3475.

Conquefts, with Tranquillity and Peace, be lov'd by his Subjects, and admir'd by all the World. His Empire was bounded by the Indies on the Eaft, the Caffian and Euxin Seas on the North, the Egean Sea on the Weft, and by the Ethiopian and Arabian Seas on the South. He ufually spent the Winter at Babylon, and the Summer at Sufa or Ecbatan; and died at a very advanc'd Age, preferving his Vigour and Health to the laft.

Cambyfes, his eldeft Son, as foon as he was eftablifh'd in the Throne, bent all his Thoughts upon an Expedition into Egypt, to revenge an Affront done to him by Amafis. He made great Preparations for this Expedition, and in the fourth Year of his Reign enter'd on the Execution of it. His firft Attempt was upon Pelufium, which he took by Stratagem, placing at the Head of his Forces (in an Affault which he made) a great number of Cats, Dogs, Sheep, and other Animals, which were accounted facred by the Egyptians, and which for that reason they durft not violate, fo Cambyfes easily became Mafter of the Place. From thence he advanc'd against Pfammenitus (for Amafis was now dead) who was coming with a great Army to stop his Progrefs. They came to an Engagement, in which Cambyfes got the Victory, and pursuing the Enemy to Memphis, he fummoned the City furrender, by a Herald, whom the Egyptians barbarously murder'd, with all his Train; which Cambyfes (having taken the Place in a little time) fufficiently reveng'd. He next refolv'd to make war upon the Ethiopians, and alfo the Ammonians, against whom he detach'd from Thebes, an Army of fifty thoufand Men, to ravage their Country, and deftroy the Temple of Ammon ;

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but they were all buried in the Defart under blowing Sand. He intended also to make war with the Carthaginians, but the Phenicians would not affift him in this Enterprize, (and he could do nothing without Shipping) fo he was oblig'd to lay it afide. His Expedition against the Ethiopians was fo ill conducted, that having loft the greatest part of his Army, and being reduc'd to the utmost Extremity for want of Provifions, he was forced to return with the rest of his Army to Thebes, where he first plunder'd, and then burnt all the Temples. When he came to Memphis, the whole City was full of Joy for having found their God Apis; at which he was fo transported with Fury (imagining they rejoic'd at his Misfortunes) that he mortally wounded Apis in the Thigh, order'd the Priests to be beaten, and all that were found celebrating the Festival, to be put to the Sword. Here growing jealous of his Brother Smerdis, he dif miss'd him,and then fent Prexafpes after him to put him to death, which he did. He also. married his Sifter Meroe, and afterwards kill'd her with a Kick of his Foot; and being entirely abandon'd to brutal Rage, he committed a thoufand Extravagancies. In his return to Perfia, as he pass'd through Syria, he was inform'd that Patifithus, one of the principal Magi (in whofe hands he left the Adminiftration of Affairs at his departure from Sufa) had fet his Brother Smerdis on the Throne, giving out, that he was Smerdis the Son of Cyrus. Cambyfes refolv'd without delay to exterminate the Ufurper; but as he mounted his Horfe, his Sword fell out of the Scabbard, and gave him a Wound in the Thigh, of which he foon after died.

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Govern

ment.

Smerdis (the fame with Artaxerxes, who gave orders to stop the building of the City and Temple of Jerufalem) the better to eftablish himself in the Throne he had ufurp'd, endeavour'd to make himself popular, by eafing the People of the ufual Taxes and military Service. Otanes, a Perfian Nobleman,fufpecting that this Smerdis was the Magus of that Name who had his Ears cut off in the Reign of Cyrus, for fome Crime, order'd his Daughter Phedima, who was one of his Wives, to make the Difcovery while he was afleep; and finding him to be the fame, he enter'd into a Confpiracy with fix others (among whom was Darius Hyftafpes) and put him to death, with his Brother who had fet him up. The feven Confpirators, after some Debate what fhould be the Form of Government for the time to come, agreed upon Monarchy, and took this Method to decide which of them fhould be King. The next Morning they all rode out about Sun-rifing, agreeing that he whose Horse neigh'd firft, after they came to the appointed Place, fhould be the Man. Darius's Horse having had a Mare brought to him the Night before by the Groom, in that very Place,neigh'd as foon as he came to it; upon which all the reft faluted him King.

