---
title: "Life of Eumenes · Εὐμένης"
author: "Plutarch"
translator: "Bernadotte Perrin"
languages: [grc, en]
shelf: "Classical Greek"
section: 2 of 3
url: https://scriptura.si/works/plutarch-eumenes/2/
cite: "Plutarch, tr. Bernadotte Perrin, Life of Eumenes · Εὐμένης, section 2. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/plutarch-eumenes/2/"
---

# Life of Eumenes · Εὐμένης

*Plutarch, tr. Bernadotte Perrin*

Alexander’s Greek secretary, who outfought the Macedonian generals after his death and was betrayed by his own troops; with the Comparison of Sertorius and Eumenes.

> Greek: ed. Bernadotte Perrin, from the Perseus Digital Library (canonical-greekLit, tlg0007.tlg041, tlg0007.tlg043, CC BY-SA 4.0).

> English: Bernadotte Perrin, from the Perseus Digital Library (tlg0007.tlg041.perseus-eng2, tlg0007.tlg043.perseus-eng2). Notes are not included.

> Rows follow the references the two texts share (chapters and sections), cut where both reach the end of a sentence.

## 2. Chapters 10–19

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/plutarch-eumenes/2/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/plutarch-eumenes/2/#p-N

[¶0] 10.2. And when Antigonus came up and invited him to a conference before the siege began, he replied that the friends of Antigonus and officers to succeed Antigonus in command were many, whereas those in whose behalf he was fighting had no one left to command them after him; and he bade Antigonus to send hostages if he wanted to have a conference with him. Moreover, when Antigonus demanded to be addressed by him as a superior, Eumenes replied: “I regard no man as my superior so long as I am master of my sword.”

> Greek: 10.2. ὡς δὲ ἐπελθὼν ὁ Ἀντίγονος εἰς λόγους αὐτόν ἐκάλει πρὸ τῆς πολιορκίας, ἀπεκρίνατο πολλοὺς εἶναι τοὺς Ἀντιγόνου φίλους καὶ μετὰ Ἀντίγονον ἡγεμόνας, ὧν δὲ αὐτὸς προπολεμεῖ μηδένα λείπεσθαι μετʼ αὐτόν· ὁμήρους δὲ πέμπειν ἐκέλευσεν, εἰ χρῄζει διὰ λόγων αὐτῷ γενέσθαι, τοῦ δὲ Ἀντιγόνου κελεύοντος ὡς κρείττονι λαλεῖν, οὐδένα, εἶπεν, ἐμαυτοῦ κρείττονα νομίζω, μέχρι ἂν ὦ τοῦ ξίφους κύριος.

[¶1] 10.3. Nevertheless, after Antigonus had sent his nephew Ptolemy into the fortress, as Eumenes had demanded, Eumenes went down to meet him, and they embraced one another with greetings of friendship and affection, since they had formerly been close associates and intimate companions. A long conference was held, in which Eumenes made no mention of his own safety or of peace, but actually demanded that he should be confirmed in the possession of his satrapies, and that what was his by gift should be restored to him. At this the bystanders were amazed, and they admired his lofty spirit and confidence.

> Greek: 10.3. ὅμως δὲ πέμψαντος τοῦ Ἀντιγόνου τὸν ἀδελφιδοῦν Πτολεμαῖον εἰς τὸ χωρίον, ὥσπερ ἠξίωσεν ὁ Εὐμενής, κατέβη, καὶ περιβαλόντες ἀλλήλους ἠσπάσαντο φιλικῶς καὶ οἰκείως, ἅτε δὴ ἀλλήλοις κεχρημένοι πολλὰ καὶ συνήθεις γεγονότες. λόγων δὲ γενομένων πολλῶν καὶ τοῦ Εὐμενοῦς οὐχ ὑπὲρ ἀσφαλείας μεμνημένου καὶ διαλύσεως, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰς σατραπείας ἀξιοῦντος αὑτῷ βεβαιοῦσθαι καὶ τὰς δωρεὰς ἀποδίδοσθαι, θαῦμα τοὺς παρόντας εἶχε τὸ φρόνημα καὶ τὴν εὐτολμίαν ἀγαμένους.

[¶2] 10.4. But meanwhile many of the Macedonians came running together in their eagerness to see what sort of a man Eumenes was; for no one else had been so much talked about in the army since the death of Craterus. Then Antigonus, afraid that Eumenes might suffer some violence, first loudly forbade the soldiers to approach, and pelted with stones those who were hurrying up, but finally threw his arms about Eumenes and, keeping off the throng with his bodyguards, with much ado removed him to a place of safety.

