THE ANNALS THE WORLD

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2413. These met in Cappadocia. Craterus had the right wing and Neoptolemus the left. Eumenes put none of his Macedonians to fight against Craterus but only two regiments of foreign cavalry led by Pharnabazus, the son of Arabazus and by Tenedius of Phoenicia. He wanted them without any shouting or words to attack the enemy quickly. Eumenes, with a company of 300 cavalry attacked like lightening on Neoptolemus. Craterus acted very bravely and valiantly. However his horse stumbled and a certain Thracian, or rather an Arrian, a Paphlagonian, put a lance through his side and knocked him to the ground. In the fall, one of Eumenes' captains recognised him and did what he could to save him. However he died from his wound. Meanwhile, Eumenes and Neoptolemus met and fought with each other. Both got off their horses to the ground so that each man might easily see with how deadly a hatred they encountered each other and that their spirits were more hostile than their bodies could be. Eumenes wounded Neoptolemus in one of his hamstring muscles. Although his hamstrings were cut and he fell, yet his courage bore him up and he raised himself up on his knees. He continued fighting and gave Eumenes three wounds, one in his arm and the other two in his thigh. None of them was mortal. After the second blow, Eumenes made a full blow at him and struck off his head. This was about ten days after the former victory which he had over him. (Diod. Sic. Justin, ut sup. and Arrian.)

2414. When Eumenes saw Craterus brought half dead from the battle, he did what he possibly could to save his life. When he died, he wept bitterly over him and with outstretched arms lamented his fate. He had held a high position and the two liked each other very much. He gave him an honourable burial and sent his bones home into Macedon to his wife and children. (Plut. and Emil. Pro. in Eumene.)

2415. Both the leaders were slain and many others especially of the better troops were taken prisoner. The rest of the cavalry fled back to the main squadron of the foot soldiers as to a more sure defence. Eumenes was content with what he had done, sounded a retreat and set up a monument on the place and buried his dead. The enemy foot soldiers were trapped and could not escape without Eumenes' permission and desired peace. They swore oaths of loyalty to him and had permission to buy food in the adjoining places. However, as soon as they had gotten food and recovered their strength, they broke their oath and returned to Antipater. (Diod. with Arrian. and Emil. Probus.)

2416. Perdiccas, with the two kings, Aridaens, and the young child Alexander came with his army into Egypt and camped near Pelusium. While he was busy in clearing an old ditch, an extraordinary flood of the Nile destroyed all his works. Although Ptolemy had cleared himself to the world of all those crimes which Perdiccas charged him with and the army was not enthused but this campaign, Perdiccas was determined to make a war on him. (Diod. Sic. and Arrian.)

2417. When Perdiccas at last saw that many of his friends abandoned him and fled over to Ptolemy, he assembled all his commanders and captains. He tried to win them over with gifts, generous promises, fair words and his good behaviour toward them. Then moving his camp without any noise, in the night and camped on the bank of the Nile River not for from a certain citadel called Murus Camelorum, i.e. a Wall of Camels. At day break, he crossed the river with his army and elephants and attacked the citadel but was valiantly repulsed by Ptolemy and gladly retreated into his camp again. The next night, he moved as quietly as possible and came to a place opposite Memphis. Here the river parted and made an island suitable to camp on. In crossing the river to the island he lost more than 2000 men. At least 1000 who were for a long time tossed up and down in the water, were devoured by the crocodiles and other large animals in the river. Ptolemy took these bodies as were cast ashore on his side of the river and gave them a proper funeral. He sent their bones to their friends and kinsmen in the army. Thereupon, the minds of the soldiers grew much more enraged against Perdiccas, and were more inclined to Ptolemy than ever before. (Diod. Sic.)

2418. Then arose a rebellion in the camp in which about 100 of the chief commanders including Pithon defected from Perdiccas. Pithon was a very brave man and noted for his virtue and valour. He was held in high esteem among all Alexander's friends. Some of the cavalry conspired secretly together and went to Perdiccas' pavilion and killed him. He had now held that government 3 full years, at least, the third year running. (Diod. Sic. with Arrian and Justin. l. 13. c. 8. Pausan. in Attic. p. 5. and Emil. Prob. in Eumenes.)

2419. The next day when the whole army was called together, Ptolemy crossed the river and came to the two kings. He presented both them and other of the nobles with expensive gifts and behaved himself fairly and in a humble manner to them all. When he had excused himself for what he had done, he found that the army was destitute of provisions. He supplied them with plenty of grain and all other necessities. He made it publicly to appear that he was heartily sorry and bemoaned the present state and condition of Perdiccas' friends. If he saw any Macedonian in any distress or danger, he did what he possibly could to relieve and help him. By so gracious behaviour, he might easily have gotten to be the guardian of the two kings, as Perdiccas had been. Yet he persuaded them to make Pithon and Aridaeus the guardians of the two kings, Aridaeus and the young child, Alexander. This they all agreed to. Pithon was the man that had formerly quieted the disturbances of the Greeks in upper Asia. Aridaeus had formerly the duty of convoying the body of Alexander from Babylon. They had supreme power over all the armies as Perdiccas had, according to the first establishment. (Diod. Sic & Arrian.)

2420. Two days after the death of Perdiccas, news arrived of Eumenes' victory in Cappadocia and of the death of Neoptolemus and Craterus. If this had come 2 days earlier, it would have no doubt saved Perdiccas' life. For who, after that success, would have dared stirred against him? The Macedonians were enraged for the death of Craterus and declared Eumenes a public enemy along with 50 of his friends. Pitho Illyrius, (for so I read them, in Justin, as also in Arrian's Indica, p. 185. Pithon, the son of Craterus, of Alcomene; which in Stephanus' de Urbibus, is a city in Illyria) and Alcetas the brother of Perdiccas were on the list. The generals who were against them were Antigonus and Antipater. For this purpose was Antigonus sent for from Cyprus and commanded together with Antipater to come to the two kings in all haste. (Diod. Sic. and Arrian. with Just. l. 13. c. 8. and Plut. in Eumene.)

2421. In Egypt all that had any association with Perdiccas were executed including his sister Atalanta whom Attalus the admiral of Perdiccas with the fleet at Pelusium, had married. When he heard of the death of his wife and of Perdiccas, he weighed anchor and sailed to Tyre. Archelaus a Macedonian and governor of the place entertained him with all respect and love. He surrendered the city and gave the 800 talents which Perdiccas had deposited there to him.

2422. Attalus stayed at Tyre and received and helped all of Perdiccas' friends who escaped from the camp at Memphis. (Diod. Sic.)

2423. Euridice, the wife of King Aridaeus, did not want the two guardians to make any important decisions without her. First they declined to do this. Later they told her plainly that she had nothing to do with matters of state and they would have care of her only until Antigonus and Antipater came. (Arrian.)

2424. Pithon and Aridaeus, the two guardians left the Nile River with the two kings and the army and came to Triparadisus in upper Syria. Euridice was meddling in matters of state and would many times cross the guardians. Pithon was offended by this all the more when he saw the Macedonians were inclined to obey her commands. He called the Macedonians together and before them all resigned his guardianship. Thereupon they chose Antipater to be the guardian in his place with all the sovereign power going with it. (Diod.)

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2425. The army now demanded of Antipater all those rewards for their long labour in the wars which Alexander had made them serve in. When Antipater had nothing to give them at that time, he told them that their demands were just and reasonable and that he would shortly look into the king's treasure and find out whatever he had laid up. This speech gave the army little satisfaction. Thereupon when Euridice also helped forment discontent with him, the minds of the common soldiers were stirred up to rebel against him. At the same time Euridice made a public declamation against him. It was read by Asclepiodorus, her secretary, to the people. Attalus agreed and made a speech of his own. So that Antipater barely escaped alive out of their hands. However, Antigonus and Seleucus stood up in his defence and by this risked their own lives also.

2426. Therefore when Antipater had escaped to his own army, the chief commanders of the cavalry came together. After much adieu, they pacified the multitude and so Antipater was sent for again and asked to resume the sovereign power and use it as formerly he had done. (Diod.)

2427. After this, Antipater made a new distribution of the governments of the provinces in Triparadisus. He partly ratified what had formerly been done in that region and made some alterations as required. He left Ptolemy what he had, for it was hard to remove him to any other government since he was firmly entrenched in Egypt. Mesopotamia and the country of Arbela were assigned to Amphimachus, the king's brother. Babylon went to Seleucus, Parthia to Philippuis, Aria and Drangiana to Atasander of Cyprus. Bactria and Sogdiana went to Stasanor of Solos from the same land. Media, as far as to the Caspian Gates, was taken from Atropates, the son-in-law of the deceased Perdiccas and given to Pithon the son of Crateas or Cratenas. Thereupon Atropates, called the lesser Media from his own name Atroperia and revolted from the Macedonian government and made himself absolute king of it. His posterity held it down until the time of Strabo. (Strabo. l. 11. p. 523.) Antigenes, (for whom Antigonus is incorrectly written in Diodorus) captain of the silver targeteers was given the province of Susa because he was the first that went against Perdiccas. 3000 of the most active Macedonians in the recent sedition were given to him. The rest of the provinces of the upper Asia were left in the hands of such as had them before except for Patala. It was the greatest city of all India and was by this settlement assigned to King Porus, according Arrian. This we can hardly believe.

2428. In the lesser Asia, Cappadocia and Paphlagonia were taken from Eumenes and given to Nicanor. Lydia, (not Lycia as it is read in Diodorus) was given to Clytus. Phrygia the lesser as far as to Hellespont, went to Aridaeus. Caria with Phrygia the Greater, Lycaonia, Pamphylia, and Lycia, went to Cassander to govern as he did before. In Diodorus, it is written Cilicia instead of Lycia. A little before this he says Cilicia was given to Philoxenus. More correctly as Arrian has it, the province was confirmed to him. For I showed a little before from (Justin. l. 13. c. 6.) that Perdiccas had taken that province from Philotas and given it to Philoxenus.

2429. Antigonus was nick-named, the cyclops because he had only one eye. (Elian. l. 12. Var. Hist. c. 14.) Antipater made him general of the king's army and commander of those forces in particular which Perdiccas had. He committed to him also the care of the two kings and sent him to make war on Eumenes which he was anxious to do. Based on this, Appianus (in his Syriaca, p. 121.) says that Antipater made him overseer of all Asia. Diodorus (l. 18. p. 626.) calls him absolute commander of all Asia but joined with him his own son Cassander, the governor of Caria, as his general of the cavalry. He did this so that if Antigonus should go about to establish himself, he might have someone to keep an eye on him. (Diod. Sic. & Arrian.)

2430. At the same time Antipater made Autolychus, the son of Agathocles, Amyntas, the son of Alexander and brother to Pencesta, Ptolemy the son of Ptolemy and Alexander the son of Polyspercon, captains of the bodyguard to the two kings. (Arrian.) He received great applause among all the men for his well ordering and due administration of things in his guardianship. Then he journeyed with the two kings to Macedon. (Arian. & Diod.)

2431. When Eumenes heard that he was declared an enemy by the Macedonians and that Antigonus was sent against him, he voluntarily declared the matter to the army. He feared least perhaps the news of it coming otherwise to them might make matters worse than they were or the surprise of it would dampen their courage. At least by this he would find how his army took the news and their attitude toward him. He told them plainly that if any one was afraid because of this news, he was free to leave and go wherever he wished. With these words he so won and secured the loyalty of the men to him that they all bade him be of good cheer. They said that they would cut that decree of the Macedonians in pieces with their swords. (Justin. l. 14. c. 1.)

2432. Moreover when news of that decree came to Alcetas the brother of Perdiccas, he fled and ingratiated himself with the Pisidians. For while he was among them, whenever he got plunder from the enemy, he gave them half of it. He was always friendly and courteous to them in his speech. He often invited the principal men of them to feasts and honoured them with gifts and presents,. By this he won their hearts to him. (Diod. Sic. p. 623.)

2433. Attalus, who was the chief admiral of the navy and who was with the first of them that defected from Antipater, fled and banded himself with the rest of the exiles. He got together an army of 10,000 foot soldiers and 800 cavalry. With these troops he went to capture Cnidus, Caunus, and Rhodes. However Demaratus the admiral of Rhodes valiantly held him off. (Arrian.)

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2434. Eumenes took as many horses as he wanted from the king's herd which was on Mount Ida: When he sent an account of them in writing to the king's officers of the revenue, Antipater laughed at it. He said that he wondered to see Eumenes so cautious as to think that either he himself would ever be accountable to them of the king's goods or look for an accounting of them from others.

