had adopted, applying
himself with them to the spindle and the distaff, neither understanding
nor doing any other thing than spinning, eating and drinking, and
wallowing in all manner of infamous pleasure. Accordingly, a statue was
erected to him, after his death, which represented him in the posture of a
dancer, with an inscription upon it, in which he addressed himself to the
spectator in these words: _Eat, drink, and be merry; every thing else is
nothing_: an inscription very suitable to the epitaph he himself had
ordered to be put upon his monument.(1012)

Plutarch in this place judges of Semiramis, as almost all the profane
historians do of the glory of conquerors. But, if we would make a true
judgment of things, was the unbounded ambition of that queen much less
blamable, than the dissolute effeminacy of Sardanapalus? Which of the two
vices did most mischief to mankind?

We are not to wonder that the Assyrian empire should fall under such a
prince; but undoubtedly it was not till after having passed through
various augmentations, diminutions, and revolutions, common to all states,
even to the greatest, during the course of several ages. This empire had
subsisted above 1450 years.

Of the ruins of this vast empire were formed three considerable kingdoms;
that of the Medes, which Arbaces, the principal head of the conspiracy,
restored to its liberty; that of the Assyrians of Babylon, which was given
to Belesis, governor of that city; and that of the Assyrians of Nineveh,
the first king whereof took the name of Ninus the younger.

In order to understand the history of the second Assyrian empire, which is
very obscure, and of which little is said by historians, it is proper, and
even absolutely necessary, to compare what is said of it by profane
authors with what we are informed concerning it by holy Scripture; that by
the help of that double light we may have the clearer idea of the two
empires of Nineveh and Babylon, which for some time were separate and
distinct, and afterwards united and confounded together. I shall first
treat of this second Assyrian empire, and then return to the kingdom of
the Medes.

Chapter II. The Second Assyrian Empire, both of Nineveh and Babylon.

This second Assyrian empire continued two hundred and ten years, reckoning
to the year in which Cyrus, who was become absolute master of the East by
the death of his father Cambyses and his father-in-law Cyaxares, published
the fam