]
Alexander
founded Alexandria in Egypt in the 7th year of his reign, at the same time as the Romans subdued the Latins.
Roman Translations
But since I saw that more than once Rome had been brought to the verge of ruin by internal quarrels, I so administered her affairs as to make her strong as adamant for all time, unless indeed, O ye gods, you will otherwise.
For I did not give way to boundless ambition and aim at enlarging her empire at all costs, but assigned for it two boundaries defined as it were by nature herself, the Danube and the Euphrates.
Then after conquering the Scythians and Thracians I did not employ the long reign that you gods vouchsafed me in making projects for war after war, but devoted my leisure to legislation and to reforming the evils that war had caused.
For in this I though that I was no less well advised than my predecessors, or rather, if I may make bold to say so, I was better advised than any who have ever administered so great an empire.
For some of these, when they might have remained quiet and not taken the field, kept making one war an excuse for the next, like quarrelsome people and their lawsuits; and so they perished in their campaigns.
[327] G Others when they had a war on their hands gave themselves up to indulgence, and preferred such base indulgence not only to future glory but even to their personal safety.
When I reflect on all this I do not think myself entitled to the lowest place.
But whatever shall seem good to you gods, it surely becomes me to accept with a good grace.
"
Trajanus was allowed to speak next. Though he had some talent for oratory he was so lazy that he had been in the habit of letting Sura write most of his speeches for him; so he shouted rather than spoke, and meanwhile, displayed to the gods his Getic and Parthian trophies, while he accused his old age of not having allowed him to extend his Parthian conqusts. "You cannot take us in," said Silenus; "you reigned twenty years and Alexander here only twelve. Why then do you not put it down to your own love of ease, instead of complaining of your short allowance of time? "
Stung by the taunt, since he was not deficient in eloquence, though intemperance often made him seem more stupid than he was, Trajanus began again. "O Zeus and ye other gods, when I took over the empire it was in a sort of lethargy and much disordered by the tyranny that had long prevailed at home, and by the insolent conduct of the Getae. I alone ventured to attack the tribes beyond the Danube, and I subdued the Getae, the most warlike race that ever existed, which is due partly to their physical courage, partly to the doctrines that they have adopted from their admired Zamolxis. For they believe that they do not die but only change their place of abode, and they meet death more readily than other men undertake a journey. Yet I accomplished that task in a matter of five years or so. [328] G That of all the Emperors who came before me I was regarded as the mildest in the treatment of my subjects, is I imagine, obvious, and neither Caesar here nor any other will dispute it with me. Against the Parthians I thought I ought not to employ force until they had put themselves in the wrong, but when they did so I marched against them, undeterred by my age, though the laws would have allowed me to quit the service. Since then the facts are as I have said, do I not deserve to be honoured before all the rest, first because I was so mild to my subjects, secondly because more than others I inspired terror in my country's foes, thirdly because I revered your daughter divine Philosophy? " When Trajanus had finished this speech the gods decided that he excelled all the rest in clemency; and evidently this was a virtue peculiarly pleasing to them.
When Marcus Aurelius began to speak, Silenus whispered to Dionysus, "Let us hear which one of his paradoxes and wonderful doctrines this Stoic will produce. " But Marcus turned to Zeus and the other gods and said, "It seems to me, O Zeus and you other gods, that I have no need to make a speech or compete. If you did not know all that concerns me it would indeed be fitting for me to inform you. But since you know it and nothing at all is hidden from you, do you of your own accord assign me such honour as I deserve. " Thus Marcus showed that admirable as he was in other respects he was wise also beyond the rest, because he knew "When it is time to speak and when to be silent. "
Constantinus was allowed to speak next. On first entering the lists he was confident enough. But when he reflected on the exploits of the others he saw that his own were wholly trivial. [329] G He had defeated two tyrants, but, to tell the truth, one of them was untrained in war and effeminate, the other a poor creature and enfeebled by old age, while both were alike odious to gods and men. Moreover his campaigns against the barbarians covered him with ridicule. For he paid them tribute, so to speak, while he gave all his attention to Pleasure, who stood at a distance from the gods near the entrance to the moon. Of her indeed he was so enamoured that he had no eyes for anything else, and cared not at all for victory. However, as it was his turn and had to say something, he began:
"In the following respects I am superior to these others; to the Macedonian in having fought against Romans, Germans and Scythians, instead of Asiatic barbarians; to Caesar and Octavianus in that I did not, like them, lead a revolution against brave and good citizens, but attacked only the most cruel and wicked tyrants. As for Trajanus, I should naturally rank higher on account of those same glorious exploits against the tyrants, while it would be only fair to regard me as his equal on the score of that territory which he added to the empire, and I recovered; if indeed it be not more glorious to regain than to gain. As for Marcus here, by saying nothing for himself he yields precedence to all of us. "
"But Constantinus," said Silenus, "are you not offering us mere gardens of Adonis as exploits? "
"What do you mean," he asked, "by gardens of Adonis"?
"I mean", said Silenus, "those that women plant in pots, in honour of the lover of Aphrodite, by scraping together a little earth for a garden bed. They bloom for a little space and fade forthwith. " At this Constantinus blushed, for he realised that this was exactly his own performance.
Silence was then proclaimed, and the Emperors thought they had only to wait till the gods decided to whom they would vote the first prize. But the latter agreed that they must bring to light the motives that had governed each, [330] G and not judge them by their actions alone, since Fortune had the greatest share in these. That goddess herself was standing near and kept reproaching all of them, with the single exception of Octavianus; he, she said, had always been grateful to her. Accordingly the gods decided to entrust this enquiry also to Hermes, and he was told to begin with Alexander and to ask him what he considered the finest of all things, and what had been his object in doing and suffering all that he had done and suffered.
"To conquer the world," he replied.
"Well," asked Hermes, "do you think you accomplished this?
"I do indeed," said Alexander.
Whereupon Silenus with a malicious laugh exclaimed, "But you were often conquered yourself by my daughters! " by which he meant his vines, alluding to Alexander's love of wine and intemperate habits.
