The Annals of the World, History 1 · Age of the world 6 (15 of 18)

The Annals of the World · History 1 · Age of the world 6 (15 of 18)

p. 335In the same year also, The Julian Period. 4420 upon the 15 day of Elaphebolion, Year before Christ 294 the 5 of Tybus, four hours before midnight upon the 9 of our May, the same Timochares observed the conjunction of the Moon with Spica Virginis, [Id. ibid.]

Thessalonice the Queen, and relict of Cassander, the Daughter of Philip, father of Alexander the Great, begotten upon the Daughter of Nicasipolus, was murdered by Antipater her own son; yea, though she begged life of him by those paps which gave him suck: the reason was, for that in the partage of the kingdom, made between him and his brother, she seemed a little inclined to her youngest son Alexander. And Alexander, to revenge this murder of his mother, prayed in aid of all the friends he could make; of Pyrrhus, King of Epirus, of Demetrius Poliorcetes, in Peloponesus, [Justin, lib. 16. cap. 1. Plut. in Pyrrho. & Demetr. Pausan. in Boeot. pag. 287.]

Lysimachus the King of Thracee, for the dread he had of Demetrius his coming, perswaded with his son in law Antipater, rather to agree with his brother, than by faling out with him, to draw upon himself an old hereditary enemy of his fathers, [Iustin, ibid.] And knowing well, that Pyrrhus would do any thing for Ptolemeis sake; he sent certain forged letters to him, as sent from Ptolemei, wherein he advised him, to receive a gratuity of 300 talents from Antipater, and to give off his journey into Macedon for the support of Alexander against his Brother. But Pyrrhus perceived this trick of his: for opening the letter, he found not there the usual salutation from Ptolemei to him: which was, Pater filio, (i. e.) The father to his son: instead whereof, it was here written, King Ptolemei to King Pyrrhus, sendeth greeting: and withal Demetrius his sudden falling in upon Macedonia, brake off all these devises of Lysimachus, [Plut. in Pyrrho.]

Ptolemei of Egypt, took the whole Isle of Cyprus out of Demetrius his hands; the City Salamis onelyonly excepted, where he besieged Demetrius his mother and children that were therein: and them, having at length taken the City, he sent home unto him honourably attended, and with rich presents bestowed on them, for their journey, [Plut. in Demetr.]

Demetrius, having gotten Alexander into his hands, and slain him, possessed himself p. 336self of the kingdom of Macedon, [Iustin, l. 16. cap. 1. Pausan. Boeot. pag. 287. Plut. in Pyrr. & Demetr. and in his Treatise, foreign: (i. e.) of shame facestnesse; and held it seven years, as the same Plutarch affirmeth.

Lysimachus, Year of the World 3711 being at that time engaged in a war which one Dromichetes a King of the Getes made upon him, The Julian Period. 4421 least he should be forced to maintain a war against the King of Getes, Year before Christ 293 and Demetrius both at once, gave up that part of Macedon, which belonged to his son in law Antipater, and so made peace with him, [Justin lib. 16. cap. 1. with Strab. lib. 7. pag. 302. & 305.]

Dromichaetes his hap was to take Lysimachus prisoner, but used him very kindly [Strabo. Ut supra. Diodorus, in Excerpt. H. Vales. pag. 257, 258.] and Lysimachus gave him his daughter to wife, and gave up into his hands that part of Thrace, which lay beyond the Ister, for a dowrie with her. [Pausani. in Attica. pag. 8.]

Clearchus, the King perforce, or Tyrant of Heraclea in Pontus, going to help Lysimachus in his war against the Getes, was taken prisoner together with him, and when Lysimachus was gotten at liberty himself; he, by his wisdome, used the means to procure his liberty also, [Memnon. in Excerpt. cap. 6.]

When Simon, Year of the World 3712 surnamed the Just, the High Priest at Jerusalem, was dead, leaving behind him one onelyonly son Onias, then an infant, his brother Eleasar, the son of Onias the first, took upon him the high priesthood of the Jews, [Joseph. lib. 12. cap. 2.] and is said to have sate there 32 years, in Scaligers Greek Eusebian fragments. [pag. 50. and 162.]

After the return of Lysimachus from the Getick war, Agathocles, his eldest son, and who was taken prisoner in the first battle that ever he was in, as some report, took to wife Lysandra, the daughter of Ptolemei of Egypt, surnamed the deliverer, and of Euridice his wife, [Pausan. in his Attic. p. 8.]

After this, Lysimachus, passing with his Navy over into Asia, seized on such as there were in subjection to Antigonus and Demetrius, [Id. Ib. with Plut. in Demet.] where whiles he lay before Ephesus, and they had to help them one Mandro, an arch Pirate, who often brought in thither rich prises which he had taken: Lysimachus fell a bribing of him, and wan him over to betray the City to him, and for the effecting thereof, put into his hands certain valiant Macedons, whom he with their hands bound behind them, brought like prisoners into Ephesus; and they spying their time, got arms in the Castle where they were, and took the City for Lysimachus, [Jul. Fronti. Stratag. lib. 3. cap. 3.] and whereas the City of Ephesus being seated in a low ground, was a while after infinitely annoyed by an inundation of the sea coming in upon it, and quite drowned by it, of which deluge we may read an epigram in Stephanus Byzantinus, made by one Duris, Lysimachus now removed it into another place; and being new built, called it after the name of his new wife Arsinoe, though after his death, it quickly returned to her former name and appellation of Ephesus, [Strabo lib. 14, p. 640. and Stephanus in Ephesus.] and to replenish his new City with inhabitants, he demolished the two Cities of Lebedus, and Colophos, and removed the dwellers in them to it; which destruction of those two famous Cities, Phoenix in his Iambicks, grievously deploreth, [Pausan. ut sup.]

Seleucus, Year of the World 3713 to stiff such Cities as he had built in Asia, The Julian Period. 4423 and the lower Syria, Year before Christ 289 and especially Antioch, the Metropolis of all the rest, removed the Jews from their own dwellings into them; giving them every where equalpriviledges, prerogatives and immunities with the Macedons, both in Towns and Cities, [Euseb. Chron. Joseph. Atiquit. lib. 12. cap. 3. & lib. 2. Cont. Apio. pag. 1063.] But of the Cities which he built, he named 16 after the name of his father Antioch, Antiochia; and six others after the name of his mother Laodice, Laodicea; nine of them from himself, Seleucia; three from his wife, Apamea; and one from his last wife, Stratonice: and to the rest, he gave certain Greek and Macedonic names, as came in his head: as Berraea, Ed…sla, Peila, and the like, [Appian. in Syria.]

Agathocles, Year of the World 3715 the Tyrant of Sicilie, The Julian Period. 4425 coming to die, Year before Christ 289 shipt away his wife Thoxena, with his two children, which he had by her, being very little ones, with all his treasure and family, and rich furniture, wherein he exceeded all other Kings, and sent them into Egypt, …rom whence he took her, fearing least so soon as he was dead, they should be made a spoile to some or other, together with his kingdom. Though his wife, entreated hardly, that at least she her self, might not be forced to leave him, whic… the breath was in his body; pleading for her self, that when she married him, she contracted a society with him of all fortunes, as well bad as good, and that she would willingly hazard her own life, to be with him at the hour and instant of his death, and his children, little though they were, yet hardly could they be drawn off … holding by him; and in the end, part…ed from him with a dolefull cry, and p…ttifull lamentation, when the wind served, and they must be gone, and so soon as they were gone, he breathed p. 337our his last, and gave up the ghost, [Justin, lib. 23. cap. 2.]

Clearchus and Oxathres, The Julian Period. 4426 the two Kings of Heraclea in Pontus, Year before Christ 288 when their mother Amestris had gotten a ship-board to be gone from them, in a most barbarous manner, caused her to be thrown over-board, and drowned in the sea, [Memnon Excerp. cap. 6.]

Lysimachus, Year of the World 3716 desirous to revenge the death of Amistris, sometime his wife, came into Heraclea, and shewing there all fatherly affection to Clearchus and those who were nearest about him; first slew him, and then his brother Oxathres, [Id. cap. 7.] seventeen years after the death of Clearchus their farther: as may be gathered out of [Diodor. year 3. Olymp. 118.] and so, having reduced that City and territory thereunto belonging into his own power, and obliged it to himself, he took all the treasure belonging to those Tyrants, and whatever they had scraped together, into his own hands, and leaving the City in full liberty, and to live after their own laws, he returned into his own kingdom, [Memnon, ut sup.]

Strato of Lampsacus, the son of Arcesilaus, and surnamed Physicus, succeeded Theophrastus in his schoole; which Strato was the teacher and bringer up of Ptolemaeus Philadelphus, who gave him for his pains, taken in his education, as it is said, fourscore talents, [Diog. …aert. in Strabone.]

Demetrius Poliorcetes, seeking to recover all his father Antigonus his Dominions, was now ready to land in Asia, with so huge an army, as no man after the dayes of Alexander the Great, to that time, had the like; for in his army he had no lesse than 100 thousand Foot, wanting two; and little lesse than 12 thousand Horse: in his Fleet he had full 500 ships; whereof some were of an excessive bignesse, as of 15 or 16 tire of oares. Before his going, he made a firm league with Pyrrhus; for fear least he, moving some troubles in his absence, might interrupt, and hinder him in his main design, [Plut. in Demetr. & Pyrrho.]

Seleucus, Year of the World 3717 Ptolemei, The Julian Period. 4427 and Lysimachus, Year before Christ 287 fearing, as well they might, whither this excessive preparation tended: combined together, and making one body of all their Forces, began to find him work, and to make war upon him in Europe; and in all their three names sent Ambassadors to Pyrrhus in Epirus, advising him to invade Macedon: nor should reckon that a league, which he had made with Demetrius, since he therein had no intention of peace; but onelyonly a purpose to be at liberty himself, to make war upon whom he pleased: Pyrrhus easily assented hereunto: debauched Demetrius his army, put him to flight, and took the kingdom of Macedon into his own possession, [Id. ibid. Justin, lib. 16. cap. 2.] And this was the first time, as [Pausan, in Attic. pag. 11.] noteth, that ever Pyrrhus was Master of some few Elephants.

But when Lysimachus came, and pretending that he had a hand in the quashing of Demetrius as well as Pyrrhus, and therefore craved halfes with him in the kingdom of Macedonia; Pyrrhus, doubting of the firmity of the Macedons unto him, yeilded thereto, and so came to a division of the kingdom of Macedon with him by Cities and Regions, [Plut. ut sup.]