2435. From there he marched with his army. He did not go into Etolia, as it is in the printed copies of Justin but as a manuscript copy has it, into Etulia or Etulane. This is a part of Armenia the lesser in Cappadocia. (This is according to Isaacus Vossius, a most learned young man and my very good friend, who observed this from Ptolemy.) Here he levied money of the cities in those parts. If any refused to pay their contribution, he plundered them as though they were enemies. From there again, he went to Sardis and to Cleopatra, the sister to Alexander the Great. He hoped that by her presence as royalty by his side, it would strengthen the loyalty of the officers of his army to him. (Justin. l. 14. c. 1.) When it happened that Antipater also took Sardis on his way to Macedon, Eumenes was planning to fight in the fields of Lydia. He was the stronger in the cavalry and he was desirous to let Cleopatra see of what metal he was made. However Cleopatra feared lest Antipater and the Macedonians might charge her with being the author of this war against them and persuaded Eumenes to leave Sardis. (Plutarch & Arrian.) Nevertheless when Antipater came, he rebuked her for having any association with Eumenes and Perdiccas. She stood her ground and defended her actions and blamed Antipater for this state of things. Finally, they parted on good terms with each other. (Arrian.)

2436. Therefore Eumenes left the country of Lydia and marched away into upper Phrygia. He made his winter quarters in Celaene (Plut.) and sent to Alcetas and his associates. He advised them to assemble their forces into one body and to make a united attack on a common enemy. When they could not agree among themselves, nothing was done. (Arrian.) Alcetas and Polemon and Docimus could not agree about who should be the leader. Thereupon Eumenes noted the old proverb and said: "There is no fence against destruction." (Plutarch.)

2437. Eumenes promised to pay his army within three days and sold all the towns and cities of that country which was filled with men and cattle. Thereupon the captains and commanders took them off his hands and received battering rams from him. They went and entered by force into the towns and sold all and fully paid each man. (Plutarch.)

2438. Antipater did not dare fight with Eumenes yet. He sent Cassander to fight with Alcetas and Attalus. They fought and departed on equal terms but Cassander had the worse of the battle. (Arrian.)

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2439. Cassander became unfriendly to Antigonus but his father Antipater persuaded him to befriend him again. When Cassander met with his father in Phrygia, he advised him, not to go too far away from the kings nor to rely too much upon Antigonus. However, Antigonus by his temperate and discreet behaviour on all occasions, did what he could to make Antipater trust him. Thereupon Antipater set aside his displeasure towards him and turned over to him the forces which he had brought with him from Asia. These were 8500 Macedonians and as many cavalry of his confederates with some 70 of his elephants. Antigonus was to use these forces to war against Eumenes. Antigonus accepted the task and Antipater with the kings, journeyed to Macedon, (Arrian.)

2440. The whole army cried out for their wages and Antipater promised them pay when he came to Abydus. He told them that perhaps he would give them the whole amount which Alexander had promised and if not at least most of it. Encouraging them with this hope, he quietly marched to Abydus. When he came there, he with the two kings in his company stole away by night and crossed over the Hellespont to Lysimachus. On the next day, they followed him without any further demands for their pay. So says Arrian (in Biblio. Photh. c. 92.) and here Arrian ends his ten books which he wrote of the deeds of Alexander.

2441. Antigonus assembled all his forces from their winter quarters, to march against Eumenes and to subdue him. Eumenes was at that time in Cappodicia. (Diod. Sic.) There were signs everywhere in Eumenes' camp, promising 100 talents, good conditions and offices besides, to the one who would bring Eumenes head to Antigonus. (Justin l. 14. c. 1. Plut. in Eumene.) When Eumenes knew of this, he immediately called all the soldiers together and first thanked them all that in so large a number, there was no one that would break his oath with Eumenes for the sake of a reward. Eumenes cleverly intimated to them that these signs were his own and he used them to determine their loyalty to him. Hence if the enemy should do the same later, the army would imagine it was just another ploy by Eumenes to determine their loyalty. Thereupon they all cried out and vowed their service to protect his life. (Justin.) They decreed among themselves that there should be chosen from the main part of the army, 1000 men for his daily guard. They would watch every night in turn about him. Those who were chosen, were glad for the service and willingly received from Eumenes such gifts as the Macedonian kings normally bestow on their friends. For Eumenes gave them scarlet hats and robes which among the Macedonians was always esteemed a great favour from their kings. (Plut.) However one of his chief commanders, Perdiccas along with 3000 foot soldiers and 500 cavalry defected from him. When he journeyed 3 days, Eumenes sent Tenedius a Phoenician, with 4000 select foot soldiers and 1000 cavalry to overtake them. This he did and attacked them by surprise at night while they were all asleep. He took Perdiccas prisoner and brought back all his soldiers to Eumenes. He picked out the chief instigators of that revolt and executed them. The rest were distributed in small numbers among his other companies. He spoke well to them and used them courteously, thereby winning their affections to him again. (Diod. Sic.)

2442. After this Antigonus dealt by a secret messenger with Apollonides, one of the commanders of the cavalry under Eumenes. By making generous promises, he had him betray Eumenes and in the middle of the fight to forsake and turn against him. Eumenes at this time camped in the country of Orcynia in Cappadocia. This was a place suitable for the cavalry to fight in. Antigonus went there with his army and took over all the upper ground near the foot of the mountains. His army had 10,000 foot soldiers who were mainly Macedonians and men of admirable strength and courage. He also had 2000 cavalry and 30 elephants. In Eumenes' army were at least 20,000 foot soldiers and 5000 cavalry. The battle began very fiercely and Eumenes' side was winning. When Appolonides with his regiment of cavalry defected to the enemy, Antigonus won. In that fight, Eumenes lost 8000 men and all his wagons. (Plut.)

2443. Eumenes did not allow the traitor to escape. While he was in the act of that villany, he took him and hung him up. Eumenes fled by a the opposite way from which they that pursued him took. He turned back shortly and passed by the enemy and came to the place where the battle was fought. Here he camped and gathered together the bodies of his slain. Since the place lacked firewood he took the doors and gates of the towns and villages in the area. He had them broken and made piles to burn his dead on. The captains were burned separately from the common soldiers. When Antigonus returned to the place later he was amazed at this bold act of his and the undauntedness of his high courage. (Plut.)

2444. Eumenes found by chance Antigonus' wagons. Although he might have taken many prisoners and many slaves with many goods, he did not. He feared lest his men having gotten so much wealth would grow less anxious to fight and to move quickly because of all the goods they picked up. Eumenes ordered that each man should feed his horse well and refresh himself. Then they should be ready to attack the enemy. Meanwhile he secretly sent to Menander, who was set to guard the enemies luggage, to move immediately from the plain to the foot of the mountain. He feared lest Menander would be suddenly surrounded by the enemies' cavalry. When Menander saw the potential danger, he moved quickly. The enemy said that they were very much indebted to Eumenes for sparing their children from slavery and their wives from rapine. However, Antigonus told them that Eumenes did it not for their sakes, but so as not to burden his troops with useless goods in their flight. (Plut.)

2445. Eumenes went from there and secretly persuaded a great many of his men to leave him for the present. This was either from an honest concern for them or because they were now grown too few to oppose the enemy and yet were too many to conceal with him in his flight. He came to Nora, which was a strong citadel and which Strabo, (l. 12.) says in his time was called Neroassus and located near Cappadocia and Lycaonia. He had 500 cavalry and 200 foot soldiers with him. (Although Diodorus says that there were not more than 500 in total.) As many of his friends as desired his permission to leave, he embraced each one of them in a fair and courteous manner and sent them away. They wanted to leave either because of the desolateness of the place or the scarcity of provisions. He freely gave them the food that they found there. The place was not more than about 400 yards in size and there was in it provision enough of grain, salt and water. There was no supply of fresh food to be had. (Strabo. with Diodorus, and Justin. l. 14. c. 2.)

2446. Antigonus came to the place. Before he besieged it, he sent to Eumenes to come to a talk. When he required hostages, Antigonus refused but asked him to come out to his superior. Eumenes sent him word again that:

``As long as he wore a sword by his side, he would acknowledge no superior.''

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2447. Thereupon, when Antigonus sent him his own brother's son, called Ptolemy, as was required, Eumenes came out and they embraced each other very lovingly and in all familiar manner. They had discussed various matters. Antigonus noticed he never mentioned anything of his own security or pardon but still demanded his former governments to be confirmed and to be recompensed for his losses. The bystanders stood amazed at it and wondered at the constancy of his courage and magnanimity that was in him. Antigonus told him that concerning these matters, he would talk with Antipater. So, with much adieu, he returned again to his citadel safe from the violence of the crowd. Antigonus built a double wall with trenches around the citadel and left enough men to maintain the siege. He then moved his camp. (Strabo. with Diodorus, and Justin. l. 14. c. 2.)

2448. After a while Eumenes sent messengers to Antipater to make peace. One of them was Hieronymus the historian who was born in Cardia, as Eumenes was. (Diod. Sic. & Justin, l. 14. c. 2.) In the meant time, he provided food for his company and though his provisions were short, yet he cheerfully accepted what he had. He had them all in their turn to his table where he entertained them with pleasant discourses and good speeches instead of better food. (Diod. Sic. and Plut.) As often as he wanted to, he would sally forth and either burn or destroy Antigonus' works. (Emil. Prob.)

2449. He feared that he might lose all his horses from lack of exercise and since they were always confined to one place. He ordered every day to prop up his horses with their fore feet above ground and made them stand on their hind feet. So that with striving and much struggling, they might get exercise and sweat. He gave them boiled barley to eat, that they might more easily digest it. When at last he came out of the citadel, everyone wondered to see his horses so fat and sleek, as if they had been all the while kept in the best pasture of the country. (Diod. Sic. Jul. Fronti. Stratag. l. 4. c. 7. Plut. and Emil. Prob. in Eumene.)

2450. Ptolemy the son of Lagus, knew that Phoenicia, and Coelosyria would be very advantageous to him for the defence of Egypt and also for the capture of Cyprus. He thought much on how he could take them over. Therefore he tried to persuade Laomedon, who was made governor of those two provinces, first by Perdiccas and later Antipater, to turn them over to him. He offered him a vast sum of money for it. When this did not work, he raised a large army and made his trusted friend Nicanor the general of it. He sent him to take this area by force. Nicanor marched into Syria and took Laomedon prisoner. However, he bribed his keepers and to Alcetus in Caria. Nicanor in a short time subdued all Phoenicia and Syria. He put garrisons in them and he returned to Egypt. (Diod. Sic. with Appia. in Syriac. p. 121. & Pausan, in his Attica. p. 5.)

2451. Ptolemy attacked the parts of Phoenicia and Syria. When he had captured Jerusalem by deceit, he carried from there 100,000 men into Egypt. Of these he selected 30,000 of the ablest of them whom he armed and took into his army with greater than normal pay. He committed his garrison towns and citadels in Egypt into their trust. The rest he sold away for slaves among his soldiers. This was not necessarily of Ptolemy's doing but from the desire of the soldiers. They wanted the Jews more than any other people to help to do the menial tasks related to war. (Aristeos, in l. de 70. interpret. with Ptol. Philadel, his epistle, cod. lib. Joseph. Antiq. l. 12. c. 1. Euseb. 2. in Chron.)

2452. Concerning the capture of Jerusalem, Agatharchides Cnidus describes it in his book of the successors of Alexander the Great, in Josephus (l. 1. cont. Apion. p. 1050. with l. 12. Antiq, c. 1.)

``They who are called Jews, live in a most fortified city which the natives call Jerusalem. They keep every 7th day as a holiday. They do not involve themselves in war, husbandry or any other type of work on this day. They only hold up their hands in hallowed places and stay there praying until the evening with outstretched hands. When Ptolemy, the son of Lagus entered their city with his army, all men observed the folly of them that were observing the Sabbath. So the country became enslaved under a bitter master and their law was found to be nothing else but a foolish custom.''

2453. Appian adds, that Ptolemy demolished the walls of the city. When he had left garrisons in Syria, he returned to Egypt by sea. (in Syriac. p. 119, 121.)

2454. Concerning this Jewish deportation into Egypt, Josephus write: (l. 12. Antiq. c. 1.)

``Ptolemy carried away many captives from the hill country of Judaea, the places bordering on Jerusalem, from Samaria and from Mount Gerizim into Egypt. He made them to dwell there. He found that they of Jerusalem kept their oaths from the reply which they made to Alexander's messengers after the last defeat of Darius. Therefore he decided to put many of them in his garrisons and citadels. When he had settled many of them in Alexandria, he gave them the same privileges which the Macedonians had. He bound them all with an oath to be true liege men to his posterity because he had bestowed such large favours on them.''