But Alexander was well stocked with Peripatetic subterfuges, and retorted, "Inanimate things cannot conquer; nor do we contend with such, but only with the whole race of men and beasts. "
"Ah," said Silenus, "behold the chicanery of logic! But tell me in which class you place yourself, the inanimate or the animate and living? "
At this he seemed mortified and said, "Hush! Such was my greatness of soul that I was convinced that I should become, or rather that I was already, a god. "
"At any rate," said Silenus, "you were often defeated by yourself. "
"Nay," retorted Alexander, "to conquer oneself or be defeated by oneself amounts to the same thing. [331] G I was talking of my victories over other men. "
"No more of your logic! " cried Silenus, "how adroitly you detect my sophisms! But when you were wounded in India, and Peucestes lay near you and they carried you out of the town at your last gasp, were you defeated by him who wounded you, or did you conquer him? "
"I conquered him, and what is more I sacked the town as well. "
"Not you indeed, you immortal," said Silenus, "for you were lying like Homer's Hector in a swoon and at your last gasp. It was your soldiers who fought and conquered. "
"Well but I led them," said Alexander.
"How so? When you were being carried away almost dead? "
And then Silenus recited the passage in Euripides beginning
"Alas how unjust is the custom of the Greeks,
When an army triumphs over the enemy" [ Euripides, Andr_693 ] -
But Dionysus interrupted him saying "Stop, little father, say no more, or he will treat you as he treated Cleitus. " At that Alexander blushed, his eyes became suffused with tears and he said no more. Thus their conversation ended.
Next Hermes began to question Caesar, and said, "And you, Caesar, what was the end and aim of your life? "
"To hold the first place in my own country," he replied, "and neither to be nor to be thought second to any man. "
"This," said Hermes, "is not quite clear. Tell me, was it in wisdom that you wished to be first, or in oratorical skill, or in military science, or the science of government? "
"I should have liked well," said Caesar, "to be first of all men in all of these; but as I could not attain to that, I sought to become the most powerful of my fellow-citizens. "
[332] G "And did you become so very powerful? " asked Silenus.
"Certainly," he replied, "since I made myself their master. "
"Yes that you were able to do; but you could not make yourself beloved by them, though you played the philanthropic role as though you were acting in a stage play, and flattered them all shamefully. "
"What! " cried Caesar, "I not beloved by the people? When they punished Brutus and Cassius! "
"That was not for murdering you," replied Silenus, "since for that they elected them consuls! No, it was because of the money you left them. When they had heard your will read they perceived what a fine reward was offered them in it for such resentment of your murder. "
When this dialogue ended, Hermes next accosted Octavianus. "Now for you," he said, "will you please tell us what you thought the finest thing in the world? "
"To govern well," he replied.
"You must say what you mean by 'well,' Augustus. Govern well! The wickedest tyrants claim to do that. Even Dionysius, I suppose, thought that he governed well, and so did Agathocles who was a still greater criminal. "
"But you know, O you gods," said Octavianus, "that when I parted with my grandson I prayed you to give him the courage of Caesar, the cleverness of Pompeius, and my own good fortune. "
"What a many things," cried Silenus, "that do need really saving gods have been jumbled together by this doll-maker! "
"Why pray do you give me that ridiculous name? " asked the other.
"Why," he replied, "just as they model nymphs did you not model gods, Augustus, and first and foremost Caesar here? " [333] G At this Octavianus seemed abashed and said no more.
Then Hermes addressing Trajanus said, "Now you tell us what was the principle that guided all your actions? "
"My aims," he replied, "were the same as Alexander's but I acted with more prudence. "
"Nay," said Silenus, "you were the slave of more ignoble passions. Anger was nearly always his weak point, but yours was pleasure of the vilest and most infamous sort. "
"Plague take you! " exclaimed Dionysus, "You keep railing at them all and you don't let them say a word for themselves. However, in their case there was some ground for your sarcasms, but now consider well what you can find to criticise in Marcus. For in my opinion he is a man, to quote Simonides, 'four-square and made without a flaw. '"
Then Hermes addressed Marcus and said, "and you, Verus, what did you think the noblest ambition in life? " In a low voice he answered modestly, "To imitate the gods. " This answer they at once agreed was highly noble and in fact the best possible. And even Hermes did not wish to cross-examine him further, since he was convinced that Marcus would answer every question equally well.
The other gods were of the same mind; only Silenus cried "By Dionysus I shall not let this sophist off so easily. Why then did you eat bread and drink wine and not ambrosia and nectar like us? "
"Nay," he replied "it was not in the fashion of my meat and drink that I thought to imitate the gods. But I nourished my body because I believed, though perhaps falsely, that even your bodies require to be nourished by the fumes of sacrifice. Not that I supposed I ought to imitate you in that respect, but rather your minds. "
[334] G For the moment Silenus was at a loss as though he had been hit by a good boxer, then he said: "There is perhaps something in what you say; but now tell me what did you think was really meant by 'imitating the gods. '"
"Having the fewest possible needs, and doing good to the greatest possible number. "
"Do you mean to say", he asked, "that you had no needs at all? "
"I", said Marcus, "had none, but my wretched body had a few perhaps. "
Since in this also Marcus seemed to have answered wisely, Silenus was at a loss, but finally fastened on what he thought was foolish and unreasonable in the Emperor's behaviour to his son and wife, I mean in enrolling the latter among the deified and entrusting the empire to the former.
"But in that also," said the other, "I did but imitate the gods. I adopted the maxim of Homer when he says [ Il_9'343 ] 'the good and prudent man loves and cherishes his own wife', while as to my son I can quote the excuse of Zeus himself when he is rebuking Ares [ Il_5'897 ]: 'Long ago,' he says, 'I should have smitten you with a thunderbolt, had I not loved you because you are my son. ' Besides, I never thought my son would prove so wicked. Youth ever vacillates between the extremes of vice and virtue, and if in the end he inclined to vice, still he was not vicious when I entrusted the empire to him; it was only after receiving it that he became corrupted. Therefore my behaviour to my wife was modelled on that of the divine Achilles, and that to my son was in imitation of the supreme Zeus. Moreover, in neither case did I introduce any novelty. It is the custom to hand down the succession to a man's sons, and all men desire to do so; [335] G as for my wife I was not the first to decree divine honours to a wife, for I followed the example of many others. It is perhaps absurd to have introduced any such custom, but it would be almost an injustice to deprive one's nearest and dearest of what is now long established. However, I forget myself when I make this lengthy explanation to you, O Zeus and you other gods; for you know all things. Forgive me this forwardness. "
When Marcus had finished his speech, Hermes asked Constantinus, "And what was the height of your ambition? "
"To amass great wealth," he answered, "and then to spend it liberally so as to gratify my own desires and the desires of my friends. "
At this Silenus burst into a loud laugh, and said, "If it was a banker that you wanted to be, how did you so far forget yourself as to lead the life of a pastry-cook and hairdresser? Your locks and your fair favour betokened this all along, but what you say about your motives convicts you. " Thus did Silenus sharply reprove Constantinus.