But in this mangling of things, Lysimachus, finding that his son in law Antipater, complained openly that his father in law had cheated him of the kingdom of Macedon, made short work, and slew him: and because his daughter Euridice Antipaters now Relict, repined at the death of her husband, therefore he committed her to prison. And so the whole house of Cassander paid Alexander the Great the price, whether of his own death, or whether of the destruction of his Race, partly by murders, partly by torments, partly by parricidial acts committed in his own family to the utter extirpation of it, [Justin, ut sup.]

Thus Demetrius, being in an instant stript of his kingdom, fled to Cassandria. But his wife Phila swallowed up with grief, and not enduring to see her husband fall again into the condition of a private man in a forreign country, and despairing of all better successe in time to come, poisoned her self, and died, [Plut. in Demetr.]

When Demetrius lay at the siege of Athens, which had revolted from him to Pyrrhus, Crates the Philosopher, being sent in Embassie to him, perswaded him to raise his siege: whereupon, getting all his ships together, and putting aboard them eleven thousand Foot, besides his Horse, he sailed away into Asia, there to get all Caria and Lydia from Lysimachus. There Euridice the sister of his wife Phila, met him not far from Miletus, bringing with her Ptolemais, her daughter by Ptolemei of Egypt, whom his son in law Seleucus, had formerly spoken to Ptol…mei to bestow on him. Demetrius therefore now married her, by the good will of Euridice; and of her Demetrius begat Demetrius, who afterward reigned in Cyrenia, [Ibid.]

In this voyage, Demetrius took in many Towns and Cities, some by fair means, some by force, and some fell over from Lysimachus to him, who also brought great store of men and means with them. But when Agathocles the son of Lysimachus came towards him with an army, he marched up into Phrygia, purposing to invade Armenia, p. 336duplicate page p. 337duplicate page p. 338and thereby to make a combustion in Media it self, and consequently to feel the pulse, of the upper provinces of Asia, and how they stood affected to him; for that there he might happily find many a lurking hole, if need should be: as for Agathocles, who followed him, he often worsted him in small encounters, but never came to a main battle with him, [Ibid.]

Neverthelesse, failing many times of food for himself, and fodder for his Horse, he found himself sorely distressed, especially by an error committed in passing the Lycus, he lost many of his souldiers, which that fierce river swept away. And at last by a pestilence following the famin in his army, he lost eight thousand of his company, and was fain with the rest to come back to Tarsus in Cilicia, where his purpose was to refrain all kind of injury and oppression of the people, as apperteining to Seleucus, whom he would not offend in any kind. But that could not be; considering the extreme necessity his army was in, and Agathocles kept all the passages of the Taurus, wherefore he wrote his letters to Seleucus; wherein complaing of his own hard fortune, he humbly besought him to compassionate his case, as a poor kinsman of his, and one that desired to be pitied, even of an enemy, [Ibid.]

Seleucus, Year of the World 3718 taking into consideration the distressed estate of his father in law, wrote to his Commanders and officers in those parts, to supply him with all necessaries in a kingly manner, and not to suffer his army to want in any kind. But there was one Procles, an intimate friend and familiar of Seleucus, who wrought so far with him, by suspitions which he put into his head against Demetrius, that he presently led an army against him into Cilicia. Demetrius, wondring at this sudden alteration in Seleucus, drew off presently into the craggy mountains of Taurus, and from thence sent his agents to him, to desire, that by his good leave, he might fall upon some free state or other, among the Barbarians; and there spend the remainder of his life, without ranging the world over any longer: but if not, yet that he would suffer him to winter quietly where he was, and not to expose him, in the extremity he now was in, to the force and fury of his enraged enemy. Seleucus made an ill construction of all these motions, and therefore granted him onelyonly, that, giving up into his hands the principal of his friends which he had about him for hostages and pledges of his good abearance, he should spend two moneths of his winter quarters in Cataonia, which was a country bordering upon Cappadocia, and withall, stopt up all passages which led from thence into Syria. [Ibid.]

And now Demetrius, being thus closed up like a wild beast in a den, having Agathocles the son of Lysimachus on the one hand, and Seleucus on the other, to watch him; turned himself to try what he could do by force, and wasted some of the provinces belonging to Seleucus, and in every encounter, had the better of him; and when Seleucus let his iron Chariots flie upon him, Demetrius sundry times routed them also, and put his enemies to flight; and took the passages of the mountains, casting out the Garrisons which Seleucus had there placed for the keeping of them. And growing now confident of his own strength, resolved to throw at all, in a pitch battle with Seleucus, when upon the sudden, a grievous sicknesse fell upon him, which utterly overthrew the state, both of his body, and also of his affairs, and hopes in the world; for that during his sicknesse his souldiers all abandoned him, some falling away to his enemies, and others disbanded, and went where they pleased. [Ibid.]

Whiles Demetrius thus lay under the lash of Seleucus in Syria, Lysimachus set upon Pyrrhus, in Macedonia; and in five years and six moneths space, wan it all from him, [Dexip. and Porphy.]

Demetrius, at the end of 40 dayes, being recovered of his sicknesse, taking such souldiers with him as were left, removed his Camp, making as if he would march into Cilicia; and the night following, without sound of trumpet, turned short another way: and having passed the hill Amanus, ravaged and plundred all that Country as far as Cyrrhestica, a region in Syria. And when Seleucus came thither with his army, and encamped not far from him. Demetrius with his men came upon him by night, whiles he slept, yet he, getting notice of his coming by some that fled over to him, start out of his bed, and commanded an alarm to be sounded; and whiles he was putting on his shooes, cryed out to his friends, that he had to do with a fierce wild beast: and Demetrius, finding, by the noise which he heard in the enemies Camp, that his coming was discovered, retired presently, and went his way. [Plut. in, Demet.]

So soon as it was day, Seleucus followed and overtook him; and Demetrius giving one wing to be led by a captain of his, led the other himself, and routed the wing of the enemy, on his side; then Seleucus leapt off his Horse, and took off his helmet, and with a target in his hand, shewed himself bare faced to the mercenaries of Demetrius his army, and exhorted them to leave Demetrius, and fall over to him, and to be once so wise, as to understand, that it was more in favour of them, than of Demetrius, that he had refrained thus long from falling on them: whereupon they all cryed out, God p. 339save Seleucus, and calling him their King, abandoned Demetrius, and served him, [Ibid.]

Demetrius; supposing this to be the last reverse of fortune, and worst that could befal him, retired to the streits of the mount Amanus, and there spent that night in a thick wood, with those few friends which he had about him: purposing from thence to go to the City Caunus, and hoping there to get shipping for some other country to flee unto. But when he saw that he had not so much as one dayes provision for them neither, it fell out so luckily with him, that an old friend of his, Sosigines, came and brought him 400 Crowns. This supply he hoped would carry him and his to the sea side; and therefore went by night, to passe the top of the mountain: yet because he saw by the fires every where made, that the enemy lay in his way, in great despair he was fain to return to the place whence he set out. And there, when one of the company told him; he should do well to put himself into Seleucus his hands, he drew his sword, and would have there present fallen upon it; but being perswaded by his friends about him to forbear, he sent to Seleucus, and submitted both himself and all that he had to his will and pleasure, [Ibid.]

Seleucus, having heard the message, gave order presently to his servants, to fit up a Royal Pavilion in most princely manner to receive Demetrius in; and dispatcht away one Apollonides, who had formerly been an intimate friend of Demetrius, to comfort him, and to tell him, that there was no cause of fear, seeing he was to come to an old friend and son in law of his: when this came to the eares of Seleucus his servants, first by one and one, and anon after, they all flocked in great multitudes to Demetrius: which act of theirs, instead of compassion, caused envy towards him, and made his foes to alienate Seleucus his good intentions, from him; telling him, that no sooner should Demetrius be seen in the Camp, but he should find strange alterations, and innovations in it, [Ibid.]

Hereupon, Pausanias was sent with a traine of about a thousand men, Horse and Foot together; who put all others from him, and instead of bringing him to Seleucus his presence, carried him away to a certain Foreland lying out into the Sea, in Syria. In that place was he kept ever after, with a strong guard upon him; but sufficient allowance made him, wanting for no monies, no walkes, no gardens, nor places of hunting, or other recreations, that his heart could with: and his friends that had followed him, had free leave to have accesse unto, and converse with him: nor passed there a day, wherein some or other came not unto him, to see him from Seleucus, with friendly messages from him, and to bid him be of good comfort, and to put him in hope of his further liberty upon reasonable conditions: so soon as Antiochus (which was Seleucus his son) and his wife Stratonice were come to Court, [Ibid.] yet [Diodorus, lib. 21.] tells us, that he was all this while kept prisoner at Pella, [Hen. Vales. in Excerpt. pag. 262.]

Demetrius, being fallen into this condition, wrote to his son, and other Captains, and friends of his at Athens, and Corinth, and other places, that they should give no credence to any letters that might happen to come to them as sent from him, or sealed with his seale: but should look to, and order all, for the behoof of his son Antigonus, as if himself were actually dead, [Plut. in Demetr.] from whence it is that Porphyrie deduceth Antigonus his reign over Greece from this time; to wit, from the tenth year before he added the kingdom of Macedon to his other Dominions: which Prophyrie telleth us further, that this Antigonus, from a place called Goni in Thessalia, where he was bred and brought up, was surnamed Gonates, [Scalig. in Graec. Eusebia. pag. 226.] Now Antigonus, hearing the news of his fathers captivity, took it very heavily, and put himself into mourning weeds, and wrote away his letters, as to sundry other Kings, so to Seleucus himself, in all humble manner and suppliant-wife, offering himself, and whatever he could call his, in pledge unto him for his father; the like letters and messages came to Seleucus from sundry Cities and Potentates, on his behalf, [Plut. in Demetr.]

