A Mirror both for Saints and Sinners, Treatise · Chapter 51
CHAP. LI. Tyrants, Tyranny.
THey shall not live out half their dayes, Ps. 55. 25. Forbidden, Lev. 25. 43, 46, 53.
Scriptural Examples: Adonibezeck, Jud. 1. Abimelech, Jud. 9. Athaliah, 2 King. 11. Jezebel, 1 King. 21. Manahem, 2 King. 15. Saul, 1 Sam. 22. Ahaz, 2 King. 17. Manasseh, 2 Chron. 22. Nebuchadnezzar, Jer. 39. Herod, Mat. 2. Pharaoh, Exod. 1. Ishmael, Ier. 41. Pilate, Luk. 13. 1.
See in Reproofe the examples of Cambyses.
Darius going to warre against the Scythians, would take along with him the three sons of Deobaces one of his Noble men that was very old: whereupon Deobaces requested him to leave one of his sonnes at home to be a solace to his old age: Yea, said Darius, I will leave them all three, and so he caused them to be all slaine, and thrown into their fathers presence. Pez. Mel Hist.
The Lacedemonians having in divers battels by sea, and land overthrown the Athenians, they at last set thirty Tyrants over them, which exercised extreme cruelty towards them. The honest Citizens whom they either feared, or hated, or that excelled in wealth, they either banished, or slew them, and Teized upon their estates. Whereupon one of them (somewhat better then the rest) called Theramenes spake against this cruelty, which caused another called Critias to accuse him of treason, and so to condemne him to death. Theramenes hearing it, fled to the Altar, saying, I flie to this Altar, not that I think it will save my life, but that I may shew that these Tyrants are not onelyonly cruel towards men, but prophane, and wicked towards the gods: Critias commanded armed men to fetch him away to his death: and as they led him through the City, he cried out against the Tyrants cruelty, whereupon one of their Captaines said to him: Flebis si non silebis: Thou shalt weep if thou wile not hold thy peace, to whom he answered, Annon fleba, si tacebo? Shall I not weep if I do hold my peace? when they put the cup of poison into his hand, he drank it off, and throwing away the bottome he said, I drink this to faire Critias. After his death they raged more extremely, filling all places with rapines, and slaughter; and not suffering the friends of the murthered to interre their dead bodies. Having amongst others slaine one Phidon, they at their feast sent for his daughters to come, and dance naked upon the floore that was defiled with their fathers blood, but the maides abominating such immanity, threw themselves down from an high place, and brake their necks. And to fill up the measure of the Athenians miseries, whereas many thousands of them were …led, or banished into all the neighbouring countreys of Greece, their proud insulting adversaries, the Lacedemonians forbade all persons to entertaine any of these miserable exiles, but to returne them to the Tyrants again, and that upon the paine of forfeitting three thousand crowns. Diod. Sic.
Lysander King of Sparta, when the Argives came to Lacedemon to dispute about the borders of their country, pleading that they had ajuster cause then the Lacedemonians, he drew his sword and said, They that can hold this best, can best dispute about their coasts. Xenoph.
Alexander the Tyrant of Thessaly was of such a cruel nature that he buried many of his Subjects alive, others he sowed up in the skins of boares, and beares, and worried them with his dogs, others he thrust through with darts, and that not for any offences that they had done, but meerely to make himself sport: and when he had gathered the inhabitants of two confederate Cities about him, as if he had something to impart to them, he caused his guard to fall upon them, and murther them all without distinction of Sex, age, or condition: He slew his own uncle Polyphron, and then consecrated the speare wherewith he did it to the gods: But not long a…ter himself was slaine by the conspiracy of his own wife. Plut.
Euphron the Lacedemonian having made himself a Tyrant in the City of Cicyon, was shortly after murthered by the Senators as he sat in counsel with them, who defended themselves by this Apology: quòd qui manifesti sceleris proditionis, & tyrannidis rei sunt, non sententiâ âliqua dammandi videantur, sed ab omnibus hominibus jam antè dammati sunt, & quòd nulla Graecorum lex ostendi possit, quae proditionibus, aut Tyrannis securitatem praestet. That those which are guilty of Treason, and Tyranny, need not to be proceeded against in a legal way, for that they are beforehand condemned in all mens judgements, neither was there any law amongst the Grecians that gave security to traitours, and Tyrants. Plut
Ochus King of Persia succeeding his father Artaxe…xes Mnemon, presently after his getting the Kingdome, filled, and defiled all his palace with blood, murthered all the Princes and Royal seed, without any respect of age, or sex: and yet through Gods patience, he lived ninety three years, and reigned fourty three years. Diod. Sic. But in the end growing odious, and burthensome to all by reason of his bloodshed, and cruelty, one of his Eunuches called Bagoas poisoned him, and threw his dead body to be devoured of cats, AElian. Lib. 6.
