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It is worth the while at present to hear an account
of a dispute between two foreign brothers, not concerning
a little patch of land, nor a few servants or cattle, but no
less than the kingdom of Persia. When Darius was dead,
some were for Ariamenes's succeeding to the crown as being eldest son; others were for Xerxes, who was born to
Darius of Atossa, the daughter of Cyrus, in the time of his
reign over Persia. Ariamenes therefore came from Media
in no hostile posture, but very peaceably, to hear the matter determined. Xerxes being there used the majesty and
power of a king. But when his brother was come, he laid
down his crown and other royal ornaments, went and meeting greeted him. And sending him presents, he gave a
charge to his servants to deliver them with these words:
With these presents your brother Xerxes expresses the
honor he has for you; and, if by the judgment and suffrage of the Persians I be declared king, I place you next
to myself. Ariamenes replied: I accept your gifts, but
presume the kingdom of Persia to be my right. Yet for
all my younger brethren I shall have an honor, but for
Xerxes in the first place. The day of determining who
should reign being come, the Persians made Artabanus
brother to Darius judge. Xerxes excepting against him,
confiding most in the multitude, his mother Atossa reproved him, saying: Why, son, are you so shy of Artabanus,
your uncle, and one of the best men amongst the Persians?
And why should you dread the trial, where the worst you
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can fear is to be next the throne, and to be called the king
of Persia's brother? Xerxes at length submitting, after
some debate Artabanus adjudged the kingdom to Xerxes.
Ariamenes presently started up, and went and showed obeisance to his brother, and taking him by the hand, placed
him in the throne. And from that time, being placed himself by Xerxes next in the kingdom, he continued the same
affection to him, insomuch that, for his brother's honor engaging himself in the naval fight at Salamis, he was killed
there. And this may serve for a clear and unquestionable
instance of true kindness and greatness of mind.
Antiochus's restless ambition after a crown was as
much to be condemned; but still we may admire this in
him, that it did not totally extinguish natural affection and
destroy the love of a brother. He went to war with his
brother Seleucus for the kingdom, himself being the
younger brother, and having the assistance of his mother.
In the durance of which war Seleucus joins battle with
the Galatians and is defeated; being not heard of for a
time, he is supposed to be slain and his whole army to
be slaughtered by the enemy. Antiochus, understanding
it, put off his purple, went into mourning, caused his
palace to be shut up, and retired to lament the death of
his brother. But, within a short time after, hearing that
his brother was safe and raising new forces, he went and
offered sacrifices for joy, and commanded his subjects to
do the like and to crown themselves with garlands. But
the Athenians, though they made a ridiculous story about
a falling out amongst the Deities, compensated for the absurdity pretty well in striking out the second day of their
month Boedromion, because upon that day Neptune and
Minerva were at variance. And why should not we cancel
out of our memories, as an unhappy day and no more to be
spoken of, that wherein we have differed with any of our
family or relations? But rather, far be it from us that the
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feuds of that day should bury the memory of all that
happier time wherein we were educated and conversed
together. For, except nature has bestowed those virtues
of meekness and patience upon us in vain and to no purpose, we have certainly the greatest reason to exercise them
towards our intimate friends and kindred. Now the acknowledgments of the offender and the begging pardon
for the crime express a kind and amicable nature no less
than the remitting of it. Wherefore it is not for us to
slight the anger of those whom we have incensed through
our folly, neither should they be so implacable as to refuse
an humble submission; but rather, where we have done
the wrong, we should endeavor to prevent a distaste by the
earliest and humblest acknowledgments and impetrations
of pardon, and where we have received any, to be as ready
and free in the forgiving of it. Euclides, Socrates's auditor, was famous in the schools for his mild return to his
raving brother, whom he heard bellow out threats against
him after this manner: Let me perish, if I be not revenged
on you. He answered: And let me perish, if I do not prevail with you to desist from this passion, and to let us be as
good friends as ever we were. This Euclides spake; but
what king Eumenes did was an act of meekness seldom to
be paralleled, and never yet outdone. For Perseus king
of Macedon, being his great enemy, had engaged some
persons to attempt the killing him. In order to which
barbarous act they lay in wait for him at Delphi, and,
when they perceived him going from the sea toward
the Oracle, came behind him and set. upon him with
great stones, wounding him in the head and neck, till
reeling with his hurt he fell down and was supposed
dead. The rumor of this action dispersed every way, and
some friends and servants of his coming to Pergamus,
who were the amazed spectators of the supposed murder, brought the news. Whereupon Attalus, Eumenes's
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eldest brother, a well-tempered man and one that had
showed the greatest affection and respect to his brother,
was proclaimed king, and not only assumed the crown, but
married his deceased brother's queen, Stratonica. But intelligence coming a while after that Eumenes was alive
and coming home, he presently laid aside the crown, and
putting on his usual habiliments, went with the rest of the
guard to meet and attend him. Eumenes received him
with the most affectionate embrace, and saluted the queen
with honorable respect and much endearment. And not
long after, at his death, he was so free from passion or
jealousy against his brother, that he bequeathed to him
both his crown and his queen. The return of Attalus to
his brother's kindness was ingenuous and very remarkable.
For after his brother's death he took no care to advance
his own children, though he had many, but provided especially for the education of Eumenes's son, and when he
came to age, placed the crown upon his head, and saluted
him with the title of king. But Cambyses, being disturbed
only with a dream that his brother was like to reign over
Asia, without any enquiry after farther evidence or ground
for his jealousy, caused him to be put to death. Whereupon the succession went out of Cyrus's family into the
line of Darius, a prince who understood how to share the
management of his affairs and even his regal authority not
merely with his brothers, but also with his friends.
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