The Historians' History of the World 01

Ninus therefore marching with these Forces against the Bactrians, divided his Army into Two Bodies, because of the straitness and difficulty of the Passages. There are in Bactria many large and populous Cities, but one is more especially Famous, call’d Bactria, in which the King’s Palace, for greatness and magnificence, and the Citadel for strength, far excel all the rest.

Oxyartes reign’d there at this time, who caus’d all that were able, to bear Arms, and muster’d an Army of Four Hundred Thousand Men. With these he met the Enemy at the Straights, entering into his Country, where he suffered Ninus to enter with part of his Army: When he saw a competent number enter’d, he fell upon them in the open Plain, and fought them with that resolution, that the Bactrians put the Assyrians to flight, and pursuing them to the next Mountains, kill’d a Hundred Thousand of their Enemies; but after the whole Army enter’d, the Bactrians were overpower’d by number, and were broken, and all fled to their several Cities, in order to defend every one his own Country. Ninus easily subdu’d all the rest of the Forts and Castles; but Bactria itself was so strong and well provided, that he could not force it; which occasion’d a long and tedious Siege, so that the Husband of Semiramis (who was there in the King’s Camp) being Love-sick, impatient of being any longer without his wife, sent for her, who being both discreet and couragious, and endowed with other noble Qualifications, readily imbrac’d the opportunity of shewing to the World her own natural Valour and Resolution; and that she might with more safety perform so long a Journey, she put on such a Garment as whereby she could not be discern’d whether she were a Man or a Woman; and so made, that by it she both preserv’d her Beauty from being scorcht by the heat in her Journey, and likewise was thereby more nimble and ready for any business she pleas’d to undertake, being of her self a youthful and sprightly Lady; and this sort of Garment was in so high esteem, that the Medes afterwards when they came to be Lords of Asia, wore Semiramis’s Gown, and the Persians likewise after them.

As soon as she came to Bactria, and observ’d the manner of the Siege, how Assaults were made only in open and plain Places most likely to be enter’d, and that none dar’d to approach the Cittadel, because of its natural Strength and Fortification, and that they within took more care to defend the lower and weaker parts of the Walls, than the Castle where they neglected their Guards, she took some with her that were skilful in climbing up the Rocks, and with them with much Toyl, pass’d over a deep Trench, and possess’d her self of part of the Castle; whereupon she gave a Signal to them that were assaulting the Wall upon the Plain. Then they that were within the City being suddenly struck with a Panick Fear at the taking of the Castle, in desperation of making any further defence forsook the Walls.

The City being taken in this manner, the King greatly admir’d the Valour of the Woman, and bountifully rewarded her, and was presently so passionately affected at the sight of her Beauty, that he us’d all the Arguments imaginable to persuade her Husband to bestow his Wife upon him, promising him as a Reward of his Kindness, to give him his daughter Sosana in Marriage: But he absolutely refus’d; upon which the King threaten’d him, that if he would not consent, he would pluck out his Eyes.

Menon hereupon out of fear of the King’s Threats, and overpower’d with the Love of his Wife, fell into a distracted Rage and Madness, and forthwith hang’d himself. And this was the occasion of the advancement of Semiramis to the Regal state and dignity.

Ninus having now possess’d himself of all the Treasures of Bactria (where was abundance of Gold and Silver) and settled his Affairs throughout the whole Province of Bactria, returned with his Army to his own Country.

Afterwards he had a Son by Semiramis, call’d Ninyas, and dy’d leaving his Wife Queen Regent. She bury’d her Husband Ninus in the Royal Palace, and rais’d over him a Mount of Earth of a wonderful bigness, being Nine Furlongs in height, and ten in breadth, as Ctesias says: So that the City standing in a Plain near to the River Euphrates, the Mount (many Furlongs off) looks like a stately Cittadel. And it’s said, that it continues to this day, though Nineve was destroy’d by the Medes when they ruin’d the Assyrian Empire.

SEMIRAMIS BUILDS A GREAT CITY