eumenes-第5章

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disturbed。　But　when　they　were　a　little　advanced；　unexpectedly　they　had
a　view　of　the　enemy；　who　had　passed　the　hills　that　lay　between　them；
and　was　marching　down　into　the　plain。　At　the　sight　of　the　golden
armour　glittering　in　the　sun　as　they　marched　down　in　their　order；
the　elephants　with　their　castles　on　their　backs；　and　the　men　in
their　purple；　as　their　manner　was　when　they　were　going　to　give　battle；
the　front　stopped　their　march；　and　called　out　for　Eumenes；　for　they
would　not　advance　a　step　but　under　his　conduct；　and　fixing　their
arms　in　the　ground　gave　the　word　among　themselves　to　stand；
requiring　their　officers　also　not　to　stir　or　engage　or　hazard
themselves　without　Eumenes。　News　of　this　being　brought　to　Eumenes；
he　hastened　those　that　carried　his　litter；　and　drawing　back　the
curtains　on　both　sides；　joyfully　put　forth　his　right　hand。　As　soon
as　the　soldiers　saw　him　they　saluted　him　in　their　Macedonian
dialect；　and　took　up　their　shields；　and　striking　them　with　their
pikes；　gave　a　great　shout；　inviting　the　enemy　to　come　on；　for　now　they
had　a　leader。
　　Antigonus　understanding　by　some　prisoners　he　had　taken　that
Eumenes　was　out　of　health；　to　that　degree　that　he　was　carried　in　a
litter；　presumed　it　would　be　no　hard　matter　to　crush　the　rest　of　them；
since　he　was　ill。　He　therefore　made　the　greater　haste　to　come　up
with　them　and　engage。　But　being　come　so　near　as　to　discover　how　the
enemy　was　drawn　up　and　appointed；　he　was　astonished；　and　paused　for
some　time；　at　last　he　saw　the　litter　carrying　from　one　wing　of　the
army　to　the　other；　and；　as　his　manner　was；　laughing　aloud；　he　said
to　his　friends；　〃That　litter　there；　it　seems；　is　the　thing　that　offers
us　battle；〃　and　immediately　wheeled　about；　retired　with　all　his
army；　and　pitched　his　camp。　The　men　on　the　other　side；　finding　a
little　respite；　returned　to　their　former　habits；　and　allowing
themselves　to　be　flattered；　and　making　the　most　of　the　indulgence　of
their　generals；　took　up　for　their　winter　quarters　near　the　whole
country　of　the　Gabeni；　so　that　the　front　was　quartered　nearly　a
thousand　furlongs　from　the　rear；　which　Antigonus　understanding；
marched　suddenly　towards　them；　taking　the　most　difficult　road
through　a　country　that　wanted　water；　but　the　way　was　short　though
uneven；　hoping；　if　he　should　surprise　them　thus　scattered　in　their
winter　quarters；　the　soldiers　would　not　easily　be　able　to　come　up　in
time　enough　and　join　with　their　officers。　But　having　to　pass　through　a
country　uninhabited；　where　he　met　with　violent　winds　and　severe
frosts；　he　was　much　checked　in　his　march；　and　his　men　suffered
exceedingly。　The　only　possible　relief　was　making　numerous　fires；　by
which　his　enemies　got　notice　of　his　coming。　For　the　barbarians　who
dwelt　on　the　mountains　overlooking　the　desert；　amazed　at　the　multitude
of　fires　they　saw；　sent　messengers　upon　dromedaries　to　acquaint
Peucestes。　He　being　astonished　and　almost　out　of　his　senses　with　the
news；　and　finding　the　rest　in　no　less　disorder；　resolved　to　fly；　and
collect　what　men　he　could　by　the　way。　But　Eumenes　relieved　him　from
his　fear　and　trouble；　undertaking　so　to　stop　the　enemy's　advance
that　he　should　arrive　three　days　later　than　he　was　expected。　Having
persuaded　them；　he　immediately　despatched　expresses　to　all　the
officers　to　draw　the　men　out　of　their　winter　quarters　and　muster
them　with　all　speed。　He　himself；　with　some　of　the　chief　officers；　rode
out；　and　chose　an　elevated　tract　within　view；　at　a　distance；　of　such
as　travelled　the　desert；　this　he　occupied　and　quartered　out；　and
commanded　many　fires　to　be　made　in　it；　as　the　custom　is　in　a　camp。
This　done；　and　the　enemies　seeing　the　fire　upon　the　mountains；
Antigonus　was　filled　with　vexation　and　despondency；　supposing　that　his
enemies　had　been　long　since　advertised　of　his　march；　and　were　prepared
to　receive　him。　Therefore；　lest　his　army；　now　tired　and　wearied　out
with　their　march；　should　be　immediately　forced　to　encounter　with　fresh
men；　who　had　wintered　well　and　were　ready　for　him；　quitting　the　near
way；　he　marched　slowly　through　the　towns　and　villages　to　refresh　his
