part quietly, and wished not to see him come again; as fair he would have done.

The loss of the carriages was reported unto him, as soon as he had any leisure to hear how things went; whereupon he presently ordered his men for a fresh charge, and sent for Peucestes, that was not far off, requesting him to bring in his men, and renew the fight; whereby he trusted, not only to recover their own goods, but to enrich themselves with the spoils of the enemies. Peucestes not only refused to join with him, but immediately withdrew himself into a safer place, where he might be further from such dangerous temptations.

By this the night grew on; and both armies, wearied with fighting, were desirous to return into their camps. Yet Antigonus conceived hope of doing somewhat more; and therefore taking half his horsemen, he waited upon Eumenes a part of his way homewards, but found no opportunity to offend him: the other half he committed to Python, willing him to set upon the silver-shields in their retreat; which yet he forbare to do, because it appeared too full of danger. So the battle ended; wherein Antigonus had not so much the better in horse, as the worse in foot; but the spoil which he got, by surprising his enemy's carriages, made amends for all his other losses.

SECT. VII.

How Eumenes was betrayed to Antigonus, and slain. EUMENES, coming into his camp, and finding the silver-shields extremely discontented with their misfortune, began to cheer them up, and put them in hope of recovering all with advantage. For their brave demeanour that day had so crushed the enemy, that he had no power left wherewith to abide them in open field, and was much less able to draw their carts after hini, through that great wilderness, over the high mountains.

But these persuasions availed nothing. Peucestes was gone; the other captains would needs return into the high

countries, and the soldiers had no desire either to fly or to fight, but only to recover their goods. Wherefore Teutamus, one of the two captains of the silver-shields, (who had in former times readily consented unto traitorous motions in hope of gain, but was letted by his partner Antigenes,) finding, as he thought, a fit occasion of making himself great, and winning the love of those bands, dealt secretly with Antigonus, requesting him to restore unto those old soldiers their goods, which he had taken, being the only reward of their services in the wars of Philip and Alexander.

Antigonus, as a subtle man, knew very well, that they which requested more than they had reason to expect, would also with a little entreaty perform a great deal more than they promised; and therefore he lovingly entertained the messengers, filling them with hopes of greater matters than they desired, if they would put Eumenes into his hands, by whom they were seduced to make war against him. This answer pleased them so well, that they forthwith devised how to deliver him alive. Wherefore coming about him, as at other times, to do their duty, and pretending more joy of their victory than sorrow of their loss, which they said they would redeem by another fight; in the midst of this goodly talk they leaped upon him, caught hold of his sword, and bound him fast. So they haled him away; and stopping their ears against all persuasions, would not yield so far as to loosen one of his hands, and let him kill himself, but brought him alive, (that was their own general, under whom they had obtained many victories,) as it had been in triumph, into the camp of their enemies.

The press of men, running out of the camp to see him, was so great, that Antigonus was fain to send a guard of horsemen and elephants to keep him from being smothered, whom he could not suddenly resolve either to kill or save. Very few they were that sued for his life; but of these, Demetrius, the son of Antigonus, was one; the rest were desirous to be rid of him quickly; thinking belike, that if he were saved, he would soon be the chief in great reputation, for his great ability. So after long deliberation, Antigonus

concluded that it was the safest way to put him to death; which intending to have done by famine, (perhaps because he would keep it a while in his own power to reverse the sentence, as desiring, if it might be, to have him live his friend,) haste of other business made him do it by the sword.

To this end came all the travails of the worthy general Eumenes; who had with great wisdom, fidelity, and patience, laboured in vain to uphold the family which God had purposed to cast down. He is reckoned among the notable examples of fortune's mutability; but more notable was his government of himself in all her changes. Adversity never lessened his courage, nor prosperity his circumspection. But all his virtue, industry, and wit were cast away in leading an army without full power to keep it in due obedience. Therefore it was not ill answered by Gaspar de Coligny, admiral of France, in our days, to one that foretold his death, which ensued soon after in the massacre of Paris, that rather than to lead again an army of voluntaries, he would die a thousand times.

