eumenes-第4章

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and　Eumenes　was　beleaguered　and　kept　garrison；　having　plenty　of　corn
and　water　and　salt；　but　no　other　thing；　either　for　food　or　delicacy；
yet　with　such　as　he　had；　he　kept　a　cheerful　table　for　his　friends；
inviting　them　severally　in　their　turns；　and　seasoning　his
entertainment　with　a　gentle　and　affable　behaviour。　For　he　had　a
pleasant　countenance；　and　looked　not　like　an　old　and　practised
soldier；　but　was　smooth　and　florid；　and　his　shape　as　delicate　as　if
his　limbs　had　been　carved　by　art　in　the　most　accurate　proportions。
He　was　not　a　great　orator；　but　winning　and　persuasive；　as　may　be
seen　in　his　letters。
　　The　greatest　distress　of　the　besieged　was　the　narrowness　of　the
place　they　were　in；　their　quarters　being　very　confined；　and　the
whole　place　but　two　furlongs　in　compass；　so　that　both　they　and　their
horses　fed　without　exercise。　Accordingly；　not　only　to　prevent　the
listlessness　of　such　inactive　living；　but　to　have　them　in　condition　to
fly　if　occasion　required；　he　assigned　a　room　one…and…twenty　feet　long；
the　largest　in　all　the　fort；　for　the　men　to　walk　in；　directing　them　to
begin　their　walk　gently；　and　so　gradually　mend　their　pace。　And　for　the
horses；　he　tied　them　to　the　roof　with　great　halters；　fastening　which
about　their　necks；　with　a　pulley　he　gently　raised　them；　till
standing　upon　the　ground　with　their　hinder　feet；　they　just　touched
it　with　the　very　ends　of　their　forefeet。　In　this　posture　the　grooms
plied　them　with　whips　and　shouts；　provoking　them　to　curvet　and　kick
out　with　their　hind　legs；　struggling　and　stamping　at　the　same　time
to　find　support　for　their　forefeet；　and　thus　their　whole　body　was
exercised；　till　they　were　all　in　a　foam　and　sweat；　excellent　exercise；
whether　for　strength　or　speed；　and　then　he　gave　them　their　corn
already　coarsely　ground；　that　they　might　sooner　despatch　and　better
digest　it。
　　The　siege　continuing　long；　Antigonus　received　advice　that
Antipater　was　dead　in　Macedon；　and　that　affairs　were　embroiled　by
the　differences　of　Cassander　and　Polysperchon；　upon　which　he　conceived
no　mean　hopes；　purposing　to　make　himself　master　of　all；　and；　in
order　to　his　design；　thought　to　bring　over　Eumenes；　that　he　might　have
his　advice　and　assistance。　He；　therefore；　sent　Hieronymus　to　treat
with　him；　proposing　a　certain　oath；　which　Eumenes　first　corrected；　and
then　referred　himself　to　the　Macedonians　themselves　that　besieged　him；
to　be　judged　by　them；　which　of　the　two　forms　was　the　most　equitable。
Antigonus　in　the　beginning　of　his　had　slightly　mentioned　the　kings
as　by　way　of　ceremony；　while　all　the　sequel　referred　to　himself　alone；
but　Eumenes　changed　the　form　of　it　to　Olympias　and　the　kings；　and
proceeded　to　swear　not　to　be　true　to　Antigonus；　only；　but　to　them；　and
have　the　same　friends　and　enemies；　not　with　Antigonus；　but　with
Olympias　and　the　kings。　This　form　the　Macedonians　thinking　the　more
reasonable；　swore　Eumenes　according　to　it；　and　raised　the　siege；
sending　also　to　Antigonus　that　he　should　swear　in　the　same　form　to
Eumenes。　Meantime；　all　the　hostages　of　the　Cappadocians　Eumenes　had　in
Nora　he　returned；　obtaining　from　their　friends　war…horses；　beasts　of
carriage；　and　tents　in　exchange。　And　collecting　again　all　the　soldiers
who　had　dispersed　at　the　time　of　his　flight；　and　were　now　wandering
about　the　country；　he　got　together　a　body　of　near　a　thousand　horse；
and　with　them　fled　from　Antigonus；　whom　he　justly　feared。　For　he　had
sent　orders　not　only　to　have　him　blocked　up　and　besieged　again；　but
had　given　a　very　sharp　answer　to　the　Macedonians　for　admitting
Eumenes's　amendment　of　the　oath。
　　While　Eumenes　was　flying；　he　received　letters　from　those　in
Macedonia；　who　were　jealous　of　Antigonus's　greatness；　from　Olympias；
inviting　him　thither　to　take　the　charge　and　protection　of
Alexander's　infant　son；　whose　person　was　in　danger；　and　other
letters　from　Polysperchon　and　Philip　the　king；　requiring　him　to　make
war　upon　Antigonus；　as　general　of　the　forces　in　Cappadocia；　and
empowering　him　out　of　the　treasure　at　Quinda　to　take　five　hundred