OnelyOnly Lysimachus by his letters advised Seleucus to take heed how he let a man go, of so ambitious and turbulent a spirit, so ambitious of Sovereignty, and so encroaching upon the rights of all other Kings, and offering him 2 thousand talents gratuity, if he would send him packing out of the World: but Seleucus, who had never any good opinion of the man, upon this letter of his, grew into utter detestation of him, as of a barbarous and execrable person, and spared not to let fall foul words to his Ambassadours, for that they went about to perswade him, not onelyonly to break the word and promise which he had given, but also to commit so prodigious a murder upon a person, so many wayes and so nearly allied unto him: neverthelesse he wrote away his letters forthwith to his son Antiochus, who was then in Media, for his advise, what he should do with Demetrius now he had him: for that, of himself, he was purposed to let him go at liberty, and to restore him in all points to his former state and glory of a King; which he therefore thought fit to communicate to him, because he had married his daughter p. 340Stratonice, and had children by her, [Id. Ib. and Diod. in Excerpt. published by Hen. Vales. lib. 21.]

Demetrius, Year of the World 3719 being hitherto confined to that Chersonese or neck of land, The Julian Period. 4429 at first, Year before Christ 285 forbare not to exercise himself in hunting, and other sports: but by little and little grew idle and rechlesse, and fell to potting and dicing, and spent his time for the most part that way. Plut. in Demet.]

Ptolemei of Egypt, surnamed Soter, having children first by Euridice, the daughter of Antipater, and then by Berenice, whom Antipater sent as a companion onelyonly with his daughter, into Egypt, drawing now near to his end, left Ptolemeus, surnamed Philadelphus, one of his sons, which he had by Bernice, to succeed him in the kingdom, as Pausan. in Attic. affirmeth. [Justin lib. 16. cap. 2.] telleth us, that before ever he grew into any infirmity of body, he put over his kingdom to his said son, and that he gave his reasons for his so doing to the people. But Lucianus in Macrobiis, and Porphyrie in the Greek Eusebian fragments, [pag. 225.] tell us, that when he had reigned 38 years alone, he then joyned his son with him in the kingdom, and so held it joyntly with him two years. But I conceive, that it was in the 39 year, beginning after the death of Alexander, that he took his son Philadelphus into the consortship of the kingdom with him, and that in remembrance thereof it was, that Dionysius the Astronomer, framed a new Era or Calendar, to be reckoned from the summer of this year, 3719. as Clan. Ptolomeus sheweth in his Great Syntaxis, out of the said Dio…ysius his caelestial observations, which Dionysius is the same man, and none other which this Ptolemeus Philadelphus sent into India, as Plinie [lib. 6. cap. 17. reporteth.]

Hermippus saies, that Demetrius P…alereus advised Ptolemei, the father, by all means to joyn with him in his kingdom, one of his sons begotten of Euridice, and not of Ber…nice: and Heraclides, (reported by Diog. Laertius in Demetr. Phaler. in his Epitome of the successions of Sotion,) saith, that when the said Ptolemei would needs give the Diademe to his son Philadelphus, Demetrius said to him, Sir, take heed what ye doe; if you give it once away, you will never have it again; yet did the father for all this, not onelyonly give him the Crown in the open sight of all the people, but also attended on him as one of his ordinary guard or Pensioners, saying, That it far surpassed the having of a kingdom, to be the father of a king, [Just in lib. 16. cap. 2.]

Ptolemeus surnamed Ceraunus, (i. e.) Lightning, either for his quicknesse and celerity in dispatch of busines, or for his fiercenesse of nature, as Memnon saith, the son of Euridice, seeing his younger brother made King before him, for fear of what might follow, got him privily away, and fled to Seleucus; and he pitied his ease, as of the son of a friend, and entertained him with large and honourable allowance, not without some signification, that when ever his father came to die, he would set him in his throne in Egypt, [Memnon in Excerpt, cap. 9. & 13. Appian an Syriac. pag. 128.]

In the 124 Olympiade, as we find in Cyril of Alexandria, [lib. 1. cont. Julia.] the image of Serapis was brought from Sinope, upon the Euxine sea to Alexandria, in the reign of Ptolemeus Philadelphu…, as some think, or rather under Ptolemei the first, his father, (for in the beginning of this Olympiade it was, that they reigned joyntly, as was said before) for, that Ambassadors were sent from him concerning this very thing to Scydrothenis, who was at that time King of Sinope in Pontus, Cornelius Tacitus sheweth at large in the fourth book of his History, toward the end thereof.

In the same Olympiade, Year of the World 3720 as we find in Euseb. Chron. Sostratus of Cnidus built the Pharus, The Julian Period. 4430 of watch-tower, Year before Christ 284 in Alexandria, of which Plinie, [lib. 36. cap. 12.] speaketh in this wife, Magnificatur turris a rege facta, &c. (i. e.) Much renowned, saith he, is the Tower built by a King in the Isle of Pharus, which makes the port of Alexandria, which Pharus cost 800 talents the building: wherein (to omit nothing great was the mind of Ptolemei the King, in that he suffered Sostratus, the Architict of that great work, to set his name upon it. The use of which Tower was, to bear a light in it, for the help of those who travelled by sea in the night season: and by day, to shew them the way into the port, and how to avoid the shelves that lay before it. [Strabo lib. 17. pag. 791.] calls this Sostratus, foreign, &c. (i. e.) the friend of Kings; meaning, of the two Ptolemeis, father and son, who, as I shewed before, at this time held that kingdom in consortship together: and withall, relates the inscription which Sostratus there made of himself; as thus, foreign. Softratus a Cnidian born, the son of Dexiphanes, to the gods the delivererers, for the benefit of the sea-men, and Lucian in the end of his book, of the right writing of a History, hath the same, saving, that he saith; Sostrates inserted it somewhere cunningly, and of himself, and not, as Plinie, by the sufferance and good likeing of the two Kings. For when he built the Tower, he graved this inscription somewhere in the inside of it; and then plaistered it over, and upon that plaister, set the name of the Ptolemei, whoever it were, that then reigned, conceiving that it would come to passe in some short time, (as indeed it did) that the upper inscription, together with the plaister, would fall off, and then his own name, that was graven under in good stone, would appear.

p. 341But to the end that there might be a safe arrival made for shipping to this Pharus, which lay 7 furlons distant from the main land, there was made a huge causei, which joyned the Island to the Continent, and made it now to be no longer a distinct Island; but a Chersonese or Peninsula, and a part of the Continent, joyning to Rhacotis a suburbe of the City of Alexandria: of which [In. Caesar, in lib. 3. Commenta. De Bello civi.] toward the end thereof, speaketh in this wise: Pharus, saith he, is a tower in that Island, of a woundrous heighth, and sumptuously built, which is so called from the Island it self whereon it stands: This Island lying over against Alexandria, makes an arme of the sea between a sure haven for the Cities use; but, a superioribus Regibus; (for so it should be, as Brodaeus, Scaliger, and Salianus have well observed, not, a superioribus Regionibus, as the vulgar printed Copies have it) (i. e.) by their Kings in elder ages, had a narrow causway of 900 paces long been made thorough the sea, which by the help of a bridge joyneth it to the town, for we may in no sort give credit to that fable of [Ammia. Marcell. lib. 22. of Johan. Malela, lib. 9. cap. 2. of the Author of the Fasti siculi of George Cedremus, and Joh. Tzetza,] who dreame, that both the tower it self, and causway, were the work of Cleopatra, the last Queen of Egypt.

Spartacus, the King of Bosphorus Cimmerius died, when he had reigned 22 years, as Diodorus telleth us in the year 1. of the 119. Olympiade: after whom, as it seemeth, succeeded his son Parysates, of whom I spake in the year of the World, 3695.

Demetrius Poliorcetes, who had now laien three whole years confined in a Promontory or Foreland of Syria, partly with lazinesse, partly with potting and gormandising, fell into a sicknesse, and died, [Plut. in Demett.] 17 years after the decease of his father Antigonus: as [Dexippus, Porphrie and Eusebius say:] Seleucus was ill spoken of abroad in the world about his death: and indeed, he repented him often, and blamed himself for being so jealous and suspitious of him. But Antigonus, Demetrius his son, when he heard that the Reliques of his father were coming towards him, put to sea, with all the shipping that he could make, and met them about the Isles, and there receiving the ashes of his fathers body, laid them up in a golden Urne, and covering them over with a vaile of Scarlet, and a Diadem or golden Crown set thereon, and using all Rites Pomps, and Ceremonies usual and belonging to so great a Funeral, carried them along with him first to Corinth, and afterward to Demetrias, a City so called after his fathers name, and by him peopled with men, drawn out from the lesser towns and villages of Iolcos in Thessalie.

Seleucus, having now gotten all that which Demetrius possessed in Syria, and Asia, properly so called, made of both those kingdoms one entire Empire, [Euseb. Chron.] at which time the Jews paid him 300 talents yearly for their tribute: yet they had no forreign Ruler set over them, but were governed by their High Priests, and according to the fashion of their country, [Sever. Sulpic. Sacr. Histor. lib. 2.]

In this year, Year of the World 3721 Ptolemei, the son of Lagus, surnamed Soter, died; after his joyning his son with him in the consortship of the kingdom, or the Epoch of the Dionysian account, 1 year, and almost 3 moneths after the death of Alexander the Great, 39 years and 4 moneths, or thereabouts (for which others reckon 40 full years; but [Clau. Ptol. in Reg. Can.] 39. years onelyonly) when he had lived full 84 years, as [Lucian hath it in Macrobils.] The countries and kingdoms which he held in his possession, are all contained, [Idyll. 17.] of Theocritus the Poet; as namely, Egypt, Phoenicia, Arabia, Syria, Lybia, Ethiopia, Pamphilia, Cilicia, Lycia, Caria, and the Isles of the Cyclades. And the truth is, that he is said to have joyned in armes with Seleucus, against Demetrius, upon expresse conditions, that the dominion of all Asia should be to Seleucus, but Phoenice and Coelosyria he would have to himself. But the Seleucians say, nay; but that Ptolemei entered into an association of armes against Antigonus, not to gain any thing thereby to himself; but onelyonly to help Seleucus in the claim which he laid to Coelosyria; and that, that, upon the death of Antigonus, Cassander, and Lysimachus, was it which cast Coelosyria upon Seleucus, [Palyb. lib. 5. pag. 410.] Now although there be no doubt but that Phoenicia and Syria, as Theocritus also testifieth, did sometime belong to Ptolemei; and that he after the death of Antigonus, who had wrested them out of his hands, subdued Syria again to himself; as [Pausan. in Attic.] relateth: yet we have already shewed, that Tyre and Sidon, were in the possession of Demetrius Poliorcetes; and after his death, if not before, both those two places and all the rest of Syria, came into Seleucus his possession.