Then silence was proclaimed and the gods cast a secret ballot. It turned out that Marcus had most of the votes. After conferring apart with his father, Zeus bade Hermes make a proclamation as follows: "All you mortals who have entered this contest, know that according to our laws and decrees the victor is allowed to exult but the vanquished must not complain. Depart then wherever you please, and in future live every one of you under the guidance of the gods. Let every man choose his own guardian and guide. "
After this announcement, Alexander hastened to Heracles, and Octavianus to Apollo, but Marcus attached himself closely to Zeus and Cronus. Caesar wandered about for a long time and ran hither and thither, till mighty Ares and Aphrodite took pity on him and summoned him to them. Trajanus hastened to Alexander and sat down near him. [336] G As for Constantinus, he could not discover among the gods the model of his own career, but when he caught sight of Pleasure, who was not far off, he ran to her. She received him tenderly and embraced him, then after dressing him in raiment of many colours and otherwise making him beautiful, she led him away to Incontinence. There too he found Jesus, who had taken up his abode with her and cried aloud to all comers: "He that is a seducer, he that is a murderer, he that is sacrilegious and infamous, let him approach without fear! For with this water will I wash him and will straightway make him clean. And though he should be guilty of those same sins a second time, let him but smite his breast and beat his head and I will make him clean again. " To him Constantinus came gladly, when he had conducted his sons forth from the assembly of the gods. But the avenging deities none the less punished both him and them for their impiety, and extracted the penalty for the shedding of the blood of their kindred, until Zeus granted them a respite for the sake of Claudius and Constantius.
"As for you", Hermes said to me, "I have granted you the knowledge of your father Mithras. Keep his commandments, and thus secure for yourself a cable and sure anchorage throughout your life, and when you must depart from the world you can with good hopes adopt him as your guardian god. "
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St. Jerome ( Hieronymus ): Chronological Tables
- for Olympiads 111 to 169 [= 336-101 B. C. ]
St. Jerome translated the tables from Eusebius' Chronicle into Latin, and added some material of his own, for instance about the lives of Roman writers. He also extended the tables up until the year 378 A. D.
Most of the Greek text of Eusebius' Chronicle has been lost, but as well as St. Jerome's Latin translation, we also possess a fairly complete Armenian translation of the Chronicle. Differences between the text of St. Jerome and the Armenian translation (Ar. ) are shown in green.
This translation is based on the old edition by A. Schoene, and it does not attempt to reproduce the original format of the manuscripts. The references in red are the number of years from Abraham.
Olympiads 170 to 203 [= 100 B. C. - 36 A. D. ] →
111th OLYMPIAD [=336-333 B. C. ]:
111. 1 * [1681] Alexander the son of Philippus [became king] of the Macedonians, for 12 years and 6 months.
[not in Ar. ] Manasses, the brother of Jaddus the high priest of the Jews, built a temple on Mount Garizim.
111. 2 * [1682] [1681 in Ar. ] Then Dareius the son of Arsames [became] the 14th [king of the Persians], for 6 years.
111. 3 [1683] [1680 in Ar. ] Alexander fought successfully against the Illyrians and Thracians, and destroyed Thebes. Then he attacked the Persians, and captured Sardis after defeating the king's generals at the river Granicus.
111. 4 [1684] [1686 in Ar. ] The Roman consul Mallius Torquatus flogged and executed his son, because he had disobeyed ordered by fighting against the enemy.
112th OLYMPIAD [=332-329 B. C. ]:
112. 1 [1685] [1680 in Ar. ] Alexander captured Tyre, and entered Judaea, where he was given an enthusiastic welcome. He offered a sacrifice to God, and granted many honours to the priest of the temple. Andromachus, whom he left as governor of the region, was later murdered by the Samaritans. Therefore when he returned from Egypt Alexander punished the Samaritans severely, and handed over their city for the Macedonians to settle in.
112. 3 [1687] [1686 in Ar.
] Alexander founded Alexandria in Egypt in the 7th year of his reign, at the same time as the Romans subdued the Latins.
112. 4 * [1688] [1687 in Ar. ] Alexander started to rule over all of Asia in the 7th year of his reign, and ruled for 12 years.
[1687 in Ar. ] Alexander captured Babylon and killed Dareius, with whom the Persian kingdom came to an end ["after it had lasted for 230 years" - Ar. ]
[1687 in Ar. ] Anaximenes and Epicurus were in their prime.
[1687 in Ar. ] Alexander conquered the Hyrcani and Mardi, and [on his return] founded Paraetonium in Ammon.
113th OLYMPIAD [=328-325 B. C. ]:
113. 1 [1689] [not in Ar. ] Alexander captured the rock of Aornus and crossed the river Indus.
113. 2 [1690] Alexander's war in India against Porus and Taxiles.
113. 3 [1691] [1688 in Ar. ] Harpalus fled to Asia.
113. 4 [1692] [1687 in Ar. ] The Romans conquered the Samnites and founded colonies. ["The Sonii were Arabs from (Arabia) Eudaemon" - Ar. ]
114th OLYMPIAD [=324-321 B. C. ]:
114. 1 * [1693] Alexander died at Babylon, aged 32 years. After his death, his empire was divided amongst many rulers.
* Ptolemy son of Lagus became the first king of Egypt, for 40 years.
* Philippus, also called Aridaeus, the brother of Alexander, became king of the Macedonians, for 7 years.
[not in Ar. ] Appius Claudius Caecus ["the blind"] was in his prime at Rome. He built the Claudian aqueduct and constructed the Appian Way.
[1691 in Ar. ] Lysimachus ruled over Lydia, Thrace and the Hellespont.
The Macedonian leaders fought against each other.