2455. Again in his (2nd book cont. Apio. p. 1063.)

``Ptolemy Lagus committed all his citadels and places of strength to his Alexandrian Jews. He thought they would be kept most safely in their hands because of their fidelity and integrity. So that he might reign most securely in Cyrene and other parts of Lybia, he sent many of those Jews to live in that country.''

2456. From these Jews, descended Jason of Cyrene from whose writings was collected the second book of the Maccabees, /APC 2Ma 2:23 and Simon of Cyrene, who bore the cross of Christ, Mt 27:32 and of whom mention is made in: Ac 2:10 6:9.

3685a AM, 4394 JP, 320 BC

2457. While Eumenes was trapped in Nora, Antigonus besieged it with a double wall around him. He marched with his army against Alcetas and Attalus. He first went into Pisidia where Alcetas with his forces were. In 7 days he marched over 310 miles to the city called, "The City of the Cretenses". Because he came so fast and suddenly upon them, he took over some suitable hills and places of advantage there. In his army besides his elephants, were 40,000 foot soldiers and 7000 cavalry. However, Alcetas dared to meet him in the open field with only 16,000 foot soldiers and 900 cavalry of his friends in his army. Antigonus had the advantage of the ground and had a much stronger force. He routed him and took both Attalus, Docinius and Polemon, and many other chief captains as prisoners. He showed them his mercy and used great clemency and humanity toward them. He distributed the rest among his own companies and thereby greatly increased his own army.

2458. Alcetas, with his bodyguard, his sons and other Pisidians who served him, fled to Telmessus, a city of Pisidia. The Pisidians numbered about 6000 and were all very strong and valiant men. They promised never to forsake him. Therefore when Antigonus with all his army came before the walls of Telmessus and demanded Alcetas to be delivered to him, the older men wanted to turn him over. However, the younger men met together at night and swore an oath not to forsake him in spite of any danger that might come. In spite of this, the elders of the city sent a messenger secretly to Antigonus to let him know that they would deliver Alcetes into his hands dead or alive. The condition was that he would send the soldiers to a skirmish and pretend to flee and retreat to a reasonable distance from the walls of their city. This was done and drew the young men out of the city. In the meantime, the elders attacked Alcetas with their men. He killed himself rather than fall into the hands of the enemy. His body was placed on a funeral bier and wrapped in a vile cloth. While the young men were fighting, his body was sent to Antigonus. For 3 days he exposed it to all the contumelies and indignities that could be imagined and at last had it cast out unburied. When the young men returned from the fight and heard what had happened in their absence, they were enraged with the elders. They seized part of the city and resolved at first to set it all on fire. However, they changed their minds and started plundering and wasting the enemies' country in the area. When they learned that Antigonus had left the corpse of Alcetas behind him, they took it up and gave it an honourable burial. (2nd book cont. Apio. p. 1063.)

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3685 AM, 4395 JP, 319 BC

2459. Antipater became sick and before his death he made Polysperchon to be the guardian of the kings and sovereign commander in his place. Polysperchon was almost the oldest man of all that served under Alexander. He was held in very great esteem among the Macedonians. However, Cassander, Antipater's son, was not content with his office of general of the cavalry. He was enraged to see that Polysperchon was preferred before him as the guardian and sovereign of the realm. He began to plot with his friends to get the kingdom into his own hands. He sent secretly his agents to Ptolemy and renewed his former friendship with him. He desired that he would make an alliance with him and come away with his fleet from Phoenicia into Hellespont. He did likewise with the other commanders and cities and urged them to join forces with him. (2nd book cont. Apio. p. 1063. with Plutarch in Phoecio.)

2460. When Antigonus returned with his army from Pisidia into Phrigia, to the city of the Cretenses, he was there notified of all these matters by Aristodemus of Miletum. This pleased him well for he aspired to supreme sovereignty also. (Diodorus, with Plutarch in Eumene.) He was left as sole and absolute commander of all Asia by Antipater and had a larger army there than anyone else. He planned to seize all the king's treasure there while there was none to oppose him. He had then in his army, 60,000 foot soldiers and 10,000 cavalry and 30 elephants. He saw that he had the means to increase, if needed, his army at his pleasure. He could get troops from foreign countries and Asia was well able to feed and pay them all abundantly. Therefore he called a council of his friends. He declared to them that his purpose was for the good of them all. Thereupon he assigned his friends to various offices and commands. He secured them with generous promises to be loyal to him and help him do what he planned. He resolved to go through all Asia and to put out the governors and replace them with ones of his own choosing. (Diod. Sic.)

2461. When Aridaeus who had the government of Phrygia on the Hellespont, knew what Antigonus was up to, he went and attacked the large city of Cizycum. This city would be most suitable for his needs. He had at army of more than 10,000 mercenary foot soldiers, 1000 Macedonians, 500 Persian archers and slingers and 800 cavalry. With these he had all types of battering rams. The men of Cizycum, under the pretence of a treaty for peace, obtained a truce for a time. They dragged out the discussions for the surrender while they secretly sent to Byzantium for help and supplies of men and equipment of all kinds for their defence. As they sailed along their own coasts with their warships, they gathered men from the country and put them in the city along with any supplies they brought with them. Aridaeus was fooled by the men of Cyzicum, as he later found out and had to return to his own government again. (Diod. Sic.)

2462. When Antigonus was at Celenae, he hurried away with 20,000 select foot soldiers and 3000 cavalry to relieve Cizycum. He hoped to ingratiate the city to him. However, he came too late. He sent messengers to Aridaeus to rebuke him for his actions. He required Aridaeus to give up his government and to live after that as a private citizen. He would have the revenue of only one city to live on. When Aridaeus refused to do this, he placed guards about the gates and on the walls and other places of the city where he was. Then he sent away a part of his army with a commander over them to side with Eumenes. They were to raise the siege from the Nora Citadel and help Eumenes out of that danger. This was to help him make a league with Eumenes against Antigonus. (Diod. Sic.)

2463. Emil. Probus tells us that Eumenes toward the beginning of the spring, under pretence of submitting himself to Antigonus and entreated of conditions daily, at last tricked him. He and all his people escaped from the citadel. (in Eumene.) However, Justin, (l. 4. c 2.) says that Antigonus raised the seige when he found that Antipater had sent relief to Eumenes. Diodorus and Plutarch state that Eumenes by the mediation of Hieronymus Cardianus, his countryman and true friend, was allowed to come out on his word and thus it was.

2464. Antigonus was wondering how to get everything under his control. He sent for Hieronymus the historian, to come to him. He used him to send a message to Eumenes to cut a deal. He wished to forget what had happened between them in the fight at Cappadocia. He would now be pleased to join with him in a firm league of love and friendship and association of arms. He offered to give him far more wealth than he had lost and a better province than he ever had before. He would make him the best of all his friends and partaker of all his designs and fortunes. (Diod. Sic.) When Antigonus had drawn up this in the form of an oath to bind each other to strict observance of the conditions, he sent it to Eumenes. Eumenes took it and amended it in some points. Then he asked those Macedonian captains who were in the siege against him to judge which of the two was the better and less ambitious. Among other things, Antigonus made mention of the kings in a formal manner but in the performance of all services and conditions, he referred only to himself and these were made in his own name. Whereas Eumenes, in his draught, first mentioned Olympias with the two kings. Secondly he arranged the oath on such terms, as purported that he would reckon them all friends and foes, as were friends and foes, not to Antigonus but to Olympias and the two kings. When this seemed to be the more reasonable of the two, Eumenes took his oath. For taking the oath, they presently raised their siege and sent to Antigonus and asked him to bind himself to the same oath as Eumenes had. Meanwhile, Eumenes, sent whatever hostages he had of the Cappadocians, back home again. Antigonus wrote back a sharp and a taunting letter to those Macedonians for presuming to amend anything in the form of the oath which he had prescribed for Eumenes to take and wanted them to besiege him again. This reply came too late. (Plut.)

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2465. When Eumenes had escaped after a year's close siege, beyond his expectations, he stayed for awhile in Cappadocia. He gathered together his old friends and soldiers who were now scattered about the country. (Diod. Sic.) He started all over again from nothing. The friends of those hostages whom he had restored, lent him horses wagons and tents. In a short time, about 1000 cavalry from the old regiments which foraged up and down the country, came to him. (Plut.) Eumenes was a most active and industrious man and there were others there who were also just as devoted to the state as he was. Hence it happened that great number of soldiers came flocking to him. Within a few days, in addition to the 500 friends who were with him in the citadel, he had gotten 2000 men who were all ready to serve him. (Diod. Sic.)

2466. Antagonus sent some of his forces to besiege Aridaeus, the governor of lesser Phrygia. He marched himself with most of the army into Lydia to expel Clitus from his government. However, Clitus was forewarned and presently packed every town of his and place of defence with a strong garrison. He went into Macedon to acquaint the kings and Polysperchon the guardian of the kings, of Antigonus' doings and his planned revolt from the Macedonian government. He asked for help against him. (Diod. Sic.)

2467. Antigonus took in Ephesus at his first coming. Some within the city betrayed the city into his hands. Later, Escylus of Rhodes came there. He brought 4 ships with 600 men from Cilicia and 400 talents. These were to be sent to the kings in Macedon. Antigonus seized on it all for his own use and said that he had need of it to raise and pay foreign soldiers with. By this act, he plainly showed his intention to be independent and to rebel against the kings. When this was done, he proceeded to take the rest of the cities. Some he took by force, others by fair words. (Diod. Sic.) From this revolt, it is that Dexippus, Porphyrie and Eusebius calculate the 18 years of his rule in Scaliger's Graeca Eusebiana (p. 48. 164, 226.)

2468. When Cassander crossed the Hellespont, he went to Antigonus in Asia. He wanted his help and assured him of Ptolemy's agreement about it. Antigonus was glad of his coming and presently offered to help him by land and sea. This he did under a pretence, as if he would help him for his father Antipater's sake. His main purpose was to embroil Cassander in as many wars and troubles as possibly he could in Europe so that he might more freely move about and take over Asia and make himself king there. (Diod. Sic.)

2469. Polysperchon, the guardian of the kings and curate of the Macedonian empire, sent letters to Eumenes, in the two kings' names, requiring him to be loyal to the kings and fight against Antigonus as he had done before. He gave Eumenes the choice of coming into Macedon and there, jointly with him, be a guardian of the two king's or would stay in Asia. If he stayed, he would receive supplies of men, money and equipment to oppose Antigonus who had now openly declared himself a rebel against the kings. If he needed greater forces, Polysperchon would be ready with the kings and all the power that the kingdom of Macedon could muster to cross the seas and to come into Asia to join forces with him. Similar letters were sent to the treasurers in Cilicia, requiring them from the money which was at Quindi (where the kings' treasure for Asia was kept, according to Strabo l. 14. p. 72.) to immediately pay him 500 talents toward his recent losses. From the rest of the kings' money, they were to give him as much as he should ask, to hire and pay for foreign soldiers. He also wrote letters to Antigenes and Tentamus, who between them commanded 3000 silver targeteers under Antigonus, that they defect to Eumenes and help him all they could. Polysperchon did this as the man that was made absolute commander and governor of all Asia under the kings. Olympias, the mother of Alexander the Great, did her part and wrote similar letters requiring all men to come and aid both herself and the kings., (Diod. Sic. with Plut. and Emil. Prob. in Eumene.)

2470. Eumenes left Cappadocia with only 500 cavalry and 2000 foot soldiers. He could not wait for their arrival who had promised to enlist themselves under him but had not come yet. Menander was coming with a large army and would not allow him to stay in Cappadocia since he proclaimed himself to be a public enemy to Antagonus. Those who were left behind, followed Eumenes for three days. When they saw they could not possibly overtake him, they returned into Cappadocia. (Diod. Sic.)

2471. Eumenes made long marches and passed Mount Taurus and came into Cilicia. He was met by Antigenes and Tentamus, captains of the silver targeteers, with their friends. They obeyed the command of the kings. They congratulated his fortunate escape from so many and great dangers. They offered him their service and promised to stand by him in his utmost dangers. Then came the regiment of about 3000 silver targeteers, all Macedonians to him and pledged their loyalty to him. (Diod. Sic.)

