University of Virginia Library

THE ARGVMENT.

Philotas the Sonne of Parmenio, was a man of

great estimation, among the Macedonians, and next vnto Alexander, held to be the most-valiant of the Greekes: patient of trauell, exceeding bountifull, and one that loued his men and friends better then any Noble-man of the Campe: but otherwise, noted of vaine-glory and prodigalitie, insomuch, as his father (hauing notice of his carriage) warned him to make himselfe lesse then he was, to auoide the enuie of the Campe, and the dislike of the King, who grew suspicious of him, in respect of the greatnesse of his father, and his owne popularitie, and by hauing intelligence of certaine vaunts of his, vsed to Antigona a faire Curtizan, borne in the City of Pidna; with whom being in loue, hee let fall many braue words and boasts of a Souldier, to aduance his owne actions and his fathers, terming Alexander at euery word, The yong man. Which speeches Antigona reuealing to a Companion of hers, were at length brought to Craterus, who with the woman, carried them to Alexander; whereby Philotas lay open to all the aduantages that might worke his ouerthrow: and in the end, concealing a conspiracie (which was reuealed vnto him) intended against the Kng, was thereby suspected to haue beene a party in the plot: but brought before Alexander, he so defended himselfe, that hee obtained his pardon for that time, supped with the King that night, and yet the next day, notwithstanding, was arraigned for the same fact, which hee stoutly denying, was afteward put to torture, and then confest his treason. And indeede, Alexanders drawing a Pedegree from Heauen, with assuming the Persian magnificence, was the cause that withdrew many the hearts of the Nobilitie and people from him, and by the confession of Philotas was that, which gaue a purpose to him and his father to haue subuerted the King as soone as hee had established Asia, and freed them from other feares, which being by Ephestion and Craterus, two the most especiall Councellers of Alexander, grauely and prouidently discerned, was prosecuted in that manner as became their neerenesse and deerenesse with their Lord and Master, and fitting to the safety of the State, in the case of so great an Aspirer; who, no doubt, had he not beene preuented (howsoeuer popularly in the Army it might be otherwise deemed) hee had turned the course of gouernement vpon his father himselfe, or els by his imbroilements made it a monster of many heads, as it afterward proued vpon the death of Alexander. The Chorus consisting of three Græcians (as of three estates of a Kingdome) and one Persian, representing the multitude and body of a People, who vulgarly (according to their affections, carried rather with compassion on Great-mens misfortunes, then with the consideration of the cause) frame their imaginations by that square, and censure what is done.