Alexander M. after his great victories grew proud, and tyrannical, and upon bare suspition he cruelly tortured Philotas, one of his brave captaines, the sonne of Parmenio, who had a chief hand in all his victories, and after grievous torments, caused him to be slaine, and not content therewith, thinking that his father might seek to revenge the wrong, he caused him to be murthered also. Qu. Cur. See Alexander M. also in Anger.
Alexander M. as he was rowing upon a lake in his galley neer Babylon, a sudden tempest arising, blew off his hat, and crown fastened upon it into the lake, whereupon one of his Mariners leaping into the lake, swam, and fetched it to him, and to keep it the drier he put it upon his own head, Alexander rewarded him with a talent, for saving his Crown, but withall caused his head to be cut off, for presuming to put his Crown upon it. Plut.
Dionysius the Sicillian Tyrant, was so suspicious of every one, that he durst not suffer a Barber to trim him, but caused his daughters to do it, neither when they were grown to womans estate, durst he suffer them to use any sizers, or rasour about him, but caused them to burn his haire, with burning walnut-shells: He had two wives, and when he lodged with either of them, he carefully searched all the chamber before he went to bed. He durst not come amongst them when he was to speak to the people, but spake out of an high Tower to them. When he was going to play at tennis, he gave his cloke, and sword to a boy that waited on him, whereupon one said to him: Sir, you have now put your life into his hands, at which the boy smiled: whereupon Dionysius caused them both to be slaine, the man for teaching the boy how to kill him, and the boy for laughing at it. There was one Damocles, a great slatterer of his, who told him what an happy man he was that did so abound in riches, Majesty, Power, &c. affirming that there was never any man more happy then himselfe: Well, said Dionysius, wilt thou, O Damocles, try how happy a man I am, seeing thou doest so admire my condition? Yea, said Damocles, with all my heart: Hereupon Dionysius caused him to be cloathed in Kingly apparel, to be set upon a golden seat, in a room richly hung, and curiously adorned with pictures, then a table to be furnished with all sorts of dainty dishes, with a company of beautifull boyes to waite upon him. He had also precious ointments, Crownes, musick, and what not? So that Domacles thought himselfe a woundro…s happy man: But presently Dionysius caused a sharp glittering sword, tied in an horse-haire to be hung just over his head, the terrour whereof so afflicted Damocles, lest it should fall on his head, that he durst not stirre, nor enjoy any of those felicities, whereupon he sent to the Tyrant, desiring him to give him leave to go away, for he desired that happinesse no longer. Citero.
Antiochus Epiphanes, warring against Egypt, Ptolomy the King of Egypt sent to the Senate at Rome to make them his Guardians, and to desire their help against Antiochus: Hereupon the Senate sent Popilius to Antiochus requiring him to forbear medling with Egypt, or if he was already entred, presently to depart out of it. Antiochus offered to kisse Popilius, in token of his love to him, but Popilius answered, Let all private friendship cease, till thou hast answered my publick Commands. Antiochus told him that he would consult with his friends, and shortly return an answer. Popilius having a stick in his hand, drew with it a circle about him, and his friends, requiring them to returne an answer, and either to chuse warre or peace before they went out of that circle. This so daunted the King, that he told him he would obey the command of the Senate. Justin.
Vitellius a Tyrant of Rome, being overcome by Vespasian, the souldiers took him, bound his hands behinde him, & putting a rope about his neck, and tearing off his cloaths, they led him through the streets of Rome, loading him with an infinite number of indignities, and disgraces, pulling his haire, and setting a dagger under his chin, that his face might be seen of all; some cast filth and dirt in his face, others reviled him; and so at last they slew him, and threw him into Tyber. Imp. Hist.
Sylla that great Tyrant, that stiled himself, The happy, died miserably of the lowsies: for when (saith one) was it ever seen that the heavy hand of God did not finally infelicitate a Tyrant?
Poppaea Sabina was first wife to Rufus Crispinus a worthy Knight of Rome, by whom she had a sonne: afterwards Nero taking her to himselfe, caused her little sonne to be drowned, for that amongst his pretty sports, he would play for Dukedomes, and Empires. Suet.
Laodice the wife of Ariarathis King of Cappadocia, her husband being dead seized upon the government, raged cruelly against all sorts, both of the Nobility, and Commons, whom she caused to be murthered, yea, against her own bowels, poisoning …ix of her own sonnes, that so she might keep the Kingdome more securely: only one little one escaped her fury, whom the people at last advanced to the Crowne, and slew her. Lipsius.
Thou shalt not rule over him with rigour, but shalt fear thy God,
Levit. 25. 43.