3686 AM, 4396 JP, 318 BC

2472. Eumenes, feared the envy of the Macedonians since he was alian born in Cardia in the Chersonese of Thracia, if he should assume absolute governor of the place. First he waived the receipt of the 500 talents which were given to him for his losses. He said that he did not need so great a sum since he assumed no government there. (Diod. Sic. & Plutarch.) Then he pitched his tent in the name of Alexander and called it Alexander's pavilion. He pretended that he was warned to do so by a vision in a dream. He had a golden throne placed there with a sceptre and a diadem. They met there every day to consult about matters and he hoped to minimize any envy toward him if he seemed to administer all things under the majesty and title of Alexander. (Diod. Sic. Plutarch, Emil. Prob. Polyanus, l. 4. Stratag.) Therefore, by this means he behaved in all the meetings as an ordinary man and spoke to every man with good, courteous language and removed all thoughts of envy toward him. He behaved like this toward the silver targeteers who were all Macedonians. He was highly esteemed by them and so much so that every man said that he was of all men most worthy to have the guardianship of the kings. (Diod. Sic.) He was so fair in his speech. He did not hesitate to call them, his fellow soldiers or his masters and companions of his in those eastern wars. He told them that they were the only men who conquered the east. They were the only men who outdid Bacchus and Hercules with their victories. They were the men who made Alexander, great. By them, he attained divine honours and immortal glory in the world. Eumenes desired that they would not look on him as their commander but as their fellow soldier and a man of their own company. (Justin. l. 14. c. 2.)

2473. Eumenes selected certain choice men from his friends. He gave them much money and sent them to hire soldiers promising a generous pay. Thereupon some went into Pisidia, Lycia and the places bordering them. Others went into Cilicia, Coelosyria, Phoenicia and the isle of Cyprus. They did their best to hire as many soldiers as they could. When many Greeks saw what generous pay was being offered, they came also. In a short time, they had gathered 10,000 foot soldiers and 2000 cavalry besides the silver targeteers and those which Eumenes brought with him from Cappadocia. (Diod. Sic.)

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2474. Ptolemy came with his navy to a port called Zaphyrium in Cilicia and sent some of his agents to solicit the silver targeteers to defect from Eumenes, since he was proclaimed as an enemy with the death sentence awaiting him. He sent also to the chief officers at Quindi and advised them not to issue any money to Eumenes. No one listened to Ptolemy because the kings, their governor Polysperchon and Olympias, Alexander's mother, had written to them. They required them to be obedient in all things to Eumenes as to the commander-in-chief and general of the kingdom. (Diod. Sic.)

2475. After this Antigonus sent one of his good friends Philotas with 30 Macedonians in his company to the silver targeteers to feel them out. They first asked their captains and main soldiers if by money they could be induced to kill Eumenes now that he was in their hands. They found no man agreeable to their desires except for Tentamus who was one of the captains of the silver targeteers. He agreed and tried to win over Antigenes his colleague, to help in this foul deed. Antigenes was not at all interested and prevailed with Tentamus to abandon his plan. He showed him that there were better things and better reasons for trusting Eumenes, a man of a moderate fortune and a limited power than from Antigonus who was already grown too powerful. Antigonus would cast them aside once he had gotten all into his hands and replace them with his own friends. Then Philotas sent to the chief captains Antigonus' letters that was directed to the soldiers in general. It required them to kill Eumenes on sight. It threatening them that if they did not do it, Antigonus would come shortly and attack them with his army and make examples of them for their disobedience. This terrified the soldiers. However, Eumenes came to them and persuaded them to follow the orders of their kings and not listen to the words of a man who had now proclaimed himself an open rebel. After speaking many things, Eumenes saved himself from imminent danger and made the troops more loyal to him than ever. (Diod. Sic.)

2476. Eumenes ordered them to march into Phoenicia. There he assembled all the ships he could from all the sea towns and made a strong navy. He planned that Polysperchon with a fleet at his command, might at any time sail with his forces from Macedon to Asia to fight against Antigonus. Therefore for this reason, he stayed even longer in Phoenicia. (Diod. Sic.)

2477. Meanwhile, Polysperchon made Clitus, the governor of Lydia, admiral of the fleet and sent him into the Hellespont. He ordered him to stay there and to ensure that no ships passed that way from Asia into Europe. He wanted him to help Aridaeus, the governor of lesser Phrygia. He had fled with such men as he had into the city of the Cyonians for fear of Antigonus. (Diod. Sic.)

2478. Clitus came into the Hellespont to protect the cities of Propontis. He had joined Aridaeus' army with his own. Then Nicanor, the captain of the garrison of Munychia welcomed Cassander who had put all his navy to sea. He took with him Antigonus' fleet so that he had more than 100 ships in his fleet. In a sea battle not far from the city of Byzantium, Clitus won and sunk 17 of the enemies' ships and captured at least 40 more with all the men in them. (Diod. Sic.) Clitus was overjoyed. A little before he had taken 3 or 4 ships of the Greeks near the Isle of Amorgus, one of the Cyclades. He allowed himself to be called Neptune and bare a trident in his hand. (Plut. l. 2. Dr. fortu. Alexan.)

2479. When Antigonus heard of the loss of his navy at sea, he sent for some ships from Byzantium and put in them archers, slingers, targeteers and such lightly armed men, as many as he thought would fit. They landed on the European side and these attacked Clitus' men who had gone ashore and were busy in making their camp. They frightened and forced them to retreat to their ships again. They lost their baggage and many men were taken prisoner. In the meantime Antigonus procured other ships of war into which he put many of his best soldiers. He sent them to the same place with a strict charge to valiantly attack their enemies and they would no doubt overcome them. These came by night under the command of Nicanor their captain and attacked at the break of day. He routed them on the very first assault and bilging some of their ships with the prows of their ships. They captured other ships with the men in them who surrendered. At last, they took all the rest of the ships and men except only for Clitus. He abandoned his ship and fled to land and hoped to get into Macedonia. On the way he was attacked by Lysimachus' soldiers, who killed him. (Diod. Sic.)

2480. When Antigonus had given the enemy this great defeat, he became master of the sea. He hurried to make himself absolute monarch of all Asia. Therefore, he selected the best 20,000 foot soldiers and 4000 cavalry from his army and marched toward Cilicia. He planned to scatter those companies of Eumenes which were there before his whole army came together. (Diod. Sic.)

3687a AM, 4396 JP, 318 BC

2481. Jubilee 23.

2482. When Eumenes knew of Antigonus' plans, he tried to persuade Phoenicia where he then was, to obey the kings. At that time it was unjustly occupied by Ptolemy. When he failed to do this, he left and went through Coelosyria. He hoped to get into those parts, which are called the upper provinces. (Diod. Sic. l. 18.) He had the silver targeteers with him including their captain Antigenes. They had wintered in a country of Babylonia, called Cares. (Diod. Sic. l. 19.)

3687 AM, 4397 JP, 317 BC

2483. Eumenes sent from there to Seleucus the governor of Babylonia and to Pithon the governor of Media to come and with himself to help the kings against Antigonus who had rebelled against them. Seleucus sent him word that he would do what he could for the kings. He would not help Eumenes, who was for a long time a condemned person by the council of Macedonians. He secretly sent to Antigenes and the silver targeteers to kill Eumenes. They refused. (Diod. Sic.)

2484. Eumenes had the loyalty of his soldiers. He marched to the bank of the Tigris River and there camped about 40 miles from Babylon. He lost some of his men by an uprising of the natives against him. From there he planned to go forward to Susa to gather his soldiers out of the upper provinces and to take the kings' money which was stored there for his own needs. Seleucus came on him near the Euphrates. Eumenes almost lost his whole army by a sudden flood which Seleucus caused by opening the head of an old dam and let in the water and flooded his camp and almost drowned everyone. Therefore Eumenes and his men were forced to flee from there to a higher ground. They spent that day figuring out how to recover things. The next day they got 30 flat bottom boats and transported the main part of the army without being hindered by the enemy. For Seleucus had nothing but cavalry with him and they were out numbered by Eumenes. When night came, Eumenes returned with his Macedonians to take care of the wagons which were left behind. They crossed the river and there with the help of the natives found a place to let out the water another way to make all that country dry and passable again. When Seleucus knew of this he was desirous to rid his country of such guests. As soon as he possibly could, he sent messengers to offer them a truce and so allowed them to march away without bothering them. So once again beyond all his expectations, Eumenes escaped from Seleucus and came with his army into Persia to the country of Susa. He had 16,000 foot soldiers and 1300 cavalry. When he had refreshed his army after their hard and miserable march, he sent to the commanders of the upper provinces to send to him men and money for the service of the kings. (Diod. Sic. l. 18, 19.)

2485. Attalus Polemo, Antipater and Philotas who were all captains and captured in the defeat of Alcetes were committed to prison in an exceedingly strong citadel. When they heard that Antigonus marched up into the upper provinces, (Diod. Sic. says, that at that time he was in Mesopotamia) they found a sword for each man. Although there was only 8 in their group, at midnight they attacked 400 men who were in the garrison. They first seized Xenopithes, the captain of the garrison and threw him down the rock of the citadel which was about 200 yards high. When they had killed some and forced the rest they set fire to the houses within the fort. Thereupon those who were outside waiting to see how the matter would go, went and about 50 were received into the citadel. When they were in they could not agree among themselves, whether they should hold the place and await supplies from Eumenes or leave it and every man go his own way. The soldiers of the other garrisons were not far off. About 500 foot soldiers and 400 cavalry and about 3000 natives appointed a new captain and came to besiege the citadel. Docimus, who had advised to leave the place, saw an unguarded way down the hill. He sent a messenger to Statomice the wife of Antigonus, who was close by. He and another man got out and went to her. However, she did not keep her word with him and held him fast again. The man that went with him guided the enemy up to the citadel. They outnumbered the defenders and took over a strong place in it. Nevertheless Attalus, with the rest who were of the opinion to defend the fort and kept on fighting bravely from day to day for 16 months. (Diod. Sic. l. 19.)

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2486. When Pithon, who was governor of Media had killed Philotas, who was governor of the upper provinces, he replaced him with his own brother, Eudramus. Thereupon the other governors united their forces because they feared they would be treated in the same way and they knew that Pithon was a man of a violent disposition. They attacked and defeated him and killed many of his men. They drove him from all of Parthia. He went into Media hoping to have relief there. When he found none, he went to Babylon and there desired help from Seleucus. (Diod. Sic. l. 19.)

2487. Eumenes stayed in the country of Susa. Lacking supplies, he divided his whole army into three brigades. Even so as he marched through the country, he found a great scarcity of grain everywhere. Instead, he was forced to give them rice and a kind of Indian wheat and the fruit of the palm tree which was in great abundance there. He had previously sent the kings' letters to the governors of the upper provinces requesting help. Again he sent more letters to them of his own, to request them to come to him with all their forces into the country of Susa. However, his messengers found them all in one body fighting Pithon. (Diod. Sic. l. 19.)

2488. The leader of them all and the man most watched was Pencestes, whom Alexander had previously made the chief captain of his bodyguard and governor of Persia. He had with him 10,000 Persian archers and slingers. From the other countries he had taken 3000 Macedonians with 600 cavalry from Greeks and Thracians along with 400 Persian cavalry. Polemon a Macedonian and governor of Carmania had 1500 foot soldiers and 700 cavalry. Sibyrtius the governor of Arachosia had 1000 foot soldiers and 610 cavalry. Androbazus had 1200 foot soldiers and 400 cavalry that were sent from Oxyarta, the governor of Parapamysus. Stasanor, the governor of Aria and Drangia had 1500 Bactrian foot soldiers and 1000 cavalry. From India, Eudamus (whom Arrian calls Eudemus and Curtius calls Eudemon,) the governor of the Oxydracans and Mallians brought 3000 foot soldiers and 300 cavalry plus 120 elephants. These animals he got when he treacherously killed Porus, the king of the Indians. In total they had 18,700 foot soldiers (although the details sum to 21,000) and 4600 cavalry. (Diod. Sic. l. 19.)

2489. When they all came to Eumenes in the country of Susiana, they called a public council. There was a hot dispute especially between Pencestes and Antigenes the captain of the silver Targateers about the choice of a general. Eumenes removed the reasons for that dispute, by erecting a pavilion for Alexander and putting his throne in it. All meetings about public affairs were conducted here. (Diod. Sic. l. 19.)

2490. When they all came together at Susa, Eumenes took from of the kings' treasury as much as the kings' service required. For the kings' letters to the keepers of their treasure had required that they only give money to Eumenes and as much as he needed. He gave the Macedonians 6 month's advance pay. He gave 200 talents to Eudamus who brought the elephants from India. This was under the pretence of defraying the cost of those beasts but it was intended to secure his loyalty. Eumenes knew that if any controversy happened, the side with the elephants would likely win. The rest of the governors paid for their own soldiers that they had brought with him. When this was done, Eumenes stayed a while in Susiana to refresh his army after their hard journey. (Diod. Sic. l. 19.)

2491. Olympias, the mother of Alexander the Great, had Philippus Aridaeus, one of the two kings and his wife Euridice murdered. He had reigned 6 years, after the death of Alexander. (Justin. l. 14. c. 5.) and 6 years 4 months according to Diodorus. (Diod. Sic. year 4. Olymp. 115.) Porphyrie (in Grac. Euseb, p. 228.) says this happened about the 22nd day of our September.