114. 2 [1694] [not in Ar. ] Agathocles became tyrant at Syracuse.
[not in Ar. ] The start of the Lamian War.
Perdiccas attacked the Egyptians.
114. 3 [1695] [not in Ar. ] Ptolemy the son of Lagus gained control of Jerusalem and Judaea by treachery, and brought many captives back to Egypt.
[1698 in Ar. ] Onias the son of Jaddus, the high priest of the Jews, was in his prime.
114. 4 [1696] [1695 in Ar. ] Menander won his first victory, for a play called Orge ["Anger"].
[1697 in Ar. ] The philosopher Theophrastus was in his prime; Cicero says that he was given this name because of his god-like speech.
115th OLYMPIAD [=320-317 B. C. ]:
115. 1 [1697] [not in Ar. ] Demetrius of Phalerum was in his prime.
[1698 in Ar. ] The Romans completely subjugated the Samnites [or "Saunian Arabs" - Ar. ] , who had fought against them for an exceedingly long time.
115. 3 * [1699] Antigonus became king of Asia, for 18 years.
[only in Ar. ] Antigonus founded the city of Antigoneia on the river Orontes, which Seleucus restored and called Antioch.
115. 4 * [1700] Cassander became king of Macedonia, for 19 years.
116th OLYMPIAD [=316-313 B. C. ]:
116. 1 [1701] The philosophers Menedemus and Speusippus were in their prime.
116. 4 [1704] [1702 in Ar. ] The Hebrew books of Maccabees date the rule of the Greeks from this year; but these books have not been accepted as part of Holy Scripture.
117th OLYMPIAD [=312-309 B. C. ]:
117. 1 * [1705] Seleucus Nicator became king of Syria and Babylon and the eastern regions, for 32 years.
[1708 in Ar. ] The Romans defeated the Marsi, Umbri, and Paeligni.
117. 2 [1706] [not in Ar. ] The inhabitants of Edessa date their years from this point.
118th OLYMPIAD [=308-305 B. C. ]:
118. 1 [1709] [1710 in Ar. ] The Romans founded some colonies.
118. 3 [1711] [1709 in Ar. ] Lysimachia in Thrace was founded.
118. 4 [1712] Ptolemy conquered the island of Cyprus.
119th OLYMPIAD [=304-301 B. C. ]:
119. 1 [1713] [not in Ar. ] Theodorus the atheist was in his prime.
119. 2 [1714] [1710 in Ar. ] Demetrius of Phalerum went to Ptolemy, and persuaded him to restore democracy at Athens.
119. 3 [1715] Seleucus founded the cities of Antioch, Laodiceia, Seleuceia, Apameia, Edessa, Beroea and Pella. The foundation of Antioch occurred in the 12th year of his reign.
119. 4 [1716] [not in Ar. ] Seleucus conquered Babylon.
120th OLYMPIAD [=300-297 B. C. ]:
120. 1 * [1717] Demetrius Poliorcetes [became king] of Asia, for 17 years.
[1716 in Ar. ] Simon the son of Onias, the high priest of the Jews, was in his prime. He was called the Just, because of his great piety towards God and the concern which he showed for his countrymen.
120. 3 * [1719] Antigonus and Alexander the sons of Cassander [became kings] of Macedonia, for 4 years.
121st OLYMPIAD [=296-293 B. C. ]
121. 1 [1721] [1720 in Ar. ] Demetrius Poliorcetes, the king of Asia, destroyed the city of the Samaritans, which Perdiccas had previously built.
121. 3 * [1723] Demetrius [became king] of Macedonia, for 6 years [or "5 years" - Ar. ].
A census was held at Rome, and 270,000 [or "220,000" - Ar. ] Roman citizens were counted.
121. 4 [1724] [not in Ar. ] Envoys were sent from Alexandria to Rome for the first time by Ptolemy, and they arranged an alliance.
122nd OLYMPIAD [=292-289 B. C. ]
122. 1 [1725] [1724 in Ar. ] The death of Menander, the writer of comedies.
122. 2 [1726] The Romans defeated the Gauls and Etruscans [or "Gauls and Sabines" - Ar. ] and split up the territory of the Sabines into allotments.
122. 3 [1727] [1726 in Ar. ] Seleucus moved Jewish settlers into the cities which he had built. He gave them the right of citizenship, and an equal rank to the local Greeks.
123rd OLYMPIAD [=288-285 B. C]
123. 1 * [1729] [1728 in Ar. ] Pyrrhus [became king] of Macedonia, for 7 months.
Eleazar the brother of Simon took over the supervision of the temple as high priest of the Jews, because Onias the son of Simon was still a young boy.
123. 2 * [1730] [1729 in Ar. ] Then Lysimachus [became king of Macedonia], for 5 years.
[not in Ar. ] Seleucus captured Demetrius, and gained control of both Syria and Asia.
123. 3 [1731] [1738 in Ar. ] The entry of Sarapis ["called Sorapis or Sirapis by some" - Ar. ] into Alexandria.
123. 4 [1732] [not in Ar. ] The Romans founded Ariminum and Beneventum.
124th OLYMPIAD [=284-281 B. C. ]
124. 1 * [1733] Ptolemy Philadelphus [became] the 2nd [king] of Egypt, for 38 years.
[1734 in Ar. ] Sostratus of Cnidus ["the son of Dexiphanes" - Ar. ] built the Pharus ["a lighthouse of great height" - Ar. ] at Alexandria.
124. 2 [1734] [not in Ar. ] Demetrius the king of Asia surrendered himself to Seleucus.
[1732 in Ar. ] The Romans captured Croton.
124. 3 * [1735] [1734 in Ar. ] Ptolemy Ceraunus [became king] of Macedonia, for 1 year [or "2 years" - Ar. ].
[1731 in Ar. ] Antigonus Gonatas captured Sparta.
124. 4 * [1736] Meleager [became king of Macedonia] for 2 months. Then Antipater, for 45 days. Then Sosthenes, for 2 years.
Ptolemy granted freedom to the Jews who were in Egypt, and sent votive vessels to Eleazar the high priest at Jerusalem. He ordered 70 interpreters to translate the Holy Scripture from Hebrew into Greek, and kept the translation in the library at Alexandria, which he had filled with every kind of literature.
