Diodorus Siculus

BOOK XIX - The Library of History



Page 624 willing to run the same risk with himself; he was indeed very forward to Engage, but had not yet force enough; for the Party that stuck to him was very small.

In the mean time, the Epirots that were sent away into their own Country, revolted from the King, and his People, by a common Decree of the State, Banish'd him the Kingdom, and Consederated with Cassander; like to which never before hapned in Epirus from the time that Neoptolimus, the Son of Achilles, reign'd there. For the Kingdom ever descended from the Father, by Right of Succession to the Son, till this time.

When Cassander was thus supported by the Confederacy of the Epirots, and had sent Lyciseus both as General and Viceroy into Epirus, they in Macedonta, who before were at a stand, whether they should Confederate with Olympias or not, now (seeing no hopes remaining for the retrieving her Affairs) join'd with Cassander. So that now the only Prop remaining to rely upon for Relief was Polysperchon, and this was presently in a strange manner shatter'd and broken in Pieces; for when Callas, who was sent as Geneneral by Cassander, sate down with his Army near to Polysperchon in Perrebia, he so corrupted most of his Soldiers with large Bribes, that very few remain'd, especially of those that were look'd upon to be most Faithful: And thus low were the Affairs of Olympias sunk in a very short time.

As for the Affairs of Asia at this time; Antigonus then Wint'ring in Gadamalis, otherwise Gaderlis, looking upon his Army too weak for the Enemy, contriv'd how to fall upon them unawares, and to Out wit them. Eumenes his Soldiers were so scatter'd and dispers'd in their Winter-quarters, that some of them were six days march distant one from another. But Antigonus judg'd it not adviseable to march through the Countries that were Inhabited, both in regard the Journey would be very long and tedious, and likewise presently known to the Enemy, but conceiv'd it much more for his advantage to lead his Army through the dry and barren Desarts, though it were far more troublesome, for that it was much the shorter Cut; and by that means his march would be secret, and so he might fall upon the Enemy suddenly and unexpectedly, as they lay dispers'd and scatter'd in their Quarters, never dreaming of any such thing.

Upon these Considerations he commanded his Soldiers to be ready for a March, and to prepare for themselves Ten Days Victuals such as need not the Fire. He himself gave it out, that he would march through Armenia: But on a sudden, contrary to the Expectation of his whole Army, in the Depth of Winter, he march'd towards the Desarts. In their march he order'd Fires to be made in the Day, but to be put out in the Night, left that any seeing them far off from the Mountains, might discover his approach to the Enemy: For the Desart was almost all wholly Plain and Champaign, surrounded with many high Hills, from whence it was easie a long way off to discover the Fires. But when the Army had spent Five days in this tedious Journey, the Soldiers for very Cold, as for other necessary Uses, fell to making of Fires by Night as well as by Day; which some of the Inhabitants of the Wilderness espying, they presently the very same day sent away Messengers upon Dromedaries to give Intelligence thereof to Eumenes and Peucestes. This Beast will commonly run Fifteen hundred Furlongs a Day.

Peucestes being inform'd, that the Enemy's Army was seen half way of their march, began to think of running away as far as he could, being afraid the Enemy would be upon him before he could get the Forces together, from every Quarter where they then lay dispers'd. Eumenes perceiving the Fright he was in, bid him be of good Heart, and continue upon the Edge of the Wilderness, for he had found out a way that Antigonus should not come into those Parts in three or four days. And having done that, they should be able within that time easily to get all their Forces together; and so the Enemy being tir'd out, and starv'd for want of Provision, would all fall into their hands. All wonder'd at this strange Undertaking, and every one was earnest to learn what it was that should give a stop to the Enemy. Eumenes hereupon commanded all the Captains and Soldiers that were then at hand, to follow him with a great number of Urns full of Fire, and then chose out some of the Highest Ground in the Country, which look'd every way towards the Wilderness, and there mark'd out several Places within the Compass of Seventy Furlongs, and allo ted to every Captain a Post distant about Twenty Cubits one from another, with Command to kindle a Fire in the Night in every Place; and at the first Watch to make the greater Fires, as if they were then still upon the Guard, and going to Supper and refreshing themselves; at the Second, that the Fires should be less; and the Third to be left near Out and Extinct, that so at a Distance it might seem as if the Army were certainly there Encamp'd together.

The Soldiers observing the Order given them, some of the Inhabitants of the Mountains over against them (Friends to Pitho the Governor of Media) perceiv'd the Fire,


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