3688 AM, 4398 JP, 316 BC

2492. Cassander, the son of Antipater, besieged Olympias with her grand-child Hercules, the son of Alexander the Great and his mother Barsine, in the Macedonian town of Pydna. In the beginning of the next spring, they ran out of provisions and Olympias was forced to dismiss her soldiers. She surrendered to Cassander on the condition she would be allowed to live. (Diod. l. 19. & Justin. l. 14. c. 6.)

2493. Antigonus left Mesopotamia and came into the country of Babylonia. He allied himself with Seleucus and Pithon. After receiving some supplies from them, he made a bridge of boats over the Tigris River and there crossed the river. He quickly marched away to fight against Eumenes. However, Eumenes was notified before of this and ordered Xenophius, the keeper of the citadel in Susa to pay none of the kings' money to Antigonus. Neither was he to even talk to him. Eumenes went with his armies and manned the bank of the Tigris all along, from its source to the very sea with forts. These were built on its bank. Since that was a considerable undertaking, Eumenes and Antigones had Pencestes send them 10,000 more archers from Persia. (Diod. Sic. year. 1. Olymp. 116.)

2494. Antigonus went with his army to the king's palace in Susa and made Seleucus the governor of that country. He left a sufficient army with him and wanted him to besiege the citadel. Xenophilus the treasurer refused to obey his commands. About the rising of the dog-star (Siris), Antigonus with his army marched at night to the Copatres River where it joins the Tigris River. He lost a great number of his men because the season was so hot. He found that river to be about 400 feet wide. Therefore he got together a small quantity of flat-bottomed boats and used them to get some of his foot soldiers across. He told them to wait for the rest to cross. Eumenes was notified of this by his scouts and was about 10 miles from the place. He crossed the Tigris River on a bridge and came with 4000 foot soldiers and 1300 cavalry. He found 3000 foot soldiers and 1300 cavalry of Antigonus' army had crossed over already. There were at least 6000 who were foraging about the country. He suddenly attacked them and routed them. He forced the Macedonians who fought into the river. They ran headlong into their boats which sunk from overloading. Few escaped. About 4000 who would not venture into the river, were taken prisoners according to Diodorus. However, Plutarch says that when Antigonus crossed the Pasitigris River, the rest of the army did not know what had happened. Eumenes himself met him with his own company and killed many of his men. He filled the river with dead bodies and took 4000 prisoners.

2495. When Antigonus saw that he could not pass that river, he retired with his army toward a city called Balaca that was located on the Ulaie River. He stayed here for a few days to refresh his army which was exhausted from the extreme heat. He planned to go to Ecbatane. He did not follow the highway because of the extreme heat and the journey would take at least 40 days. He went by the Cossaeans which was shorter and not so hot. In spite of this he lost a great number of men and risked the lives of the rest. After 9 days when they had yet to come to any habitable place in Media, the whole army began to grumble. For within 40 days, they had received three major set backs. Antigonus ordered Pithon to go over all Media which he did. He brought him 2000 cavalry, a 1000 equipped cavalry horses and with enough equipment to outfit his army again. He brought 500 talents from the king's treasure also. Antigonus distributed the cavalry among his other troops and gave the horses to those who had lost their own. He gave the beasts of burden freely to those that wanted them. By this he quickly regained the love and favour of his army again. (Diod. Sic. year 1. Olymp. 116.)

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2496. Eumenes with his men left Pafitigris for Persia and came to the royal seat of the kingdom, called Persepolis after a 24 day march. There his his whole army was entertained and most magnificently feasted by Pencestes the governor of that province. Sacrifices were offered to the gods including Alexander and Philip. Plutarch adds that a sheep was given to each of them for his own particular sacrifice. Eumenes knew that his purpose was to ingratiate himself with the army and to gain for himself the sovereign power and command of if. He forged a letter addressed to himself in the name of Orontes the governor of Armenia and good friend of Pencestes. It was written in Syriac letters. It stated that Olympias, with Alexander's youngest son, had defeated Cassander and had recovered the kingdom of Macedon again. Also it said that Polysperchon with the main force of the king's army and his elephants had crossed into Asia against Antigonus. (Diod. Sic. year 1. Olymp. 116 & Polya. Stratag. l. 4.) These letters passed as authentic. Therefore every man thought that Eumenes would be the most important man and in a position to advance whom he pleased and to punish whom he thought fit. Hence they resolved to depend on him. Any that opposed him he called them in question before the courts. He started with Sibyrtius the governor of Arachosia and so made them all afraid. In the meantime he courted Pencestes' loyalty and told him what great honour and wealth he would give to him when the time would come. By that means he prevented him from doing anything else against him. (Diod. Sic. year 1. Olymp. 116.)

2497. Since he desired to ingratiate the rest of the governors of the provinces and commanders to himself, he made as though he needed more money. Therefore he exhorted them to contribute what they could spare for the king's service and collected 400 talents. He made them who seemed most fickle to him before, most loyal to him for fear of losing the money which they had lent to him. (Diod. Sic. year 1. Olymp. 116. & Plut. in Eunmenes.)

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2498. In the lesser Asia, Attalus and the rest of the commanders with him, after enduring a 16 month siege and suffering much hardship were forced at last to surrender. (Diod. Sic. year 4. Olymp. 115.)

2499. In the greater Asia, Antigonus moved with his army from Media into Persia. Eumenes prepared to march against him and offered sacrifices and started feasting with his captains. He enjoyed their pleasure and became quite drunk and sick and had to sleep it off. This hindered his march for a few days. Thereupon his soldiers said that other generals could feast but Eumenes could do nothing but command and fight. After a little while, he recovered and went on his march. Pencestes and Antigenes led the troops and he was in a litter and came after with the elephants. The two armies were within a day's journey of each other when the scouts came in and brought news of their approach. They told the number of the enemy and the way they were coming. Thereupon each army prepared for the battle. When Eumenes who was lying in his litter did not come into the camp, the chief soldiers in every company resolved not to go any farther unless Eumenes came into the camp among them. Thereupon he was carried in his litter and so went from one quarter to another throughout the army. He gave orders everywhere for the arranging of the troops. Meanwhile Antigonus looked on and laughed at him for his efforts. So each side prepared for the battle which never happened because the intervening ground was so bad to fight on. (Diod. Sic. year 1. Olymp. 116. & Plut. in Eumene.)

2500. They approached each other within 600 yards and spent 4 days in small skirmishes and foraging the surrounding country. Each side was very hungry and needed supplies. On the 5th day, Antigonus again tried to make Eumenes' army betray him by offering huge rewards. However, his agents were sent away by the enraged Macedonians. They threatened them if they came again on that errand. After this, Eumenes, received news that Antigonus planned to move his camp by night and take a 3 day journey to a place called Gubiene. This country abounded with all sorts of provisions. Therefore Eumenes sent some trusted men who pretended to be deserters to inform Antigonus that Eumenes would attack his camp that night. While Antigonus was preparing for the attack, Eumenes stole away with his army to go to Gubiene before Antigonus so he could find a good location for his camp. When Antigonus learned that Eumenes had tricked him and although Eumenes had a 6 hour head start, yet he followed him. He wanted Pithon to come safely later with the main body of the army. Antigonus with a company of the swiftest cavalry that he could choose, got ahead of Eumenes and showed himself upon a hill where Eumenes could see him. Eumenes gathered by this that Antigonus with all of his army was there. He made his stand before he came to the very place where he intended to pitch his camp and there arranged his battle in array. In the meanwhile, Antigonus' army came upon him. Thus these two great generals used their wits and tricked each other. (Diod. Sic. year 1. Olymp. 116.)

2501. In the country of the Paraeteceni, these two generals arranged their army in excellent formation and with great judgment as Diodorus describes in detail. Eumenes had with him 35,000 foot soldiers, 6100 cavalry and 114 elephants. Antigonus had 28,000 foot soldiers, more than 8500 cavalry and 65 elephants. The battle was bravely fought on each side until almost midnight. The moon was almost full. When each side was exhausted with fighting, they stopped and went back to their camps. Antigonus lost 3700 foot soldiers and 54 cavalry and had about 4000 maimed horses. Eumenes lost 540 foot soldiers, a very small number of his cavalry and more than 900 were hurt. (Diod. Sic. year 1. Olymp. 116.)

2502. Eumenes wanted to bury the dead as a sign of a total victory but the army would not allow it. They wanted to go the place where their belongings were. Since that was some distance away, Eumenes was forced to allow them to do it.

2503. Antigonus forced his men to camp near the place where the battle was fought and where his men lay dead. They buried them and Antigonus said he had the victory. He said:

``He who had power to bury his dead was ever to be counted conqueror of the field.''

2504. The bodies were buried by the break of day. He detained the herald who came to him to beg the bodies of the dead. He sent him back at night again and gave them permission to come and bury the bodies the next day.

2505. When he had sent away the herald, he marched away with all his army and by long marches came to Gamarga in Media which was far away from Eumenes. Pithon was governor of this country. It had abundant provisions and was able to maintain a very large army. (Diod. Sic. year 1. Olymp. 116.) When Eumenes had beaten Antigonus in the country of Paraetecene, he went away to take up his winter quarters in Media, (Emil. Prob. in Eumene.) in a place called Gadamalis or Gadarlis according to Diodorus, or Gadamarlis according to Polyaenus.

2506. Eumenes heard through his scouts that Antgonus did not follow him. His army was not up to it and he wanted to bury his dead. Among the dead was Ceteus, who commanded those who came to him from India. His burial caused a large argument between his two wives. Each wanted to have the honour of being burned alive with him. The younger of the two, won the argument. She was great with child and went into the fire and left the other to live if she wanted to. However, she from grief pined away and died. Diodorus describes this in detail.

2507. When Eumenes had finished burying his dead he went to Gabiene. This was some distance from where Antigonus was with his army. It was about a 25 day journey if one went through the inhabited country. If one went through the desert, they were only a 9 day journey apart. They wintered far from each other and gave their armies a chance to rest and recover their spirits again before the next spring. (Diod. Sic. year 1. Olymp. 116.)

2508. Meanwhile, Cassander the son of Antipater was desirous to make himself absolute king of Macedon. He had Olympias the mother of Alexander the Great murdered and married Thessalonice the daughter of Philip (not of Aridaeus, as Justin mistakes it) who was Alexander's own sister. When this was done, he sent Alexander the son of Alexander the Great, with Roxane his mother who was very greate with child, to be kept in the citadel at Amphipolis. (Diod. year 1. Olymp. 116. Justin. l. 14. in fi.)

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2509. While Eumenes' soldier were resting, they grew heady and insolent. In spite of their commanders, they camped where they wanted to all over the country of Gaviene. Some of their tents were more than 125 miles from their headquarters. (Plutarch) They selected their quarters, not according to any discipline or order of war but to satisfy their own desires and pleasures. (Emil. Prob.)

2510. When Antigonus was told of the disorder in Eumenes' camp, he decided to attack. He let it be known that he would march with his army from Media into Armenia. However, in the depth of winter about the winter solstice, he departed from the ordinary way and marched through the desert. He made fires in the daytime and put them out at night to escape detection. When they had spent 5 days on this tedious journey, the soldiers started making fires at night as well as by day because of the extreme cold. Some who lived in the desert saw this and using dromedaries which commonly run 200 miles in a day, they notified Eumenes and Pencestes of this. (Diod. Sic. Plut. and Emil. Prob.)

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2511. Pencestes was petrified when he heard this and thought of running away. Eumenes calmed things down and said he would take charge. The enemy would not come into those parts for at least 3 or 4 days, or as Emilius has it, more than 5 days. Therefore he sent messengers into all parts to require his troops to come to their head quarters. Then he went about with certain speedy officers and had fires made everywhere on the hill countries so Antigonus would see them. When Antigonus was within 9 miles from Eumenes, he saw those fires and began to imagine that he was betrayed and his purposes revealed by some of his own people. He thought Eumenes was coming to attack him with his whole army. He feared to risk his tired army against Eumenes' fresh and lusty soldiers. Therefore he turned aside from the plain, into a more winding way and there stayed one whole day to rest his men and to refresh his beasts. They would be in better shape to fight if need should be. (Id. and Polyanus, Stratag. l. 4.)

2512. Meanwhile most of Eumenes' army came to their head quarters. When his soldiers saw his surpassing dexterity and wisdom in ordering things, they desired him to order all matters himself. Thereupon Antigenes, who was always loyal to him and Theudamus, the two commanders of the silver targeteers were envious. They plotted with the other captains of the army to kill him. When Eudamus, who commanded the regiment of the elephants and Phaedimus, (being two of those who had lent him money and feared losing it if he died) knew of this, they immediately told Eumenes. He said that he had to deal with a company of bruit beasts. He went and made his will and then burnt his cabinet of papers least after his death they should tell tales and prove dangerous to those that had written them. (Plutarch.)