Josephus, [lib. 12. cap. 2.] gives Ptolemeus Philadelphus 39 years of his reign, reckoning as it seemeth from the time, that he first reigned joyntly with his father: for after his fathers death, Clemens Alexandrinus gives him but 37 years, [Claud. Ptolemaeus, in Reg. Can. 38.] and so do Porphrie, Eusebius, and others. Whereas, according to my acco…, he reigned after his fathers decease, 37 years and almost 8 moneths, but in all, 39 years, wanting one monethmonth. But how long soever he reigned, certain it is, that he put to death his younger brother Argaeus, as guilty of conspiring his death, so p. 342did he another brother of his, born of Euridice, as detected for solliciting the Isle of Cyprus to a revolt from him, [Pausan. in Attic. pag. 6.] Whereby it seems, that he little deserved that specious name of Philadelphus, (i. e.) a lover of his brethren. Theocritus in his 17 Idyllion saith, that he had in his dominions 33339 Cities, and is said to have been of so great power, that he exceeded therein, his father Ptolemei the first: which Jerom confirmeth out of Histories, upon [Daniel, cap. 11.] and so doth Appianus Alexandrinus, out of the Records of the Kings of Egypt, in his preface to his History of the Romans, unto whom for this purpose we may adde, what Athenaeus, [lib. 5. Deipnosoph. cap. 5.] relateth of his fleets, and the unmeasurable bignesse of his ships.

In the year 47 of the first Periode of Calippus, in the eighth day of the monethmonth Anthisterion, 465 years of Nabonassars account, the 29 day of the monethmonth Athyr, three howers before midnight, in the end of the 29 day of our January, after the Julian Calendar, Timochares observed at Alexandria. That the south part of the Moon covered the following part of the Virgilia's, to a third part or near half. [Ptolem. lib. 7. cap. 3.]

Lysimachus, now King both of Thrace and Macedon, being drawn thereto by the perswasion of his wife Arsinoe, (by whom he had also children born) murdered his son Agathocles; his eldest son, and whom he had ever designed to be his successor in his kingdom, and by whose conduct he had achieved so many glorious victories, but whether by poyson, or by the hand of Ptolemeus Ceraunus, brother to his said wife Arsinoe, I cannot say, [Strabo lib. 13. p. 623. Justin lib. 17. cap. 1. Pausan. in Attic. pag. 9. Memnons Excerpt. cap. 9.]

But having thus begun with his own son, he fell afterward to act the like upon his Nobles that were about him, for no other cause than for that they lamented the death of his son. Whereupon they which escaped his hands, and the Captains of his armies in all parts, fled away to Seleucus, [Justin Ibid.] and when upon these murders of his Nobles, all the people fell to have him in abomination, now not single persons onelyonly, but whole Cities fell off from him, and revolted to Seleucus. [Memnon Ibid.]

Lysandra, the daughter of Ptolemeus Soter, and sister to Arsinoe, with her children begotten her by Agathocles, and her brothers with her, fled away all to Seleucus; and with them Alexander also, another son of Lysimachus, but by the venter… of Odryssias, another wife of his, fled also for company to him; all which coming to Babylon, joyned in petion to him, to make war upon Lysimachus, [Pausan. Ibid. with Appian in Syriac. pag. 130.]

At the same time also, one Philetaerus a Paphlagonian born, and an Eunuch made, but one who had had good education in his youth, and whom Lysimachus had made keeper of all his treasure laid up in Pergamus, repining at the murder acted upon Agathocles, and therefore laid at by Arsinoe, who dayly accused him to Lysimachus, seized himself of the city Pergamus, which stands upon the river Caicus, and then sent to Seleucus, offering himself, and all the treasure which he there had under his charge, belonging to Lysimachus, to his disposing, and so holding in still with the strongest, and him that was next at hand, and bearing them in hand, with fair promises, and good offices, as occasion was offered, kept the Castle there, and principality of the place, 20 years long. [Pausan. in Attic. pag. 7. and 9. Strabo lib. 13. pag. 623. And Appianus in Syriac. pag. 129.] calls him, foreign, (i. e.) the Prince or Potentate of Pergamus, Year of the World 3722 but certain old choines in Huber. Goltsis Thesauro. have him, Regem, (i. e.) King: For indeed this was the man that was the founder of that new principality in Pergamus; being 60 years of age, as Lucian. in Macrobiis affirmeth of him.

In the year 48 of the first Periode of Calippus, on the 25 day of the monethmonth Pyanepsion, 466 year of Nabonassar, the seventh day of the monethmonth Thoth, three howres and one half before midnight, the ninth day of our November, Timochares at Alexandria observed the Conjunction of the moon with Spica Veneris, in the northern part thereof. [Cl. Ptolem. lib, 7. cap. 3.]

Antiochus, surnamed Soter, son of Seleucus Nicator, falling in love with Stratonice, his Stepdame, and one by whom his father had a son born, being conscious to himself, of the feditie of his own desire, neither attempted any thing upon her, nor disclosed ought of that which troubled him, but lay gnawing his sheets, and in that melancholy, would fain have died. But Leptines, a Mathematician, or as others say, one Erasistratus, a Physician, Aristotles grandchild by a daughter of his, and a disciple of Chrysippus, as Plinie hath it, [lib. 29. cap. 1.] to wit, of Chrysippus a Cnidian born, and by profession, a Physician likewise, as Laertius in the life of Chysippus saith, though some others say he was a scolar under Theophrastus, as the same Laertius, in the Life of Theophrastus toward the end thereof noteth, against whose followers, going by the p. 343name or sect of Erasistrataeans. Galen afterward wrote a book of Phlebotomie, or opening of a vein, yet extant; this Erasistratus therefore, sitting upon a time by Antiochus, observed, that at the coming in of Stratonice his colour ever rose, and his pulse beat high, and when she went away, he grew pale and wan again, and fetcht his breath short, and panted, found thereby what ailed him; ad opened the matter to Seleucus: who thereupon was content to part with her, though most dearly beloved, to his son; and calling his army together, before them all, married her to his son. And whereas he had at that time 72 Provinces under him, he gave up the greater part of them, foreign, (i. e.) the upper provinces, which were all to the eastward of Euphrates, to his son, reserving to himself onelyonly such countries as lay from the Euphrates westward, to the Mediterran sea, [Appian. in Syriac. with Valer. Max. lib. 5. cap. 7. Plut. in Demet. Lucian. De Syria Dea. Galen. foreign; (i. e.) of foreknowing, and Julia in M…sopogone.]

Lysimachus, Year of the World 3723 passing over into Asia, The Julian Period. 4433 made war upon Seleucus. Year before Christ 281 And this was the last battle fought between the Survivors of Alexander the Great: of which there were now already 34 extinct and dead, these two onelyonly survived: This battle was fought in Pnrygia, lying upon the Hellespont, foreign: as we read, [in Porphyrie, in Graec. Euseb. Scaliger, pag. 228.] wherein Lysimachus, fighting very valiantly in his own person, and having lost many of his men, was struck thorough with a great Spear, by one of Heraclea, whose name was Malacon: and so having seen the death of fifteen of his children, before him, remained as it were the last stone of his house, to be pulled down, [Pausan. in Attic. pag. 9. Memnon, Excerpt. cap. 9. Appian, in Syriac. pag. 128. 131. Justin, lib. 17. cap. 1. & 2. Oros. lib. 3. cap. ult.] Appian saith, that he had then lived 70 years, Justin▪ and Orosius, 74. but Hieronymus Cardianus, the Historian, who then lived in great esteem, saith that he was at that time 80 years of age, as [Lucian, in Macrobiis,] reporteth out of him.

When Lysimachus was fallen, a dog of his kept by the body, and beat off all birds and beasts from it: till at length one Thorax, of the country of Pharsalia, having long sought for it, found it out, when it was almost putrified, and knew it principally by his dog that lay by it; and Alexander his son by Odrysias, with much adoe, and after many entreaties, gat it of Lysandra, and carried it into the Chersonese of Thrace, and there buried it: his bones were afterward translated to the Temple in Lysimacia, by the Citizens of the place, and there laid up in an Urne: which Temple, went afterward by the name of Lysimachium, [Pausan. and Appia.]

When he was dead, his kingdom accrued to Seleucus, as an addition to his former Monarchie, [Memnon,] with which, so great a victory he much pleased himself: and the rather, for that he now saw himself the last alive of all that company, which went by the name of Alexanders fellows, or companions in armes; and a Conqueror of Conquerors, which he said, was a gift not of man, but of god himselfe, [Justin.]

The men of Heraclea in Pontus, hearing that Lysimachus was dead, and that he was slain by a country man of theirs, in the 84 year after that Clearchus had first usurped the Sovereignty over them, fell into a desire of recovering their native liberty, which after their town-born tyrants were extinct, Lysimachus had again taken from them; and in the recovery thereof, they shewed themselves right valiant men for Lysimachus, though upon the death of the two Brothers, Clearchus the second, and Oxathres, he restored their liberty to the Citizens for a while; yet afterward, thorough the importunity of his wife Arsinoe, he made war afresh upon them, which [Iustin, lib, 17. cap. 3.] mentions; and having taken their City, he made one Heraclitus Cimaeus, a man wholy at Arsinoes devotion, Governour over them. After Lysimachus his death therefore, the men of Heraclea dealt with this Heraclitus, offering him not onelyonly all security for his own person, but also a large summe of money to bear his charges on the way; provided onelyonly, that he would be gone, and leave them in their pristin and native liberty. And he thereupon, grew into a rage, and commanded some of them away presently to be put to death: which the Citizens perceiving, and having formerly underhand agreed with the chief officers of the Garrison under him, to make them free of their City, and to pay them all their arreres which had been detained from them, fairely took Heraclitus himself, and put him in prison: where they kept him for a while; But seeing themselves anon after free from all danger, they demolished the Citadel, which Lysimachus had built upon them; and sending an Embassie to Seleucus, to satisfie him concerning what they had done, made one Pnocritus, Superintendant or Curator of their State, [Memnon, Excerpt. cap. 8. & 10.]

Zipaetus, a petty King of Bithynia, growing angry with the men of Heraclea, first for Lysimachus, and now for Seleucus his sake (for he was enemy to them both) made inrodes upon their land, and spared not for any mischief that he could do them; wherein neverthelesse his men scaped not scot-free: but received oft-times, as much damage p. 344themselves as they did hurt to them, [Ibid. cap. 11.]