Antigonus himself gave to the body of Eumenes. honourable funeral, and rewarded the treason wrought against him with deserved vengeance. One chief captain of the silvershields he burnt alive; many of the other captains he slew; and to the whole multitude of the silver-shields, that had betrayed so worthy a commander, he appointed a leader, that should carry them into far countries, under pretence of war; but with a privy charge to consume them all, as perjured wretches, letting none of them return alive unto his friends and kindred, or so much as once behold the seas that beat upon the shores of Greece and Macedon.

SECT. VIII.

How Antigonus slew Python, and occupied Media. How he removed governors of provinces, and made himself lord of Persia, carrying away Peucestes.

THE two armies being joined thus in one, were carried into Media, where they spent the rest of the winter; the common soldier idly, the principal men intentively bent

unto the business ensuing. Python began to consider his own deservings, for that the whole war had been chiefly maintained by the strength and riches of his province. Besides, he thought himself as good a man as Antigonus, unless it were in the soldiers' opinion, which he judged easy to be purchased with gifts, and therefore spared not to assay them with great liberality. But in following this course he was driven by necessity to trust many, of whom he stumbled upon some that were unsecret, and others bearing him no sincere affection. Thus was his purpose discovered to Antigonus, who (nothing like to Python) dissembled his indignation, and rebuked the informers, as breeders of dissension between him and his honourable friend, unto whom he meant to commit the government of all those countries: his own business calling him into the Lower Asia. These reports, coming daily to his ears, did finely delude Python. By his greatness with Alexander, his authority in that province where they lay, whereof he was governor, and the love of the soldiers which he had bought with money, he was strong enough to maintain even an offensive war. But what need had he to use the sword, when he was likely without contention to obtain more than his own asking? Therefore he came, as soon as he was sent for, to take his farewell of Antigonus, and to divide the provinces with him, that meant nothing less than to yield to any such division. As soon as he came, he was taken and accused, condemned to die, and slain out of hand. For Antigonus, having begun with Eumenes his ancient friend, was not afterwards restrained, by any consideration of old acquaintance, from cutting down indifferently all that stood in his way, but swam carelessly through the blood wherein at the first he doubtfully waded.

When this business was ended, he appointed a new governor in Media to order the province, and a captain to suppress all commotions; thinking belike, that the power and authority so divided would hardly agree in one against him, from whom both were derived.

After this he marched into Persia, where he was enter

tained as absolute lord of Asia. There began he to shew how well he understood his own mightiness. For he placed and displaced at his pleasure governors in all provinces, leaving none in office that were not his own creatures, excepting such as lay too far off to be dislodged easily.

Peucestes, who ruled in Persia, thought with good cheer to redeem old offences, but was deceived, having to do with one that could not be taken with such baits; he was carried away, and feasted with goodly words of promise, that never took effect. Thus he, that envied the virtue of his friend, was driven to flatter (in vain) the fortune of his enemy; after which he lived a contemptible life, till he died obscurely, a man forgotten.

SECT. IX.

How Seleucus was chased out of Babylon by Antigonus. The great riches of Antigonus.

SELEUCUS was the next in this visitation; one that had from time to time continued in the same tenor of good will to Antigonus, and now gave proof of his hearty affection toward him by making the captain of the castle of Susa to meet him on the way, rendering unto him that strong piece, and all the treasures therein bestowed. This offer was so great, that Antigonus (though having in his hands the keeper of the place) could hardly believe it, but used him with excessive kindness, for fear so good a mood should change. In that castle he found all the treasures of Alexander, with the jewels of the Persian kings, which, added to his former store of money, made up twenty-five thousand talents. Having all this, he might well account himself a happy man, if riches were sufficient to happiness. But large dominion was the mark at which he aimed, therefore he proceeded with intent to leave no country behind his back that should not acknowledge him for sovereign lord. Coming to Babylon, he was entertained by Seleucus with all possible demonstration of love, and honoured with presents beseeming the majesty of a king. All this he accepted with great gravity, as being due to him, and began to require an account of the revenues of that province. This demand