125th OLYMPIAD [=280-277 B. C. ]
125. 1 * [1737] After Seleucus, Antiochus Soter became king of Syria and Asia, for 19 years.
125. 2 * [1738] Antigonus Gonatas [became king of Macedonia], for 36 years.
125. 3 [1739] [1742 in Ar. ] A [Vestal] Virgin at Rome was found to have been defiled, and was executed.
126th OLYMPIAD [=276-273 B. C. ]
126. 2 [1742] [1737 in Ar. ] Milon handed over Tarentum to the Romans.
126. 4 [1744] [1749 in Ar. ] The Romans conquered Calabria and captured Messana.
127th OLYMPIAD [=272-269 B.
Trajanus was allowed to speak next. Though he had some talent for oratory he was so lazy that he had been in the habit of letting Sura write most of his speeches for him; so he shouted rather than spoke, and meanwhile, displayed to the gods his Getic and Parthian trophies, while he accused his old age of not having allowed him to extend his Parthian conqusts. "You cannot take us in," said Silenus; "you reigned twenty years and Alexander here only twelve. Why then do you not put it down to your own love of ease, instead of complaining of your short allowance of time? "
Stung by the taunt, since he was not deficient in eloquence, though intemperance often made him seem more stupid than he was, Trajanus began again. "O Zeus and ye other gods, when I took over the empire it was in a sort of lethargy and much disordered by the tyranny that had long prevailed at home, and by the insolent conduct of the Getae. I alone ventured to attack the tribes beyond the Danube, and I subdued the Getae, the most warlike race that ever existed, which is due partly to their physical courage, partly to the doctrines that they have adopted from their admired Zamolxis. For they believe that they do not die but only change their place of abode, and they meet death more readily than other men undertake a journey. Yet I accomplished that task in a matter of five years or so. [328] G That of all the Emperors who came before me I was regarded as the mildest in the treatment of my subjects, is I imagine, obvious, and neither Caesar here nor any other will dispute it with me. Against the Parthians I thought I ought not to employ force until they had put themselves in the wrong, but when they did so I marched against them, undeterred by my age, though the laws would have allowed me to quit the service. Since then the facts are as I have said, do I not deserve to be honoured before all the rest, first because I was so mild to my subjects, secondly because more than others I inspired terror in my country's foes, thirdly because I revered your daughter divine Philosophy? " When Trajanus had finished this speech the gods decided that he excelled all the rest in clemency; and evidently this was a virtue peculiarly pleasing to them.
When Marcus Aurelius began to speak, Silenus whispered to Dionysus, "Let us hear which one of his paradoxes and wonderful doctrines this Stoic will produce. " But Marcus turned to Zeus and the other gods and said, "It seems to me, O Zeus and you other gods, that I have no need to make a speech or compete. If you did not know all that concerns me it would indeed be fitting for me to inform you. But since you know it and nothing at all is hidden from you, do you of your own accord assign me such honour as I deserve. " Thus Marcus showed that admirable as he was in other respects he was wise also beyond the rest, because he knew "When it is time to speak and when to be silent. "
Constantinus was allowed to speak next. On first entering the lists he was confident enough. But when he reflected on the exploits of the others he saw that his own were wholly trivial. [329] G He had defeated two tyrants, but, to tell the truth, one of them was untrained in war and effeminate, the other a poor creature and enfeebled by old age, while both were alike odious to gods and men. Moreover his campaigns against the barbarians covered him with ridicule. For he paid them tribute, so to speak, while he gave all his attention to Pleasure, who stood at a distance from the gods near the entrance to the moon. Of her indeed he was so enamoured that he had no eyes for anything else, and cared not at all for victory. However, as it was his turn and had to say something, he began:
"In the following respects I am superior to these others; to the Macedonian in having fought against Romans, Germans and Scythians, instead of Asiatic barbarians; to Caesar and Octavianus in that I did not, like them, lead a revolution against brave and good citizens, but attacked only the most cruel and wicked tyrants. As for Trajanus, I should naturally rank higher on account of those same glorious exploits against the tyrants, while it would be only fair to regard me as his equal on the score of that territory which he added to the empire, and I recovered; if indeed it be not more glorious to regain than to gain. As for Marcus here, by saying nothing for himself he yields precedence to all of us. "
"But Constantinus," said Silenus, "are you not offering us mere gardens of Adonis as exploits? "
"What do you mean," he asked, "by gardens of Adonis"?
"I mean", said Silenus, "those that women plant in pots, in honour of the lover of Aphrodite, by scraping together a little earth for a garden bed. They bloom for a little space and fade forthwith. " At this Constantinus blushed, for he realised that this was exactly his own performance.
Silence was then proclaimed, and the Emperors thought they had only to wait till the gods decided to whom they would vote the first prize. But the latter agreed that they must bring to light the motives that had governed each, [330] G and not judge them by their actions alone, since Fortune had the greatest share in these. That goddess herself was standing near and kept reproaching all of them, with the single exception of Octavianus; he, she said, had always been grateful to her. Accordingly the gods decided to entrust this enquiry also to Hermes, and he was told to begin with Alexander and to ask him what he considered the finest of all things, and what had been his object in doing and suffering all that he had done and suffered.
"To conquer the world," he replied.
"Well," asked Hermes, "do you think you accomplished this?
"I do indeed," said Alexander.
Whereupon Silenus with a malicious laugh exclaimed, "But you were often conquered yourself by my daughters! " by which he meant his vines, alluding to Alexander's love of wine and intemperate habits.
But Alexander was well stocked with Peripatetic subterfuges, and retorted, "Inanimate things cannot conquer; nor do we contend with such, but only with the whole race of men and beasts. "
"Ah," said Silenus, "behold the chicanery of logic! But tell me in which class you place yourself, the inanimate or the animate and living? "
At this he seemed mortified and said, "Hush! Such was my greatness of soul that I was convinced that I should become, or rather that I was already, a god. "
"At any rate," said Silenus, "you were often defeated by yourself. "
"Nay," retorted Alexander, "to conquer oneself or be defeated by oneself amounts to the same thing. [331] G I was talking of my victories over other men. "
"No more of your logic! " cried Silenus, "how adroitly you detect my sophisms! But when you were wounded in India, and Peucestes lay near you and they carried you out of the town at your last gasp, were you defeated by him who wounded you, or did you conquer him? "
"I conquered him, and what is more I sacked the town as well. "
"Not you indeed, you immortal," said Silenus, "for you were lying like Homer's Hector in a swoon and at your last gasp. It was your soldiers who fought and conquered. "
"Well but I led them," said Alexander.
