'Some years travels into divers parts of Africa, and Asia the great. Describing more particularly the empires of Persia and Industan: interwoven with such remarkable occurrences as hapned in those parts during these later times. As also, many other rich and famous kingdoms in the oriental India, with the isles adjacent. Severally relating their religion, language, customs and habit: as also proper observations concerning them.' [‎258] (281/448)

-^g 'Beginning of the Parthian
Poifon given him by Cajfanderhis Cup-bearer, and the treafonable diredions of his Fa
ther Antivater, who with the Son afterwards profecuted their cruelty even to the utter
extirpation of all Alexander's royal progeny. Such was the Exit of this great Prince, in
the three and thirtieth year of his Age,and twelfth of his Reign; whom living,one World
would notfuffice; nec Oriens nec Occidetis fatiaverit, faith Tacitm, being dead, Sarcophago
contentm erat, a Grave contained: andinthisMirrour behold the narrow bounds of
earthly glory.
Naturaq; folutn * That check^alone
Hunc potuit finem vefano ponere Regi: Nature gave this Kings wild Ambition.
Qui fecum invidia qua totum ceperat Orbem who to his Grave the Worldsfole Empire bore
Abftulit Imperium : nuJloq; ha?rede relifto With the fame Envy it was got before.
•jotius Fati lacerandas pr^buit Urbes, jind wanting Heirs, left all he did obtain
Sed cecidit Babylonefua— -lucanJ.io.Pharf. fo y e divided by the Sword again*
For fo foon as his body was conveighed by Ptolomy Soter to Alexandria in tAZgypt, where
with all due folemnity it was interred, (the Corps being fowell embalmed tnat the two
firft Cxfars at their being there two hundred and fifty years after his death opening his
Tomb tound him perfed to view and incorrupt,) the dilpofition of his Empire to the
Worthieft feemed to revive the bones of Pyrrha afrefh : For ambition and felf-opinion
fo enflamed thofe great and emulous Captains, by that word each fuppofing himfelf
pointed at and principally concerned, that firtus mihi Numen &Enfts querngero was as"
may be thought each Mans Motto: fo as albeit the Crown was by fuffrage of the Army
given to Arideus natural Brother to Alexander and Per die as affigned his Governour, (both
which were foon after flain, thefirftby Olympia, the laft by Ptolo?ny) the Empire never-
thelefs was piece-meal rent afunder *, and albeit fufficient to fatiate their ambition, by
the Sword ail was neverthelefs in fhort time reduced under four, of which Seleuchm
was one that grafped the Syrian Scepter and made Perfia a fubordinate Province of his
new Empire. Thirty years was held under that fubjedion, notwithitanding the
difcontent of the Nobility i until Theodatus Governour of Baftria which then was
intituled opdentiffimum mille Vrbium imperium a Kington having a thoufand Cities, by the
advantage he had through diftance from Syria and me engagement that Crown was in
againft the leffer Afia-, he revolted and took upon him the Supreme Title : by whole exam
ple the reft of the Orient threw off the Macedonian Yoke and eleded to themfelves Kings
being Natives of their own Countrey.
Amongft whom, Arfaces, one ofan obfeurebirth as his name partly implies, Ar~Sa-
ces or Sac an or rather Art-Sac esi. e. noble Scythian, fufficiently famous for his adive life
though ill employed(for with a crew of profligate affociates he commanded the hills and ex
torted Tribute from Carravans and Palfengers Jobferving what Theqdatm had done,and be
ing well inftruded with the difcontents Perfia was in, but principally moved with ambi
tion, fuddenly enters thofe Countreys in hoftile manner, defeats Andragoras the Lieute
nant of that Province, over-runs Hyrcania, and upon Theodatus his death enters into
confederacy with the young King •, fo as by that fupply: he lent he dared to affront Se~
leuchus, firnamed Callimachus in the field, and having after a fore fight obtained a clear
Vidory utterly abolifhed the Syrian Government in thofe partsand thereupon arro
gated to himfelf the name of Conquerour, yea in memory of that Vidory commanded
that day to be annually obferved with folemnity. By this acquifition which was Anno
Mundi 3718. he invited the Scythians to fhare in his good fortune, and by that elevation
the Countrey was new-named Parthia which fignifies Exiles in the Scythic tongue ^ Parthi
fuere Ex ales Scytharum, nam Scythico fermone Parthi Exnles diemtur, Jufi. //£. 41. people,
who during the Monarchy of the AJfyrians and Medes were the leaft known as the Turks
after them throughout the Orient: but by this change the were neverthelels
kept under fubjedion.
^. enlarged the bounds of his Dominion well-nigh from Euphrates to Indus *, living
lo highly honoured by his fubjeds, that Cyrus was not in greater efteem with the Perfians,
Ptolomy With the Egyptians, nor Romulus with the Romans, than this Arfaces with the
Vfthians. Arfaces was he that built Dara fince called Afpadara, after that Spahawn.
ihe ninth from him called Herodes had the honour to give the Roman General Crdffusz
- ^ ^ at Carras * anci Phraortes his fucceifor forced Marcus Antonius (with
lols iumcient) to retreat over Arat:is into Syria ; albeit Ventidius his Lieutenant two years
arter redeemed his credit, Pacorus the Prince being flain and the Countrev reduced had
not Anthony envying his glory re-called him. Neverthelefs, of fuch terrour was the Ro-