> Greek: 10.4. ἅμα δὲ πολλοὶ συνέτρεχον τῶν Μακεδόνων ἰδεῖν ὅστις ἐστὶ τὸν Εὐμενῆ ποθοῦντες· οὐ γὰρ ἑτέρου λόγος ἦν τοσοῦτος ἐν τῷ στρατῷ μετὰ τὴν τοῦ Κρατεροῦ τελευτήν. δείσας δὲ ὁ Ἀντίγονος ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ, μή τι πάθῃ βίαιον, πρῶτον μὲν ἀπηγόρευε μή προσιέναι βοῶν, καὶ τοῖς λίθοις ἔβαλλε τοὺς ἐπιφερομένους, τέλος δὲ ταῖς χερσὶ τὸν Εὐμενῆ περιβαλὼν καὶ τὸν ὄχλον ἀπερύκων τοῖς δορυφόροις μόλις εἰς τὸ ἀσφαλὲς ἀποκατέστησε.

[¶3] 11.1. After this, Antigonus built a wall round Nora, left troops to guard it, and retired; Eumenes, however, although closely besieged in a stronghold which had grain, water in abundance, and salt, but no other edible, not even a relish to go with the grain, nevertheless, with what he had, managed to render the life of his associates cheerful, inviting them all by turns to his own table, and seasoning the meal thus shared with conversation which had charm and friendliness.

> Greek: 11.1. τοὐντεῦθεν ὁ μὲν περιτειχίσας τὰ Νῶρα καὶ φρουρὰν καταλιπών ἀνέζευξεν Εὐμενὴς δὲ πολιορκούμενος ἐγκρατῶς, τοῦ χωρίου σῖτον καὶ ὕδωρ ἄφθονον καὶ ἅλας καὶ ἄλλο μηδὲν ἔχοντος ἐδώδιμον μηδὲ ἥδυσμα πρὸς τὸν σῖτον, ἐκ τῶν παρόντων ὅμως κατεσκεύαζε τοῖς συνοῦσιν ἱλαρὰν τὴν δίαιταν, ἐν μέρει τε παραλαμβάνων πάντας ἐπὶ τὴν αὑτοῦ τράπεζαν, καὶ τὸ συσσίτιον ὁμιλίᾳ χάριν ἐχούσῃ καὶ φιλοφροσύνην ἐφηδύνων.

[¶4] 11.2. For he had a pleasant face, not like that of a war-worn veteran, but delicate and youthful, and all his body had, as it were, artistic proportions, with limbs of astonishing symmetry; and though he was not a powerful speaker, still he was insinuating and persuasive, as one may gather from his letters.

> Greek: 11.2. ἦν δὲ καὶ τὸ εἶδος ἡδύς, οὐ πολεμικῷ καὶ τετριμμένῳ διʼ ὅπλων ἐοικώς, ἀλλὰ γλαφυρὸς καὶ νεοπρεπὴς, καὶ πᾶν τὸ σῶμα διηρθρωμένος ὡς ὑπὸ τέχνης ἀκριβῶς τοῖς μέλεσι θαυμαστὴν συμμετρίαν σιν, εἰπεῖν δὲ οὐ δεινός, αἱμύλος δὲ καὶ πιθανός, ὡς ἐκ τῶν ἐπιστολῶν συμβάλλειν ἐστίν.

[¶5] 11.3. But most of all detrimental to his forces thus besieged was their narrow quarters, since their movements were confined to small houses and a place only two furlongs in circumference, so that neither men nor horses could get exercise before eating or being fed. Therefore, wishing to remove the weakness and languor with which their inactivity afflicted them, and, more than that, to have them somehow or other in training for flight, if opportunity should offer, he assigned the men a house, the largest in the place, fourteen cubits long, as a place to walk, ordering them little by little to increase their pace. And as for the horses, he had them all girt round the neck with great straps fastened to the roof, and raised them partly up into the air by means of pulleys, so that, while with their hind legs they rested firmly upon the ground, they just touched it with the tips of their fore hoofs.