men。　But　meeting　with　no　such　skirmishes　as　are　usual　when　two
armies　lie　near　one　another；　and　being　assured　by　the　people　of　the
country　that　no　army　had　been　seen；　but　only　continual　fires　at　that
place；　he　concluded　he　had　been　outwitted　by　a　stratagem　of　Eumenes；
and；　much　troubled；　advanced　to　give　open　battle。
　　By　this　time；　the　greater　part　of　the　forces　were　come　together　to
Eumenes；　and　admiring　his　sagacity；　declared　him　alone
commander…in…chief　of　the　whole　army；　upon　which　Antigenes　and
Teutamus；　the　commanders　of　the　Argyraspids；　being　very　much　offended；
and　envying　Eumenes；　formed　a　conspiracy　against　him；　and　assembling
the　greater　part　of　the　satraps　and　officers；　consulted　when　and　how
to　cut　him　off。　When　they　had　unanimously　agreed；　first　to　use　his
service　in　the　next　battle；　and　then　to　take　an　occasion　to　destroy
him；　Eudamus；　the　master　of　the　elephants；　and　Phaedimus　gave
Eumenes　private　advice　of　this　design；　not　out　of　kindness　or
good…will　to　him；　but　lest　they　should　lose　the　money　they　had　lent
him。　Eumenes；　having　commended　them；　retired　to　his　tent；　and
telling　his　friends　he　lived　among　a　herd　of　wild　beasts；　made　his
will；　and　tore　up　all　his　letters；　lest　his　correspondents　after　his
death　should　be　questioned　or　punished　on　account　of　anything　in　his
secret　papers。
　　Having　thus　disposed　of　his　affairs；　he　thought　of　letting　the　enemy
win　the　field；　or　of　flying　through　Media　and　Armenia　and　seizing
Cappadocia；　but　came　to　no　resolution　while　his　friends　stayed　with
him。　After　turning　to　many　expedients　in　his　mind；　which　his
changeable　fortune　had　made　versatile；　he　at　last　put　his　men　in
array；　and　encouraged　the　Greeks　and　barbarians；　as　for　the　phalanx
and　the　Argyraspids；　they　encouraged　him；　and　bade　him　be　of　good
heart；　for　the　enemy　would　never　be　able　to　stand　them。　For　indeed
they　were　the　oldest　of　Philip's　and　Alexander's　soldiers；　tried
men；　that　had　long　made　war　their　exercise；　that　had　never　been　beaten
or　foiled；　most　of　them　seventy；　none　less　than　sixty　years　old。　And
so　when　they　charged　Antigonus's　men；　they　cried　out；　〃You　fight
against　your　fathers；　you　rascals；〃　and　furiously　falling　on；　routed
the　whole　phalanx　at　once；　nobody　being　able　to　stand　them；　and　the
greatest　part　dying　by　their　hands。　So　that　Antigonus's　foot　was
routed；　but　his　horse　got　the　better；　and　he　became　master　of　the
baggage　through　the　cowardice　of　Peucestes；　who　behaved　himself
negligently　and　basely；　while　Antigonus　used　his　judgment　calmly　in
the　danger；　being　aided　moreover　by　the　ground。　For　the　place　where
they　fought　was　a　large　plain；　neither　deep　nor　hard　under　foot；
but；　like　the　seashore；　covered　with　a　fine　soft　sand　which　the
treading　of　so　many　men　and　horses　in　the　time　of　battle　reduced　to
a　small　white　dust；　that　like　a　cloud　of　lime　darkened　the　air；　so
that　one　could　not　see　clearly　at　any　distance；　and　so　made　it　easy
for　Antigonus　to　take　the　baggage　unperceived。
　　After　the　battle；　Teutamus　sent　a　message　to　Antigonus　to　demand　the
baggage。　He　made　answer；　he　would　not　only　restore　it　to　the
Argyraspids；　but　serve　them　further　in　the　other　things　if　they
would　but　deliver　up　Eumenes。　Upon　which　the　Argyraspids　took　a
villainous　resolution　to　deliver　him　up　alive　into　the　hands　of　his
enemies。　So　they　came　to　wait　upon　him；　being　unsuspected　by　him；
but　watching　their　opportunity；　some　lamenting　the　loss　of　the
baggage；　some　encouraging　him　as　if　he　had　been　victor；　some
accusing　the　other　commanders；　till　at　last　they　all　fell　upon　him；
and　seizing　his　sword；　bound　his　hands　behind　him　with　his　own　girdle。
　　When　Antigonus　had　sent　Nicanor　to　receive　him　he　begged　he　might　be
led　through　the　body　of　the　Macedonians；　and　have　liberty　to　speak
to　them；　neither　to　request　nor　deprecate　anything；　but　only　to　advise
them　what　would　be　for　their　interest。　A　silence　being　made；　as　he
stood　upon　a　rising　ground；　he　stretched　out　his　hands　bound；　and
said；　〃What　trophy；　O　ye　basest　of　all　the　Macedonians；　could
Antigonus　have　wished　for　so　great　as　you　yourselves