Mean while, Seleucus sent one Aphrodisius to the Cities of Phrygia, and places adjoyning, to look to his profits and affairs there; who having dispatcht the businesse he was sent about, at his return, gave large commendations of other Cities, but laid made things to the Heraclians charge; especially, that they stood ill-affected to Seleucus himself: whereupon the King growing into choler, scorned the Embassie sent by them unto him; and used many rough and minatory speeches to them: but there was one of them, called Camaeleon, who, nothing daunted therewith, spake to Seleucus in this wise, Sir, Hercules, Carron, (now Carron in the Dorian Dialect or language, signifies, him that is the strongest) which word, when Seleucus understood not, persisting in his former choler against them, turned away from them. Whereupon the Messengers that were sent, conceived that it was no boote for them, either to stay there, or to return home again; which tidings coming to Heraclea, they not onelyonly fortified their City, the best they could of themselves, but also fell to procuring of forraign aides, and sent their Ambassadors to Mithridates King of Pontus, and to the States of Byzantium, and Chalcedon, to pray in aide of them, [Ibid. cap. 12.]

But those who were bannished and lived in exile from the state of Heraclea, met together, and came to an agreement among themselves, which was this. There was one Nymphidius, who perswaded them to labour for a restitution to their country; and told them it would be no hard matter to effect it, if they would desire restitution of what their ancestors had lost, in a fair, and not in a turbulent way: whereunto they were all easily perswaded; and when thereupon all things fell out happily, and succeeded according to their desires, it was hard to say, whether they that thus returned to their Country, or their Country which thus received them home again, were the gladder of it, for both they who returned, used the Citizens, who had expulsed them, very lovingly; and the Citisens suffered none of them to want for any necessarie and convenient means to live withall, and by this means they grew all into a body again, and returned into their pristine state of nobility and government; as they were before. [Ib.]

Seleucus, purposing to end his dayes in his old and native Country of Macedonia, passed over the Hellespont, Year of the World 3724 and going from thence to Lysimachia, The Julian Period. 4434 espied by chance, Year before Christ 280 a certain altar standing in a conspicuous place, and asked what the name of that altar was; it was told him, that it was called Argos. Now it is said, that he had been forewarned by an oracle, to beware of Argos. But he further asked, why it was called Argos, whether from the Argonautae, which passed that way in elder time, when they went with Jason to Colcho, or from the Argivi, who went to the siege of Troy, or for that the great Argos, wherein Jason went, was there cast away in their return, or for that it was the Country of the Atridae, Agamemnon, and Menelaus; and as he was thus questioning about the name of that alter, Ptolemeus Ceraunus, the son of Ptolemei the first, by his wife Euridice, and brother to Arsinoe the Resict of Lysimachus, standing behind him, ran him thorough with his sword, and slew him; having been his great benefactor, and who had ever borne him up, and maintained him, and who would never let him be from him. And so Seleucus within seven moneths after the death of Lysimachus, lost both the kingdome of Macedon, which he had taken from him, and his life withall.

Arrianus tells us, that Seleucus was the greatest man that was, after Alexander the Great, and the most nobly spirited of all the rest, and the extent of whose dominions, exceeded all others, [lib. de. Reb. Alexand.] He died in the 43 year after the decease of Alexander, the 32 year of the Grecian, or Seleucian Calendar, having spent in his life, as Appian sayes, 73 years, but as Justin intimates, 78. His body was buried by Philetaerus the Potentate of Pergamus, which he redeemed out of Ceraunus his hand, with a great sum of mony; and having buried it in all solemn wise, sent his ashes to his son Antiochus, who receiving it, burned it in Seleucia, which stands upon the sea coast; adding a consecrated Chapel to his tomb, which, from his surname, was called, Nicatorium, [Appian, in Syriac. pag. 129.] Justin tells us, that both he, and his sons, and grand-children after him, were all born with the signe of an anchor in one of their thighs, as a naturall badge and token of that race, [lib. 15. cap. 4.] And Ausonius in his book de Claris Vrbius, (i. e.) of famous Cities, speaking of Antiochia, saith, [l. 2.]

—Illa Seleucum. &c.

She for her founder did Seleucus praise,

Who ware a native anchor in his thigh;

A true impresse of his nativity,

And cognisance on all his progenie.

But Polybius, [lib. 2 pag. 128.] notes, that Ptolemei the first, and Lysimachus, and Seleucus, and Ptolemaeus Ceraunus, all died about the 124 Olymp. and that Ptolemei p. 345the first, died in the first year of it, and Lysimachus and Seleucus in the last: But Ceraunus died not till the later end of the first year of the Olympiade following: and whom therefore Polybius, mentioning again the concurrence of their deaths in the [same book, pag. 155.] seemeth of set purpose to have omitted.

Ceraunus, having thus murdered Seleucus, by the help of a swift horse, gat him to Lysimachia; where putting a Crown upon his head, and taking a fair guard about him, he went unto the army, where of pure necessity the army received him, and cryed, God save the King; who had but a little before, sworn fealty to Seleucus, [Memnon, Excerp. cap. 13.]

Antigonus, surnamed Gonatas, the son of Demetrius Poliorcetes, hearing how Seleucus was murdered, made a journey into Macedonia, purposing to prevent Ceraunus in those parts, both by his land and sea Forces. But Ceraunus, having all Lysimachus his Fleet in a readinesse, drew out, and met him in right good array at sea: in which among other sorts, there were from Heraclea in Pontus sent him sundry vessels, some of six, some of five tire of oares, and such as were called Aphractae; and above all one of eight tire of oares, called the Leontifera, which for her great bulke, and exquisite building, was much admired by all that beheld her; for in her were an hundred oares, so that on each side there were 800 rowers, which made 1600 in all: and upon the upper deck or hatches, there were 1200 fighting men; under two special Commanders: insomuch, as when they came to graple, Ceraunus had by far the better of it; and Antigonus was fain to flee, with all his Navy, In this fight the ships from Heraclea, did best; and among them the Leontifera best of all. Antigonus therefore being thus routed, fled into Boeotia, and Ptolemaeus Ceraunus went into Macedonia, where he remained quiet by the space of two years, [Ibid. cap. 14, 15.] to wit, one full year and five moneths, as Dexippus and Porphyrie, do more precisely relate this matter.

Ceraunus, growing now gracious in the eyes of the multitude, both in regard of his father Ptolemei the first of Egypt, and also for the revenge which he took of Lysimachus his death, endeavoured first, to take in, and make faire with Lysimachus his sons: and desired to marry Arsinoe their mother, and his own sister, bearing them in hand, that he would adopt them for his children; that so succeeding in their fathers room, they might, either in reverence of their own mother, or in regard that they were now to call him father, forebear attempting any thing against him. He also by his letters sought the love and friendship of his brother Ptolemaeus Philadelphus King of Egypt, professing that he utterly forgat his losse of his fathers kingdom, and that he would never seek to get that from his brother, which he had already more fairely attained to, by getting it from an enemy. [Justin, lib. 17. cap. 2.] He made also a peace with Antiochus the son of Seleucus, whom he had murdered, [Id. lib. 24. cap. 1.]

Neither did he omit to sollicite Pyrrhus the King of Epirus to the same effect: supposing it would infinitely sway the scales, to which side soever he leaned. For as much as he also then lay at catch, to get any mans estate that lay in his way; and offered himself to any man that would make use of him. In which humor, being to aid the Tarentines in Italy against the Romans, he sent to borrow ships of Antigonus Gonatas, to transport his army into Italy, to Antiochus the son of Seleucus deceased, to borrow money, because he seemed to be better stored of money, than of men; and to Ptolemeaeus Ceraunus, to furnish him with some companies of souldiers out of Macedonia: and Ceraunus presently sent him 5 thousand Foot, and 4 thousand Horse, and fifty Elephants; yet to serve him two years, and no longer. In requital of which favour, he took his daughter to wife, and left him Guardian and Protector of his kingdom of Epirus, during his absence; for fear, least while he was away, with the flower of his youth in Italy, some or other, might take advantage, and make a spoile thereof in his absence, [Id. lib. 17. cap. 2.]

Wherefore, leaving his son Ptolemei, whom he had by Antigone the daughter of Berenice, being but 15 years old, Governour of his kingdom, yet as it were under the tuition of the said Ptolemei Ceraunus King of Macedon, he took his journey, and with his army landed in the Port of Tarentum, now Otranto in Italy; taking with him his two younger sons, Alexander and Helenus, being very little ones, for his solace in so remote a war, [Id. lib. 18. cap. 1.] and never staying for the Spring, put over thither in the middest of Winter, as Zonaras reporteth, out of Dionysius Halicarnassaeus in the 124 Olympiade, as [Polybius saith, lib. 2. pag. 129.] to wit, in the fourth and last year of that Olympiade.

Antiochus Soter, after his father Seleucus his death, held the kingdom of Syria 19 years. [Porphyrie, Eusebius, and Serv. Sulpitius:] who when, with much adoe, and with many a battle fought, he had hardly recovered all his fathers Dominions: in the end, he sent an army under the command of Patrocles, to pass the mountain Taurus; and he chose him a Lieutenant, one Hermones, borne at Aspendus. Now Patrocles his purpose was, to set upon Heraclea, in the country of Pontus: but receiving satisfaction by an p. 346Embassie which they sent unto him, he forbear proceeding any further against them, and making a firme league with them, turned his course, and passing thorough the country of Phrygia, came into Bithynia. But the Bithynians by an ambushment which they laid for him, cut off him, and his whole army, and utterly destroyed them; wherein yet Patrocles himself played all the parts of a most valiant man, and did with his own hand many exploits upon the enemy, [Memnon, Excerpt, cap. 16.] and Zipaetes the King of Bithynia, having thus destroyed Antiochus his army, built a City at the foot of the hill Liparus, and called it after his own name, [Id. ibid. cap. 21.]

In the end of the fiftieth year of the first Periode of Calippus, being the 44 from the death of Alexander the Great, Aristarchus of Samos, took an observation of the Summer Solstice; and after that Meton did the like for 152 or 9 decades of years: as Cl. Ptolemaeus in his book De anni Magnitudine, reporteth out of Hipparchus, [lib. 3. Syntax. cap. 2.]