> Greek: 11.3. ἐπεὶ δὲ τοὺς σὺν αὐτῷ πολιορκουμένους ἡ στενοχωρία μάλιστα πάντων ἔβλαπτεν, ἐν οἰκήμασι μικροῖς καὶ τόπῳ δυοῖν σταδίοιν ἔχοντι τὴν περίμετρον ἀναστρεφομένους, τροφὴν δὲ ἀγυμνάστους μὲν αὐτοὺς λαμβάνοντας, ἀργοῖς δὲ τοῖς ἵπποις προσφέροντας, οὐ μόνον τὸν ἄλυν αὐτῶν ὑπὸ τῆς ἀπραξίας μαραινομένων ἀπαλλάξαι βουλόμενος, ἀλλὰ καὶ πρὸς φυγήν, εἰ παραπέσοι καιρός, ἁμῶς γέ πως ἠσκημένοις χρήσασθαι, τοῖς μὲν ἀνθρώποις οἶκον, ὃς ἦν μέγιστος ἐν τῷ χωρίῳ, δεκατεσσάρων πηχῶν τὸ μῆκος, ἀπέδειξε περίπατον, κατὰ μικρὸν ἐπιτείνειν τὴν κίνησιν κελεύων, τῶν δὲ ἵππων ἕκαστον ῥυτῆρσι μεγάλοις εἰς τὴν ὀροφὴν ἀναδεδεμένοις ὑποζώσας ἐκ τῶν περὶ τὸν αὐχένα μερῶν ἐμετεώριζε καὶ παρήγειρε διὰ τροχιλίας, ὥστε τοῖς μὲν ὀπισθίοις σκέλεσιν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἐρείδεσθαι, τοῖς δὲ ἐμπροσθίοις ποσὶν ἀκρωνύχους ἐπιψαύειν.

[¶6] 11.5. Then, while they were thus suspended, the grooms would stand at their sides and stir them up with shouts and strokes of the goad; and the horses, full of rage and fury, would dance and leap about on their hind legs, while with their swinging fore feet they would strike the ground and try to get a footing there, thus exerting their whole bodies and covering themselves with sweat and foam,—no bad exercise either for speed or strength. Then their barley would be thrown to them boiled, that they might the sooner dispatch and the better digest it.

> Greek: 11.5. οὕτω δὲ ἀνηρτημένους οἱ ἱπποκόμοι παρεστῶτες ἅμα ταῖς τε κραυγαῖς καὶ ταῖς μάστιξιν ἐπηρέθιζον οἱ δὲ πιμπλάμενοι θυμοῦ καὶ ὀργῆς τοῖς μὲν ὀπισθίοις ἐνήλλοντο καὶ διεσκίρτων σκέλεσι, τοῖς δὲ μετεώροις ἐφιέμενοι στηρίξασθαι καὶ κροτοῦντες τὸ ἔδαφος κατετείνοντο πᾶν τὸ σῶμα καὶ πολὺν ἠφίεσαν ἱδρῶτα καὶ σταλαγμόν, οὔτε πρὸς τάχος οὔτε πρὸς ῥώμην γυμναζόμενοι κακῶς, τὰς δὲ κριθὰς ἐνέβαλλον αὐτοῖς ἐπτισμένας, ἵνα κατεργάζωνται θᾶττον καὶ πέττωσι βέλτιον.

[¶7] 12.1. But presently, as the siege dragged along, Antigonus learned that Antipater had died in Macedonia, and that matters were in confusion owing to the dissension between Cassander and Polysperchon. He therefore cherished no longer an inferior hope, but embraced the whole empire in his scheme, and desired to have Eumenes as friend and helper in his undertakings. Accordingly, he sent Hieronymus to make a treaty with Eumenes, and proposed an oath for him to take. This oath Eumenes corrected and then submitted it to the Macedonians who were besieging him, requesting them to decide which was the juster form.

> Greek: 12.1. ἤδη δὲ τῆς πολιορκίας χρόνον λαμβανούσης Ἀντίγονος τεθνηκέναι πυνθανόμενος Ἀντίπατρον ἐν Μακεδονίᾳ, καὶ τεταράχθαι τὰ πράγματα Κασάνδρου καὶ Πολυσπέρχοντος διαφερομένων, οὐδὲν ἔτι μικρὸν ἐλπίζων, ἀλλὰ τῇ γνώμῃ τὴν ὅλην περιβαλλόμενος ἡγεμονίαν· ἐβούλετο τὸν Εὐμενῆ φίλον ἔχειν καὶ συνεργὸν ἐπὶ τὰς πράξεις, διὸ πέμψας Ἱερώνυμον ἐσπένδετο τῷ Εὐμενεῖ, προτείνας ὅρκον, ὃν ὁ Εὐμενὴς διορθώσας ἐπέτρεψεν ἐπικρῖναι τοῖς πολιορκοῦσιν αὐτὸν Μακεδόσι, πότερος εἴη δικαιότερος.

[¶8] 12.2. Antigonus, namely, for form’s sake, had mentioned the kings at the beginning of the oath, and then had made the rest of it refer to himself; but Eumenes wrote at the head of the oath the names of Olympias and the kings, and proposed to swear fealty, not to Antigonus alone, but also to Olympias and the kings, and to have the same enemies and friends as they. This was thought to be more just, and the Macedonians accordingly administered this oath to Eumenes, raised the siege, and sent to Antigonus, that he too, on his part, might take the oath to Eumenes.