"How so? When you were being carried away almost dead? "
And then Silenus recited the passage in Euripides beginning
"Alas how unjust is the custom of the Greeks,
When an army triumphs over the enemy" [ Euripides, Andr_693 ] -
But Dionysus interrupted him saying "Stop, little father, say no more, or he will treat you as he treated Cleitus. " At that Alexander blushed, his eyes became suffused with tears and he said no more. Thus their conversation ended.
Next Hermes began to question Caesar, and said, "And you, Caesar, what was the end and aim of your life? "
"To hold the first place in my own country," he replied, "and neither to be nor to be thought second to any man. "
"This," said Hermes, "is not quite clear. Tell me, was it in wisdom that you wished to be first, or in oratorical skill, or in military science, or the science of government? "
"I should have liked well," said Caesar, "to be first of all men in all of these; but as I could not attain to that, I sought to become the most powerful of my fellow-citizens. "
[332] G "And did you become so very powerful? " asked Silenus.
"Certainly," he replied, "since I made myself their master. "
"Yes that you were able to do; but you could not make yourself beloved by them, though you played the philanthropic role as though you were acting in a stage play, and flattered them all shamefully. "
"What! " cried Caesar, "I not beloved by the people? When they punished Brutus and Cassius! "
"That was not for murdering you," replied Silenus, "since for that they elected them consuls! No, it was because of the money you left them. When they had heard your will read they perceived what a fine reward was offered them in it for such resentment of your murder. "
When this dialogue ended, Hermes next accosted Octavianus. "Now for you," he said, "will you please tell us what you thought the finest thing in the world? "
"To govern well," he replied.
"You must say what you mean by 'well,' Augustus. Govern well! The wickedest tyrants claim to do that. Even Dionysius, I suppose, thought that he governed well, and so did Agathocles who was a still greater criminal. "
"But you know, O you gods," said Octavianus, "that when I parted with my grandson I prayed you to give him the courage of Caesar, the cleverness of Pompeius, and my own good fortune. "
"What a many things," cried Silenus, "that do need really saving gods have been jumbled together by this doll-maker! "
"Why pray do you give me that ridiculous name? " asked the other.
"Why," he replied, "just as they model nymphs did you not model gods, Augustus, and first and foremost Caesar here? " [333] G At this Octavianus seemed abashed and said no more.
Then Hermes addressing Trajanus said, "Now you tell us what was the principle that guided all your actions? "
"My aims," he replied, "were the same as Alexander's but I acted with more prudence. "
"Nay," said Silenus, "you were the slave of more ignoble passions. Anger was nearly always his weak point, but yours was pleasure of the vilest and most infamous sort. "
"Plague take you! " exclaimed Dionysus, "You keep railing at them all and you don't let them say a word for themselves. However, in their case there was some ground for your sarcasms, but now consider well what you can find to criticise in Marcus. For in my opinion he is a man, to quote Simonides, 'four-square and made without a flaw. '"
Then Hermes addressed Marcus and said, "and you, Verus, what did you think the noblest ambition in life? " In a low voice he answered modestly, "To imitate the gods. " This answer they at once agreed was highly noble and in fact the best possible. And even Hermes did not wish to cross-examine him further, since he was convinced that Marcus would answer every question equally well.
The other gods were of the same mind; only Silenus cried "By Dionysus I shall not let this sophist off so easily. Why then did you eat bread and drink wine and not ambrosia and nectar like us? "
"Nay," he replied "it was not in the fashion of my meat and drink that I thought to imitate the gods. But I nourished my body because I believed, though perhaps falsely, that even your bodies require to be nourished by the fumes of sacrifice. Not that I supposed I ought to imitate you in that respect, but rather your minds. "
[334] G For the moment Silenus was at a loss as though he had been hit by a good boxer, then he said: "There is perhaps something in what you say; but now tell me what did you think was really meant by 'imitating the gods. '"
"Having the fewest possible needs, and doing good to the greatest possible number. "
"Do you mean to say", he asked, "that you had no needs at all? "
"I", said Marcus, "had none, but my wretched body had a few perhaps. "
Since in this also Marcus seemed to have answered wisely, Silenus was at a loss, but finally fastened on what he thought was foolish and unreasonable in the Emperor's behaviour to his son and wife, I mean in enrolling the latter among the deified and entrusting the empire to the former.
"But in that also," said the other, "I did but imitate the gods. I adopted the maxim of Homer when he says [ Il_9'343 ] 'the good and prudent man loves and cherishes his own wife', while as to my son I can quote the excuse of Zeus himself when he is rebuking Ares [ Il_5'897 ]: 'Long ago,' he says, 'I should have smitten you with a thunderbolt, had I not loved you because you are my son. ' Besides, I never thought my son would prove so wicked. Youth ever vacillates between the extremes of vice and virtue, and if in the end he inclined to vice, still he was not vicious when I entrusted the empire to him; it was only after receiving it that he became corrupted. Therefore my behaviour to my wife was modelled on that of the divine Achilles, and that to my son was in imitation of the supreme Zeus. Moreover, in neither case did I introduce any novelty. It is the custom to hand down the succession to a man's sons, and all men desire to do so; [335] G as for my wife I was not the first to decree divine honours to a wife, for I followed the example of many others. It is perhaps absurd to have introduced any such custom, but it would be almost an injustice to deprive one's nearest and dearest of what is now long established. However, I forget myself when I make this lengthy explanation to you, O Zeus and you other gods; for you know all things. Forgive me this forwardness. "
When Marcus had finished his speech, Hermes asked Constantinus, "And what was the height of your ambition? "
"To amass great wealth," he answered, "and then to spend it liberally so as to gratify my own desires and the desires of my friends. "
At this Silenus burst into a loud laugh, and said, "If it was a banker that you wanted to be, how did you so far forget yourself as to lead the life of a pastry-cook and hairdresser? Your locks and your fair favour betokened this all along, but what you say about your motives convicts you. " Thus did Silenus sharply reprove Constantinus.
