other ages, a stout lady, and of unreprovable chastity; but her ambition was boundless, her hatred unappeasable, and her fury in revenge most unwomanly. Her perverse conditions made her husband seek other wives and concubines, which caused her to hate both him and them. She was thought privy to her husband's death, after which, very cruelly, she slew his late wife Cleopatra, having first murdered one of her two children in her arms, and with a beastly fury broield the other alive in fire in a copper basin. For these things her son Alexander (otherwise loving her well) forbade her to meddle in the government of Macedon. But God, more severe unto cruel tyrants than only to hinder them of their wills, permitted her to live, and fulfil the rest of her wickedness; (which was his justice upon the adulteries of Philip, and the oppression done by him and others;) after all which he rewarded her malice by returning upon her own head.

it

§. 4.

Cassander celebrates the funeral of Aridæus and Eurydice, and seeks to make himself king of Macedon.

AFTER her death, Cassander gave honourable burial to Aridæus and Eurydice among their progenitors, kings of Macedon. And looking further into his own possibilities of greatness, he married the lady Thessalonica, whom he had taken at Pydna, being the daughter of king Philip by another of his wives, that by her he might have some title to the crown. For the same end he committed Roxana and her young son to close prison, removing thereby some part of his impediment. And the better to increase his fame, and purchase love, he built a city called by his own name Cassandria, that soon grew to be very great and powerful. He reedified likewise Thebes in Greece, and restored it unto the old inhabitants, after it had lain twenty years waste, being utterly rased by Alexander. By these means, especially by the restoration of Thebes, whereunto all Greece voluntarily contributed, he grew so strong, that few remained enemies unto him, and they with much labour hardly could resist him. Leaving him therefore daily pre

vailing in Greece, we will return to them who contended in Asia for less titles, but larger provinces, with greater forces.

CHAP. IV.

Of the great lordship which Antigonus got in Asia.

SECT. I.

The journey of Eumenes into Persia. His wise dealing with those that joined with him.

EUMENES, having joined unto his company the Argyraspides, made haste into the eastern parts, to take possession of those countries, according to his commission, and strengthen himself against Antigonus. He took his journey through Coelesyria and Phoenicia, hoping to reclaim those provinces, usurped with the rest of Syria (as hath been shewed) by Ptolomy, to the king's obedience. But to effect this, his haste of passing forward was too great, his army too little, and the readiness of the people to return to their due obedience none at all. Besides all which impediments, one inconvenience troubled him in all his proceedings, making them the less effectual. The captains of the Argyraspides were so froward, that they scorned to repair to him and take his directions, and their fidelity was so unsteady, that he might have more easily dealt with open traitors. It was not expedient that he, being general, should weaken his authority by courting them; neither lay it in his power to keep them in order by compulsion. Therefore he feigned that Alexander had appointed unto him in a dream a place for their meeting, namely, in a rich pavilion, wherein an empty throne was placed, as if Alexander himself had been present at their consultations. Thus he freed himself from their vain pride, but of their faith he could have no assurance. Yet when Ptolomy requested them, and Antigonus bribed them to forsake him, they continued (though not without considering of the matter) to take his part. So he marched on, sending before him the king's warrant, which

Pytho and Seleucus refused to obey; not as rejecting the king's authority, but excepting against the person of Eumenes, as a man condemned to die by the Macedonian army for the death of Craterus. Eumenes, knowing well that he was not to rely upon their assistance who stood otherwise affected than his affairs required, and were not to be dealt with by persuasion, sought passage by strong hand through the country of Babylon, in such wise, that Seleucus, having in vain assayed to hinder him by opening the sluices of Euphrates, was glad at length to grant him friendly way, as desirous to be rid of him. Thus he came to Peucestes and the rest of the eastern lords, who were glad of his company, because of the differences between Pytho, Seleucus, and themselves. Yet the contention about superiority grew very hot among them, every one finding matter enough to feed his own humour of self-worthiness. But the former device of assembling in one pavilion made.all quiet, the conclusion ever being sure to follow that which Eumenes propounded, who was both wisest in giving advice, and best able to reward, by means of the authority given him to take what he pleased of the king's treasures. By these means he won to himself many of those who had most power to do good or hurt.