2513. Diodorus describes in detail the day of the battle between Antigonus and Eumenes. Antigonus had with him 22,000 foot soldiers and 9000 cavalry with 65 elephants. Eumenes' army consisted of 36,700 foot soldiers, 6050 cavalry and 114 elephants. The field where they fought was very spacious, sandy and a desert. Such a dust was stirred up when the cavalry first charged that if a man were only a short ways off he could not see what was going on. When Antigonus saw this, he immediately sent some Median cavalry and some Tarentines from Italy at attack the baggage of the enemy. This was about 5/8 of a mile from the battle. Pencestes the governor of Persia was frightened by Antigonus and got out of the dust cloud with his horse and took with him some 1500 more troops. However, the silver targeteers on Eumenes' side made a strong attack on Antigonus' main battle line and killed more then 5000 and routed the rest. They lost not a single man. So Eumenes won and did not lose more than 300 men. (Diod. Sic. Plut. Polyan. Stratag. l. 4.)

2514. After the battle, the Macedonians saw their wagons were all taken with their wives, children and whatever else was dear to them. There was great sorrow in the camp. Eumenes sought to pacify them and reminded them that they had killed 5000 of the enemies and if they would be patient, the enemy would be forced to ask for peace and then all would be well again. They lost about 2000 women, a few children and servants. This would be better regained by pressing the victory then by letting it go now that the victory was so close at hand. However, the Macedonians plainly told him that they would neither flee now they had lost their wives and children nor bear arms against them and started railing at him. Then Teutamus, of his own accord, sent a messenger to Antigonus to desire him to send back their goods again which he had taken. So the bargain was driven between them that if they surrendered Eumenes into his hands, they would get back their belongings. So the Macedonians, 10,000 Persians who came with Pencestes, the other governors of places and most of the soldiers left Eumenes and went to Antigonus' camp. (Idem. with Justin l. 14. c. 3.)

2515. Before they went, the silver targeteers broke in on Eumenes, took his sword from his hand and bound his hands behind him with a garter. On the 4th day after the battle, they delivered him bound to Nicanor who was sent by Antigonus to receive him. Eumenes desired nothing of Nicanor but that he would lead him through the midst of the Macedonians and give him permission to speak his last words to them. When this was done, he went before his keepers into Antigonus' camp followed by the army which had betrayed their own commander and who were now themselves no better than so many captive slaves. They went in triumph of themselves into their conqueror's camp. To make it a complete triumph, the elephants and the auxiliaries from India brought up the rear. Antigonus, for very shame and reverence of the old friendship that had been between them, did not allow Eumenes to be brought into his sight but assigned him to certain soldiers to keep him. (Plutarch in Eumene: Justin, l. 14. c. 4.)

2516. Among those that were wounded, Hieronumus of Cardia, the Historian was brought. He was always held in great esteem with Eumenes during his life. After his death, he was held in great favour also by Antigonus. (Diod. Sic. l. 19. year 1. Olymp. 116.) This Hieronimus wrote a book as Diodorus (l. 18. p. 62.) and Josephus, (l. 1. cont. Apionem, p. 1050.) call it, or (as Dionysius Halicarnaslaeus in the poem of Roman Antiquities calls it). It was concerning the successors of Alexander the Great and the general history of his own time.

2517. When Antigonus had now gotten both Eumenes and all his army into his hands, he first laid hold on Antigenes, the commander of the silver targeteers. He put him alive into a coffin and burnt him to ashes. Then he executed Eudamus, who brought Eumenes elephants from India, and Celbanus and some others who opposed him. (Diod. Sic.)

2518. When Onomarchus the captain of the watch asked Antigonus, how he would have Eumenes to be kept, he replied that as you would keep a raging lion or an unruly elephant. Later he relented and he ordered his heavy chains to be removed and a boy of his own to be allowed to attend him and to help to anoint him. He allowed Eumenes' friends to visit him and to supply him with necessaries. Although his own son Demetrius and Nearchus the Cretian were desirous to spare him and tried to save his life, almost all the rest that were about Antigonus urged him to kill Eumenes. In spite of all this, Antigonus took 7 days to think about it. When he feared least his army might rebel, he ordered that no man would be allowed to come to Eumenes. He ordered him to be given no food because he said that he would not kill him who had formerly been his friend. When Eumenes had neither eaten nor drank in 8 day's time and the camp was suddenly to be moved and a man was sent and cut Eumenes' throat. Antigonus knew nothing of this and in respect to his former friendship, he ordered his corpse to be turned over to his closest friends to be buried as they thought fit. They burned it in an honourable and military way. All the army following the bier and burnt it. They gathered his bones into a silver urn and took care to deliver them to his wife and children in Cappadocia. (Diod. Sic. year 1. Olymp. 116. Plutarch and Emil. Prob. in Eumene.)

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2519. Antigonus returned into Media with his whole army and spent the rest of the winter in a town not far from Ecbatane. He distributed his army here and there all over that province and especially in the country of Rages. It was called that from f[r because there had been more than 2000 cities and towns destroyed by earthquakes in those parts according to Strabo (l. 11. p. 514.) from Possidomus. Antigonus discovered that Pithon the governor of Media tried to ingratiate many of his soldiers with generous gifts and promises and to encourage them to revolt from him. Antigonus handled the matter very astutely. He let it be known that he planned to make Pithon governor of the upper provinces and give him a sufficiently large army for that purpose. He also wrote letters to Pithon and earnestly asked him to come quickly to him so they could consult together on some important matters so that he could immediately march into lesser Asia. By these and other letters sent to Pithon from his supposed friends, Pithon, who was then in the remotest parts of all Media in his winter quarters, came to Antigonus. As soon as Antigonus had him, he called him before a council of war. They quickly found him guilty and chopped off his head. (Diod. Sic. year 1. Olymp. 116.)

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2520. Antigonus gathered all his army together and committed the government of Media to Orontobazes, a Median. He made Hippostratus the general of his army who had 3500 foreign foot soldiers under him. Antigonus took the main body of his army to Ecbatane where he got 5000 talents of solid silver. Then he marched into Persia and after a 20 day march, he arrived at Persepolis, its capital city. (Diod. Sic. year 1. Olymp. 116)

2521. While Antigonus was on his way there, the friends of Pithon, (those that were in on Pithon's conspiracy of which Meleager and Menoetas were the leaders) and followers of Pithon and Eumenes came from those parts to the country and met together. They had about 800 cavalry. They first attacked the lands and possessions of the Medes who refused to join with them in this rebellion. Then they attacked Herostrotus and Orontobazus' camp by night. They almost overcame the outer works but had to retire because they were outnumbered. They only persuaded a few Medes to follow them. Some of the nimblest of the cavalry made many incursions on the country people and raised many disturbances among them. At last they were enclosed in a place surrounded by rocks and cliffs. There some were killed and the rest captured. Meleager and Ocranes and the better men of them who would not surrender, died fighting. (Diod. Sic. year 1. Olymp. 116.)

2522. As soon as Antigonus came to Persia, the people honoured him like a king and proclaimed him master of all Asia. He called a council of his friends and he propounded to them the matter of the government of the various provinces to be considered. They decided to give Carmania to Tlepolemus, Bactria to Stasanor and Parapamisus to Oxyartes the father of Roxane since they could not easily remove them from their posts. Evitus was sent to Aria and he died soon after he came there. Euagoras who was a man of outstanding valour and grave wisdom, replaced him. (Diod. Sic. year 1. Olymp. 116.)

2523. Antigonus sent for Sibyrtius from Arachosia who was his friend. He confirmed him in his government of that province and gave him 1000 of the most rebellious silver targeteers who had betrayed Eumenes. He appointed them to him under the pretence of helping him in the war. His real reason was to kill them for he ordered Sibyrtius to use them in the risky work until he had destroyed them. Antigonus did not want any of them to ever return to Macedonia or see Greece again. (Diod. Sic. year 1. Olymp. 116. with Plut, in Eumene and Polyamus, Stratag. l. 4.)

2524. When Antigonus found that Pencestes was highly respected in Persia, he planned to remove him from his government. When all the Persians complained about this, Thespias one of the leaders, spoke publicly against it. He said that the Persians would only be governed by Pencestes. Antigonus had Thespias killed and made Asclepiodorus, the governor of Persia. He strung Pencestes along with vain hopes of better things until he had drawn him out of Persia. (Diod. Sic. year 1. Olymp. 116.)

2525. While Antigonus was on his way to Susa, Xenophilus, who had the keeping of the kings treasure at Susa, was sent by Seleucus and met Antigonus at Pasitigris and offered Antigonus his service in whatever he required. Antigonus received him very graciously and pretended that he honoured him more than all his friends. Antigonus feared least he might happen to change his mind and keep him out when he came to Susa. When he came into the citadel of Susa, he took it over for himself. He got the golden vine and a number of objects of art totalling 15,000 talents. All this he made into coins. In addition to the crowns of gold and other presents and spoils taken from the enemy which amounted to 5000 more talents, he took 25,000 talents out of Media. (Diod. Sic. year 1. Olymp. 116.)

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2526. Antigonus put Aspisus, a native of the country, as the new governor of the province of Susa. He planned to carry away all this money to the sea coast in Asia. He had wagons made for this purpose and journeyed toward Babylon. (Diod. Sic. year 2. Olymp. 116.)

2527. After 22 days, he arrived at Babylon and Seleucus, the governor of that province, received him with all royal presents and feasted his whole army. Antigonus wanted him to give an account of all the money in the public treasury which he had received there since he was appointed to his position. Seleucus replied that he was not bound to give an account for that which was given him by the Macedonians for the service which he had done for Alexander in his lifetime. When hostilities grew daily between them, Seleucus knew he was too weak to tackle Antigonus and feared lest he be killed like Pithon. He stole away with only 50 cavalry in his company and fled to Ptolemy in Egypt. All the world spoke of how good Ptolemy was to all those that fled to him for refuge. (Diod. Sic. year 2. Olymp. 116. and Appia. in his Syriaca. p. 121.)

2528. Antigonus was quite happy that he had been able to take over Babylon without having to kill his old friend. The Chaldeans told him, that if he let Seleucus go, all Asia would be his and he would one day lose his life in a battle against him. He repented that he had let him go and sent men after him to take and bring him back again. After they had pursued him for awhile, they gave up and returned to Antigonus. (Diod. Sic. year 2. Olymp. 116.) Thereupon, he removed Blirores, the governor of Mesopotamia for allowing Seleucus to pass that way. (Appia. in his Syriaca. p. 121.)

2529. When Seleucus was safely in Egypt, Ptolemy entertained him very graciously. When he told Ptolemy all the things Antigonus had done against him, he persuaded Ptolemy to fight against Antigonus. (Diod. Sic. year 2. Olymp. 116. with Pausanias in his Attica, p. 5.)

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2530. From there Seleucus with some his closest friends went to Europe, to persuade Cassander, who then commanded all in Macedonia and Lysimachus, who was over Thracia, to wage war on Antigonus. Antigonus suspected his intentions and sent his agents to Ptolemy, Cassander and Lysimachus, to request their love and friendship to him as in former times. (Diod. Sic. year 2. Olymp. 116.) However, Seleucus carried the day so that they all joined together with him in a firm league against Antigonus. (Appia. in his Syriaca. p. 121.)

2531. Antigonus had made Pithon, who came from India, governor of Babylon. Then he marched toward Cilicia and came to Mallos, a city in Cilicia. There he distributed his army into their winter quarters since it was the time when Orion arose in our month of November. He received 10,000 talents in the city of Quindi of the same province. He received 11,000 talents more from the yearly revenue of the place. (Diod. Sic. year 2. Olymp. 116.)

2532. When Antigonus had gone into upper Syria, ambassadors came to him from Ptolemy, Cassander and Lysimachus. They came to him as he sat in council and made their demands according to their instructions. Antigonus was to surrender all Cappadocia and Lycia to Cassander. Phrygia that bordered on Hellespont was to be turned over to Lysimachus. All Syria was to be given to Ptolemy and the province of Babylon to Seleucus. All the public money which he had taken since the death of Eumenes was to be shared equally among them. Antigonus replied roughly that he was now making war on Ptolemy and that his purpose was not to have any partners in either the peril or the profit. (Diod. and Appia. ut sup. Justin, l. 15. c. 1.)

