Eumenes was not ignorant that Craterus was able to defeat him without battle, yea without stroke; him therefore he feared more than the army following him; (yet the army following him was such as much exceeded his own in footmen, but was inferior in horsemen ;) and thought it more uneasy to keep the Macedonians from revolting to him, than from knowing him. Hereupon he took in hand a strange piece of work, which desperation (of all courses else) taught him, and wise managing prosperously accomplished. He gave out reports that Neoptolemus was returned with such company as he could gather together, and had gotten Pigres (a captain of no great estimation, who lay not far off) to join with him. Having animated his men against Neoptolemus, whom he knew to be despised and hated among them, (as having been vanquished by some of them, and forsaken others in plain field, whilst they valiantly fought in his quarrel,) he took great care to keep them from receiving any intelligence of the enemy's matters. Peremptorily he commanded that no messenger nor trumpeter should be admitted; and not herewith satisfied, he placed against Craterus no one Macedonian, nor any other that much would have regarded him, had he been known: but Thracians, Cappadocians, and Persians, under the leading of such as thought more highly of none than of Perdiccas and himself. To these also he gave in charge, that without speaking or hearkening to any word, they should run upon the enemy, and give him no leisure to say or do any thing, but fight. The directions which he gave to others he did not fail to execute in his own person; but placing himself in the right wing of his battle, opposite to Neoptolemus, who (as he understood) conducted the left wing on the contrary side, he held the Macedonians arranged in good order, and ready to charge the enemy as soon as the distance would give leave. A rising piece of ground lay between them, which having ascended, the armies discovered each other; but that of Eumenes every way prepared for the fight, the other wearied with long journeys, which over hastily they had made, seeking the deceitful issue of

frivolous hopes. Then was it high time for Craterus (having failed in surprising them as enemies) to discover himself to his old friends and fellow-soldiers, of whom he could see none. Phoenix a Tenidian, and Artabazus a Persian, had the leading of that side, who, mindful of their instructions, began to give upon him with such countenance as told him his error, which to redeem, he bade his men fight, and win the day, and take the spoil to themselves. But the bear whose skin he sells is not yet caught. The ground whereon the battle was fought gave most advantage to the horse, who encountered very roughly on all parts, especially about Eumenes and Neoptolemus, who as soon as they had discovered one another could not contain themselves, but with great rage met body to body, and letting loose their bridles grappled so violently together, that their horses ran from under them, leaving both of them tumbling on the ground. Neoptolemus rose first up, but Eumenes had his sword first drawn, wherewith he houghed the other, causing him to fall down and fight upon one knee. In this conflict they received many wounds, but Neoptolemus giving slight ones took such as were deadly, by which he died in the place, and was there (being half dead half alive) stripped by his mortal enemy, whose revilings he requited, lying even at the last gasp, with one wound in the groin, dangerous had it not wanted force. The death of Neoptolemus caused his followers to run away upon the spur, and seek shelter behind the battles of their foot. They were nothing hotly pursued: for Eumenes pained himself to carry succour to his left wing, which he suspected much to be distressed; but found accompanied with the same fortune that had assisted him when he fought in person. Craterus had gallantly borne himself a while, and sustained the impression of Artabazus and Phoenix with more courage than force, holding it nothing agreeable with his honour to retire and protract the fight, when he was charged by men of little estimation or note. Otherwise it is not unlikely that he might have either carried the day, or preserved himself to a better adventure by giving ground, as the rest (when he and Neo

ptolemus were slain) did. But whilst he sought to preserve his reputation, he lost his life by the fall of his horse, or his falling from his horse, through force of a wound received; upon which accident he was trampled under foot by many that knew him not, and so perished unknown, till it was too late to know it. Eumenes coming to the place where he lay made great lamentation, as having always loved and honoured Craterus, of whose death he was now become the instrument. The vanquished army entertained a treaty of peace with Eumenes, making show of willingness to become his followers; but their intent was only to refresh themselves, which (by his permission) having done, they stole away by night, and fled toward Antipater.