> Greek: 12.2. Ἀντίγονος μὲν γὰρ ἀφοσιώσεως ἕνεκεν ἐν ἀρχῇ τῶν βασιλέων ἐπιμνησθείς τὸν λοιπὸν ὅρκον εἰς ἑαυτὸν ὥρκιζεν, Εὐμένης δὲ πρώτην μὲν ἐνέγραψε τοῖς ὅρκοις Ὀλυμπιάδα μετὰ τῶν βασιλέων, ἔπειτα ὤμνυεν οὐκ Ἀντιγόνῳ μόνον εὐνοήσειν οὐδʼ ἐκείνῳ τὸν αὐτὸν ἐχθρὸν ἕξειν καὶ φίλον, ἀλλὰ καὶ Ὀλυμπιάδι καὶ τοῖς βασιλεῦσιν. ὧν δικαιοτέρων φανέντων, οἱ Μακεδόνες ταῦθʼ ὁρκίσαντες τὸν Εὐμενῆ τὴν πολιορκίαν ἔλυσαν, καὶ πρὸς τὸν Ἀντίγονον ἀπέστελλον, ὅπως καὶ αὐτὸς ἀποδῷ τῷ Εὐμενεῖ τὸν ὅρκον.

[¶9] 12.3. Meanwhile, however, Eumenes gave back all the Cappadocian hostages whom he was holding in Nora, and received from those who came for them horses, beasts of burden, and tents. He also collected all the soldiers who had become scattered by his flight and were now wandering about the country, so that he had a force of almost a thousand horsemen. With these he set out in flight, being rightly in fear of Antigonus. For Antigonus not only ordered his Macedonians to wall him in again and besiege him, but also wrote back bitter reproaches to them for accepting the correction of the oath.

> Greek: 12.3. ἐν τούτῳ δὲ Εὐμενὴς ὅσους εἶχεν ἐν Νώροις τῶν Καππαδοκῶν ὁμήρους ἀπεδίδου, λαμβάνων ἵππους καὶ ὑποζύγια καὶ σκηνὰς παρὰ τῶν κομιζομένων, καὶ συνῆγε τῶν στρατιωτῶν ὅσοι διασπαρέντες ἀπὸ τῆς φυγῆς ἐπλανῶντο κατὰ τὴν χώραν, ὥστε περὶ αὐτὸν ἱππεῖς ὀλίγῳ τῶν χιλίων ἀποδέοντας γενέσθαι, μεθʼ ὧν ἐξελάσας ἔφυγεν, ὀρθῶς φοβηθεὶς τὸν Ἀντίγονον. οὐ γὰρ μόνον ἐκεῖνον ἐκέλευσε πολιορκεῖν αὖθις περιτειχίσαντας, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς Μακεδόσι πικρῶς ἀντέγραψε δεξαμένοις τοῦ ὅρκου τὴν διόρθωσιν.

[¶10] 13.1. While Eumenes was in flight, letters were brought to him from those in Macedonia who feared the growing power of Antigonus. Olympias invited him to come and take charge of Alexander’s little son and rear him, feeling that plots were laid against his life; Polysperchon and Philip the king ordered him, as commander of the forces in Cappadocia, to wage war upon Antigonus, to take five hundred talents of the treasure at Quinda in reparation of his own losses, and to use as much of it as he wished for the war.

> Greek: 13.1. φεύγοντι δὲ Εὐμενεῖ γράμματα κομίζεται παρὰ τῶν ἐν Μακεδονίᾳ τὴν Ἀντιγόνου δεδοικότων αὔξησιν, Ὀλυμπιάδος μὲν παρακαλούσης ἐλθόντα τὸ Ἀλεξάνδρου παιδίον παραλαβεῖν καὶ τρέφειν ὡς ἐπιβουλευόμενον, Πολυσπέρχοντος δὲ καὶ Φιλίππου τοῦ βασιλέως κελευόντων Ἀντιγόνῳ πολεμεῖν τῆς ἐν Καππαδοκίᾳ δυνάμεως ἄρχοντα, καὶ τῶν ἐν Κουΐνδοις χρημάτων πεντακόσια μὲν τάλαντα λαβεῖν εἰς τὴν τῶν ἰδίων ἐπανόρθωσιν, εἰς δὲ τὸν πόλεμον ὁπόσοις βούλεται χρῆσθαι.

