SECT. V.

How Lysimachus and Cassander vanquished some enemies, raised, against them by Antigonus. The good success of Antigonus in Asia and Greece; with the rebellion of many cities against Cassander.

acides,

THE coming of Antigonus into those parts wrought a great alteration in the process of his business thereabouts. For his enemies had short leisure to think upon molesting him in Asia; they themselves were held over-hardly to their own work on Europe side. Seuthes, a king of the Thracians, joining with some towns that rebelled against Lysimachus, brought also the bordering Scythians into the quarrel. All these relied upon Antigonus, who was to help them with money and other aid. The Etolians likewise took courage, and rose against Cassander, having lately restored to the kingdom of Epirus, their assistant. But Lysimachus gave unto his rebels no time to confirm themselves. He suddenly presented himself before two of the cities that had rebelled, and compelled them by fear to return to their duty. He fought a battle with the Scythians and wild Thracians, and drove them out of the country. Finally, he overcame Seuthes; and following the heat of his victory slew Pausanias in battle, whom Antigonus had sent over with an army; and all his men he did either put to ransom, or fill up with them his own bands. The like success had Philip, Cassander's lieutenant, against the Ætolians. For he wasted their country, fought with the Epirots, that came to help them; and, after the victory, fought again with their forces joined in one, overthrowing them, and killing Eacides, that unfortunate king. Finally, he drove the Etolians out of most of their country, and forced them to seek their safety among the wild mountains. Of the Epirots he sent as prisoners to Cassander the principal authors of the king's restitution, and of the present war.

Yet these actions required some time, and wearied Antigonus's adversaries with painful travail; after which they remained only savers. Antigonus himself, at fair leisure, RALEGH, VOL. III. нһ

won all Caria the whilst, and sent armies into Peloponnesus and other parts of Greece, bestowing liberty upon all the cities he took out of Cassander's hands. The whole country of Peloponnesus, (excepting Sicyon and Corinth,) with the isle of Euboea, and many places of the firm land, were by these means won to be his in true and vehement affection, ready to do or suffer any thing for him, that had made so evident a demonstration of his readiness to give them the liberty indeed, which others promised in idle words. Many states, desirous of the same benefit, would fain have shewed their good-will; but they were kept in by Cassander's garrisons, who was too wise to trust them loose. Therefore

Antigonus made show as if he would pass over into Macedon by which terror he forced Cassander to repair thither in all haste, with the best of his strength, leaving many good towns of Greece so weakly guarded, that well they might take courage to help themselves, if any foreign succour appeared. The aid which they desired was not long wanting. The lieutenants of Antigonus, taking the advantage of Cassander's departure, entered the country; drove his garrisons out of divers cities; forced the governor of Athens to enter into league with their lord; won the citadel of Thebes, and set the people at liberty. This last action was somewhat remarkable. For Thebes had not long before been raised out of her old ruins by the mere power of Cassander; of which act he was accused by Antigonus, as if it had been some heinous crime. Yet now the same Antigonus winneth the city, and the love of the inhabitants, only by expelling him that was their founder. So much are men readier to thank the increaser, than the author of their good; and rather to look forward upon those hopes, which vainly they extend beyond all measure, than backward upon their miserable nullity, that held them uncapable of being any thing.

SECT. VI.

Victories of Ptolomy by sea. A great battle at Gaza, which Ptolomy and Seleucus won against Demetrius, the son of Antigonus.

AS the presence or nearness of Antigonus gave life to his affairs in the Lower Asia and Greece, so the designs of his enemies, taking advantage of his absence, ruined the very foundations of those great works in the eastern parts, wherewith in the year preceding he had overtopped them. The isle of Cyprus, whose princes wavered between contrary affections, inclining one while to Antigonus, another while faintly regarding their covenant with Ptolomy, was visited by an Egyptian fleet, wherewith Ptolomy, in his own person, easily reduced them to a more settled order, putting some to death, carrying others away prisoners, and leaving a lieutenant of his own appointment governor of the whole country. With the same fleet he ran alongst the sea-coasts, wasting a great part of Caria and Cilicia, with the spoils of which he enriched his followers, and returned laden to Cyprus. Demetrius, the son of Antigonus, hearing frequent reports of the miseries wherewith his father's subjects were oppressed, made all haste out of Syria to the rescue, taking only his horse and light-armed foot with him, because the business required expedition. But in vain did he tire himself and his followers in hasty seeking of one, that by launching out into the deep could in a few minutes delude the labour of so many days, if need had so required. Answerable to the vanity of this expedition was the suc

cess.