2533. When the ambassadors returned with this answer, Ptolemy, Cassander and Lysimachus prepared immediately to fight against Antigonus by sea and land. (Id.) When Antigonus knew what a gathering storm was about to break over his head, he sought the alliances of other cities and countries and princes to help him is this war. To this end, he sent Agesilaus to the king of Cyprus, Idomeneus and Moschion to Rhodes and Ptolemy, his own brother's son, in Cappadocia, with an army and Aristodemus into Laconia with 1000 talents to hire soldiers there. He placed couriers and watchmen throughout all Asia which was wholly at his command to quickly send him news of anything that happened.

2534. When this was done he marched into Phoenicia and camped near Tyre. He ordered them to provide him with a fleet. He sent for the petty kings and governors of those parts to come to him. When they came, he asked them to join with him in supplying a fleet and in building more ships. All the ships that belonged to Phoenicia were at that time with Ptolemy in Egypt. He ordered them to bring him 4,500,000 bushels of wheat. This was the annual expense of keeping his army. He then had men fell timber and build ships. He used 8000 men and 1000 beasts of burden to move the materials for the ships from Mount Lebanon to the sea side. (Diod. and Appia. ut sup. Justin, l. 15. c. 1.)

2535. While Antigonus was busy building a fleet and had his camp by the seaside, Seleucus sailed past with 100 well outfitted ships. He sailed along in a scornful manner under their very noses. Antigonus' new associates where greatly troubled by this. Antigonus encouraged them and said that by the end of summer, they would see him put to sea with a fleet of 500 ships as good as those. Meanwhile Agesilaus returned with his embassy from Cyprus and brought word that Nicocreon and the most powerful kings of that island had already confederated with Ptolemy. However, Citticus, Lapithus, Marrius and Cirenytes would join with him. Thereupon Antigonus left 3000 men under the command of Andronicus, to maintain the siege against Tyre. With the rest of the army he marched against Gaza and Joppa which held out against him and took them by force. Any of Ptolemy's men he found there, he distributed among his own companies to serve him in his wars. He placed garrisons in both places to keep them in obedience. He returned to his standing camp before Tyre, and prepared all necessaries for a siege against it. (Diod. Sic. Appia. his Syriaca p. 121. Justin, l. 15. c. 1.)

2536. At the same time Aristo, who was entrusted to carry Craterus' bones, delivered them to Phila, the daughter of Antipater, who was married first to Craterus and later to Demetrius. Antigonus had persuaded her father to have his son Demetrius marry her. (??) He was not happy with the match because she was so much older than he. He would always toast him in the feast with that saying from Eurypedes.

``In marriage look to thy gain, Though nature sometimes doth restrain.''

2537. He changed the saying by replacing "to serve" by "to marry". He meant that a man must do anything to serve his own ambitions. (??) Phila was a woman who was reputed to excel both in wit and wisdom. Thereby she often repressed the tumultuous spirits of the most turbulent soldiers in the army. She preferred in marriage at her own cost, the sisters and daughters of the poorer sort among them. (Id. with Plut. in the life of Demetrius.)

2538. Aristodemus was sent with other captains into Laconia. He got permission from the Spartans, to raise soldiers and got 8000 troops from Peloponesus. In a conference with Polysperchon and his son Alexander they made a firm alliance with Antigonus and made Polysperchon their general. Aristodemus made Polysperchon commander over the forces which he had raised in Peloponesus and had Alexander cross over into Asia to Antigonus. (Diod. Sic.)

2539. Ptolemy, another of Antigonus' captains, went with an army into Cappadocia. He found the city Amisus besieged by Asclepiodorus, a captain of Cassander. He raised the siege and secured the place and sent Asclepiodorus running. Subject to certain conditions, he recovered that whole province for Antigonus. He marched through Bithynia and came up on the back of Zibytes, king of Bithynia while he was busy in the siege of two cities at once. One city belonged to the Assacenians and the other to the Chalcedonians. Ptolemy forced him to raise his siege from both cities. Both cities surrendered to Ptolemy and gave him hostages as a pledge of their loyalty. Ptolemy then moved toward Ionia and Lydia because Antigonus had written to him to secure that coast as quickly as possible. He had intelligence that Seleucus was going into those parts with his fleet. Seleucus had indeed already come and besieged the city Erythrae. When he heard that Ptolemy, the nephew of Antigonus was coming, he left it and went away as he came. (Diod. Sic.)

2540. Meanwhile Alexander, the son Polysperchon, came to Antigonus. Before the whole army including the strangers that were in it, Antigonus publicly declared to them what Cassander had done. He said he would avenge the murder of Olympias by Cassander and deliver Alexander his king's son with his mother Roxane from the prison in Amphipolis. He would break off that yoke which Cassander had laid upon all the cities of Greece by putting his garrisons into them. Antigonus sent back Alexander, Polysperchon's son, with 500 more talents into Peloponesius. (Diod. Sic. with Justin l. 15. c. 1.)

2541. When Antigonus had received a fleet from Rhodes along with his other recently built ships, he sailed for Tyre. Since he was master of the sea, he blockaded them by sea and starved them. Thereby that city was in great distress. (Diod. Sic.)

2542. When Ptolemy of Egypt, heard the declaration Antigonus had made with the Macedonians concerning the delivery of all Greeks from the rule of Cassander, Ptolemy did the same. He was desirous that all the world know that he was no less zealous for the liberty of all Greeks than Antigonus was. Asander the governor of Caria who was a man of great power and had many large cities under his command joined with Ptolemy. Although Ptolemy had formerly sent 3000 soldiers to the kings of Cyprus, yet he now sent them 10,000 more under the command of Myrmidon an Athenian born and 100 ships commanded by Polyclitus. He made his brother Menelaus general over the whole force. (Diod. Sic.)

2543. When these came to Cyprus, Seleucus and his fleet met them. In a council of war they determined their plan of action. They decided that Polyclitus with 50 ships would pass into Peloponesus and there make war on Aristodemus, Polysperchon and Polysperchon's son, Alexander. Myrmidon with an army of foreigners would go into Caria, there to help Asander the governor of that province against Ptolemy, a captain of Antigonus who warred with Asander. Seleucus and Menelaus would stay in Cyprus to support Nicocreon the king and the rest of their confederates against their enemies who warred against them. When they divided their forces, Seleucus went and took Cerynia and Lapithus. When he persuaded Stasiaecus, king of the Malenses, to join his side, he forced the prince of the Amathusians to give him hostages for his safety in time to come. The city of Citium would not come to an agreement with him, therefore he besieged it with his whole army. (Diod. Sic.)

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2544. About the same time, 40 ships sailed to Antigonus from the Hellespont and Rhodes under the command of one Themison their admiral. After this Dioscorides came with 80 more ships. Antigonus already had a navy of 120 ships of his own recently built in Phoenicia. Now counting the ones besieging Tyre he had a navy of 240 ships: 90 of four tiers of oars, 10 of five, 3 of nine, 10 of ten and 130 were open galleys. He divided this navy and sent 50 of them into Peloponesus and the rest he committed to help his friends as required. He wanted to have the islands which still held out against him, join his side. (Diod. Sic.)

2545. Polyclitus, Seleucus' lieutenant, sailed from Cyprus and came to Cenchrea which was a port of Corinth. When he found that Alexander, Polysperchon's son, had defected from Antigonus to Cassander and was no longer an enemy he sailed for Pamphylia. From there he sailed to Aphrodisiades in Cilicia. Here he learned that Theodotus, a captain of Antigonus' navy, had passed by from Patara a port of Lycia. He had the Rhodian fleet that was manned by sailors from Caria. He also learned that Perilaus with a land army, followed along by the shore for the defence of the fleet if required. In this case he used his wits to defeat him. He landed his men and placed them near a suitable place where the land army must pass. He with the fleet went and anchored behind a cape near the place and awaited the coming of the enemy. It happened that when Perilaus' army came, he fell into the ambush that was laid for him. He was taken prisoner. Some of his men were slain and the rest were captured alive. When the fleet at sea saw the land army engaged, they hurried to their relief. Polyclitus, attacked them in this confusion, with his ships in good formation and easily routed them. So Polyclitus captured all their ships and most of the men in them. Theodorus, their Admiral, died shortly after this from his wounds. (Diod. Sic.)

2546. When Polyclitus had such good success, first he sailed back to Cyprus and later to Pelusium in Egypt. Ptolemy richly rewarded him for so great a service. He promoted him to a far higher dignity and place of honour than he was in before because he was the author of so great a victory. He released Perilaus and some other of the prisoners whom Antigonus desired through a messenger he sent to him. Ptolemy went to Ecregma to a parley with Antigonus. When Antigonus refusing to grant him what he demanded, he left and returned to Egypt. (Diod. Sic.)

3691 AM, 4401 JP, 313 BC

2547. Cassander marched with an army from Macedonia into Caria. He wanted to help the cities which had allied themselves with Ptolemy and Seleucus. He also wanted to hinder Antigonus from coming into Europe. The commanders of this army, Asander the governor of Caria and Prepelaus heard that Ptolemy the general of Antigonus in those parts had his winter quarters for his army there. Also he was now busy in the burying of his father who had recently died. They sent Eupolemus with 8000 foot soldiers and 2000 cavalry Caprima in Caria to lie in ambush for him. Ptolemy found out about it by some that defected to him. He got together 8300 foot soldiers and 600 cavalry. He attacked them in their trenches and found them there all fast asleep. He took Eupolemus prisoner and forced all the rest to submit to his discretion. (Diod. Sic. year 3 Olymp. 116.)

3691 AM, 4401 JP, 313 BC

2548. When Antigonus saw that Cassander wanted to be master of Asia, he left his son Demetrius in Syria with instructions to intercept Ptolemy's men. He suspected they were coming with an army further up into Syria. He left his son 10,000 foreign foot soldiers, 2000 Macedonians, 500 from Lycia and Pamphylia, 400 Persian arches and slingers, 5000 cavalry and more than 40 elephants. He left four men as counsellors, Nearchon, Pithon who came recently from Babylon, Andromicus and Philippus. These were all men of mature age and judgment. They had served Alexander the Great in his exploits. Demetrius was a young man not more than 22 years old. (Diod. Sic. year 3. Olymp. 116.)

2549. Antigonus took the rest of the army and went to cross the Taurus Mountains. There was a heavy snow storm and he lost many of his men. Thereupon he returned back into Cilicia and was told of an easier less dangerous way to cross that mountain. He came to Ceraenae in Phrygia and made his winter quarters for his army. (Diod. Sic. year 3. Olymp. 116.)

2550. After Tyre had withstood a 15 month siege, it conditionally surrendered to Antigonus. The men of Ptolemy, the king of Egypt, were allowed to leave with their belongings. Andronicus was left there to hold the place with a garrison. (Diod. Sic. year 2. Olymp. 116. & year. 1. Olymp. 117. ??)

2551. Antigonus sent for Medius to come to him with his fleet which he had in Phoenicia. On his way he met with the fleet of the city Pydna. He captured it and brought both it and all the men in it to Antigonus. (Diod. Sic. year. 3. Olympiad. 116.)

2552. Asander, the governor of Caria, being overwhelmed by the enemy, came to this agreement with Antigonus. He would give all his army to Antigonus. All the Greek cities there could live according to their own laws. Asander would hold the government which he had there, as a grant from Antigonus and would be a loyal friend to Antigonus. As security, he gave his own brother Agathon as a pledge. However, a short time later he changed his mind. He got his brother from them and sent his agents to Ptolemy and Seleucus to come speedily and help him. Antigonus took this rather badly and sent his naval and land forces to attack the free Greek cities. To this end, he made Medius his general of the army and Docimus his admiral of the navy. When they came to Milesum, he challenged the inhabitants to fight for their freedom. They captured the citadel and placed a garrison there. They restored the city to her original freedom again. (??) (Diod. Sic. year 4. Olymp. 116.)

2553. Meanwhile Antigonus took Tralles and attacked the city Caunus. He sent for his fleet and took the city except the citadel. He made a trench around it and made continual assaults on it where it looked like there might be places he could break through. He had sent Ptolemy to the city Iassus. However, he was forced to come back and join with Antigonus. So all these cities came at that time under his control. (Diod. Sic. year 4. Olymp. 116.)

3692 AM, 4402 JP, 312 BC

2554. The Cyrenians defected from Ptolemy and fiercely besieged the citadel there. They had almost taken it when messengers from Alexandria came and persuaded them to stop. They decapitated them and worked harder than ever to take the citadel. Ptolemy was rather upset by this and sent his captain, Agis, with an army there. He sent a navy under the command of Epaenetus to help Agis. Agis pursued the war against these rebels vigorously and took the city of Cyrene. He imprisoned the authors of this sedition and then sent them bound to Alexandria. He disarmed the rest. when he had set things in order there, he returned into Egypt. (Diod. Sic. year. 1. Olymp. 117.)

