understood what false dealing was used by those embassadors; him he apprehended, brought to court, and presented unto the king, saying, that this fellow knew all, and must therefore be made to utter what he knew. Xichus, for fear of torture, uttered as much as was before suspected; confessing against himself, that he had been employed by the embassadors in that wicked piece of business. No wonder if the father's passions were extreme when he understood that, by the unnatural practice of one son, he had so wretchedly cast away another far more virtuous and innocent. He raged exceedingly against himself, and withal against the authors of the mischief. Upon the first news of this discovery Apelles fled away and got into Italy. Philocles was taken, and either, forasmuch as he could not deny it when Xichus confronted him, yielded himself guilty, or else was put to torture. Perseus was now grown stronger than that he should need to fly the country, yet not so stout as to adventure himself into his father's presence. He kept on the borders of the kingdom, towards Thrace, whilst his father wintered at Demetrius. Philip, therefore, not hoping to get in to his power this his ungracious son, took a resolution to alien the kingdom from him and confer it upon Antigonus. But his weak body, and excessive grief of mind, so disabled him in the travel hereto belonging, that ere he could bring his purpose to effect, he was constrained to yield to nature. He had reigned about two and forty years, always full of trouble; as vexed by others, and vexing himself with continual wars; of which that with the Romans was most unhappy, and few or none of the rest found the conclusion, which a wise prince would have desired, of bringing forth together both honour and profit. But for all the evil that befel him he might thank his own perverse condition, since his uncle king Antigonus had left unto him an estate so great and so well settled as made it easy for him to accomplish any moderate desires, if he had not abhorred all good counsel. Wherefore he was justly punished by feeling the difference between the imaginary happiness of a tyrant, which he affected, and the life of a king, whereof he little cared to perform the duty. His death, even whilst yet it was only drawing near, was fore-signified unto Perseus by Calligenes the physi cian, who also concealed it a while from those that were about the court. So Perseus came thither on a sudden and took possession of the kingdom, which, in fine, he no less improvidently lost than he had wickedly gotten. SECT. IV. How the Bastarna fell upon Dardania. The behavi our of Perseus in the beginning of his reign. Some wars of the Romans, and how they suffered Massinissa cruelly to oppress the Carthaginians. They quarrel with Perseus. They allow not their confederates to make war without their leave obtained. The treason of Callicrates, whereby all Greece became more obnoxious to Rome than in former times. Further quarrels to Perseus. He seeks friendship of the Achæans, and is withstood by Callicrates. The Romans discover their intent of warring upon him. IMMEDIATELY upon the death of Philip came the Bastarnæ into Thrace, where order had been taken long before, both for their free passage and for the indemnity of the country. This compact was friendly observed as long as none other was known than that Philip did live to recompense all that should be done or sustained for his service; but when it was heard that a new king reigned in Macedon, and not heard withal that he took any care what became of the enterprize, then was all dashed and confounded, The Thracians would no longer afford so good markets unto these strangers as formerly they had done. On the other side, the Bastarna would not be contented with reason, but became their own carvers. Thus each part, having lost the rich hopes reposed in Philip, grew careful of thriving in the present, with little regard of right or wrong. Within a while they fell to blows, and the Bastarnæ had the upper hand; so as they chased the Thracians out of the plain countries. But the victors made little use of their good fortune; for, whether by reason of some overthrow received by them in assaulting a place of strength, or whether because of extreme bad weather, which is said to have afflicted them as it were miraculously, all of them returned home save thirty thousand, which pierced on into Dardania. these thirty thousand sped in their voyage I do not find. It seems that, by the careless using of some victories, they drew loss upon themselves, and, finally, took that occasion to follow their companions back into their own country. How As for Perseus, he thought it not expedient in the novelty of his reign to embroil himself in a war so dangerous as that with the Romans was likely to prove; wherefore he wholly gave his mind to the settling of his estate, which well done, he might afterwards accommodate himself, as the condition of his affairs should require, either for war or peace.— To prevent all danger of rebellion, he quickly took away the life of Antigonus. To win love of his people, he sat personally to hear their causes in judg. ment, (though herein he was so over-diligent and curious, that one might have perceived this his virtue of justice to be no better than feigned); as also he gratified them with many delightful spectacles mag. nificently by him set forth. Above all, he had care to avoid all necessity of war with Rome; and therefore made it his first work to send embassadors thither to renew the league; which he obtained, and was by the senate saluted king and friend unto the state. Neither was he negligent in seeking to purchase good-will of the Greeks and other his neighbours, but was rather herein so excessively bountiful, that it may seem a wonder how, in few years, to his utter ruin, he became so griping and tenacious. His fear was indeed the mastering passion which overruled him, and changed him into so many shapes as made it hard to discern which of his other qualities were naturally his own. For proof of this, there is requisite no more than the relation of his actions passed and following. The Romans continued, as they had long, busy in wars against the Spaniards and Ligurians, people of ten vanquished, and as often breaking forth into new rebellion. They also conquered Istria, subdued the rebelling Sardinians, and had some quarrels, though to little effect, with the Illyrians and others. Over the Carthaginians they bore (as ever since the victory) a heavy hand, and suffered Masinissa to take from them what he listed. The Carthaginians, like obedient vassals to Rome, were afraid, though in defence of their own, to take arms, from which they were bound by an article of peace, except it were with leave of the Romans. Masinissa, therefore, had great advantage over them, and was not ignorant how to use it. He could get possession by force of whatsoever he desired, ere their complaining embassadors could be at Rome; and then were the Romans not hardly entreated to leave things as they found them. So had he once dealt before in taking from them the country of Emporia, and so did he use them again and again, with pretence of title, where he had any, otherwise without it. Gala, the father of Masinissa, had won some land from the Carthaginians, which afterwards Syphax won from Gala, and within a while restored to the right owners, for love of VOL. VI. R his wife Sophonisba, and of Asdrubal his father-inlaw. This did Masinissa take from them by force; and by the Romans, to whose judgment the case was referred, was permitted quietly to hold it. The Carthaginians had now good experience how beneficial it was for their estate to use all manner of submissive obedience to Rome. They had scarcely digested this injury when Masinissa came upon them again and took from them above seventy towns and castles without any colour of right. Hereof by their embassadors they made lamentable complaint unto the Roman senate. They shewed how grievously they were oppressed, by reason of two articles in their league, that they should not make war out of their own lands, nor with any confederates of the Romans. Now, although it were so that they might lawfully withstand the violence of Masinissa's invading their country, howsoever he was pleased to call it his; yet since he was confederate with the Romans, they durst not presume to bear defensive arms against him, but suffered themselves to be eaten up for fear of incurring the Romans' indignation. Wherefore they intreated, that either they might have fairer justice, or be suffered to defend their own by strong hand; or at least, if right must wholly give place to favour, that the Romans yet would be pleased to determine how far forth Masinissa should be allowed to proceed in these outrages. If none of these petitions could be obtained, then desired they that the Romans would let them understand wherein they had offended since the time that Scipio gave them peace, and vouchsafe to inflict on them such punishment as they themselves in honour should think meet; for that better and more to their comfort it were to suffer at once what should be appointed by such judges, than continually to live in fear, and none otherwise draw breath than at the mercy of this Numidian hangman. And herewithal the embassadors threw themselves prostrate |