For Ptolomy was gone before Demetrius came into Cilicia. Neither was it certain, whether having lightened his ships of their burden in Cyprus, he would return upon those maritime countries, or make toward Syria, where his coming was expected. He was indeed gone into Egypt, and there with Seleucus was describing a royal army, which he levied with all convenient speed for the recovery of Syria. This was more than Demetrius knew. Therefore he was fain to choose out of uncertainties the most likelihood, and return the way that he came, with all his companies, which were fitter for service in the open field, than to be

bestowed in garrisons among the Cilicians. He had scarce refreshed his men and horses in Syria, when the news arrived of Ptolomy's coming with a puissant army to give him battle. Hereupon he called to counsel his principal friends, who advised him to give way to the time, and expect some better opportunity in the future; being a young man, and weakly furnished with the means to resist such ancient and famous generals as Ptolomy and Seleucus. This counsel seemed rather to proceed from the cold temper of those aged men that gave it, than from any necessity growing out of the present business. For Demetrius, considering himself to be the son of Antigonus, and now general of his father's army, thought his own title weighty enough to be laid in balance against the bare names of those two great commanders. Neither found he much reason that should move him to distrust his forces as insufficient. His men were better exercised than the enemies, and promised as much as could be required. Therefore persuading himself that such odds of number and of great fame would rather serve to adorn his victory than hinder him in obtaining it, he resolved to put the matter to trial, without expecting the advantage of more help. So, animating his soldiers with hope of spoil and rewards, he abode the coming of the enemies at Gaza, with purpose to encounter them as soon as they had finished their wearisome journey over the deserts of Arabia.

Ptolomy and Seleucus, issuing out of so rich a province as Egypt, came so well provided of all necessaries, that their army felt not any great grievance of the evil way, when battle was presented them, which confidently they undertook. In all things else they had the odds of Demetrius; of elephants they were utterly unprovided. But how to deal with those beasts they were not ignorant. They had prepared a kind of palisado, fastened together with chains, and sharpened in such manner that the elephants could not seek to break upon it, without receiving much hurt. The rest of their forces, which (besides that they had advantage in multitude) were heartened with many fortunate services by

them performed that year, whilst the enemies had wearied themselves either with vain journeys, or long and dulling expectation, they disposed in such order as best answered to the form wherein Demetrius was embattled. The fight began, and was maintained with equal courage for a long time, each part striving more to win honour than to satisfy any other passion, as having little cause of hatred or revenge. But after some continuance, the greater number holding better out, the error of Demetrius, who upon no necessity would needs fight a battle with disadvantage, began to appear by his losses. He had committed himself to fortune, having more to lose by her than he could get: but in this fight she was idle, and left all to be decided by strong hands; unless it may be said, that the terror brought upon his men by the loss of his elephants was bad luck. Those beasts were in that kind of war hardly to be resisted on plain ground, and therefore at the first they made great spoil amongst Ptolomy's men. Afterward, seeking to break through the palisado, they were sorely hurt, and every one of them taken. This disaster caused the horsemen of Demetrius to faint. They had laboured hard, and prevailed little; till now, perceiving that all must lie upon their hands, who were ill able to make their own places good, they began to shrink, and many of them to provide for their safety by timely flight; which example the rest quickly followed. When Demetrius had stroven so long in vain to make his men abide, that he himself was likely to be lost, he was fain to give place to the stronger, making a violent retreat as far as to Azotus, which was about thirty miles from the place of battle. A great part of his carriages was in Gaza, whither some of his company turned aside, hoping to save such goods as in haste they could pack up. This foolish covetousness was their destruction, and the loss of the town. For whilst they, forgetful of the danger, had filled the streets with sumpter horses, and cloyed up the gates, thronging, some to get in and fetch, others to carry out what they had already loaden, Ptolomy's army brake in without resistance, taking them with their goods and the city all together.