[¶11] 13.2. They had also written concerning these matters to Antigenes and Teutamus, the commanders of the Silver-shields. These men, on receiving their letters, ostensibly treated Eumenes with friendliness, but were plainly full of envy and contentiousness, disdaining to be second to him. Eumenes therefore allayed their envy by not taking the money, alleging that he had no need of it;

> Greek: 13.2. περὶ δὲ τούτων καὶ Ἀντιγένει καὶ Τευτάμῳ τοῖς τῶν ἀργυρασπίδων ἡγουμένοις ἐγεγράφεισαν. ἐπεὶ δὲ λαβόντες ἐκεῖνοι τὰ γράμματα τῷ μὲν λόγῳ φιλανθρώπως ἐδέξαντο τὸν Εὐμενῆ, φθόνου δὲ καὶ φιλονεικίας ἐφαίνοντο μεστοί, δευτερεύειν ἀπαξιοῦντες ἐκείνῳ, τὸν μὲν φθόνον ὁ Εὐμενὴς ἐθεράπευε τῷ τὰ χρήματα μὴ λαβεῖν ὡς οὐδὲν δεόμενος, ταῖς δὲ φιλονεικίαις καὶ φιλαρχίαις αὐτῶν μήτε ἡγεῖσθαι δυναμένων μήτε ἕπεσθαι βουλομένων ἐπῆγε δεισιδαιμονίαν.

[¶12] 13.3. while upon their love of contention and love of command, seeing that they were as unable to lead as they were unwilling to follow, he brought superstition to bear. He said, namely, that Alexander had appeared to him in a dream, had shown him a tent arrayed in royal fashion with a throne standing in it, and had then said that if they held their councils and transacted their business there, he himself would be present and would assist them in every plan and enterprise which they undertook in his name. Eumenes easily convinced Antigenes and Teutamus that this was true. They were unwilling to go to him, and he himself thought it undignified to be seen at the doors of others.

> Greek: 13.3. ἔφη γὰρ Ἀλέξανδρον αὐτῷ κατὰ τοὺς ὕπνους φανῆναι, καὶ δεῖξαί τινα σκηνὴν κατεσκευασμένην βασιλικῶς καὶ θρόνον ἐν αὐτῇ κείμενον· εἶτα εἰπεῖν ὡς ἐνταῦθα συνεδρεύουσιν αὐτοῖς καὶ χρηματίζουσιν αὐτὸς παρέσται καὶ συνεφάψεται βουλῆς τε πάσης καὶ πράξεως ἀρχομένοις ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ, ταῦτα ῥᾳδίως ἔπεισε τὸν Ἀντιγένη καὶ τὸν Τεύταμον, οὔτε ἐκείνων βαδίζειν βουλομένων πρὸς αὐτόν, οὔτε αὐτὸς ἀξιῶν ἐπὶ θύραις ἑτέρων ὁρᾶσθαι.

[¶13] 13.4. So they erected a royal tent, and a throne in it which they dedicated to Alexander, and there they met for deliberation on matters of highest importance. And now, as they advanced into the interior of the country, Peucestas, who was a friend of Eumenes, met them with the other satraps, and they joined their forces, so that the number of their men and the splendour of their equipment raised the spirits of the Macedonians. But the leaders themselves had been made unmanageable by their exercise of power, and effeminate by their mode of life, after the death of Alexander, and they brought into collision spirits that were tyrannical and fed on barbaric arrogance, so that they were harsh towards one another and hard to reconcile. Moreover, by flattering the Macedonian soldiery extravagantly and lavishing money upon them for banquets and sacrifices, in a short time they made the camp a hostelry of festal prodigality, and the army a mob to be cajoled into the election of its generals, as in a democracy.

> Greek: 13.4. καὶ τιθέντες οὕτω σκηνὴν βασιλικὴν καὶ θρόνον Ἀλεξάνδρῳ καταπεφημισμένον ἐκεῖ συνεπορεύοντο βουλευόμενοι περὶ τῶν μεγίστων. ἐπεὶ δὲ προϊοῦσιν αὐτοῖς εἰς τὴν ἄνω χώραν ὁ Πευκέστας μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων σατραπῶν ἀπήντησε φίλος ὢν καὶ συνεμίξαντο τὰς δυνάμεις, πλήθει μὲν ὅπλων καὶ λαμπρότητι παρασκευῆς ἐπέρρωσαν τοὺς Μακεδόνας, αὐτοὶ δὲ ἀνάγωγοι ταῖς ἐξουσίαις καὶ μαλακοὶ ταῖς διαίταις γεγονότες μετὰ τὴν Ἀλεξάνδρου τελευτήν, καὶ φρονήματα τυραννικὰ καὶ τεθραμμένα βαρβαρικαῖς ἀλαζονείαις ἐπὶ ταὐτὸ συνενεγκάμενοι, πρὸς μὲν ἀλλήλους βαρεῖς ἦσαν καὶ δυσάρμοστοι, τοὺς δὲ Μακεδόνας κολακεύοντες ἐκκεχυμένως καὶ καταχορηγοῦντες εἰς δεῖπνα καὶ θυσίας ὀλίγου χρόνου τὸ στρατόπεδον ἀσωτίας πανηγυριζούσης καταγώγιον ἐποίησαν καὶ δημαγωγούμενον ἐπὶ αἱρέσει στρατηγῶν ὄχλον, ὥσπερ ἐν ταῖς δημοκρατίαις.

