eumenes-第4章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


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　have　erected
for　him　in　delivering　up　your　general　captive　into　his　hands？　You
are　not　ashamed；　when　you　are　conquerors；　to　own　yourselves　conquered；
for　the　sake　only　of　your　baggage；　as　if　it　were　wealth；　not　arms；
wherein　victory　consisted；　nay；　you　deliver　up　your　general　to
redeem　your　stuff。　As　for　me　I　am　unvanquished；　though　a　captive；
conqueror　of　my　enemies；　and　betrayed　by　my　fellow…soldiers。　For
you；　I　adjure　you　by　Jupiter；　the　protector　of　arms；　and　by　all　the
gods　that　are　the　avengers　of　perjury；　to　kill　me　here　with　your　own
hands；　for　it　is　all　one；　and　if　I　am　murdered　yonder　it　will　be
esteemed　your　act；　nor　will　Antigonus　complain；　for　he　desires　not
Eumenes　alive；　but　dead。　Or　if　you　withhold　your　own　hands；　release
but　one　of　mine；　it　shall　suffice　to　do　the　work；　and　if　you　dare
not　trust　me　with　a　sword；　throw　me　bound　as　I　am　under　the　feet　of
the　wild　beasts。　This　if　you　do　I　shall　freely　acquit　you　from　the
guilt　of　my　death；　as　the　most　just　and　kind　of　men　to　their　general。〃
　　While　Eumenes　was　thus　speaking；　the　rest　of　the　soldiers　wept　for
grief；　but　the　Argyraspids　shouted　out　to　lead　him　on；　and　give　no
attention　to　his　trifling。　For　it　was　no　such　great　matter　if　this
Chersonesian　pest　should　meet　his　death；　who　in　thousands　of　battles
had　annoyed　and　wasted　the　Macedonians；　it　would　be　a　much　more
grievous　thing　for　the　choicest　of　Philip's　and　Alexander's　soldiers
to　be　defrauded　of　the　fruits　of　so　long　service；　and　in　their　old　age
to　come　to　beg　their　bread；　and　to　leave　their　wives　three　nights　in
the　power　of　their　enemies。　So　they　hurried　him　on　with　violence。
But　Antigonus；　fearing　the　multitude；　for　nobody　was　left　in　the　camp；
sent　ten　of　his　strongest　elephants　with　divers　of　his　Mede　and
Parthian　lances　to　keep　off　the　press。　Then　he　could　not　endure　to
have　Eumenes　brought　into　his　presence；　by　reason　of　their　former
intimacy　and　friendship；　but　when　they　that　had　taken　him　inquired　how
he　would　have　him　kept；　〃As　I　would；〃　said　he；　〃an　elephant；　or　a
lion。〃　A　little　after；　being　moved　with　compassion；　he　commanded　the
heaviest　of　his　irons　to　be　knocked　off；　one　of　his　servants　to　be
admitted　to　anoint　him；　and　that　any　of　his　friends　that　were
willing　should　have　liberty　to　visit　him；　and　bring　him　what　he
wanted。　Long　time　he　deliberated　what　to　do　with　him；　sometimes
inclining　to　the　advice　and　promises　of　Nearchus　of　Crete　and
Demetrius　his　son；　who　were　very　earnest　to　preserve　Eumenes；　whilst
all　the　rest　were　unanimously　instant　and　importunate　to　have　him
taken　off。　It　is　related　that　Eumenes　inquired　of　Onomarchus；　his
keeper；　why　Antigonus；　now　he　had　his　enemy　in　his　hands；　would　not
forthwith　despatch　or　generously　release　him？　And　that　Onomarchus
contumeliously　answered　him；　that　the　field　had　been　a　more　proper
place　than　this　to　show　his　contempt　of　death。　To　whom　Eumenes
replied；　〃And；　by　heavens；　I　showed　it　there；　ask　the　men　else　that
engaged　me；　but　I　could　never　meet　a　man　that　was　my　superior。〃
〃Therefore；〃　rejoined　Onomarchus；　〃now　you　have　found　such　a　man；
why　don't　you　submit　quietly　to　his　pleasure？〃
　　When　Antigonus　resolved　to　kill　Eumenes；　he　commanded　to　keep　his
food　from　him；　and　so　with　two　or　three　days'　fasting　he　began　to　draw
near　his　end；　but　the　camp　being　on　a　sudden　to　remove；　an　executioner
was　sent　to　despatch　him。　Antigonus　granted　his　body　to　his　friends；
permitted　them　to　burn　it；　and　having　gathered　his　ashes　into　a　silver
urn；　to　send　them　to　his　wife　and　children。
　　Eumenes　was　thus　taken　off　and　Divine　Providence　assigned　to　no
other　man　the　chastisement　of　the　commanders　and　soldiers　that　had
betrayed　him；　but　Antigonus　himself；　abominating　the　Argyraspids　as
wicked　and　inhuman　villains；　delivered　them　up　to　Sibyrtius；　the
governor　of　Arachosia；　commanding　him　by　all　ways　and　means　to　destroy
and　exterminate　them；　so　that　not　a　man　of　them　might　ever　come　to
Macedon；　or　so　much　as　within　sight　of　the　Greek　Sea。





　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　END