eumenes-第4节

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！


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　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　ar