Plutarch: Lives of the noble Grecians and Romans
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 as 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 armor 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 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 dispatched
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 traveled 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 forced immediately 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 in 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 greatest 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 were 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
sea-shore, covered with a fine soft sand, which the treading of
so many men and horses, in the time of the 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 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