[¶14] 13.6. Eumenes, however, perceiving that, while they despised one another, they feared him and were on the watch for an opportunity to kill him, pretended to be in need of money, and got together many talents by borrowing from those who hated him most, in order that they might put confidence in him and refrain from killing him out of regard for the money they had lent him. The consequence was that the wealth of others was his body-guard, and that, whereas men generally preserve their lives by giving, he alone won safety by receiving.

> Greek: 13.6. αἰσθόμενος δὲ ὁ Εὐμενὴς αὐτοὺς ἀλλήλων μὲν καταφρονοῦντας, αὐτὸν δὲ φοβουμένους καὶ παραφυλάττοντας ἀνελεῖν, εἰ γένοιτο καιρός, ἐσκήψατο χρημάτων δεῖσθαι καὶ συνεδανείσατο τάλαντα πολλὰ παρὰ τῶν μάλιστα μισούντων αὐτόν, ἵνα καὶ πιστεύωσι καὶ ἀπέχωνται περὶ τῶν δανείων ἀγωνιῶντες· ὥστε συνέβη τὸν ἀλλότριον πλοῦτον αὐτῷ φύλακα τοῦ σώματος ἔχειν, καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἐπὶ σωτηρίᾳ διδόντων, μόνον ἐκ τοῦ λαβεῖν κτήσασθαι τὴν ἀσφάλειαν.

[¶15] 14.1. The Macedonians, however, while there was no danger, continued to take gifts from their corrupters, and hung about the doors of these men, who now had body-guards and wanted to be generals. But when Antigonus encamped near them with a large force and the situation called aloud for a real general, not only did the common soldiers attach themselves to Eumenes, but also those who were great only when peace and luxury prevailed, every man of them, gave in to him and consented without a murmur to hold the post which he gave them.

> Greek: 14.1. οὐ μὴν ἀλλʼ οἱ Μακεδόνες ἀδείας μὲν οὔσης ἐφθείροντο πρὸς τοὺς διδόντας, καὶ τάς ἐκείνων θύρας ἐθεράπευον, δορυφορουμένων καὶ στρατηγιώντων· ἐπεὶ δὲ Ἀντίγονος αὑτοῖς παρεστρατοπέδευσε μετὰ πολλῆς δυνάμεως καὶ τὰ πράγματα φωνὴν ἀφιέντα τὸν ἀληθινὸν ἐκάλει στρατηγόν, οὐ μόνον οἱ στρατευόμενοι τῷ Εὐμενεῖ προσεῖχον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν ἐν εἰρήνῃ καὶ τρυφῇ μεγάλων ἐκείνων ἕκαστος ἐνέδωκε καὶ παρεῖχεν ἑαυτὸν σιωπῇ τὴν δοθεῖσαν φυλάττοντα τάξιν.

[¶16] 14.2. And, indeed, when Antigonus tried to cross the river Pasitigris, none of the other commanders who were watching his movements was even aware of it, but Eumenes, and he alone, withstood him, joined battle with him, slew many of his men and filled the stream with dead bodies, and took four thousand prisoners. But most of all in connection with the sickness that befell him did the Macedonians make it clear that they considered the others able to feast them splendidly and hold high festival, but him alone capable of wielding command and waging war.

> Greek: 14.2. καὶ γάρ τοι περὶ τὸν Πασιτίγριν ποταμὸν ἐπιχειρήσαντα διαβαίνειν τὸν Ἀντίγονον οἱ μὲν ἄλλοι παραφυλάττοντες οὐδὲ ᾔσθοντο, μόνος δὲ Εὐμενὴς ὑπέστη, καὶ συνάψας μάχην πολλοὺς μὲν κατέβαλε καὶ νεκρῶν ἐνέπλησε τὸ ῥεῖθρον, ἔλαβε δὲ τετρακισχιλίους αἰχμαλώτους, μάλιστα δὲ οἱ Μακεδόνες περὶ τὴν συμβᾶσαν ἀρρωστίαν αὐτῷ καταφανεῖς ἐγένοντο τοὺς μὲν ἄλλους ἑστιᾶν λαμπρῶς καὶ πανηγυρίζειν, ἄρχειν δὲ καὶ πολεμεῖν δυνατὸν ἡγούμενοι μόνον ἐκεῖνον.