Arsinoe, the Relict of Lysimachus, being married to her own brother, Ptolemaeus Ceraunus, received him into her City of Cassandrea: and he presently, seizing upon the Castle, there, took her two sons, which she had by Lysimachus, the one called Lysimachus of the age of 16 years, the other, Philippus, being but 3 years old, and slew them both in their mothers armes; and she her self rending her clothes and tearing her hair, was haled out of the gates of the City with two servants onelyonly, and sent into bannishment to the Isle of Samothracia, [Iustin, lib. 24. cap. 2. & 3. Memnon, Excerpt. cap. 15.]

In the beginning of the second year after Pyrrhus his arrival in Italy, Year of the World 3725 the Galls invaded Greece, The Julian Period. 4435 [Polyb. lib. 1. pag. 6.] Year before Christ 279 for they, dividing their whole army into three parts, and allotting to every part, their work to do; one fell in upon the Thracians and Triballi, under the conduct of Cerethrius; the second upon Pannonias, under Brennus and Acichorius; the third upon Macedon and Illyrium, under Belgius, [for so Iustin, lib. 24. cap. 5. and lib. 25. cap. 2. calls him] not Bolgius, as Pausanias names him, [Pausanias, in Phocieis.]

Ptolemaeus Ceraunus, with a small company, and they not all of the best marshalled neither, (as if wars were as easily waged, as murders are committed) driven on with the furies of his wicked minde, went out against Belgius; and when the King of the Dardans offered to aid him against these new-come Galls, with 20 thousand men, he would none of them: and when the Galls sent Messengers to him, offering him peace for money, he sent them back word, that he would not give them peace, unlesse they delivered their armes, and the principal of their army, for hostages of their good abearing unto him. So to it they went, and the Macedons not able to endure the impression of the Galls, fled before them: Ptolemei himself being sorely wounded, and the Elephant on which he rode, being also wounded, and thereupon grown unruly, was cast off his back, and taken by the Galls, and by them torne in pieces; his head cut off, and being taken upon the point of a Spear, was carried about for a terrour to the enemy. Few of the Macedons escaped; the rest were either slain or taken prisoners, [Justin, lib. 24. cap. 4, 5. lib. 23. cap. 2. with Memnons Excerpt. cap. 15. Diod. Sic. lib. 22. Sec. 3. Pausanias in Phoc. pag. 335.]

After Ptolemei, in the kingdom of Macedon, succeeded his brother Meleager; and him the Macedons, after two moneths space, ejected, as a man unworthy of the place; and put in Antipater, the son of Philip, who was brother to Cassander; of whom, [Justin, lib. 12. cap. 14.] maketh mention: and whom they nicknamed the Etesian, because he continued in the place but 45 dayes, for thereabouts it is, that the Etesian winds used upon that coast to blow every year, and no more, [Porphy. in Grac. Euseb. pag. 228.]

Brennus, (who, some say, was by birth a Prausian, as we read in [Strabo, lib. 4. pag. 187.] hearing of this great victory gotten by Belgius, fretting in himself, to see that he had letten slip out of his hands so faire an opportunity, of getting so great a Proie, as the whole riches of the East: gathered together 150 thousand Foot, and 15 thousand Horse of his Galls, and marched in all haste into Macedonia, Justin, lib. 24. cap. 6.] but coming into the country of the Dardans, a people in Illyrum, was forced to stay there, by reason of a mutiny which rose in his army: for to the number of 20 thousand of his men, (which number Suidas also, in the word Galatae hath) with Leonorius and Lutarius their Captains, fell from him, and went away into Thracia; and what with fighting, what with selling peace to those that would buy it of them, came at length to Byzantium: and having for a while wasted the country of Propontis, and making it tributary to them, possessed themselves at last, of all the Cities in those parts, [Liv. lib. 38.]

Sosthenes, Year of the World 3726 a chief man in Macedonia, gathering together the youth and lusty gallants of the country, made head against those Galls that there were, and quelled them in many encounters, and defended the country from their further plundrings. For p. 347which great service, when many of the Nobles there strove for the kingdom, he being a man of obscure place and parentage, and of no Royal blood, was yet perferred before them all; and when they would have made him King, he refused it; and made them take their oath to him, as to their Captain or Commander onelyonly, [Justin, lib. 24. cap. 5.] and in that capacity, he governed that country two years, [Porphyrie and Euseb.]

When Brennus came into Macedonia, and there fell to spoiling and ravaging of the Country, Sosthenes met him with his army; but so few as they were against so many, and heartlesse against men grown haughty upon so many victories, the Macedons were quickly overthrown, and fled to their Cities; where whilest they kept themselves, not daring to peep out, Brennus with his army, overran and plundred all the Country, [Justin, lib. 24. cap. 6.]

Leonorius and Lutarius, getting by a trick, into Lysimachia, and possessing themselves entirely of the Chersonese there, came down from thence into Hellespont, and there finding how little a cut it was over into Asia, had a great mind to passe over into it; and sent their Agents to Antipater the Governour of Hellespont, to treat with him about their passage, [Liv. lib. 38.]

Zipaetes. having now reigned in Bithynia, full 48, and lived 76 years, died, leaving four sons: the eldest of which, was called Nicomedes, who succeeded his father in the kingdom, and proved to his brothers, not a brother, but a butcher, [Memnon, Excerpt. cap. 21.] but the younger who was called Zipaetes, and whom [Liv. lib. 38.] calleth Zibaeas, held the sea coast of Bithynia, which went by the name of Thracia Thyniaca, al. Asiatica, [Ib. cap. 18.]

Now, when after Zipaetes his death, Antiochus Soter prepared to make war upon Bithynia, Nicomedes sent and prayed in aid of the City of Heraclea; promising to do the like for them, if they ever happened to stand in need of him: whereupon they sent him aid at that present; and by this occasion they afterward, though with great expence of monies, recovered Cierus and Tius, and the land of Thinis: But when they went about to recover the City and Territory of Amestris, (which had also been taken from them) and spared neither for war nor money to recover it: Eumenes who held it, as Governour onelyonly, chose for very spight to give it up to Ari…barzanes the son of Mithridates, then King of Pontus, gratis, rather than to render it to the State of Heraclea, upon any termes, [Ibid. cap. 17.]

Brennus, and Acichorius, with the Illyrians (as Appianus in Illyricis telleth us) whom they call Autarians, and Celts, whom they call Cimbrians, left Macedonia, and went into Greece, with an army of 152000 Foot, and 20400 Horse, every of which Horse had two footmen attending on him, they on horseback likewise, to help their Masters, if occasion were, and to supply his place, if he happened to be slain: but, when they went to plunder the Temple at Delphos, they were terribly beaten off with Thunder and Lightening, with Earthquakes, and with the sinking of the ground under them in the Mount Olympus, and with bitter Frost and Snow, being then the Winter Season, and miserably distressed in all kinds: and they which were slain by the sword of the Phocenses themselves, were little lesse than six thousand men. There fell upon them likewise, a panick fear; and by a Frost falling in a night, they lost upward of ten thousand more, and as many more perished of very hunger in the place. Brennus their Leader, vexed with the wounds which he had received in his body, and for very shame of such his overthrow, having first swill'd himself with drink, fell upon his own sword and died: and Acichorius, seeing how the heads of this war were punished, gat him hastily, with a company of 10 thousand poor maimed souldiers out of Greece; but the continual stormes of rain and snow, with bitter frosts and famine, and which was worst of all, perpetual waking, utterly consumed the reliques of this unlucky army; and all nations thorough which they passed in their return, fell upon them as they went, here and there scattered, and made a proy of them, [Pausan. in Phoc. & Attic. Justin, lib. 24. cap. 6, 7, 8. Eclog. Diodor. lib. 22. Sec. 13. Appian. Illyr. pag. 758.] which calamity Polybius, [lib. 2. pag. 108.] notes to have befallen them, year 2. of the 125 Olympiade, and when Anaxicrates was Lord Chancelor of Athens, [Pausan in. Phoc. pag. 340.]

As for those of Illyrium, called Autarians, which escaped this misfortune, when they came home into their own country, they found themselves there pestered with such a multitude of frogs, sent upon them, that they corrupted the very Rivers with their putrefaction; and then a vapour rising out of the earth after them, bred a pestilence thoroughout all the Country, till they were fain to flee from their native soile; but carrying the plague along with them, no Country would receive them, and so were they fain to go on 23 daies journey, till they came into the countrey of the Basturnians, and there they built them cities to dwell in, moreover it is said that the land of the Celts, was plagued with Earthquakes, and in them whole Cities swallowed p. 348up; and that these plagues still followed them, till at last they also were forced to leave their habitation, and went wandring till they came to the Country of the Illyrians, who were partakers with them in their action at Delphos: and them, as being already consumed with the plagues, they easily overcame, but taking the infection there by medling with their goods, they were fain again to be gone from thence, and wandred still, till they came to Pyrene, [Appian. ut. sup.] of all which horrid, strange, and miraculous plagues and punishments failing upon these Galls and others formerly mentioned, or hereafter to be mentioned, for their sacrilegious acts committed against their Idols, we may truly say, and must confesse, that to be most true, which the wise man saith of them, who sware falsely by them, That it was not the power of them by whom they sware, nor of them, whom these thus robbed, but the just vengeance of sinners, from the true God, which punisheth alwayes the offences of the ungodly, [Wisd. cap. 14. v. ult.]

As for the Cordistae, who were a part of these Galls, which attempted the plundering of Delphos, tis said, that one Bathanasius their Captain, seated them near the bank of the river Ister, from whom it is, that the way by which they returned, was afterward called Bathanasius his way, as Athenaeus tells us, [lib. 6. cap. 4.] which are the same Galls, which Strabo calls, the Scordisci, seated upon the Ister, and they put these Autarians, or Autoriates, from their possession, which they had there gotten, [lib. 7. pag. 293; 296, 313, 317, 318.]

And now for those Galls, who as I said before, went out of Thrace, down to the streit of Hellespont, upon a discord raised among them, Leo…orias, with the greater part of his men, returned to Byzantium, from whence he came. But Lutarius took from the Macedons, who were sent by Antipater, to him, as spies upon him, under the colour of Ambassadors, five ships, which he used to transport his men by some and some, day and night, till he had landed them all in Asia, [Livie. lib. 38.]

And now to return to where we left, the war growing between Zipaetes, the Bithynian, and the state of Heraclea, Zipaetes got the victory of them, but succours coming to them from other parts, Zipaetes was fain to fly; whereupon the Heraclians, getting the bodies of their slain, burnt them, and carryed their bones into the City, and laid them up in their charnel howses, as the bones of men, who among others had excellently well deserved of their Country, [Mem…ons Excerpt. cap. 18.]