SECT. II.

How Antigonus, coming to set upon Eumenes, was driven off with loss.

ANTIGONUS, hearing that Eumenes lay in the province of Susa, had an earnest desire to follow him, and drive him further from the king's treasures, which were kept there. To which end, as soon as he had made himself strong enough, he removed out of Mesopotamia, where he had wintered; and taking to him Pitho and Seleucus, with their men, he marched directly against the enemies, with intent to give them battle. Eumenes had fortified the castle of Susa, and was retired back toward Persia, keeping the river of Tigris between him and his pursuers. The passages of the river were well guarded, and good espial kept upon Antigonus,

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to observe which way he took. Before he came to Tigris itself, he was to pass over Coprates, a great river, and not fordable, which he sought to do by small vessels, whereof he had no great store. A great part of his army had gotten over, when Eumenes, who kept a bridge upon Tigris, came with a thousand horse and four thousand foot, to see their demeanour and finding them out of order, charged them, brake them, and drave them headlong back into Coprates, wherein most of them were drowned; very few escaping with life, except four thousand, that yielded themselves prisoners in sight of Antigonus, that was not able to relieve them. This loss made Antigonus glad to fall off; and the heat of that country in the dog-days breeding diseases in his army, by which many perished, caused him to remove as far as into Media. So he took Python with him, (leaving Seleucus to besiege the castle of Susa,) and seeking to go the nearest way, passed through savage nations, that continually vexing him with skirmishes, slew great numbers of his men before he could arrive in Media, with his troops that were quite heart-broken.

SECT. III.

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Of Eumenes's cunning. A battle between him and Antigonus. AFTER his departure, Eumenes with his associates fell into consultation about the remainder of their business. Fain he would have had them to enter upon those provinces which Antigonus had left behind him, to which also the captains of the Argyraspides, or silver-shields, were very clinable, as desiring to draw nearer to Greece. But Peucestes and the rest, whose dominions lay in the high countries, had more care of their own particular estates, and would needs march eastward. These carried it, for the army was not strong enough to divide itself into parts. When they came into Persia, Peucestes ruling there feasted them royally, and sought by all means to win the soldier's love to himself. Eumenes, perceiving whereunto those doings tended, suffered him a while to keep good cheer, till the time of war drew near. Then did he feign an epistle,

directed as from Orontes governor of Armenia to Peucestes himself; the purport whereof was, that Olympias had vanquished Cassander, and sent over a great army under Polysperchon, to join with Eumenes. These news, as they filled the camp with vain joy, so they wrought in all men's minds a great willingness to obey Eumenes, by whom was the likeliest appearance of their preferment; wherein they dealt wisely, he being far the most sufficient commander, as they found soon after. For when Antigonus, coming out of Media, drew near unto them, Eumenes by some mischance was fallen sick, and fain to be carried in a litter; the army marched in very bad array, and was likely to have been forced to take battle in that disorder. But Eumenes, when the rest of the captains were amazed, was carried about the army in his litter, and upon the sudden did cast his men into so good form, that Antigonus, perceiving him afar off, could not refrain from giving him deserved commendations. Yet he did not cease to promise great rewards to the captains, and all sorts of men, if they would forsake Eumenes: which hopes deceiving him, he came to the trial of a battle. Eumenes had more elephants than Antigonus, otherwise he was inferior in number both of horse and foot by a third part. The battle was fought with variable success, and great loss on both sides, continuing a great part of the day, and of the night following. Yet the victory was uncertain. For Eumenes could not force his men to lie far from their carriages; by which means Antigonus (who had a more absolute command over his) encamping on the ground whereon they fought, had in his power the dead bodies, which was accounted the sign of victory, for he buried his own, and gave leave to his enemies craving it to do the like. But a greater sign of victory had Eumenes. For he abode still in the same place, and not only buried his men very honourably, at great leisure, but held the country round about; whereas Antigonus was glad (having tarried but one day) to steal away by night, and return into Media, from whence he

· came.