CONTENTS to Vol. VIII. BOOK XX. ARTICLE I. SECT. I. Hiero the fecond chofen captain-general by the Syra cufans, and foon after appointed king. He makes an alliance with the Romans in the beginning of the first Punic war Page 1 II. Hiero's pacific reign. He particularly favours agriculture. He applies the abilities of Archimedes his relation to the Service of the public, and causes him to make an infinite number of machines for the defence of a befieged place. He dies very old, and much regretted by the people ARTICLE II. 18 SECT. I. Hieronymus, grandson of Hiero, fucceeds him, and caufes him to be regretted by his vices and `cruelty, He is killed in a confpiracy. Barbarous mur, der of the princeffes. Hippocrates and Epicydes poffefs themfelves of the government of Syracufe, and declare for the Carthaginians, as Hieronymus had done II. The conful Marcellus befieges Syracufe. The cons fiderable lofes of men and ships, occafioned by the dreadful machines of Archimedes, oblige Marcellus to change the fiege into a blockade. He takes the city at length by means of his intelligence within it. Death of Archimedes, killed by a foldier who did not know him ARTICLE III. * SECT. I. Tomb of Archimedes discovered by Cicero 39 43 SECT SECT. H. Summary of the hiftory of Syracufe 45% III. Reflections upon the government and character of the Syracufans, and upon Archimedes 48 Liz 53 SECT. I. Mithridates, at twelve years old, afcends the throne of Pontus. He feizes Cappadocia and Bithynia,. having first expelled their kings. The Romans re-establish them. He caufes all the Romans in Afia Minor to be put to the fword in one day. First war of the Romans with Mithridates, who had made himself master of Afia Minor, and Greece, where he had taken Athens. Sylla is charged with this war. He befieges and retakes Athens. He gains three great battles against the generals of Mithridates. He grants that prince peace in the fourth year of the war. brary of Athens, in which were the works of Ariftotle. Sylla caufes it to be carried to Rome II. Second war against Mithridates, under Murena, of only three years duration. Mithridates prepares to renews the war. He concludes a treaty with Sertorius. Third war with Mithridates. Lucullus conful fent against him. He obliges him to raise the fiege of Cyzicum, and defeats his troops. He gains a compleat victory over him, and reduces him to fly into Pontus. Tragical end of the fifters and wives of Mithridates. He endeavours to retire to Tigranes bi fon-in-law. Lucullus regulates the affairs of Afia 76 II. Lucullus caufes war to be declared with Tigranes, and marches against him. Vanity and ridiculous self-sufficiency of that prince. He lofes a great battle. Lucullus takes Tigranocerta, capital of Armenia. He gains a fecond victory over the joint-forces of Tigranes and Mithridates. Mutiny and revolt in the army of Lucullus 89 IV. Mithridates, taking advantage of the difcord which had arifen in the Roman army, recovers all his dominions. Pompey is chofen to fucceed Lucullas. He overthrows. Mithridates in feveral battles. The latter flies in vain to Tigranes his fan-in-law for refuge, who is engaged in a war with his own fon. Pompey marches into Armenia against Tigranes, who comes to him and furrenders him Jelf. felf. Weary of pursuing Mithridates to no purpose, be returns into Syria, makes himself mafter of that kingdam, and puts an end to the empire of the Seleucides. He marches back to Pontus. Pharnaces makes the army revolt against bis father Mithridates, who kills himself. That prince's eharacter. Pompey's expeditions into Arabia and Judea, where he takes Jerufalem. After having reduced all the cities of Pontus, he returns to Rome, and receives the honour of a triumph ARTICLE II. 104. Sacr. I. Ptolemæus Auletes had been placed upon the throne of Egypt in the room of Alexander. He is declared the friend and ally of the Roman people by the credit of Cæfar and Rompey, which he purchases at a very great price. In confequence be loads his subjects with impofts. He is expelled the throne. The Alexandrians make his daughter Berenice queen. He goes to Rome, and by money obtains the voices of the heads of the commonwealth for his re-establishment. He is oppofed by an oracle of the Sibyl's; notwithAtanding which, Gabinius fets him upon the throne by force of arms, where he remains till his death. The famous Cleopatra, and her brother very young, fucceed him 124 II. Pothinus and Achillas, minifters of the young king, expel Cleopatra. She raises troops to re-establish herself. Pompey, after having been overthrown at Pharfalia, retires into Egypt. He is affaffinated there. Cafar, who purfued him, arrives at Alexandria, where he is informed of his death, which he feems to lament. He endeavours to reconcile the brother and fifter, and for that purpose fends for Cleopatra, of whom he joon becomes enamoured. Great commotions arife at Alexandria, and feveral battles are fought between the Egyptians and Cæfar's troops, wherein the latter have almost always the advantage. The king, having been drowned in flying after a fea-fight, all Egypt fubmits to Cæfar. He fets Cleopatra, with her young brother, upon the throne, and returns to Rome III. Cleopatra caufes her young brother to be put to death, and reigns alone. The death of Julius Cæfar having made way for the Triumvirate formed between Antony, Lepidus, and young Cæfar, called alfo Octavius, Cleopatra declares herself for the Triumvirs. She goes to Antony, at Tarfus, gains an absolute afcendant over him, and brings 134 bim with her to Alexandria. Antony goes to Rome, where he efpoufes Octavia, He abandons himself again to Cleopatra, and after fome expeditions returns to Alexandria, which be enters in triumph. He there celebrates the coronation of Cleopatra and her children. Open rupture between Cafar and Antony. The latter repudiates Octavia. fleets put to fea. Cleopatra determines to follow Antony, Battle of Actium. Cleopatra flies, and draws Antony' after ber, Cafar's victory is compleat. He advances fome time after against Alexandria, which makes no long refiftance. Tragical death of Antony and Cleopatra. Egypt is reduced into a province of the Roman empire BOOK THE TWENTY-FIRST. THE HISTORY O F SYRACUSE. THIS twenty-firft book contains the conclufion of the hiftory of Syracufe. It may be divided into three parts. The first includes the long reign of Hiero II. The fecond, the fhort reign of his grandfon Hieronymus, the troubles of Syracufe confequential of it, and the fiege and taking of that city by Marcellus. The third is an exact abridgment of the hiftory of Syracufe, with fome reflections upon the government and character of the Syracufans, and upon Archimedes. ARTICLE I. SECT. I. HIERO the Second chofen captain-general by the Syracufans, and foon after appointed king. He makes an alliance with the Romans in the beginning of the first Punick war. (a) IERO II. was defcended from the family of Gelon, who had formerly reigned in Syracufe. As his mother was of flavish extraction, his father Hierocles, according to the barbarous cuftom of thofe times, caufed him to be expofed foon after his birth; believing that the infant dishonoured the nobility of his race. If Justin's fabulous account may be believed, the bees nourished him feveral days with their honey. The oracle declaring that fo fingular an event was a certain prefage of his future greatnefs, Hierocles caufed him to be brought back to his house, and took all poffible care of his education. The child improved as much from the pains taken to form him, as could be expected. He diftinguished himself early from all thofe of his years, by his addrefs in military exercifes, and his courage in battle. He acquired the esteem of Pyrrhus, and received feveral rewards from his own hands. He was VOL. VIII. of B (a) A. M. 3700, Ant, J. C, 304, Justin, 1. xxiii, c, 4. |