About the same time, Antiochus Soter, and Antigonus Gonatas, making each of them great provisions for war, one against the other, Nicomedes, King of Bithynia, sided with Antigonus▪ but others with Antiochus, Antichous therefore, forbearing Antigonus for the present, marched first against Nicomedes, whereupon he was fain to gather what aides he could from other parts, and among the rest sent to his friends the Heracleans, and got from them 13 ships, of three tire of oares a piece, and then went to encounter Antiochus upon the sea, and their fleets met indeed, but having stood at gaze a while, and looking onelyonly one upon another, each party drew off again, and so nothing was done between them that time. [Ib. cap. 19.]

They of Byzantium, wearied out with the continuall incursions and plundrings of the Galls, sent their Ambassadors about to their friends, and got of the Heracleans a thousand, some say, four thousand Crowns; and not long after, Nicomedes dealt with these Galls, and upon termes, procured them to come to his help in Asia; which terms were these: That they should for ever continue firm and fast friends to Nicomedes, and his heirs. That without his privity and consent, they should lend no helping hand to any that by Embassies should implore their aide in their wars, but should be friends to his friends, and foes to his foes. Item, That they should help them of Byzantium, if occasion were. Item, That they should maintain league and friendship with the Tianians, and Heracleans, and Chalcedonians, and Cierians, and some other States, which had other nations under their jurisdiction, [Ib. cap. 20, 21.] and so Leonorius, by the means of Nicomedes, King of Bithynia, put over from Byzantium into Asia side. [Livie lib. 38. Strabo lib. 12. pag. 566.] Now this passage of the Galls into Asia, Pausan. in Pho…. [p. 340.] tells us, was in the third year of …25 Olymp.

Neither yet were they of Byzantium hereby quite rid of those plundring Galls, for some of those who were at Delphos with Brennus, and escaped that danger, came into Hellespont under their Captain Comonto…ius, and they had no mind to go any further, but liking well of the Country which lay abour Byzantium, there sate them down, and having conquered the Thracians, and made Tyla the head City of their kingdom, put Byzantium into as great a fear of an utter ruine, as they were in before, [Polyb. lib. 4. pag. 313.

Ptolemeus Philadelphus, Year of the World 3727 being a great favourer of learing, The Julian Period. 4437 and all liberall, Year before Christ 277 arts and sciences, built a most famous library at Alexandria, in that quarter of the City which was called Brachium; and having committed the care of getting books of all sorts, and out of all Countries, to Demetrius Phalereus, upon his advise, he also sent to have the holy writings of the Jews to be translated out of Hebrew into Greek by 72 interpreters, p. 349in the seventh year of his reign, as Epiphanius in his book, de mensuris & ponderibus, (i. e.) of weights and measures, reporteth, of which Tertullian, [cap. 18. Apologet.] thus writeth: The most learned King, saith he, of all the Ptolemeis, surnamed Philadelphus, and most exquisitely seen in all kind of … ▪ studying, as I conceive, to out go Philistratus in the matter of libraries, among all other monuments, which either antiquitie or curiosity could afford, for the eternizing of a mans fame to posteritie, by the advise and setting on of Demetrius Phalereus, a most excellent schol…r, and humanition in those dayes, whom he had set over that work, desired of the Jews to have their books also.

And verily that this Ptolemei, if ever any King, was infinitely addicted to the studies of humane learning, is confirmed by Phylarchus, vouched by Athenaeus, [lib. 12. cap. 17. Deipnos.] which is more fully delivered by Vitruvius, in his preface to his book of Architecture, where he sheweth, that having finished his great library at Alexandria, he instituted certain games in honour of Apollo and the Muses: whereunto he invited, all writers in the common arts and sciences, (as others were wont to do, wrestlers and the like) to put in for the prize; and appointed great rewards to them who we…e found to excell, and surpasse the rest in them, and shewed how he entertained Zoilus, surnamed Homeromastyae, (i. e.) the scourge of Hmer, when he came unto him.

For this collection of books, Aristotle shewed him the way, for he at his death, left his library to Theophrastus, and Theophrastus by his last will and testament, which we find in [Diog. L…rtius,] left it to Nil…s Scepsius, [Strabo. lib. 13. pag. 608. Plut in Sylla.] and from him Ptolemei bought them, besides others which he bought at Athens and Rhodes; and brought them all to Alexandria, as Athenaeus, [lib. 1. cap. 1.] teacheth us, though Strabo and Plutarch in the places above mentioned; and Atheneus himself elsewhere, to wit, [lib. 5. cap. 11.] say, that Theophrastus his books, and with them all Aristotles library, came to the hands of Neleus his heirs, and were by his successours, and long after in the dayes of Sylla, sold for a great sum of mony, to one Apellicon the T…ian.

Keeper of this great library after Demetrius Phalerus, (who was not onelyonly a great Grammarian, for which only Tertullian commends him, but also a singular Philosopher, and one who had been formerly a great States-man, and an excellent Governour in Athens) was one Zenodotus of Ephesus, (the first Corrector of Homers books) as Suidas sayes, and after him Aristophanes, who with great deligence and industry, read over all the books of that great library, in order as they stood; as Vitruvius in his forementioned Preface to his book of Architecture affirmeth. But this was afterward: and therefore to return to the time we are now upon. Aristaeas in his Treatise of the 70 interpreters, and after him Josephus, lib. 12. Antiq. cap. 2. and Euseb. lib. 8. de Praepar. Evangel. speak,] as followeth.

Demetrius Phalereus, being upon a time asked by King Ptolemei, how many Myriads or ten thousands of books he had gotten together, answered, about 20 Myriades, but hoped ere long, to make them 50 Myriades, which number of 200000 books, since we find, not onelyonly in Aristaeas, which we now have, but also in those Copies which Josephus and Eusebius heretofore used, that that lesser sum of 54800, found in Epiphanius, who wrote long after them, is in no wise to be admitted.

Demetrius Phalereus advised the king, as I said before, to ask those sacred writings of the Jews; but Aristaeas, who was an attendant about him, at that time; advised him, for the purchasing of them, to set all the Jews, who were then slaves in Egypt at liberty, and send them home; and it is said that the number of them came to 10 Myriades, (i.) one hundred thousand soules: and in our copy of Aristaeas, it is said: that every one of them cost the King 20 drachmaes, or 120, as it is in Josephus: now 120 drachmaes, make 30 …icles, or stateres, or tetradrachmaes in silver, which was the full price of a slave in [Exod. c. 21. 32.] at which rate our Saviour also, what time, for our sakes, he took the form of a slave upon him in the flesh, was sold by Judas the traitor, now those 20 drachmaes which we find in our Aristaeas, being multiplied by …0 Myriades (i.) 100 thousand amount to 2000000 drachmaes, which again being divided by 6000 which make just an Attick talent, make 333… Attick talents; now the price which Ptolemei payed to redeem the Jews from their masters, came to above 400 talents, both by Josephus his and also by our Aristaeas his account: because it is said that there were above 10 Myriades paied. In which redemption of the Jewish slaves from their masters the like price was paied for every sucking child of them, together with the mothers which they suckt on over and above, whence it is that Josephus saies that Ptolemei paid in this kind, upward of 460 talents, in stead of which our vulgar editions of Aristaeas have 660 talents.

Of these Jews Ptolemei took the younger sort and ablest of them into his army, and of the rest, such as he thought fit, he emploied in his private affaires, as in his letters to Eleasar the High Preist, himself affirmeth, for which one true letter of the Kings, p. 350Epiphanius giveth us two forged ones, far diffarent both in stile, and meaning, from that which we find in Aristaeas, and Josephus, the latter of which beginneth thus, foreign. &c. (i. e.) of a treasure that is hidden, and of a fountaine sealed up, what profit is there? whereas in the greek one attributed to the king, who doth not perceive a manifest Hebraisme, and that taken out of Ecclesiast. [c. 20. 30.] wisedome if it be hidden, and a treasure unseen, what profit is there of either of them?

But together with that Epistle, he sent also rich presents to the use of the Temple at Jerusalem, by Andraeas, and Aristaeas his two servants, to be delivered to Eleasar the High Preist, as namely, a golden table of two cubits long, (and an half, as Josephus addeth) and no lesse than half a cubit thick, all of solid gold, and not covered over onelyonly with plates of gold; with 20 goblets of like gold, and 30 of silver, for the making of all which, he allowed over and above, 50 talents weight of gold, and 70 of silver, and precious stones to the number of 5 thousand, so that these stones amounted in the value of them, to five times as much as the gold which he sent, came unto, and the workmanship thereunto belonging, besides all which he sent 100 talents for sacrifices and other uses of the Temple.

Eleasar the Priest, receiving these presents, out of every tribe, (for that after the captivity there remained some of 10 tribes of the twelve, I shewed before in the year of the World 3468. c.) he chose six principall men, most eminent above all others, for ripenesse of age, for nobility, for learning and experience; which should translate Gods Law, out of Hebrew into Greek; the particular names of the which 72 elders are expressely delivered by Aristaeas; the last of which called Ezekiel, I conceive to be none other but him, whom Eusebius in the ninth book, de Praepart. Evangel. reporteth to have written a Tragedie of the bringing forth, or deliverance of the children of Israel out of Egypt; for the very name of Ezekiel sheweth, that he was of the Jewish race, and not a Greek, as Clemens Alexandrinus, and Eusebius, thought he was.

Eleasar also wrote back a letter to the King, the beginning whereof, as we find in Aristaeas, was this, foreign, (i.e.) God save you, or as Eusebius, more rightly, foreign, &c. (i. e.) If your self are well, and the Queen Arsinoe yeur sister, all is well, and as we desire it should be: for Philadelphus, after the death of Arsinoe, the daughter of Lysimachus King of Thrace and Macedon, by whom he had Ptolemeus Euergetes, and Berenice (of whom more in their proper places) married a second Arsione, his own sister, which after the death of Lysimachus her first husband was married to Ptolemeus Ceraunus her own brother, but she dyed, before she bare any child to Philadelphus, on whom he so doted, that he called a province in Egypt, Arsinoiti…, after her name, [Pausan. in Attic. pag. 7.] and made her a statue of Topaz stone, four cubits high, and consecrated her in a Temple, which was called the golden Temple, [Plinie lib. 17. c. 8.] and by his appointment, Dinocrates the Architect, set him to make an archroof over her, all of load-stone, to the end, that an image of her made of Iron, might cleave thereto, and seem there to hang in the air, [Id. lib. 14. cap. 14.] of which Dinocrates, Ausonius in his 9 Idyllion, speaking, saith;

Jussus ob incesti qui quondam foedus amoris, &c.

