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the funeral of Alexander with great solemnity, purchasing thereby to himself much good-will and many partakers, notwithstanding the terrible report of the king's army coming against him.

SECT. VIII.

Perdiccas's voyage into Egypt, and his death.

PERDICCAS, uncertain which way to bend his main power, at length resolved to set upon Ptolomy; leaving Eumenes to keep to his use, against Craterus and Antipater, the parts of Asia bordering upon Europe.

It may seem strange, that he did not rather make head against those who were to come out of Greece with a great number, and of more able men than Ptolomy could bring. Perhaps he thought to make a quick end with Ptolomy; or believed that Craterus would not be ready for him soon enough. Sure it is that he took a bad course, and made it worse with ill handling.

Ptolomy by his sweet behaviour allured many to his party, without help of any bad arts. Perdiccas contrariwise was full of insolency, which never faileth to be rewarded with hatred, that is truly defined, An affection founded upon opinion of an unjust contempt. The whole story of his proceedings in Egypt is not worth relating; for he did nothing of importance, but (as a wilful man) tired his followers, and wasted them in hard enterprises without success. His most forcible attempt was upon a little town called the Camels' Wall; thither he marched by night, with more haste than good speed; for Ptolomy preventing him, did put himself into the place, where behaving himself not only as a good commander, but as a stout soldier, he gave the foil to Perdiccas, causing him to retire with loss, after a vehement but vain assault continued one whole day. The night following, Perdiccas made another journey, (which was his last,) and came to the divisions of Nilus, over against Memphis. There with much difficulty he began to pass over his army into an island, where he meant to encamp. The current was strong, the water deep, and hardly fordable. Wherefore he placed his elephants above

the passage, to break the violence of the stream, and his horsemen beneath it, to take up such as were carried away by swiftness of the water. A great part of his army being arrived on the further bank, the channel began to wax deep; so that whereas the former companies had waded up to the chin, they who should have followed could find no footing. Whether this came by rising of the water or flitting away of the ground, (the earth being broken with the feet of so many men, horse, and elephants,) no remedy there was, but such as had passed must repass again as well as they might; for they were too weak for the enemy, and could not be relieved by their fellows. With great confusion therefore they committed themselves to the river, wherein above two thousand of them perished; a thousand were devoured by crocodiles; a miserable spectacle even to such as were out of danger; such as were strong, and could swim, recovered the camp; many were carried down the stream, and driven to the contrary bank, where they fell into the hands of their enemies.

This misfortune exasperated the soldiers against their general, giving liberty to their tongues, which long time had concealed the evil thoughts of their hearts. While they were thus murmuring, news came from Ptolomy which did set them in an uproar. Ptolomy had not only shewed much compassion on those who fell into his hands alive, but performed all rights of funeral to the dead carcasses which the river had cast upon his side; and finally, sent their bones and ashes to be interred by their kinsmen or friends. This did not only move the common soldier, but made the captains fall to mutiny, thinking it unreasonable to make war upon so virtuous and honourable a person, to fulfil the pleasure of a lordly ambitious man, using them like slaves. The sedition growing strong wanted only a head, which it quickly found. Python was there, who inwardly hated Perdiccas, for the disgrace which he had suffered by his procurement after the victory upon the rebellious Greeks. Python had lived in honourable place about Alexander; he was in the division of the provinces

made governor of Media; he had followed Perdiccas, and being in all things (the protectorship excepted) equal to him, had nevertheless been scornfully used by him, which now he requited. Drawing together a hundred of the captains, and a good part of the horse, which consisted of the gentry, (the footmen having declared themselves before,) he entered the tent of Perdiccas, where without further circumstance they all ran upon him, and slew him. Such end had the proud misgoverning authority of Perdiccas. He might have lived as great as any, could he have suffered any as great as himself; yea, peradventure master of all, had he not been too masterly over those which were already his.

The next day Ptolomy came into the camp, where he was joyfully received; he excused himself of things past, as not having been author, or given cause of the war, and was easily believed; the favour of the army being such toward him, that needs they would have made him protector in the room of Perdiccas. But this he refused. It was an office fit for one that would seek to increase his greatness with his trouble. Ptolomy was well enough already; wherefore, for his own quiet, he forbare to accept it, and for their welldeserving of him he procured that honourable charge to Python, and to Aridæus the captain, who having had some companies of soldiers, to furnish with their attendance the solemnities of Alexander's funerals, did with them adhere to him against Perdiccas.