2555. After this success in Cyrene, Ptolemy sailed with his fleet to Cyprus to fight against those who rebelled there against their kings. He captured and executed Pygmalion, who worked with Antigonus. He imprisoned Praxippus king of the Lapithi and the prince of Cerynnia, who was suspected of a revolt. Likewise he imprisoned Stasiaecus, a petty king of the Malians and destroyed their city. He relocated the inhabitants from there to Paphos. After this, he made Nicocreon commander over all Cyprus and gave him the cities together with the revenues of all the kings which he had expelled from their dominions. Then he went with his army into the upper Syria and sacked the cities of Possideum and Potamos in Caria. Then he went quickly with a light army and took Mallus in Cilicia. He sold all the inhabitants into slavery and wasted all the region around there. When he had made his army rich from plunder, he sailed back again to Cyprus. (Diod. Sic. year. 1. Olymp. 117.)

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2556. Meanwhile, Demetrius, the son of Antigonus, stayed in Coelosyria awaiting the coming of the Egyptians. When he heard what damage Ptolemy had done to so many cities in Syria, he left Pithon to command in those parts. He left his heavily armed soldiers and elephants with Pithon and he with his cavalry and companies of lightly armed soldiers rushed toward Cilicia to help save them from Ptolemy. He came too late and found the enemies had already gone. He speedily returned to his camp again and ruined many of his horses on the way. In 6 days, he marched from Mallus which is normally a 24 day journey by their ordinary marches. So that through rapid travel, none of the servants of cavalry were able to keep up to them. (Diod. Sic. year. 1. Olymp. 117.)

2557. When Ptolemy saw everything going as he wanted it, he returned to Egypt. Not long after Seleucus urged him to attack Antigonus because Seleucus hated Antigonus. Therefore Ptolemy planned to march into Coelosyria and attack Demetrius. He gathered all his army together, he marched from Alexandria to Pelusium. He had 18,000 foot soldiers and 4000 cavalry of which some were Macedonians and some were mercenaries. Some Egyptians helped carry their darts, weapons and other baggage of the army and some went as soldiers. When they crossed the desert from Pelusium, Ptolemy camped near the old city of Gaza and awaited the enemy's arrival. (Diod. Sic. year. 1. Olymp. 117.)

2558. In the 117th olympiad, Ptolemy defeated Demetrius, the son of Antigonus in a main battle near Gaza. Ptolemy was called after this, Poliorcetes, that is "the city taker" according to Castor the Historian reports as cited by Josephus. (l. 1. cont. Apion. p. 1048.) Diodorus gives the details of the battle in his history of that olympiad. He says that 8000 were taken prisoners and about 500 killed. This should be amended from Plutarch who says 5000 were killed. Among the nobles who were killed was Pithon, who was at that time joint commander with Demetrius and Boeotus who had lived a long time with Antigonus the father and was ever knowledgable about his plans and affairs.

2559. Ptolemy and Seleucus took Gaza. However Demetrius, by the help of a good pair of spurs came to Azotus about the next midnight after riding about 34 miles. From there he sent messengers to beg the bodies of his dead for burial. Ptolemy and Seleucus immediately granted this and also sent back his own pavilion with all its furniture gratis and without ransom. They added a generous message that they fought not for pay but for honour and to see who should wear the garland. (Diod. Sic. year 1. Olymp. 117. Plutarch. in Demetrio, and Justin. l. 15. c. 1.)

2560. Demetrius was no longer able to hold out in the position he was in. He sent a messenger with his letters to his father who was in Phrygia. He asked for help and to come quickly. Demetrius said he was coming to Tripoli in Phoenicia. He sent for the soldiers that were in Cilicia and elsewhere in remote garrisons from the enemies quarters, to come to him. (Diod. Sic.)

2561. When Antigonus heard the news, he said that Ptolemy had now gotten the victory over a company of beardless boys. Next time he would fight with men. So not to discourage his son and because his son wanted another fight with Ptolemy, Antigonus said he could fight with him alone if he wanted to. (Plutarch. in Demetrio.)

2562. Ptolemy sent the prisoners whom he had taken to Egypt. They were distributed among the various regiments of his fleet. When he had honourably interred his dead troops, he marched on and attacked the cities and strong places of Phoenicia. Some he besieged and he persuaded others to yield to him. When he captured Sidon he went and camped before Tyre. He sent to Andronicus, the captain of the garrison, to surrender the city to him. He gave him generous promises of wealth and honour. He replied that he would never betray the trust which Antigonus and his son Demetrius had put in him and said many harsh things against Ptolemy. However a little later his soldiers rebelled and he was taken by Ptolemy. He overlooked the harsh words he had spoken against him and highly rewarded him. He took Andronicus into the number of his friends and regarded him highly. (Diod. Sic.)

2563. Seleucus took with him 1000 foot soldiers from Ptolemy's (as Appianus has it, for Diodorus says only 800.) and 200 cavalry. With so small a force he went to recover his government of the province of Babylon. When he came with them into Mesopotamia, he there dealt with the Macedonians he found living in Carran. He persuaded some to follow him, others he forced to go along with him in his journey. No sooner had he set foot within the territory of Babylon, then the inhabitants came flocking to him and offered him their service in the recovering of his government. Polyarchus also, who held some kind of office among them, came to him to receive his commands and brought 1000 armed troops to him. When those who sided with Antigonus knew of his popularity with the people, they all fled to the citadel which was commanded by Diphilus. Seleucus besieged it and took it by force. He released from there the children and friends of his that Antigonus had imprisoned when Seleucus had fled to Egypt for fear. When this was done, he started raising soldiers in the country. He bought horses and distributed them among those who were able to ride them. With all of them be behaved fairly and friendly. He secured their loyalty so they were all ready to risk any hazard with him. So for the third time he again recovered all his government of Babylon. (Diod. Sic. with Appian. in his Syriaca, p. 121.)

2564. Nicanor, whom Antigonus had made governor of the province of Media, marched against Seleucus with 10,000 foot soldiers and 7000 cavalry. Seleucus immediately went to meet him with a little more than 3000 foot soldiers and 400 cavalry. When he had crossed the Tigris River, he heard that the enemy was not far off. He hid his men in the marshes around there and planned to ambush Nicanor. When Nicanor came to the bank of the Tigris River, he could not find the enemy and camped near to a post house of the kings. Little did he think that the enemy was so near. The next night he was not even thinking about the enemy and did not post a proper military watch. Seleucus attacked him and raised a great tumult in his army. When the Persians started to fight back, Euager their general along with other commanders were killed. After this fight most of Nicanor's army abandoned him and defected to Seleucus. They did not like the fix they were in nor did they care for Antigonus. Thereupon Nicanor feared what would happen next lest his soldiers turn him over to Seleucus. He stole away with some few of his friends, and fled home through the desert into Media again. (Diod. Sic.)

2565. When Seleucus had gotten this powerful army, he still behaved well toward all men and easily subdued the provinces of Media, Susa and the other bordering countries. He quickly sent Ptolemy word how he had regained his full regal power and majesty. (Diod. Sic. year 1. Olymp. 117.) Based on this, Eusebius counts this as the first year of Seleucus' reign. All note that the Edesseni begin their epoch here. The story of the Maccabees' account of the Greek reign begins here. Without a doubt this is from the autumn of this very year, that is, from September or October of the year 4402 JP. Starting at that time, the writer of the second book of Maccabees calculates his Greek years, and the Jews there, "eram Contractium", i.e. "their account of Contracts", and those of Edessa, and other Syrians, in their "Epoch of the Seleucian Kingdom", and the Arabians, "the years of Alexander Dehiplarnain", as they call them. Yet the writer of the first book of Maccabees begins his account of the Greek year, from the previous spring to this autumn and Ptolemy of Alexandria, in his great Syntaxis begins his Chaldean account, from the next spring.

3693a AM, 4402 JP, 312 BC

2566. While Ptolemy of Egypt remained still in Coelosyria, he sent one of his friends, called Cilles, a Macedonian, with a large army against Demetrius. He was camped in upper Syria and Ptolemy wanted Cilles to fight with him and either drive him out of Syria or confine him there and destroy him. Demetrius was told this by his spies that Cilles with his army camped at Myus carelessly without keeping a proper watch. He left his baggage behind him, marched away with a company of light-footed troops. They travelled all night and a little before daybreak they attacked Cilles' camp. They turned it into chaos and captured Cilles with 7000 soldiers and much booty besides. Since he thought Ptolemy was coming later with all his army, he pitched his camp in a place where he had a bog on the one hand and a large lake on the other side to protect him. (Diod. Sic. year. 1. Olymp. 117. & Plut. in Demetrio.)

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2567. Demetrius sent news of this good success to his father Antigonus at Celenae in Phrygia. He asked him to quickly send an army or to come himself in person into Syria. When Antigonus read the letter, he was overjoyed by the news of the victory and his son's conduct in managing the battle. He showed himself a man worthy to wear the crown after Antigonus. (Diodor.) Demetrius, with his father's permission, sent back Cilles and all his friends to Ptolemy again. Thereby, he was no longer indebted to Ptolemy for his former kindness to him. (Plut.)

2568. Antigonus with his army moved from Phrygia and in a few days crossed the Taurus Mountains and came to his son Demetrius. Ptolemy followed the advice of his council and decided to leave Syria. Before he left, he laid waste and destroyed the main cities which he had captured. These included, Acon in Syrophoenicia, Joppa, Samaria and Gaza of Syria. He took whatever he could carry from there and returned to Egypt loaded with wealth. (Diod. Sic. year 1. Olymp. 117.)

2569. A great number of men who lived there noticed his good disposition and clemency of nature. They wanted to return with him to Egypt. Among those was Ezechias, a high priest of the Jews. (Perhaps a secondary one, for the chief high priest at that time was Onias the first) Ezechias was about 66 years old and highly respected among his people, very eloquent and had much experience in the affairs of the world. This and much more concerning this Ezechias is told by Hecaraeus the historian (who conversed with him in Ptolemy's army) in a peculiar Treatise which he wrote about the Jews. He tells a long story about another Jew, whom he became acquainted with, named Mosollamo. or Meshullamo. His story is:

``When I went toward the Red Sea, there was one among the rest, of a troop of cavalry of the Jews who escorted us, a man called Mosollamus. He was a high-spirited man and the best archer of all the company. He saw a certain wizard in the company who stood still. He desired all the company to do the same while he observed a certain bird that flew so he could divine by it. Mosollamus asked him why he stood still. When the wizard showed him the bird which he was watching and said that it would be best for the company to stay there if the bird would stay where she was. If she arose and flew before them then they should go forward too. If she flew back, then all the company ought also to return. Mosollamus said nothing but drew his bow and shot and killed the bird. The wizard and others there present were angry about this and shamed him for his actions. He replied that why were they angry with him and why do you pick up this unlucky bird? How could the bird that did not know what was about to happen to it, predict what would happen to them on their journey? If she had any knowledge of things to come, she would never have come there to be shot to death by Mossollamus a Jew.''

2570. Many things besides this are told by Josephus, (in his book, contra. Apion.) from the same book concerning the Jews. He says that at that time there were 1500 priests who received tithes and governed all things belonging to the commonwealth. Demetrius Phalareus, in his Epistle to Ptolemaeus Philadelphus, (found in Aristeas his book of the 70 Interpreters and in the same Josephus, l. 12. Antiquit. c. 2.) from the same author tells us the reason why no heathen poet or historian mentions either of those sacred books or of those men who lived according to the rules set down in them. These books contain a sacred and a venerable rule which was not to be uttered by unhallowed mouths.

3693 AM, 4403 JP, 311 BC

2571. Antigonus had recovered all Syria and Phoenicia without fighting a battle. He journeyed to the country of the Arabians, called the Nabathaeans. He thought they never really favoured his actions. Therefore he appointed one of his friends called Athenaeus, with 4000 foot soldiers and 600 light cavalry to attack them and get as much spoil as he could. About that time of the year, all the neighbouring countries came together to a common market to sell their wares. The Nabathaeans went to this market according to their custom. They left their wealth and the old men with their wives and children on the top of a rock. Athenaeus waited for this opportunity and quickly marched to this rock. He left the province of Edom and marched 275 miles in 3 days and 3 nights time. Late in the night he surprised the Arabians and captured the rock. He killed some of the soldiers there and took some prisoners. He left their wounded behind. He took a large quantity of their myrrh and frankincense with 500 talents of silver. He did not stay there more than 3 hours lest the neighbouring countries attack him. He returned immediately again. They had gone only 25 miles and could go no further because they were so tired. Therefore they rested and did not set a watch for they thought the people could not reach them for 2 or 3 days. (Diod. Sic. year 1. Olymp. 117.)