This battle, fought within ten days of the former, won to Eumenes more reputation than good-will; for his own soldiers took the death of Craterus heavily, and the armies lying further off were enraged with the news. But other matters there were which incensed men against him, besides the death of Craterus, whereof it manifestly appeared, that he was as sorry as any that pretended greater heaviness. His army wanted pay. This was a great fault, which he wisely amended, by giving to them the spoil of such towns as were ill affected to him. So he redeemed the love of his own men, who of their mere motion appointed unto him a guard for defence of his person. Others were not so easy to be reconciled. They who had been traitors to Perdiccas hated him for his faithfulness, as greatly as they thought that he would hate them for their falsehood; neither found they any fairer way of excusing their late revolt, than by accusing and condemning the side which they had forsaken. Wherefore they proclaimed Eumenes a traitor, and condemned him to die; but it was an easier matter to give that sentence, than to put it in execution.

SECT. X.

Quarrels between Eurydice the queen and Python the protector. Python resigns his office, into which Antipater is chosen. PYTHON and Aridæus being chosen protectors of king

Aridæus and the children of Alexander, took the way to Asia the Less, conducting the army through Syria. Of these two Python was the greater in reputation, yet far too weak to sustain so important a charge. For Eurydice, wife to king Aridæus, was come to her husband, a lady of a masculine spirit, well understanding what she was or should be, and thinking herself able to support the weight which fortune had laid upon her foolish husband, being due to her own title. Her mother Cyna, sister to Alexander by her father king Philip, was married (as hath been shewed) to Amyntas, who was right heir to the kingdom of Macedon, being the only son of king Perdiccas, Philip's elder brother.

This Cyna was a warlike woman; she had led armies, and (as a true sister of Alexander) fighting hand to hand with Caria, queen of the Phrygians, a virago like unto herself, had slain her. She brought up this Eurydice in the same unwomanly art of war, who now among the soldiers began to put in practice the rudiments of her education, to the small contentment of Python, that could not brook her curious intermeddling in his charge. Whether it were so that Python had some purpose to advance the son of Alexander by Roxana to the kingdom, (as once he had sought to do,) or whether the queen did suspect him of some such intent; or whether only desire of rule caused her to quarrel with him; quarrel she did, which disturbed the proceeding against Eumenes. The army having shaken off such a rank rider as Perdiccas, would not afterward be reined with a twined thread. Python, bearing himself upon his office, took upon him to give directions in the king's name, which the queen did oftentimes control, using the same name, with more authority, and better liking of the soldiers. Python, seeing this, would needs resign his office; whether upon weariness of the contentions daily growing, or on purpose to bring the queen into envy, it is uncertain. Perhaps he thought, that now being the far worthiest man in the camp he should be entreated to retain the place, and have his authority confirmed, or (as might be) increased, were it but for want of a fit successor. Eurydice was no

thing sorry at this course, for now she thought to manage the affairs of the empire at her own will, being freed from the troublesome assistance of a protector. But the soldiers disappointed both her and Python of their contrary expectations, choosing Antipater, the only powerful man of Alexander's captains then living, into the room of Python. Hereat the queen fretted exceedingly, and began to deal earnestly with the Macedonians, that they should acknowledge no lord, save only the king their sovereign. Yet she failed of her purpose, being hindered (as may seem) by three things; the apparent weakness of her husband; the growth of Alexander's children, who (though born of outlandish women) were bred in the Macedonian camp; and the mightiness of Antipater, who commanding a great army near at hand arrived in few days at the camp, and enforced Eurydice to hold herself content. Antipater was of such power that he needed not to work by any close devices, as Perdiccas had done; he had no concurrents; all the governors of provinces that remained alive acknowledged him their better; yea, many of them he displaced out of hand, putting others in their rooms. This done, he took the king, queen, and princes along with him into Macedonia, leaving Antigonus general of the royal army to whom, for his good services done and to be done against Eumenes, he gave the rule of Susiana, besides his former provinces, and committed into his hands the government of Asia during that war.

SECT. XI.

Antigonus, lieutenant of Asia, wins a battle of Eumenes, and besiegeth him in Nora: he vanquisheth other followers of Perdiccas. HERE begins the greatness of Antigonus, whose power in few years overgrowing the rest, wanted little of spreading itself over the whole monarchy. He was to make war upon Eumenes, Alcetas the brother, and Attalus the brother-in-law to Perdiccas; work enough to keep his army employed in the public service, till such time as he might find occasion to make use of it in his own business. The first of these which he undertook was Eumenes, with whom