte of the ſea Caſpian being inuyroned by the hill Caucaſus, ye ſide which extēdeth toward the Eaſte beateth vpon a large, ſpacious, & ample playne. The moſt parte of this playne is poſſeſſed by the Maſſagets, whom Cyrus for diuerfe & waighty cauſes was ſtyrred vp and prouoked to aſſaile by warre. Firſt by the remembraunce of his birth and infancie, whereby he was moued to thinke and imagyne him ſelfe to bee more then halfe a god, farre aduaunced aboue the mortall eſtate of humane kinde. Againe not a litle puffed vp and emboldned by ye luck and proſperous atchieuaunce of all his aduentures wherein fortune ſhewed him ſo amiable a countenaunce, that againſt what nation ſoeuer hee ſet his force, the ſame hee cauſed eyther to bend or breake, alwayes hauing the better hande of his enemyes. The kingdome of the Maſſagets after the deceaſe of the prince hir huſband was held by the moſt noble and vertuous Queene Tomyris, vnto whom Cyrus addreſſinge certayne meſſengers in fained gloſe of deceiptfull words, demaunded hir mariage: but the prudent and couragious lady perceiuing his bent, how not for the loue of hir ſelfe, but for deſire of the kingdome he had couloured a ſute of diſſembled matrimony, flatly forbadde him to come within the lystes and boundes of hir countrey. Cyrus ſeeing his pollicie to be in vayne, lead his power to the ryuer Araxes, in open and profeſſed wiſe, threatning vengeance and all kinde of cruelty againſt the realme of the Maſſagets: wherefore hauing couered the ryuer with certayne bridges, whereby to trayne and conuey his army ouer the water hee fortified the ſame with defence & munition of towers builte by y^e help & ayde of ſhips which he made for ye purpoſe: to whom being diligently cōuerſant & buſied in theſe affaires, Tomyris diſpatched an Herauld of peace wt a meſſage as followeth. Thou king of the Medes, leaue of to trouble thy ſelfe in thoſe matters which y^e haſt taken in hand, vncertayne what gayne y^t ſhalt reape by this thine enterpriſe: be quiet therefore & be king of thine owne, suffring vs to inioy theſe borders whereof we haue the right & chiefe dominion. But what? diſdayneſt y^• my coūſaile? preferreſt thou al things before peace & quietneſſe? Be it then, if thy hart burne to be dealing with ye Maſſagets, ceaſe thy buildings & either follow vs 3. dayes iourney into our countrey, or departe our coaſts & receiue vs into thine. Cyrus hauing heard this greeting, aſſembled together the chiefe of ye Perſians & propounded ye matter to be ſcanned among them: who being all of one mynde & conſenting in one opinion made it no cōtrouerſie, but yt it behoued rather Tomyris with hir army to be receyued into Perſia & them ſelues to retyre into their owne lande: againſt whom Craeſus being of a contrary iudgment began to reaſon & argue in this maner. Truly (O king) as I fayd before, ſince it hath pleaſed the mighty Iupiter to delyuer mee into thy hands: whatſoeuer I ſhall marke to be amiſſe in thy houſe the ſame to the moſt of my power I will ſtudy to amend:for myne owne fortune albeit an vnthankfull miſtreſſe, yet hath ſhe bene a leſſon and schooling vnto me: if thou thinke thy ſelfe a god, and thy army immortall, my counſaile is not for thee, my ſentence cannot auayle thee: but if ye acknowledge thy ſelfe to be mortall, and to rule ouer thoſe that be fubiect to death, learne this firſt, that ye affayres of men are placed as it were in a circle, which being rowled and turned about ne permitteth the ſame man to bee alwayes fortunate: as touching therefore the queſtion propounded I vary in opyon from all thy counſaile: for geuing liberty to thy enemies to come into thine owne realme, it is to be feared leaſt at the ſame time thou leeſe both the victory and thy kingdome. thinkeſt thou the Maſſagets if they get the better, will ſtraight wayes depart without ſpoyle of thy countrey? contrarywiſe, if thou vanquiſhe them what canst thou