eumenes-第2章

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Alexander's　displeasure；　doing　his　best　to　withhold　him　when　he
began　to　follow　the　Persian　fashions；　and　always　maintaining　the
customs　of　his　country；　when；　through　pride　and　luxuriousness；　they
began　to　be　disregarded。　Craterus；　therefore；　sent　on　Antipater　into
Cilicia；　and　himself　and　Neoptolemus　marched　with　a　large　division
of　the　army　against　Eumenes；　expecting　to　come　upon　him　unawares；
and　to　find　his　army　disordered　with　revelling　after　the　late　victory。
Now　that　Eumenes　should　suspect　his　coming；　and　be　prepared　to　receive
him；　is　an　argument　of　his　vigilance；　but　not　perhaps　a　proof　of　any
extraordinary　sagacity；　but　that　he　should　contrive　both　to　conceal
from　his　enemies　the　disadvantages　of　his　position；　and　from　his　own
men　whom　they　were　to　fight　with；　so　that　he　led　them　on　against
Craterus　himself；　without　their　knowing　that　he　commanded　the　enemy；
this；　indeed；　seems　to　show　peculiar　address　and　skill　in　the　general。
He　gave　out　that　Neoptolemus　and　Pigres　were　approaching　with　some
Cappadocian　and　Paphlagonian　horse。　And　at　night；　having　resolved　on
marching；　he　fell　asleep；　and　had　an　extraordinary　dream。　For　he
thought　he　saw　two　Alexanders　ready　to　engage；　each　commanding　his
several　phalanx；　the　one　assisted　by　Minerva；　the　other　by　Ceres；
and　that　after　a　hot　dispute；　he　on　whose　side　Minerva　was；　was
beaten；　and　Ceres；　gathering　ears　of　corn；　wove　them　into　a　crown
for　the　victor。
　　This　vision　Eumenes　interpreted　at　once　as　boding　success　to
himself；　who　was　to　fight　for　a　fruitful　country；　and　at　that　very
time　covered　with　the　young　ears；　the　whole　being　sown　with　corn；
and　the　fields　so　thick　with　it　that　they　made　a　beautiful　show　of　a
long　peace。　And　he　was　further　emboldened　when　he　understood　that
the　enemy's　password　was　Minerva　and　Alexander。　Accordingly　he　also
gave　out　as　his　Ceres　and　Alexander；　and　gave　his　men　orders　to　make
garlands　for　themselves；　and　to　dress　their　arms　with　wreaths　of　corn。
He　found　himself　under　many　temptations　to　discover　to　his　captains
and　officers　whom　they　were　to　engage　with；　and　not　to　conceal　a
secret　of　such　moment　in　his　own　breast　alone；　yet　he　kept　to　his
first　resolutions；　and　ventured　to　run　the　hazard　of　his　own　judgment。
　　When　he　came　to　give　battle；　he　would　not　trust　any　Macedonian　to
engage　Craterus；　but　appointed　two　troops　of　foreign　horse；
commanded　by　Pharnabazus；　son　to　Artabazus；　and　Phoenix　of　Tenedos；
with　order　to　charge　as　soon　as　ever　they　saw　the　enemy；　without
giving　them　leisure　to　speak　or　retire；　or　receiving　any　herald　or
trumpet　from　them。　For　he　was　exceedingly　afraid　about　his
Macedonians；　lest；　if　they　found　out　Craterus　to　be　there；　they　should
go　over　to　his　side。　He　himself；　with　three　hundred　of　his　best　horse；
led　the　right　wing　against　Neoptolemus。　When　having　passed　a　little
hill　they　came　in　view；　and　were　seen　advancing　with　more　than
ordinary　briskness；　Craterus　was　amazed；　and　bitterly　reproached
Neoptolemus　for　deceiving　him　with　hopes　of　the　Macedonians'　revolt；
but　he　encouraged　his　men　to　do　bravely；　and　forthwith　charged。
　　The　first　engagement　was　very　fierce；　and　the　spears　being　soon
broken　to　pieces；　they　came　to　close　fighting　with　their　swords；　and
here　Craterus　did　by　no　means　dishonour　Alexander；　but　slew　many　of
his　enemies　and　repulsed　many　assaults；　but　at　last　received　a　wound
in　his　side　from　a　Thracian；　and　fell　off　his　horse。　Being　down；
many　not　knowing　him　went　past　him；　but　Gorgias；　one　of　Eumenes's
captains；　knew　him；　and　alighting　from　his　horse　kept　guard　over　him
as　he　lay　badly　wounded　and　slowly　dying。　In　the　meantime
Neoptolemus　and　Eumenes　were　engaged；　who；　being　inveterate　and　mortal