[¶17] 14.3. For Peucestas, having feasted them splendidly in Persis, and having given every man a victim for sacrifice, was expecting to be chief in command; and a few days afterwards, as the soldiers were marching against the enemy, it chanced that Eumenes, in consequence of a dangerous illness, was being carried along in a litter outside the ranks, where it was quiet and his sleep would not be broken. But after they had advanced a little way, suddenly the enemy were seen passing over some hills and descending into the plain.

> Greek: 14.3. ὁ μὲν γὰρ Πευκέστας ἐν τῇ Περσίδι λαμπρῶς αὐτοὺς ἑστιάσας καὶ κατʼ ἄνδρα διαδοὺς ἱερεῖον εἰς θυσίαν ἤλπιζεν εἶναι μέγιστος· ὀλίγαις δὲ ὕστερον ἡμέραις τῶν στρατιωτῶν ἐπὶ τοὺς πολεμίους βαδιζόντων, ἐτύγχανεν ὁ Εὐμενὴς ἐκ νόσου τινὸς ἐπισφαλοῦς ἐν φορείῳ κομιζόμενος ἔξω τοῦ στρατεύματος ἐν ἡσυχίᾳ διὰ τάς ἀγρυπνίας. μικρὸν δὲ προελθοῦσιν αὐτοῖς ἄφνω λόφους τινὰς ὑπερβάλλοντες ἐξεφάνησαν οἱ πολέμιοι, καταβαίνοντες εἰς τὸ πεδίον.

[¶18] 14.4. The gleams of their golden armour in the sun flashed down from the heights as they marched along in close formation, and on the backs of the elephants the towers and purple trappings were seen, which was their array when going into battle. Accordingly, the foremost Macedonians halted in their march and called with loud cries for Eumenes, declaring that they would not go forward unless he was in command of them; and grounding their arms they passed word to one another to wait, and to their leaders to keep still, and without Eumenes not to give battle or run any hazard even with the enemy.

> Greek: 14.4. ὡς οὖν αἵ τε τῶν χρυσῶν ὅπλων αὐγαὶ πρὸς τὸν ἥλιον ἐξέλαμψαν ἀπὸ τῶν ἄκρων τοῦ ἀγήματος ἐν τάξει πορευομένων, καὶ τῶν θηρίων τοὺς πύργους ἄνω καὶ τάς πορφύρας εἶδον, ὅσπερ ἦν αὐτοῖς κόσμος εἰς μάχην ἀγομένοις, ἐπιστήσαντες οἱ πρῶτοι τὴν πορείαν ἐβόων Εὐμενῆ καλεῖν αὑτοῖς, οὐ γὰρ ἂν προελθεῖν ἐκείνου μὴ στρατηγοῦντος, καὶ τὰ ὅπλα πρὸς τὴν γῆν ἐρείσαντες ἀλλήλοις μένειν διεκελεύοντο, καὶ τοῖς ἡγεμόσιν ἡσυχίαν ἔχειν, καὶ χωρὶς Εὐμενοῦς μὴ μάχεσθαι μηδὲ κινδυνεύειν πρὸς τοὺς πολεμίους.

[¶19] 14.5. When Eumenes heard of this, he quickened the pace of his bearers to a run and came to them, and lifting up the curtains of his litter on either side, stretched forth his hand in delight. And when the soldiers saw him, they hailed him at once in their Macedonian speech, caught up their shields, beat upon them with their spears, and raised their battle-cry, challenging the enemy to fight in the assurance that their leader was at hand.

> Greek: 14.5. ἀκούσας δὲ ὁ Εὐμενὴς ἧκε πρὸς αὐτοὺς δρόμῳ τοὺς κομίζοντας ἐπιταχύνας, καὶ τοῦ φορείου τάς ἑκατέρωθεν αὐλαίας ἀνακαλύψας προὔτεινε τὴν δεξιὰν γεγηθώς. οἱ δὲ ὡς εἶδον, εὐθὺς ἀσπασάμενοι Μακεδονιστὶ τῇ φωνῇ τάς τε ἀσπίδας ἀνείλοντο καὶ ταῖς σαρίσαις ἐπιδουπήσαντες ἠλάλαξαν, προκαλούμενοι τοὺς πολεμίους ὠς τοῦ ἡγεμόνος αὐτοῖς παρόντος.

