Diodorus Siculus

BOOK XIX - The Library of History



Page 634 Having taken this Order, he marches into Phaenicia to provide a Fleet: For at that time the Enemy had the Command of the Sea, being furnish'd with abundance of Shipping, when he himself had not one. Encamping near to Tyre, with design to Besiege it, he sent for the petty Kings of Phaenicia, and Governors of Syria, and dealt with them to join with him in the Building of Ships, because all the Ships that belong'd to Phaenicia were then with Ptolemy in Aegypt. He gave them likewise Order to bring him with all speed Four Millions and Five hundred thousand Bushels of Wheat; for to so much came the yearly Expence of his Army. Then he got together Hewers of Timber, Sawers, and Ship Carpenters, from all Parts, and caus'd Timber to be brought down from Mount Lebanon to the Sea-side, employing therein Eight thousand Men to Work, and a Thou-Beasts for Carriage This Mount runs through Tripolis, Byblia, and Sidonia, and abounds in most beautiful tall Cedars and Cypress Trees. He appointed three Arsenals in Phaenicia, one at Tripolis, another at Byblia, and the Third at Sidon; a Fourth he had in Cilicia, whither Timber was brought from Mount Taurus; and a Fifth in Rhodes, where the Inhabitants suffer'd him to build Ships of Timber, convey'd thither at his own Charge.

While Antigonus was thus employ'd and lay Encamp'd by the Sea side, Seleucus came with a Fleet of an Hundred Sail out of Aegypt, quick Sailers, and Royally furnish'd, and in a scornful manner skirr'd under the Noses of them; which not a little troubled the Minds of his new Associates, and those that join'd with him in the carrying on of the Work. For it was very apparent, that the Enemy now being Master at Sea, would be sure to waste and spoil those who out of kindness to Antigonus had join'd with their Adversaries.

But Antigonus bid them be of good chear, for before the end of Summer, he said, he would be at Sea with a Fleet of Five hundred Sail.

Agesilaus, in the mean while, return'd with his Embassy out of Cyprus, and brought word, that Nicocreon, and the most potent Kings of that Island had already confederated with Ptolemy; Nevertheless, that Citticus, Lapitbius, Marius, and Cyrenites, would join with him: Whereupon, he left Three thousand Men under the Command of Andronicus, to maintain the Siege against Tyre, and he himself march'd with the rest of the Army against Gaza and Joppe, which stood out against him, and took them by force; and such of Ptolemy's Men as he found there, he took and distributed them among his own Regiments, and plac'd Garisons in both those Cities to keep them in Obedience. Which done, he return'd to his standing Camp about Tyre, and prepar'd all necessaries for a Siege against it. At the same time, Aristo, who was intrusted by Eumenes to carry Craterus his Bones, delivered them to Phila to be buried, who was marry'd first to Craterus, and at that time to Demetrius the Son of Antigonus, who was a Woman of excellent Parts and Prudence; for by her prudent Behaviour and Carriage towards every Soldier in the Army, she was able to qualify and moderate those that were most Turbulent, and she put forth the Daughters and Sisters of those that were Poor, at her own Charge; and prevented the Ruine of many that were falsly accus'd. Its reported, that Antipater her Father, (who was the most prudent Prince that Govern'd in this Age) was us'd to consult with Phila his Daughter, in the most weighty Affairs, while she was but yet a Girl. But the Prudence of this Woman will more fully appear in the following Narration, and when things tended to a Revolution, and the fatal Period of Demetrius his Kingdom. And thus stood the Affairs of Antigonus and Phila at this time.

Amongst the Captains sent away by Antigonus, Aristodemus pass'd over to Laconia, and having got leave of the Spartans to raise Soldiers, got together Eight thousand out of Peloponnesus; and upon Conference with Polysperchon and Alexander, join'd them both in a firm League of Amity with Antigonus, and made Polysperchon General over the Forces in Peloponnesus; but prevail'd with Alexander to pass over into Asia to Antigonus.

Ptolomeus, another of his Captains, going into Cappadocia with an Army, and there finding the City of Amisus besieg'd by Asclepidorus, a Captain of Cassander's, rais'd the Siege and secur'd the Place; and so having sent away Asclepidorus packing upon certain Conditions, recover'd that whole Province to Antigonus; and marching thence through Bithynia, came upon the back of Zibytes King of the Bithynians, whilst he was busie in besieging of two Cities at once, that of the Assarenians, and the other of the Calcedonians, and forc'd him to raise his Siege from both; and then falling to Capitulations both with him and the Cities that were besieg'd, after Hostages receiv'd, remov'd thence towards Ionia and Lydia; for that Antigonus had written to him to secure that Coast with all possible speed, having intelligence that Seleucus was going into those Parts with his Fleet; whither indeed he came and besieg'd Erythras: But hearing of the Enemies approach left it, and went away as he came. Mean while, Alexander the Son of Polysperchon,


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