enemies；　sought　for　one　another；　but　missed　for　the　two　first　courses；
but　in　the　third　discovering　one　another；　they　drew　their　swords；
and　with　loud　shouts　immediately　charged。　And　their　horses　striking
against　one　another　like　two　galleys；　they　quitted　their　reins；　and
taking　mutual　hold　pulled　at　one　another's　helmets；　and　at　the
armour　from　their　shoulders。　While　they　were　thus　struggling；　their
horses　went　from　under　them；　and　they　fell　together　to　the　ground；
there　again　still　keeping　their　hold　and　wrestling。　Neoptolemus　was
getting　up　first；　but　Eumenes　wounded　him　in　the　ham；　and　got　upon　his
feet　before　him。　Neoptolemus　supporting　himself　upon　one　knee；　the
other　leg　being　disabled；　and　himself　undermost；　fought
courageously；　though　his　blows　were　not　mortal；　but　receiving　a　stroke
in　the　neck　he　fell　and　ceased　to　resist。　Eumenes；　transported　with
passion　and　his　inveterate　hatred　to　him；　fell　to　reviling　and
stripping　him；　and　perceived　not　that　his　sword　was　still　in　his　hand。
And　with　this　he　wounded　Eumenes　under　the　bottom　of　his　corslet　in
the　groin；　but　in　truth　more　frightened　than　hurt　him；　his　blow
being　faint　for　want　of　strength。　Having　stript　the　dead　body；　ill
as　he　was　with　the　wounds　he　had　received　in　his　legs　and　arms；　he
took　horse　again；　and　hurried　towards　the　left　wing　of　his　army；　which
he　supposed　to　be　still　engaged。　Hearing　of　the　death　of　Craterus；
he　rode　up　to　him；　and　finding　there　was　yet　some　life　in　him；
alighted　from　his　horse　and　wept；　and　laying　his　right　hand　upon
him；　inveighed　bitterly　against　Neoptolemus；　and　lamented　both
Craterus's　misfortune　and　his　own　hard　fate；　that　he　should　be
necessitated　to　engage　against　an　old　friend　and　acquaintance；　and
either　do　or　suffer　so　much　mischief。
　　This　victory　Eumenes　obtained　about　ten　days　after　the　former；　and
got　great　reputation　alike　for　his　conduct　and　his　valour　in　achieving
it。　But；　on　the　other　hand；　it　created　him　great　envy　both　among　his
own　troops　and　his　enemies　that　he；　a　stranger　and　a　foreigner；　should
employ　the　forces　and　arms　of　Macedon　to　cut　off　the　bravest　and
most　approved　man　among　them。　Had　the　news　of　this　defeat　come
timely　enough　to　Perdiccas；　he　had　doubtless　been　the　greatest　of
all　the　Macedonians；　but　now；　he　being　slain　in　a　mutiny　in　Egypt；　two
days　before　the　news　arrived；　the　Macedonians　in　a　rage　decreed
Eumenes's　death；　giving　joint　commission　to　Antigonus　and　Antipater　to
prosecute　the　war　against　him。
　　Passing　by　Mount　Ida；　where　there　was　a　royal　establishment　of
horses；　Eumenes　took　as　many　as　he　had　occasion　for；　and　sent　an
account　of　his　doing　so　to　the　overseers；　at　which　Antipater　is　said
to　have　laughed；　calling　it　truly　laudable　in　Eumenes　thus　to　hold
himself　prepared　for　giving　in　to　them　（or　would　it　be　taking　from
them？）　strict　account　of　all　matters　of　administration。　Eumenes　had
designed　to　engage　in　the　plains　of　Lydia；　near　Sardis；　both　because
his　chief　strength　lay　in　horse；　and　to　let　Cleopatra　see　how　powerful
he　was。　But　at　her　particular　request；　for　she　was　afraid　to　give
any　umbrage　to　Antipater；　he　marched　into　the　upper　Phrygia；　and
wintered　in　Celaenae；　when　Alcetas；　Polemon；　and　Docimus　disputing
with　him　who　should　command　in　chief；　〃You　know；〃　said　he；　〃the　old
saying：　That　destruction　regards　no　punctilios。〃　Having　promised　his
soldiers　pay　within　three　days；　he　sold　them　all　the　farms　and　castles
in　the　country；　together　with　the　men　and　beasts　with　which　they
were　filled；　every　captain　or　officer　that　bought　received　from
Eumenes　the　use　of　his　engines　to　storm　the　place；　and　divided　the
spoils　among　his　company；　proportionably　to　every　man's　arrears。　By
this　Eumenes　came　again　to　be　popular；　so　that　when　letters　were　found