Then silence was proclaimed and the gods cast a secret ballot. It turned out that Marcus had most of the votes. After conferring apart with his father, Zeus bade Hermes make a proclamation as follows: "All you mortals who have entered this contest, know that according to our laws and decrees the victor is allowed to exult but the vanquished must not complain. Depart then wherever you please, and in future live every one of you under the guidance of the gods. Let every man choose his own guardian and guide. "
After this announcement, Alexander hastened to Heracles, and Octavianus to Apollo, but Marcus attached himself closely to Zeus and Cronus. Caesar wandered about for a long time and ran hither and thither, till mighty Ares and Aphrodite took pity on him and summoned him to them. Trajanus hastened to Alexander and sat down near him. [336] G As for Constantinus, he could not discover among the gods the model of his own career, but when he caught sight of Pleasure, who was not far off, he ran to her. She received him tenderly and embraced him, then after dressing him in raiment of many colours and otherwise making him beautiful, she led him away to Incontinence. There too he found Jesus, who had taken up his abode with her and cried aloud to all comers: "He that is a seducer, he that is a murderer, he that is sacrilegious and infamous, let him approach without fear! For with this water will I wash him and will straightway make him clean. And though he should be guilty of those same sins a second time, let him but smite his breast and beat his head and I will make him clean again. " To him Constantinus came gladly, when he had conducted his sons forth from the assembly of the gods. But the avenging deities none the less punished both him and them for their impiety, and extracted the penalty for the shedding of the blood of their kindred, until Zeus granted them a respite for the sake of Claudius and Constantius.
"As for you", Hermes said to me, "I have granted you the knowledge of your father Mithras. Keep his commandments, and thus secure for yourself a cable and sure anchorage throughout your life, and when you must depart from the world you can with good hopes adopt him as your guardian god. "
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St. Jerome ( Hieronymus ): Chronological Tables
- for Olympiads 111 to 169 [= 336-101 B. C. ]
St. Jerome translated the tables from Eusebius' Chronicle into Latin, and added some material of his own, for instance about the lives of Roman writers. He also extended the tables up until the year 378 A. D.
Most of the Greek text of Eusebius' Chronicle has been lost, but as well as St. Jerome's Latin translation, we also possess a fairly complete Armenian translation of the Chronicle. Differences between the text of St. Jerome and the Armenian translation (Ar. ) are shown in green.
This translation is based on the old edition by A. Schoene, and it does not attempt to reproduce the original format of the manuscripts. The references in red are the number of years from Abraham.
Olympiads 170 to 203 [= 100 B. C. - 36 A. D. ] →
111th OLYMPIAD [=336-333 B. C. ]:
111. 1 * [1681] Alexander the son of Philippus [became king] of the Macedonians, for 12 years and 6 months.
[not in Ar. ] Manasses, the brother of Jaddus the high priest of the Jews, built a temple on Mount Garizim.
111. 2 * [1682] [1681 in Ar. ] Then Dareius the son of Arsames [became] the 14th [king of the Persians], for 6 years.
111. 3 [1683] [1680 in Ar. ] Alexander fought successfully against the Illyrians and Thracians, and destroyed Thebes. Then he attacked the Persians, and captured Sardis after defeating the king's generals at the river Granicus.
111. 4 [1684] [1686 in Ar. ] The Roman consul Mallius Torquatus flogged and executed his son, because he had disobeyed ordered by fighting against the enemy.
112th OLYMPIAD [=332-329 B. C. ]:
112. 1 [1685] [1680 in Ar. ] Alexander captured Tyre, and entered Judaea, where he was given an enthusiastic welcome. He offered a sacrifice to God, and granted many honours to the priest of the temple. Andromachus, whom he left as governor of the region, was later murdered by the Samaritans. Therefore when he returned from Egypt Alexander punished the Samaritans severely, and handed over their city for the Macedonians to settle in.
112. 3 [1687] [1686 in Ar.
] Alexander founded Alexandria in Egypt in the 7th year of his reign, at the same time as the Romans subdued the Latins.
112. 4 * [1688] [1687 in Ar. ] Alexander started to rule over all of Asia in the 7th year of his reign, and ruled for 12 years.
[1687 in Ar. ] Alexander captured Babylon and killed Dareius, with whom the Persian kingdom came to an end ["after it had lasted for 230 years" - Ar. ]
[1687 in Ar. ] Anaximenes and Epicurus were in their prime.
[1687 in Ar. ] Alexander conquered the Hyrcani and Mardi, and [on his return] founded Paraetonium in Ammon.
113th OLYMPIAD [=328-325 B. C. ]:
113. 1 [1689] [not in Ar. ] Alexander captured the rock of Aornus and crossed the river Indus.
113. 2 [1690] Alexander's war in India against Porus and Taxiles.
113. 3 [1691] [1688 in Ar. ] Harpalus fled to Asia.
113. 4 [1692] [1687 in Ar. ] The Romans conquered the Samnites and founded colonies. ["The Sonii were Arabs from (Arabia) Eudaemon" - Ar. ]
114th OLYMPIAD [=324-321 B. C. ]:
114. 1 * [1693] Alexander died at Babylon, aged 32 years. After his death, his empire was divided amongst many rulers.
* Ptolemy son of Lagus became the first king of Egypt, for 40 years.
* Philippus, also called Aridaeus, the brother of Alexander, became king of the Macedonians, for 7 years.
[not in Ar. ] Appius Claudius Caecus ["the blind"] was in his prime at Rome. He built the Claudian aqueduct and constructed the Appian Way.
[1691 in Ar. ] Lysimachus ruled over Lydia, Thrace and the Hellespont.
The Macedonian leaders fought against each other.
114. 2 [1694] [not in Ar. ] Agathocles became tyrant at Syracuse.
[not in Ar. ] The start of the Lamian War.
Perdiccas attacked the Egyptians.
114. 3 [1695] [not in Ar. ] Ptolemy the son of Lagus gained control of Jerusalem and Judaea by treachery, and brought many captives back to Egypt.
[1698 in Ar. ] Onias the son of Jaddus, the high priest of the Jews, was in his prime.
114. 4 [1696] [1695 in Ar. ] Menander won his first victory, for a play called Orge ["Anger"].
[1697 in Ar. ] The philosopher Theophrastus was in his prime; Cicero says that he was given this name because of his god-like speech.