II. The further Profecution of this History cour Author leaves to the next Volume, and in the mean time gives fome account of the Manners and Cuftoms of the Nations he has been defcribing, under four Heads, viz. Government, War, Arts and Sciences, and Religion.

1. Monarchy, the most ancient, and most univerfal Form of Government, was what always took place in the Eaft, where Republicanism was entirely unknown, and where there

was

was fo much refpect paid to the Monarch (who was look'd upon as the living Image of the Divinity) that it often degenerated into Idolatry. Their Manner of educating the Heir of the Kingdom (for the Government was Hereditary) is much admir'd by Plato, and is this. 'Till he was feven Years of age he was under the care of fome of the Eunuchs, or prime Officers of the King's Houfhold; who took care of his Health, and form'd his tender Mind to Virtue. At feven he was put under the direction of others, who taught him Riding, Hunting, and other Exercises suitable to his age. When he was fourteen, four of the most virtuous and wife Men that could be found, were appointed to finish his Education one of them inftructed him in the Principles of Government, and Magick, or Religion; the fecond taught him Morality, and infpir'd him with Principles of Honour, Justice and Generofity; the third taught him to govern his Paffions, and to defpife Pleafure; the fourth train'd him up to Boldness and intrepid Courage; and fortify'd his Mind against avish and vain Fears. This was the Plan they laid down, but, as our Author obferves, they did not always put it in execution; and when they did, it was in a great measure render'd ineffectual, by the Luxury, Pomp and Magnificence that always furrounded the young Prince, and by the flavish Submiffion paid him by all that came near him.

Tho' the Power of the Kings of Perfia was very abfolute, yet it was in fome measure temper'd by the Inftitution of Darius Hyftafpes; who, when he was made King, in the manner before related, granted the reft of the Confpirators the Privilege of having accefs to him as often as they pleafed, and of advifing, and giving their

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Opinion

Opinion in Matters of State; from whence the Council of Seven, that always attended the King, took its rife. Thus when Ezra receiv'd a Commiffion from Artaxerxes to return to Jerufalem, it run in thefe Terms: Forafmuch as thou art fent of the King and bis seven Counsellors, &c. Ez. vii. 14. The Business and Qualifications of these Counsellors we learn from the Book of Efther, chap. i. v. 13, 14. Then the King faid to the wife Men who knew the Times (for fo was the King's manner to all that knew Law and Judgment: and the next unto him was Carshera, &c. the feven Princes of Perfia and Media, which faw the King's Face, and which fat the first in the Kingdom) What shall we do? &c. There were two Things obferved by the Perfians, which contributed much to the Information of the King and Council. First, They kept Regifters of all the Decrees and Ordinances of the Princes; of all Privileges granted, or promis'd to the publick, or to particular Perfons, &c. Secondly, Ez. 4. 15. All Events, Refolutions, Regulations, Services, Efth.6.1. &c. in former Reigns, were faithfully recorded

E2.5.17. and 6. 2.

in their Annals, which were carefully preserved, and often perus'd by the King and his chief Minifters.

Justice among the Perfians was adminifter'd by the King (who often heard and decided Caufes perfonally) or by Judges appointed by him out of the highest Class, or Seniors. They had great regard to Equity in their proceedings; and one thing is worth remarking, that when any one was accus'd of a Crime, after a full and impartial hearing of both Parties, if the Accufer fail'd in his Proof, he was punifh'd in the fame manner the Defender would have been, had he been found guilty. The Story of

Haman