talents'　compensation　for　his　own　losses；　and　to　levy　as　much　as　he
thought　necessary　to　carry　on　the　war。　They　wrote　also　to　the　same
effect　to　Antigenes　and　Teutamus；　the　chief　officers　of　the
Argyraspids；　who；　on　receiving　these　letters；　treated　Eumenes　with　a
show　of　respect　and　kindness；　but　it　was　apparent　enough　that　they
were　full　of　envy　and　emulation；　disdaining　to　give　place　to　him。
Their　envy　Eumenes　moderated　by　refusing　to　accept　the　money；　as　if　he
had　not　needed　it；　and　their　ambition　and　emulation；　who　were
neither　able　to　govern　nor　willing　to　obey；　he　conquered　by　help　of
superstition。　For　he　told　them　that　Alexander　had　appeared　to　him　in　a
dream；　and　showed　him　a　regal　pavilion　richly　furnished；　with　a　throne
in　it；　and　told　him　if　they　would　sit　in　council　there；　he　himself
would　be　present；　and　prosper　all　the　consultations　and　actions　upon
which　they　should　enter　in　his　name。　Antigenes　and　Teutamus　were
easily　prevailed　upon　to　believe　this；　being　as　little　willing　to　come
and　consult　Eumenes　as　he　himself　was　to　be　seen　waiting　at　other
men's　doors。　Accordingly；　they　erected　a　tent　royal；　and　a　throne；
called　Alexander's；　and　there　they　met　to　consult　upon　all　affairs
of　moment。
　　Afterwards　they　advanced　into　the　interior　of　Asia；　and　in　their
march　met　with　Peucestes；　who　was　friendly　to　them　and　with　the
other　satraps；　who　joined　forces　with　them；　and　greatly　encouraged　the
Macedonians　with　the　number　and　appearance　of　their　men。　But　they
themselves；　having　since　Alexander's　decease　become　imperious　and
ungoverned　in　their　tempers；　and　luxurious　in　their　daily　habits；
imagining　themselves　great　princes；　and　pampered　in　their　conceit　by
the　flattery　of　the　barbarians；　when　all　these　conflicting　pretensions
now　came　together；　were　soon　found　to　be　exacting　and　quarrelsome
one　with　another；　while　all　alike　unmeasurably　flattered　the
Macedonians；　giving　them　money　for　revels　and　sacrifices；　till　in　a
short　time　they　brought　the　camp　to　be　a　dissolute　place　of
entertainment；　and　the　army　a　mere　multitude　of　voters；　canvassed　as
in　a　democracy　for　the　election　of　this　or　that　commander。　Eumenes；
perceiving　they　despised　one　another；　and　all　of　them　feared　him；
and　sought　an　opportunity　to　kill　him；　pretended　to　be　in　want　of
money；　and　borrowed　many　talents；　of　those　especially　who　most　hated
him；　to　make　them　at　once　confide　in　him　and　forbear　all　violence　to
him　for　fear　of　losing　their　own　money。　Thus　his　enemies'　estates　were
the　guard　of　his　person；　and　by　receiving　money　he　purchased　safety；
for　which　it　is　more　common　to　give　it。
　　The　Macedonians；　also；　while　there　was　no　show　of　danger；　allowed
themselves　to　be　corrupted；　and　made　all　their　court　to　those　who　gave
them　presents；　who　had　their　body…guards；　and　affected　to　appear
generals…in…chief。　But　when　Antigonus　came　upon　them　with　a　great
army；　and　their　affairs　themselves　seemed　to　call　out　for　a　true
general；　then　not　only　the　common　soldiers　cast　their　eyes　upon
Eumenes；　but　these　men；　who　had　appeared　so　great　in　a　peaceful　time
of　ease；　submitted　all　of　them　to　him；　and　quietly　posted　themselves
severally　as　he　appointed　them。　And　when　Antigonus　attempted　to　pass
the　river　Pasitigris；　all　the　rest　that　were　appointed　to　guard　the
passes　were　not　so　much　as　aware　of　his　march；　only　Eumenes　met　and
encountered　him；　slew　many　of　his　men；　and　filled　the　river　with　the
dead；　and　took　four　thousand　prisoners。　But　it　was　most　particularly
when　Eumenes　was　sick　that　the　Macedonians　let　it　be　seen　how　in　their
judgment；　while　others　could　feast　them　handsomely　and　make
entertainments；　he　alone　knew　how　to　fight　and　lead　an　army。　For
Peucestes；　having　made　a　splendid　entertainment　in　Persia；　and　given
each　of　the　soldiers　a　sheep　to　sacrifice　with；　made　himself　sure　of
being　commander…in…chief。　Some　few　days　after　the　army　was　to　march；
and　Eumenes　having　been　dangerously　ill　was　carried　in　a　litter
apart　from　the　body　of　the　army；　that　any　rest　he　got　might　not　be
disturbed。　But　when　they　were　a　little　advanced；　unexpectedly　they　had
a　view　of　the　enemy；　who　had　passed　the　hills　that　lay　betw