winne? Certes (O Kynge) not comparably to that as if thou beate theſe Cockes one their owne dunghilles, ſo mayſte thou followe them preſently vpon the spurres and ſet them beſides their owne pearches. Conſider this (noble prince) and if thou ſeeme to like it, ſeeke to follow it, and fly not one foote before thou performe it: that hauing done this fonde girle to vnderſtande thy inuincible force and proweſſe, thou mayſte follow thine enimyes at the hard heeles euen into y^e gates and walles of their city. For ſhame let it not be fayd at any time, that Cyrus the ſonne of Cambyſes did abandone the fielde and geue place to a woman. I thinke it good therefore to goe ſo farre forward, vntill they prouyde them ſelues, and come forth to meete vs: wherein alſo we haue fit occaſion to vſe a pollicy. It is not vnknowne to you that the Maſſegets are vnacquainted with the ſtately dyet and magnificency of the Perſians: for which cauſe hauing left behind vs in our tentes all store of delighteſome and pleaſaunte meates, with great plenty and aboūdance of ſweete wines, let vs leaue the weakeſt parte of our army there, and withdraw our ſelues aſide to ye ryuer: our enemyes glutted with ryot, and bereaued of their right ſenſes by exceſſe of wine; what may hinder vs to take them vnwares, cauſing them to pay the pryce of their dinner with the loſſe of their lyues. Theſe opinions were vttered as concerning the cauſe. But Cyrus refuſing to be ruled by the Perſians, betoke him ſelfe wholly to follow the aduiſe of Craeſus. Wherefore he gaue ſignifications to Tomyris to retyre back, delaring him ſelf to be ready to follow & geue her battle at home in her owne countrey. The Queene according as ſhee had determyned withdrew her ſelfe backe into the middeſ of the region.

Now king Cyrus hauing committed to his ſonne Cambyſes the gouernaunce and adminiſtration of the realme, he delyuered into his hands Craeſus king of ye Lydians, earneſtly charging him vpon the duty & obedience of a ſonne, y^t if his luck in battle were worſe then he loked for, he ſhould let paſſe no parte of courtesie, honour, & liberality towards him: which when he had fayd he ſent them away into Perſia paſſing ye water him ſelfe with his whole power. The ſame night after hee had trayned his hoſt ouer the ſtreame of Araxes there befell vnto him a ſtraunge viſion, wherein being on ſleepe he ſeemed to beholde the eldeſt ſonne of Hyſtaſpes hauing on his ſhoulders two wynges, with one of the which he fhadowed all Aſia, with the other all Europa. Hyſtaſpes (comming of the princely houſe of ye Perfian Achemenides and borne of Arsaces) had a ſonne named Darius, ſuperiour in yeares to the reſt of his children, being at that time welnigh twenty yeares olde, whom his father for that hee was too younge for the campe, left at home in his owne conntrey. Cyrus awaked from his dreame, began to waigh and ponder with him ſelfe the drift and intent of his viſion, and ſuppoſinge it to bee of no ſmale moment called for Hyſtaſpes with whom in ſecret wiſe hauing remoued all company he cōmoned thus. Thy ſonne Hyſtaſpes hath wrought treaſon, againſt me and my kingdome, which his diſloyall & malicious trechery. I came to knowe by this meanes. The heauenly powers whoſe prouidence is a buckler to mee againſt all aduerſity hauing chiefe care and regarde of my health, haue ſhewed me all things that are to come. No longer ago then this laſt night I beheld in my ſleepe the eldeſt of thy children, bearing on each ſhoulder a mighty winge, and couering with the one all Aſia, with the other Europa, whereby I aſſuredly coniecture his treaſon which hee couertly tendeth againſt the crowne: hence then, diſpatch and ſpeede thee into Perſia, reſerue him ſafely to my nexte returne, that calling him to his tryall. I may ſee by what meanes he can quit himſelfe of trechery. Theſe things fayd Cyrus for that hee aſſuredly thought that Darius had