eumenes-第3章

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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　Cappadocia；　with　five　hundred
horse　and　two　hundred　heavy…armed　foot；　he　again　dismissed　as　many
of　his　friends　as　desired　it；　through　fear　of　the　probable　hardships
to　be　encountered　there；　and　embracing　them　with　all　demonstrations　of
kindness　gave　them　licence　to　depart。　Antigonus；　when　he　came　before
this　fort；　desired　to　have　an　interview　with　Eumenes　before　the　siege；
but　he　returned　answer　that　Antigonus　had　many　friends　who　might
command　in　his　room；　but　they　whom　Eumenes　defended　had　nobody　to
substitute　if　he　should　miscarry；　therefore；　if　Antigonus　thought　it
worth　while　to　treat　with　him；　he　should　first　send　him　hostages。
And　when　Antigonus　required　that　Eumenes　should　first　address
himself　to　him　as　his　superior；　he　replied；　〃While　I　am　able　to
wield　a　sword；　I　shall　think　no　man　greater　than　myself。〃　At　last；
when；　according　to　Eumenes's　demand；　Antigonus　sent　his　own　nephew
Ptolemy　to　the　fort；　Eumenes　went　out　to　him；　and　they　mutually
embraced　with　great　tenderness　and　friendship；　as　having　formerly　been
very　intimate。　After　long　conversation；　Eumenes　making　no　mention　of
his　own　pardon　and　security；　but　requiring　that　he　should　be　confirmed
in　his　several　governments；　and　restitution　be　made　him　of　the　rewards
of　his　service；　all　that　were　present　were　astonished　at　his　courage
and　gallantry。　And　many　of　the　Macedonians　flocked　to　see　what　sort　of
person　Eumenes　was；　for　since　the　death　of　Craterus　no　man　had　been　so
much　talked　of　in　the　army。　But　Antigonus；　being　afraid　lest　he
might　suffer　some　violence；　first　commanded　the　soldiers　to　keep
off；　calling　out　and　throwing　stones　at　those　who　pressed　forwards。　At
last；　taking　Eumenes　in　his　arms；　and　keeping　off　the　crowd　with　his
guards；　not　without　great　difficulty；　he　returned　him　safe　into　the
fort。
　　Then　Antigonus；　having　built　a　wall　round　Nora；　left　a　force
sufficient　to　carry　on　the　siege；　and　drew　off　the　rest　of　his　army；
and　Eumenes　was　beleaguered　and　kept　garrison；　having　plenty　of　corn
and　water　and　salt；