115th OLYMPIAD [=320-317 B. C. ]:
115. 1 [1697] [not in Ar. ] Demetrius of Phalerum was in his prime.
[1698 in Ar. ] The Romans completely subjugated the Samnites [or "Saunian Arabs" - Ar. ] , who had fought against them for an exceedingly long time.
115. 3 * [1699] Antigonus became king of Asia, for 18 years.
[only in Ar. ] Antigonus founded the city of Antigoneia on the river Orontes, which Seleucus restored and called Antioch.
115. 4 * [1700] Cassander became king of Macedonia, for 19 years.
116th OLYMPIAD [=316-313 B. C. ]:
116. 1 [1701] The philosophers Menedemus and Speusippus were in their prime.
116. 4 [1704] [1702 in Ar. ] The Hebrew books of Maccabees date the rule of the Greeks from this year; but these books have not been accepted as part of Holy Scripture.
117th OLYMPIAD [=312-309 B. C. ]:
117. 1 * [1705] Seleucus Nicator became king of Syria and Babylon and the eastern regions, for 32 years.
[1708 in Ar. ] The Romans defeated the Marsi, Umbri, and Paeligni.
117. 2 [1706] [not in Ar. ] The inhabitants of Edessa date their years from this point.
118th OLYMPIAD [=308-305 B. C. ]:
118. 1 [1709] [1710 in Ar. ] The Romans founded some colonies.
118. 3 [1711] [1709 in Ar. ] Lysimachia in Thrace was founded.
118. 4 [1712] Ptolemy conquered the island of Cyprus.
119th OLYMPIAD [=304-301 B. C. ]:
119. 1 [1713] [not in Ar. ] Theodorus the atheist was in his prime.
119. 2 [1714] [1710 in Ar. ] Demetrius of Phalerum went to Ptolemy, and persuaded him to restore democracy at Athens.
119. 3 [1715] Seleucus founded the cities of Antioch, Laodiceia, Seleuceia, Apameia, Edessa, Beroea and Pella. The foundation of Antioch occurred in the 12th year of his reign.
119. 4 [1716] [not in Ar. ] Seleucus conquered Babylon.
120th OLYMPIAD [=300-297 B. C. ]:
120. 1 * [1717] Demetrius Poliorcetes [became king] of Asia, for 17 years.
[1716 in Ar. ] Simon the son of Onias, the high priest of the Jews, was in his prime. He was called the Just, because of his great piety towards God and the concern which he showed for his countrymen.
120. 3 * [1719] Antigonus and Alexander the sons of Cassander [became kings] of Macedonia, for 4 years.
121st OLYMPIAD [=296-293 B. C. ]
121. 1 [1721] [1720 in Ar. ] Demetrius Poliorcetes, the king of Asia, destroyed the city of the Samaritans, which Perdiccas had previously built.
121. 3 * [1723] Demetrius [became king] of Macedonia, for 6 years [or "5 years" - Ar. ].
A census was held at Rome, and 270,000 [or "220,000" - Ar. ] Roman citizens were counted.
121. 4 [1724] [not in Ar. ] Envoys were sent from Alexandria to Rome for the first time by Ptolemy, and they arranged an alliance.
122nd OLYMPIAD [=292-289 B. C. ]
122. 1 [1725] [1724 in Ar. ] The death of Menander, the writer of comedies.
122. 2 [1726] The Romans defeated the Gauls and Etruscans [or "Gauls and Sabines" - Ar. ] and split up the territory of the Sabines into allotments.
122. 3 [1727] [1726 in Ar. ] Seleucus moved Jewish settlers into the cities which he had built. He gave them the right of citizenship, and an equal rank to the local Greeks.
123rd OLYMPIAD [=288-285 B. C]
123. 1 * [1729] [1728 in Ar. ] Pyrrhus [became king] of Macedonia, for 7 months.
Eleazar the brother of Simon took over the supervision of the temple as high priest of the Jews, because Onias the son of Simon was still a young boy.
123. 2 * [1730] [1729 in Ar. ] Then Lysimachus [became king of Macedonia], for 5 years.
[not in Ar. ] Seleucus captured Demetrius, and gained control of both Syria and Asia.
123. 3 [1731] [1738 in Ar. ] The entry of Sarapis ["called Sorapis or Sirapis by some" - Ar. ] into Alexandria.
123. 4 [1732] [not in Ar. ] The Romans founded Ariminum and Beneventum.
124th OLYMPIAD [=284-281 B. C. ]
124. 1 * [1733] Ptolemy Philadelphus [became] the 2nd [king] of Egypt, for 38 years.
[1734 in Ar. ] Sostratus of Cnidus ["the son of Dexiphanes" - Ar. ] built the Pharus ["a lighthouse of great height" - Ar. ] at Alexandria.
124. 2 [1734] [not in Ar. ] Demetrius the king of Asia surrendered himself to Seleucus.
[1732 in Ar. ] The Romans captured Croton.
124. 3 * [1735] [1734 in Ar. ] Ptolemy Ceraunus [became king] of Macedonia, for 1 year [or "2 years" - Ar. ].
[1731 in Ar. ] Antigonus Gonatas captured Sparta.
124. 4 * [1736] Meleager [became king of Macedonia] for 2 months. Then Antipater, for 45 days. Then Sosthenes, for 2 years.
Ptolemy granted freedom to the Jews who were in Egypt, and sent votive vessels to Eleazar the high priest at Jerusalem. He ordered 70 interpreters to translate the Holy Scripture from Hebrew into Greek, and kept the translation in the library at Alexandria, which he had filled with every kind of literature.
125th OLYMPIAD [=280-277 B. C. ]
125. 1 * [1737] After Seleucus, Antiochus Soter became king of Syria and Asia, for 19 years.
125. 2 * [1738] Antigonus Gonatas [became king of Macedonia], for 36 years.
125. 3 [1739] [1742 in Ar. ] A [Vestal] Virgin at Rome was found to have been defiled, and was executed.
126th OLYMPIAD [=276-273 B. C. ]
126. 2 [1742] [1737 in Ar. ] Milon handed over Tarentum to the Romans.
126. 4 [1744] [1749 in Ar. ] The Romans conquered Calabria and captured Messana.
127th OLYMPIAD [=272-269 B.
