them performed that year, whilst the enemies had wearied themselves either with vain journeys, or long and dulling expectation, they disposed in such order as best answered to the form wherein Demetrius was embattled. The fight began, and was maintained with equal courage for a long time, each part striving more to win honour than to satisfy any other passion, as having little cause of hatred or revenge. But after some continuance, the greater number holding better out, the error of Demetrius, who upon no necessity would needs fight a battle with disadvantage, began to appear by his losses. He had committed himself to fortune, having more to lose by her than he could get but in this fight she was idle, and left all to be decided by strong hands; unless it may be said, that the terror brought upon his men by the loss of his elephants was bad luck. Those beasts were in that kind of war hardly to be resisted on plain ground, and therefore at the first they made great spoil amongst Ptolomy's men. Afterward, seeking to break through the palisado, they were sorely hurt, and every one of them taken. This disaster caused the horsemen of Demetrius to faint. They had laboured hard, and prevailed little; till now, perceiving that all must lie upon their hands, who were ill able to make their own places good, they began to shrink, and many of them to provide for their safety by timely flight; which example the rest quickly followed. When Demetrius had stroven so long in vain to make his men abide, that he himself was likely to be lost, he was fain to give place to the stronger, making a violent retreat as far as to Azotus, which was about thirty miles from the place of battle. A great part of his carriages was in Gaza, whither some of his company turned aside, hoping to save such goods as in haste they could pack up. This foolish covetousness was their destruction, and the loss of the town. For whilst they, forgetful of the danger, had filled the streets with sumpter horses, and cloyed up the gates, thronging, some to get in and fetch, others to carry out what they had already loaden, Ptolomy's army brake in without resistance, taking them with their goods and the city all together.

This victory restored unto Ptolomy the best part of Syria, a province more easy in those times to get than to keep, and opened the way unto all the greatness of Seleucus. For between Gaza and Phoenicia no place offered resistance. In Colesyria and Phoenicia some towns held out a while, but were soon taken in by Ptolomy. Among these were the great cities of Tyrus and Sidon; of which Sidon was given up by the inhabitants; Tyrus, by the garrison falling to mutiny against their captain; who trusting to the strength of it had made great vaunts, but was pardoned by Ptolomy, and honourably entertained in respect of his fidelity.

SECT. VII.

How Seleucus recovered Babylon, and made himself lord of many countries in the Higher Asia. The era of the kingdom of the Greeks, which began with this dominion of Seleucus.

WHILE Ptolomy followed his business with such prosperity, Seleucus took leave of him, and went up to Babylon to try his own fortune, which he found so favourable, that recovering first his own province, he became at length master of the better part of Alexander's purchases.

This expedition of Seleucus was very strange, and full of unlikelihoods. His train consisted of no more than eight hundred foot and two hundred horse, a number too small to have been placed as garrison in some one of those main great cities, against which he carried it into the Higher Asia. But little force is needful to make way into strong places, for him that already stands possessed of their hearts which dwell within the walls. The name of Seleucus was enough, whom the Babylonians had found so good a governor, that none of them would find courage to resist him, but left that work to Antigonus's own men, wishing them ill to speed. Some of the Macedonians that were in those countries had the like affection, others made a countenance of war, which by easy compulsion they left off, and followed new ensigns. This added courage to the people, who came in apace, and submitted themselves joyfully to Seleucus. In a defection so general, it was not a safe course for the Antigonians to

thrust themselves into the towns of most importance; for every man of them should have been troubled with daily enemies in his own lodging. It remained that they should issue forth into the field, and try the matter by fight. But the treason of one principal man, who revolted to the enemy, with more than a thousand soldiers following him, so dismayed the rest, that they did no more than seek to make good one strong place, wherein were kept the hostages and prisoners that Antigonus held for his security in those quarters. This castle, belike, they had not fortified in times of leisure against dangers that were not then apparent. Seleucus quickly took it, and so got the entire possession of Mesopotamia and Babylon.

Antigonus had bestowed in Media and Persia forces convenient for defence of those provinces that were the utmost of his dominion. In the countries about Euphrates he had not done the like, for his own great army lay between them and all enemies. Therefore, when the victory at Gaza had opened unto Seleucus the way into those parts, he found little impediment in the rest of his business. Having now gotten what he sought, it behoved him to seek how he might keep his gettings; for his own forces were too small, and his friends were ill able to lend him any more. That which his friends could not do for him, his enemies did. Nicanor, to whom Antigonus had committed his army in Media, joining unto himself out of Persia and other countries all needful help, came with ten thousand foot and seven thousand horse, either to save all from being lost, or to drive Seleucus out of that which he had won.