tended miſchiefe to his perſon and priuily ſought to vndermine him in his kingdome. But hee reckned without his hoſt, & was farre deceyued of his accounte: for the gods did foreſhew, and ſignifie to him how in that place he ſhould finiſhe his life, and that his kingdome at the length ſhould deſcend to Darius. Hyſtaſpes ſhaping an anſwere to ye kings words began and fayd. The gods forbid (O mighty prince) that any one of the Perfian bloud ſhould eyther malice thy perſon or impeach thy Maieſty: who if he were knowne a thowſand M. deathes were to eaſy for him. By whom, but onely by thy ayde (moſt gratious king) were we made of ſlaues fremen, of fubiects and vaſſals lordeſ and rulers ouer other? If the gods haue accuſed my childe of treaſon, take him, he is thine owne, I yeelde him vp to bee dealt withall as it ſéemeth thee beſt. His talke finiſhed hee immediatly tooke his paſſage ouer the ryuer Araxes, into Perſia, for farther aſſuraunce and charge of his ſonnes appearaunce at ye Kings pleaſure. Cyrus hauing gayned the other ſide of Araxes, and marched forward one dayes iourney, forthwith he did as Craeſus had counſayled him, leauing in his tents the feebleſt and moſt vnapt ſouldiers of his whole number, and departed thence with the reſt to the ſhores and banckes of Araxes, being lightly harneyſed and addreſſed for the purpoſe. The ſeely remnaunte of the Perſians appointed to ſtay behinde in defence and munition of the tentes, were aſſayled by the third parte of the Maſſagets power: where vſing al meanes to ſaue the tentes and ſuccour them ſelues, they were miſerably foyled and ſlayne. The enemy entering the campe and perceyuing all places to be furniſhed with ſumptuous prouiſion of dainty and delicious meates, toke the benefit of ſo good and fauourable fortune, and fel freſhly to the banquet, in ſo much that hauing there stomacks forced with bittayls and their heads inchaūted with wyne, they were taken with a profounde & heauy ſleepe: when of a sudden the Perſians returning from their ambush, came vpon them vnwares & putting the moſt parte to the ſword, the reſt they tooke and apprehended alyue. Among theſe was the ſonne of Queene Tomyris named Spargapiſes, to whom was geuen and cōmitted the guiding of the army. Tomyris aduertiſed of hir ſonnes miſfortune together with the chaunce and loſſe of hir fubiects, full of ſtomacke and diſpleaſure, ſent hir Legate y^e ſecond time, and saluted Cyrus on this wiſe. Thou inſatiable and bloudy boutcher boast not thy ſelfe of this thou haſt done, for if by the fruite and sappe of the Vyne (wherewith thy ſelfe otherwhyles being filled to the very eyes art free from no madneſſe, vyce, and blasphemy) if herewith I ſay, thou haſt taken and inchaunted my ſonne: it is thy pollicy, not thy power: thy craft, not thy courage that hath gotten thee the victory. Well then: once agayne heare mee, and bee ruled by my counſayle: get thee henceyet, and bee ſpeedily packinge, releaſe my ſonne whom thou haſt in hold: for if in caſe thou refuſe and ſtay but one moment, I ſweare by the ſunne the god and king of the Maſſagets, I will glut that greedy pawnch of thine with aboūdaunce of bloude, wherewith thou ſeemeſt to bee inſaturable and neuer to be satisfied. Theſe words with Cyrus came in at one eare and went out at the other, lighter in value then the wynd in waight. Notwithſtandinge, ſeely Spargapiſes ſonne to the ſtoute and couragious Queene. Tomyris, being throughly awaked and come to him ſelfe, perceyuing the caſe he was in, hūbly beſought Cyrus to looſe him & take of his bondes: which done, and hauing his hands at liberty, hee pawnched himſelfe into the belly with a Iauelyne, and ſo dyed. Such was the end and heauy deſteny of poore ſpargapiſes ye Queenes ſonne. Whom his mother greatly lamenting, and ſeeing hir counſayle to take no place, gathered a mighty power & fought with king Cyrus in ſuch ſorte, that of all battayles & combatryes of the Barbarians there was neuer any ſo bloudy, fell, and cruell on both sides as this. The fight and battayle it ſelfe was in this maner. Firſt of all being diſtant one from another a certayne ſpace, they aſſaulted each other by ſhotte of Arrowes, which beinge ſpente & conſumed, ſo feirce a cloſe was geuen on both parts wt ſwords, Daggers, and Iauelynes, that the very fire ſparkled out by the force and might of their blowes. Thus the battayle remayned equall a greate ſpace, neither parte yeelding the breadth of a hayre to his enemy, till at the length the Maſſagets preuailing, made a great ſlaughter of the Perſians: wherein Cyrus himſelfe hauing raygned thirty yeares ſaue one, made a finall ende and concluſion of his dayes: whom the wrathfull Queene Tomyris ſeeking oute amonge the ſlayne and mangled bodyes of the Perſians, toke his head & throwing it into a veſſell filled with bloud, in vaunting and glorious wife insulted ouer it in theſe words. Thou Boutcherly tyrant, my ſonne thou tokeſt by craft and kylledst by cruelty, wherefore with thy ſelfe I haue kept touch. Now therefore take thy fill bloudy caitife, ſucke there till thy belly cracke. In this maner dyed the noble King Cyrus: of whoſe death and ende ſince many and fundry thinges are bruted, it steined vs good to followe that, which among the reſt founded neereſt to truth. The Maſſagets are very like the Scythians both in lyuing and attyre. There maner is to fighte both on foote and horſe backe, in both kindeſ exceeding valiaunt. There weapons which they vſe are Arrowes, ſpeares, & ſhort Daggers after the maner, and cuſtome of the countrey: all their Harneſſe and furniture is garniſhed and adorned both with Golde and Braſſe: vſinge to their ſpeares Duyuers and Daggers, Spangs and bullions of braſſe: their Coſtlets, Belts, and the reſt of their armour beinge gallauntely ſet forth and beautified with Golde. In like maner alſo the curets of their horſe are layde & emboſſed with curious worke of Golde: wherewith alſo are done and beſet their raynes, brydles, and trappinges: being altogether vnacquainted with the vſe of ſiluer, or Iron. For the land yeelding vnto them ineſtimable plenty of Gold and Braſſe, yet of Siluer and Iron it is quite voyde and deſtitute. Moreouer their maners are theſe. Euery one marieth a wyfe, which notwithſtanding is common and indifferente to all. For that which the Grecians affirme to bee done by the Scythians, the ſelfe ſame, not they, but the Maſſagets doe cōmonly vſe and practiſe: being of a very certainety, y^t as oft as any of the Maſſagets is moued with deſire of Women, he maketh no more adoe but hanging his quyuer vpon the pinne of his wayne, goeth openly to worke without any regard. They haue no certaine ende or terme of their liues: but as euery one is arryued to the pits brinke, & growne to extremity of age, him his kinsfolkes and acquaintance take with certayne cattell and ſacrifice him to the gods, whoſe fleſhe being afterwardes boyled in a Chaldern, they make thereof a ſolemne feaſte or banquet. Which kinde & maner of death is eſteemed with them the moſt bleſſed and glorydus death that can poſſibly happen to man. Such as dye through any diſeaſe or malady, they neuer eate, but ouerwhelm and couer them with mouldeſ, holding him vnhappy and accurſed that lyued not to the diuine dignity and honour of ſacrifice. They ſowe not one foote of grounde, but mayntaine them ſelues and liue by fiſh, great aboundaunce whereof the riuer Araxes doth yeelde vnto them. Their only drinke is milke, besides the which they vſe nothinge. Among the gods they geue honour to the Sunne alone, vntowhom they conſecrate and offer vp horſes: which manner of oblation they ordained for this reaſon: that to the quickeſt, and ſwifteſt of all the gods, they might likewiſe offer the moſt flight and ſwifte creature that lyueth on the earth.

1 The country of the author.