hir sister's children. Afterwards Philip
king of Macedone, an vnquiet Prince, determininge to make newe
warres vpon the Romanes (then throughout the worlde famous and
renouned for theyr good fortune) exiled not onely the chiefe and
noble men, but almost al the auncient inhabitants of the Cities
along the sea coaste of Thessalia, and theyr whole and entier
families into Paeonia afterwards called Emathia, a Countrey farre
distant from the sea, giuing their voided Cities for the
Thracians to inhabite, as most propre and faithful for the
Romains warres, which he intended to make: and hearinge also the
cursses and maledictions pronounced against him by the banished
people, and vniuersally by al other, thought he was in no good
surety, if he caused not likewyse all the sonnes of them, whom a
litle before he had slayne, to be put to Death. Wherefore he
commaunded them to be taken and holden vnder good gard in
prison, not to do them al to be slain at once, but at times now
one and then an other, as occasion serued. Theoxena
vnderstanding the edicte of this wicked and cruell king, and wel
remembring the death of hir husband, and of him that was husband
to hir sister, knew wel that hir sonne and nephew incontinently
should be demaunded, and greatly fearinge the king's wrath, and
the rigour of his guard, if once they fell into theyr hands, to
defend them from shame and cruelty, sodainly applied hir minde
vnto a straunge deuice: for shee durst to saye vnto hir husband
their father's face, that soner she would kil them with hir owne
handes, if otherwise she coulde not warraunt them, then suffer
them to bee at the will and power of kinge Philip. By reason
wherof Poris abhorring so execrable cruelty, to comfort his wife
and to saue hys Chyldren, promysed hyr secretelye to transporte
them from thence, and caryed them himselfe to certayne of hys
faythfull Fryendes at Athens, whych done wythoute longe delaye,
hee made as thoughe hee woulde goe from Thessalonica to Aenias,
to bee at the Solemnytye of certayne Sacrifices, which yearelye
at an appoynted tyme was done wyth greate ceremonies to the
honour of Aeneas the founder of that Citty, where spendinge the
time amonges other in solemne bankets, the thrirde watch of the
night when euery man was a sleepe, as though he would haue
returned home to his countrey with his wyfe and children,
priuely embarked himselfe and them, in a ship hired of purpose
to passe into Euboea, and not to retour