Against this power Seleucus had only four hundred horse, and somewhat above three thousand foot, wherewith to oppose himself; his large conquest of unwarlike nations having yielded him many loving subjects, but few soldiers. Therefore, when his enemies were near to the river of Tigris, he withdrew himself from the place where his resistance was expected into certain marishes not far off, where he lay secretly waiting for some advantage. Nicanor thought that he had been fled, and was the less careful in

fortifying his camp. In recompense of this vain security, his camp was taken by surprise the first night of his arrival, the satrapa, or lieutenant of Persia, together with sundry of the captains, were slain, he himself was driven to flee for his life into the deserts, and the whole army yielded unto Seleucus, whose gentle demeanour after the victory drew all Media, Susiana, and the neighbour provinces, to acknowledge him their lord, without any further stroke stricken.

с

66

This victory of Seleucus gave beginning unto the new style, of the kingdom of the Greeks, an account much used by the Jews, Chaldeans, Syrians, and other nations in those parts. I will not make any long disputation about the first year of this era. The authority of that great astrologer Ptolomy, from which there is no appeal, makes it plain, that "the five hundred and nineteenth year of Nabonassar was the fourscore and two year of this account." Other inference hereupon is needless, than that note of the learned d Gauricus, "that the first of these years was reckoned com"plete at Babylon, together with the end of four hundred "thirty and eight years after Nabonassar." With the observation of the Saturn, recorded by Ptolomy, agrees (as it ought) the calculation of Bunting; finding the same planet to have been so placed in the sign of Virgo, as the Chaldeans had observed it, in the same year, which was from Nabonassar the five hundred and nineteenth; from Seleucus the fourscore and two year, and the last of the hundred thirty and seventh Olympiad. These observations of the celestial bodies are the surest marks of time; from which he that wilfully varies is inexcusable. As for such occurrences in history, and the years of succeeding princes, (that are not seldom ambiguous, by reason of unremembered fractions,) if they seem to be here-against, it is not greatly material. Yet thus much is worthy of note, that these years of the Greeks were not reckoned in all countries from one beginning, as plainly appears in the difference of one year, that is found between actions related by the several authors of the two books of the Maccabees, who follow divers ac

e Ptol. Almag. 1. 11. c 7, 8. L. Gauric. in Annot. ad locum citatum.

counts. He that shall adhere to the time defined by Ptolomy may apply the other supputations thereunto, as being no further from it than a year's distance.

SECT. VIII.

How Ptolomy lost all that he had won in Syria. What the causes were of the quiet obedience performed unto the Macedonians, by those that had been subject unto the Persian empire. Of divers petty enterprises, taken in hand by Antigonus and Demetrius, with ill success.

IN a happy hour did Seleucus adventure to go up to Babylon with so few men as his friend could then well spare; for had he stayed longer, upon hope of getting more soldiers, Ptolomy could have spared him none at all, Demetrius the son of Antigonus, having lost the battle at Gaza, received from Ptolomy all his own goods, his pages, and servants, in free gift, and therewithal a courteous message, to this effect: That no personal hatred was the ground of this war, which he and his confederates held with Antigonus, but only terms of honour, wherein they would seek to right themselves after such manner, that other friendly offices, without reference to the quarrel, should not be forgotten.

This noble dealing of Ptolomy did kindle in Demetrius an earnest desire of requiting him with some as brave liberality which to effect, he gathered together the remainder of his broken troops; drew as many as could be spared out of the garrisons in Cilicia, or other provinces thereabouts; and advertising his father of his misfortune, besought him to send a new supply, wherewith he might redeem his honour lost. Antigonus, upon the first news of this overthrow, had said, that the victory which Ptolomy won upon a beardless boy should be taken from him by bearded men; yet upon desire that his son, whom he tenderly loved, should amend his own reputation, he was content to make a stand in Phrygia. Ptolomy, hearing of Demetrius's preparations, did nevertheless follow his own business in Colesyria, thinking it enough to send part of his army under Cilles, his lieutenant, against the remnant