(i. e.) Who for a monument of incestuous love,

By Ptolomeis command did make to hang,

Arsinoe in the air of an Egyptian kirk.

These 72 interpreters entering into Alexandria, presented the King with such things as Eleasar had sent unto him, together with sundry parchments, wherein the law was written, with golden letters, in the language of the Jews, all curiously written, and the parchments so joyned together, that the seaming of them could not be discerned by the eye of man. and it fell out, that they came thither at a time, when news came to him of a great victory gotten by him at sea against Antigonus, of which sea fight, for want of writers in that time, I find no mention made in any other place but this, for I can no wayes approve their judgement, who refer it to that time, when Antigonus Gonatas making war upon the Athenians, besieged their Cities by sea and land, which we find by Iustin, [lib. 26. and by Pausan, in Laconic.] was not till after the death of Pyrrhus, and before the death of Aretas, or Areus the first King of Lacedemon, which was between the years 4442, and 4450, according to the Julian account: for allbeit that Areus with his land forces, and Patrocles with Ptolemeis fleet, came at that time to the succour of the Athenians, yet seeing that Areus returned home without any battle …ought, Pausanias shewes, that Patrocles did nothing neither for their relief. [In Attic. pag. 7. and in Laonic. 87.]

But concerning our 72 interpreters, Ptolemei to entertain them, feasted them seven dayes, or as Josephus hath it, 12 dayes, in a most sumptuous and magnificent manner, and afterward appointed one Dorotheus to take care of them, and to supply them p. 351with all necessaries, not letting them want for any thing, for their table or otherwise. And the King himself would now and then put them questions, some concerning affairs of State, some of morality; whereunto they extempory made him very prudent and well advised answers: as we find in Arstaeas, who took all that he wrote out of the Kings Diaries, or Day-books; then caused he three talents to be given to each of them and the boy that carried them.

Three dayes after, one Demetrius walking along the causway, called the Heptastadium, that is a mile, wanting one furlong, with the Interpreters, led them over the bridge into the Isle of Pharos, and there placed them in a goodly house, upon the north shoar of the Island, and far off from any noise or tumult; and they there set themselves every man to his work of the Translation, most exactly fitting it to the meaning of the Original: which done, Demetrius caused it to be fairely exscribed: every day they sate at it till three of the clock in the afternoon; and then went and took their repast: having all things abundantly provided for them, and especialy their diet, of the same kind that was provided for the Kings own table, did Dorotheus see them furnished withal, by the Kings appointment. Moreover, every morning very early, they came to Court, and there having bid the King good-morrow, returned to their place: and there having washt their hands, as their manner was, and said their prayers, they set themselves to read, and to interpret from point to point; But Epiphanius, varying herein from Aristeas and Josephus, writes that they were put into 36 cells; to wit, two together in every one of them; and there continued from break of day, to the very evening; and that then they were put into 36 boats, (i. e.) two into a boat, and so brought back to the Kings Palace, and there eate of the Kings diet: in the former part of which Narration, he followeth I know not whom; but in the latter, it seems, is led by their Fables, which dream't that the causway of 7 furlongs was not made, at least not finished, till Cleopatraes time.

And it so fell out, that this work of the 72 Interpreters was finished in 72 dayes, as if it had been so cast by them of set purpose; which done, Demetrius calling all the Jews together in the place where it was done, read it all over in the presence of the Interpreters themselves: and they as the authors and finishers of so great a good, were highly commended and magnified by all the Jews there present; Demetrius also himself wanted not his share of praises among them: and they besought him, that he would deliver a copy of the law, so translated to their Rulers. And when it had been all read over to them, then the Priests and Elders of the Interpreters, and the Magistrates and Officers of the Jews, stood up and said, Forasmuch as this Interpretation is religiously, and in every point accurately performed, it is requisite and fit, that it should stand as it is, and that no alteration be made in it. And when all approved that saying of theirs, with a great acclamation, then Demetrius required to lay a great curse (as the manner was) upon any man that should offer to alter it, by adding any thing thereto, or taking any thing therefrom.

And when all had been in like manner read over to the King, he infinitely admired the wisdom of the Legislator; and commanded all possible care to be taken of those Books, and that they should be …eligiously laid up and kept. He also desired the Interpreters themselves, that after their return home, they would not faile to come often to him again; and gave to every of them, three faire Gownes, two Talents of Gold, a Cup of one whole Talent, and the full furniture of a Chamber.

And moreover, to Eleazar the High Priest, he sent by them, ten beds with Silver feet, and rich furniture thereunto belonging: a Cup of 30 Talents, ten Raiments, with Scarlet, and a Crown richly wrought, and about one hundred pieces of Linnen, as fine as Silke; and withal, Viols, and Mazers, and two golden Goblets, to sacrifice withal; and by his letters desired him, that if any of these men had at any time a desire to come and visit him, he would not hinder them; for that he infinitely desired to converse with such kind of men, and chose to spend his money upon them rather than any other way.

The Galls, which were left by Brennus, when he went into Greece, to keep Macedon, least they should seem to sit idle, whiles their fellows were at work, fitted out 15 thousand Foot, and 3 thousand Horse, and set upon the Getes, and the Triballi, and routed them, [Justin. lib. 25. cap. 1.]

Antigonus Gonatas, Year of the World 3728 having lost a battle at sea, as was said before, by Ptolemei Philadelpha… his men, made a peace with Antiochus Soter, as Justin, shewes, [lib. 25. cap. 1.] and went into Macedonia, where his father Demetrius Poliorcetes had sometimes reigned, and which himself, coming to it in the tenth year after his first being King of Greece, held 34 years, [P…r…hyrie, in Gr…c. Eusebia. pag. 229.] whose Heirs continued Kings there down to Perseus; in whom, being overcome by the Romans, the kingdom of Macedon, was extinct, [Plut. in Demetrius.]

The Galls, having overcome the Getes and the Triballi, sent their Ambassadors to p. 352Antigonus the King of Macedon, to offer him peace for his money; but withal to spie his army, and the manner of his Camp: These Antigonus entertained and feasted in sumptuous manner: but the Galls seeing the infinite store of Silver and Gold set forth for the feast, for greedinesse thereof, returned more his enemies than they came. And thereupon resolved with one accord to set upon him: but he having got an incling of their coming, gave order that every man should take with him what he could, and lie close in a wood adjoyning: the Galls came on, and taking what they there found, turned away to the sea side; where, whiles they were busie in rifling the ships, the Marriners, and a part of the army which was thither fled with their wives and children to save themselves, set upon them unawares, and slew them, and made such havock of them, that the reputation thereof secured Antigonus from thence forward, not only from the Galls, but also from all the nations round about him. [Justin lib. 25. cap. 1. & 2.]

Now as touching those Galls, who under their 17 Commanders, the chief whereof were Leonorius and Lutarius afore named, passed over it several times into Asia, they all came again into one body, and offered their assistance to Nicomedes against Zibaeas, al. Zibetus the younger, who held the coast of Bithynia lying upon the sea; by these, and others which came from Heraclea in Pontus, was poor Zibetus crusht to pieces; and so Bithynia came all into the hands of Nicomedes. But the Galls having wasted that Country all over, shared the spoile thereof among themselves; and then dividing the kingdom between them and Nicomedes, called their portion thereof, by the name of Gallograecia. [Livie lib. 38. Justin. lib. 25. cap. 2. Memnon Excerpt. cap. 20.]

Of 20 thousand men that they were, there were not above 10 thousand armed; yet they struck such a terror into all the Nations and Countries on this side the Taurus; that as well the places which they went not to, as those they did go to, far and near, all submitted to them. And whereas they consisted of three nations of their own, to wit, the Tolistobogians, al. the Tolistoboians, (coming, as was thought, from the Galls, which were called the Boii) the Trocmi, and the Tectosagi, they divided all Asia between them, according to the severall parts thereof, where they planted themselves: to the Trocmies lot, fell Hellespont, and all that coast: Eolia and Ionia, fell to the Tolistobogii, and the Tecto…agi possessed the inland or middle part of Asia; but they made their chief seat upon the bank of the river Halys, [Liv. lib. 28, and Suidas in the word Galatae.]

Of this passing of the Galls out of Europe into Asia, Demetrius Byzantius wrote 13 books, as [Laert. in the Life of Demetrius Phalerius] sayes, which one Phaennis, who lived a whole age before this fell out, is said by way of oracle to have foretold, in these words.

foreign, &c. (i. e.)

The Galls shall passe the streight of Hellespont,

And ravage all the land of Asia;

Yet worser things hath God in store for them,

Who on the sea coast of that land do dwell.

In the 126 Olympiade, Eratosthenes Cyrenaeus, the son of Aglai, or, as others, of Ambrosius, was born. He was a scolar of Aristo Chius the Philosopher, and of Lysanias of Cyrene the Grammarian, and of Callimachus of Cyrene a Poet, [Suidas, in the word Eratosthenes.]

Curius Dentatus, Year of the World 3730 this year fought with Pyrrhus in Italy: and having slain 23 thousand of his men, and taken his Camp, made him retreat to Tarentum. [Eutrop. lib. 2.]

When the Ambassadors, which Pyrrhus had sent to the Kings of Asia, and to Antigonus Gonatas, to help him with men and money, and they returned without either, to him; he called the Princes of the Epirotes and Tarentines together, and, suppressing the letters, told them, that supplies would come very speedily. But when the fame hereof came among the Romans in their Camp, and that there were great supplies coming to him out of Macedon and Asia both, that report held them quiet from attempting any thing more upon him, [Pausan. in Attic. pag. 11.] But Pyrrhus, never telling why, made as if he would remove with his army from Tarentum. Mean while, willed his confederates to provide for war, and committed the keeping of the Castle at Tarentum to his son Helenus, and to one of his Nobles, whose name was Milo. [Iustin lib. 25. cap. 3.] and when he had spent six whole years in the war in Italy and Sicilie, and lost many of his men, and had no hope left, of doing any good, he returned into Epirus, with those eight thousand Foot, and five hundred Horse, which he had left. [Plut in Pyrr.]