thrown　about　the　camp　by　the　enemy　promising　one　hundred　talents；
besides　great　honours；　to　any　one　that　should　kill　Eumenes；　the
Macedonians　were　extremely　offended；　and　made　an　order　that　from
that　time　forward　one　thousand　of　their　best　men　should　continually
guard　his　person；　and　keep　strict　watch　about　him　by　night　in　their
several　turns。　This　order　was　cheerfully　obeyed；　and　they　gladly
received　of　Eumenes　the　same　honours　which　the　kings　used　to　confer
upon　their　favourites。　He　now　had　leave　to　bestow　purple　hats　and
cloaks；　which　among　the　Macedonians　is　one　of　the　greatest　honours　the
king　can　give。
　　Good　fortune　will　elevate　even　petty　minds；　and　give　them　the
appearance　of　a　certain　greatness　and　stateliness；　as　from　their
high　place　they　look　down　upon　the　world；　but　the　truly　noble　and
resolved　spirit　raises　itself；　and　becomes　more　conspicuous　in　times
of　disaster　and　ill　fortune；　as　was　now　the　case　with　Eumenes。　For
having　by　the　treason　of　one　of　his　own　men　lost　the　field　to
Antigonus　at　Orcynii；　in　Cappadocia；　in　his　flight　he　gave　the　traitor
no　opportunity　to　escape　to　the　enemy；　but　immediately　seized　and
hanged　him。　Then　in　his　flight；　taking　a　contrary　course　to　his
pursuers；　he　stole　by　them　unawares；　returned　to　the　place　where　the
battle　had　been　fought；　and　encamped。　There　he　gathered　up　the　dead
bodies　and　burnt　them　with　the　doors　and　windows　of　the　neighbouring
villages；　and　raised　heaps　of　earth　upon　their　graves；　insomuch　that
Antigonus；　who　came　thither　soon　after；　expressed　his　astonishment
at　his　courage　and　firm　resolution。　Falling　afterwards　upon　the
baggage　of　Antigonus；　he　might　easily　have　taken　many　captives；　both
bond　and　freemen；　and　much　wealth　collected　from　the　spoils　of　so　many
wars；　but　he　feared　lest　his　men；　overladen　with　so　much　booty；
might　become　unfit　for　rapid　retreat；　and　too　fond　of　their　ease　to
sustain　the　continual　marches　and　endure　the　long　waiting　on　which
he　depended　for　success；　expecting　to　tire　Antigonus　into　some　other
course。　But　then　considering　it　would　be　extremely　difficult　to
restrain　the　Macedonians　from　plunder；　when　it　seemed　to　offer　itself；
he　gave　them　order　to　refresh　themselves；　and　bait　their　horses；　and
then　attack　the　enemy。　In　the　meantime　he　sent　privately　to
Menander；　who　had　care　of　all　this　baggage；　professing　a　concern　for
him　upon　the　score　of　old　friendship　and　acquaintance；　and　therefore
advising　him　to　quit　the　plain　and　secure　himself　upon　the　sides　of
the　neighbouring　hills；　where　the　horse　might　not　be　able　to　hem　him
in。　When　Menander；　sensible　of　his　danger；　had　speedily　packed　up
his　goods　and　decamped；　Eumenes　openly　sent　his　scouts　to　discover　the
enemy's　posture；　and　commanded　his　men　to　arm　and　bridle　their　horses；
as　designing　immediately　to　give　battle；　but　the　scouts　returning　with
news　that　Menander　had　secured　so　difficult　a　post　it　was　impossible
to　take　him；　Eumenes；　pretending　to　be　grieved　with　the
disappointment；　drew　off　his　men　another　way。　It　is　said　that　when
Menander　reported　this　afterwards　to　Antigonus；　and　the　Macedonians
commended　Eumenes；　imputing　it　to　his　singular　good…nature；　that
having　it　in　his　power　to　make　slaves　of　their　children　and　outrage
their　wives　he　forbore　and　spared　them　all；　Antigonus　replied；
〃Alas；　good　friends；　he　had　no　regard　to　us；　but　to　himself；　being
loath　to　wear　so　many　shackles　when　he　designed　to　fly。〃
　　From　this　time　Eumenes；　daily　flying　and　wandering　about；
persuaded　many　of　his　men　to　disband；　whether　out　of　kindness　to　them；
or　unwillingness　to　lead　about　such　a　body　of　men　as　were　too　few　to
engage　and　too　many　to　fly　undiscovered。　Taking　refuge　at　Nora；　a
place　on　the　confines　of　Lycaonia　and　Cappado