In the midst of these businesses came news of two great victories obtained by Eumenes; which news, had they arrived two or three days sooner, had been entertained with joyful acclamation; and would have given such reputation to Perdiccas, as had caused both his private maligners to continue his open flatterers, and his open enemies to have accepted any tolerable composition. But these good tidings coming in ill time, when death had stopped the ears which would have given them welcome, found bad acceptance, as shall be shewed hereafter.

SECT. IX.

Victories of Eumenes in the Lower Asia.

BEFORE we proceed in the relation of things happening about the person of the king, it is meet that we speak of those businesses in the Lower Asia which were handled by Eumenes with notable dexterity, whilst Perdiccas was occupied in the Egyptian wars. Alcetas, the brother of Perdiccas, and Neoptolemus, had received command from Perdiccas to be assistant to Eumenes, and to follow his directions. But Alcetas made flat answer, that he would not; alleging the backwardness of his men to bear arms against so great a person as Antipater, and a man so much honoured as Craterus. Neoptolemus was content to make fair show, but inwardly he repined at the precedency given to Eumenes, as thinking himself the better man. Eumenes, discovering through the counterfeited looks of Neoptolemus the mischief lurking in his heart, wisely dissembled with him, in hope to win him by gentle behaviour and sweet language, that commonly are lost when bestowed upon arrogant creatures. Yet the better to fortify himself, that he might stand upon his own strength, he raised out of the countries under his jurisdiction about six thousand horse, giving many privileges to such as were serviceable, and training them well up. Not without great need for when upon advertisement of the great preparations made by Craterus and Antipater (who had newly passed the Hellespont) for the invasion of his provinces, he willed Neoptolemus to come to him with all his power, Neoptolemus did indeed advance, but in hostile manner, though unprovoked, presented him battle. Neoptolemus had secretly covenanted with Antipater to lay open the way for him to the conquest of Asia, which now intending to perform, he was shamefully disappointed: for though his footmen, being all Macedonians, had much the better, and prevailed far upon Eumenes's battles; yet were his horse driven out of the field, and himself compelled, with a few of them, to run away, leaving naked the backs of his Macedonian footmen to be charged by Eumenes, who forced

them in such wise, that casting down their pikes they cried for mercy, and gladly took their oath to do him faithful service. Antipater and Craterus endeavoured with many goodly promises to draw Eumenes into their society, who contrariwise offered himself, as a mean of reconciliation, between Perdiccas and Craterus, whom he dearly loved; professing withal his hatred to Antipater, and constant faith to the cause which he had undertaken to maintain.

Whilst these negociations were on foot, Neoptolemus came with his broken crew to Antipater and his associates, vilifying Eumenes, and calling him a scribe, (at which foolish railing they laughed,) but extolling the virtue of Craterus (as well he might) with high commendations; assuring them, that if Craterus did but once appear, or that his voice were but heard by any Macedonian in Eumenes's camp, the victory was won, for they would all forthwith revolt unto him. Earnestly therefore he desired them to give him aid against Eumenes, and especially requested that Craterus might have the leading of the army to be sent. Their own affections did easily lead them to condescend to his motion; and good hope there was, that the reputation of Craterus might prevail as much as the force which he drew along. For he had in the midst of Alexander's vanities, when others (imitating their king) betook themselves to the Persian fashions of garments and customs, retained the ancient Macedonian form of behaviour and apparel; whereby he became very gracious with the common soldiers, who beheld these new tricks of Asia with discontented eyes, as reproachful and derogatory to the manners of their native country. So Antipater took the way towards Cilicia, to hold Perdiccas at bay, and to join with Ptolomy. Craterus used great celerity to have taken Eumenes revelling, (as he hoped,) according to the common fashion of captains after a great victory. But he had a wary and well advised enemy to encounter, who kept good espial upon him, and with much wisdom foresaw all that was to be feared, and the means of prevention, which his courage did not fail to

execute.

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