Xerxes, Artabazanes the fame inftant proftrated himself before him, acknowledging him for his mafter, and placed him upon the throne with his own hand; by which proceeding he fhewed a greatnefs of foul, truly royal, and infinitely fuperior to all human dignities. This ready acquiefcence in a fentence fo contrary to his interefts, was not the effect of an artful policy, that knows how to diffemble upon occafion, and to derive honour to itself from what it could not prevent: No; it proceeded from a real respect for the laws, a fincere affection for his brother, and an indifference for that which fo warmly inflames the ambition of mankind, and fo frequently arms the neareft relations against each other. For his part, during his whole life, he continued firmly attached to the interefts of Xerxes, and profecuted them with fo much ardour and zeal, that he loft his life in his fervice at the battle of Salamin.

*

(b) At whatever time this difpute is to be placed, it is evident Darius could not execute the double expedition he was meditating againft Egypt and Greece; and that he was prevented by death from purfuing that project. He had reigned thirty-fix years. The epitaph of this prince, which contains a boaft, that he could drink much without difordering his reafon, proves that the Perfians actually thought that circumftance for their glory. We fhall fee in the fequel, that Cyrus the younger afcribes this quality to himself, as a perfection that rendered him more worthy of the throne than his elder brother. Who in thefe times would think of annexing this me rit to the qualifications of an excellent prince?

This prince had many excellent qualities, but they were attended with great failings; and the kingdom felt the effects both of the one and the other. For fuch is the condition of princes, they never act nor live for themselves alone. Whatever they are, either as to good or evil, they are for their peaple; and the interefts of the one and the other are infeparable. Darius had a great fund of gentleness, equity, clemency, and kindness for his people: He loved juftice, and refpected the laws: He efteemed merit, and was careful to reward it: He was not jealous of his rank or authority, fo as to exact a forced homage, or to render himself inacceffible; and notwithstanding his own great experience and abilities in publick affairs, he would hearken to the advice of others, and reap the benefit of their counfels. It is of him the holy (e) feripture speaks, where

(6) Herod. I. vi. c. 4.

(c) Efth. i. 13.

Houváμnv y olvov @ivery woλùv, * | veftra ad remp. pertineant, Tacita τοῦτον φέρειν καλῶς. Athen.l.x. p. 434. b. iv. c. 8.

tita nati eftis, ut bona malaque

where it fays, that he did nothing without confulting the wife men of his court. He was not afraid of expofing his perfon in battle, and was always cool even in the heat of action: (d) He faid of himself, that the moft imminent and preffing danger ferved only to increase his courage and his prudence: In a word, there have been few princes more expert than he in the art of governing, or more experienced in the bufinefs of war. Nor was the glory of being a conqueror, if that may be called a glory, wanting to his character. For he not only restored and entirely confirmed the empire of Cyrus, which had been very much fhaken by the ill conduct of Cambyfes and the Magian impoftor; but he likewife added many great and rich provinces to it, and particularly India, Thrace, Macedonia, and the ifles contiguous to the coafts of Ionia.

But fometimes thefe good qualities of his gave way to failings of a quite oppofite nature. Do we fee any thing like Darius's ufual gentleness and good nature in his treatment of that unfortunate father, who defired the favour of him to leave him one of his three fons at home, while the other two followed the king in his expedition? Was there ever an occafion wherein he had more need of counfel, than when he formed the defign of making war upon the Scythians? And could any one give more prudent advice, than what his brother gave him on that occafion? But he would not follow it. Does there appear in that whole expedition any mark of wifdom, or prudence? What do we fee in all that affair, but a prince intoxiented with bis greatnefs, who fancies there is nothing in the world that can refift him; and whofe weak ambition to fignalize himself by an extraordinary conqueft, has ftifled all the good fenfe, judgment, and even military knowledge, he poffeffed before?

What conftitutes the folid glory of Darius's reign is, his being chofen by God himself, as Cyrus had been before, to be the inftrument of his mercies towards his people, the declared protector of the Ifraelites, and the reftorer of the temple at Jerufalem. The reader may fee this part of his hiftory in the book of Ezra, and in the writings of the prophets Haggai and Zechariah.

(d) Plut, in Apoph. p. 172.

END OF VOL. II.