[¶20] 15.1. Now Antigonus, hearing from his prisoners that Eumenes was sick and in such wretched plight as to be borne along in a litter, thought it no great task to crush the other commanders if Eumenes was sick. He therefore hastened to lead his army to battle.

> Greek: 15.1. Ἀντίγονος δὲ παρὰ τῶν ἁλισκομένων ἀκούων τὸν Εὐμενῆ νοσεῖν καὶ κομίζεσθαι κακῶς διακείμενον, οὐ μέγα ἔργον ἡγεῖτο συντρῖψαι τοὺς ἄλλους ἐκείνου νοσοῦντος. διὸ καὶ σπεύδων ἐπὶ τὴν μάχην προσῆγεν.

[¶21] 15.2. But when, as the enemy were forming in battle order, he had ridden past their lines and observed their shape and disposition, he was amazed, and paused for some time; then the litter was seen as it was carried from one wing to the other. At this, Antigonus gave a loud laugh, as was his wont, and after saying to his friends, “This litter, it would seem, is what is arrayed against us,” immediately retired with his forces and pitched his camp.

> Greek: 15.2. ὡς δὲ τῶν πολεμίων εἰς τάξιν καθισταμένων παρελάσας κατεῖδε τὸ σχῆμα καὶ τὴν διακόσμησιν, ἐκπλαγεὶς ἐπέστη πλείω χρόνον εἶτα ὤφθη τὸ φορεῖον ἀπὸ θατέρου κέρως ἐπὶ θάτερον διαφερόμενον. γελάσας οὖν ὁ Ἀντίγονος, ὥσπερ εἰώθει, μέγα, καὶ πρὸς τοὺς φίλους εἰπὼν, τοῦτο ἦν τὸ φορεῖον, ὡς ἔοικε, τὸ ἀντιπαραταττόμενον ἡμῖν, εὐθὺς ἀπῆγε τὴν δύναμιν ὀπίσω καὶ κατεστρατοπέδευσεν.

[¶22] 15.3. But the Macedonians opposed to him, after getting a little respite, once more acted liked a capricious mob, and, mocking at their leaders, distributed themselves in winter quarters over almost the whole of Gabene, so that the rear was separated from the van by almost a thousand furlongs. When Antigonus became aware of this, he set out suddenly against them, taking this time a road that was difficult and without water, but direct and short, hoping that, in case he fell upon them when they were scattered about in their winter quarters, it would no longer be easy for the mass of them to join their generals. But after he had entered an uninhabited country, dire winds and severe frosts gave trouble to his army and impeded their march.

> Greek: 15.3. οἱ δὲ μικρὸν ἀναπνεύσαντες αὖθις ἐδημαγωγοῦντο, καὶ τοῖς ἡγεμόσιν ἐντρυφῶντες σχεδὸν ὅλην εἰς τὰ χειμάδια κατενείμαντο τὴν Γαβηνῶν, ὥστε τοὺς ἐσχάτους τῶν πρώτων ἀποσκηνοῦν ὁμοῦ τι χιλίους σταδίους. ταῦτα γνοὺς ὁ Ἀντίγονος ὥρμησεν ἐξαίφνης ἐπʼ αὐτοὺς ὑποστρέψας χαλεπὴν ὁδὸν καὶ ἄνυδρον, σύντομον δὲ καὶ βραχεῖαν, ἐλπίζων, εἰ διεσπαρμένοις ἐπιπέσοι περὶ τὰ χειμάδια, μηδʼ ἂν συνελθεῖν ἔτι τὸ πλῆθος ῥᾳδίως εἰς τὸ αὐτὸ τοῖς στρατηγοῖς. ἐμβαλόντι δὲ εἰς γῆν ἀοίκητον αὐτῷ πνεύματά τε δεινὰ καὶ κρύη μεγάλα διελυμαίνετο τὴν πορείαν ἐνοχλουμένου τοῦ στρατεύματος.

[¶23] 15.4. The only help, therefore, was to burn many fires, and this was what revealed his presence to the enemy. For the Barbarians living on the mountains which overlooked the uninhabited tract, amazed at the number of fires, sent messengers on dromedaries to Peucestas. And he, when he heard the news, being himself quite out of his mind with fear and seeing that the other officers were in a like state, set out to fly, after rousing up those of their soldiers especially who were quartered along the route.

> Greek: 15.4. ἦν οὖν ἀναγκαία βοήθεια πυρὰ πολλὰ καίειν ὅθεν οὐκ ἔλαθε τοὺς πολεμίους, ἀλλὰ τῶν βαρβάρων οἱ τὰ βλέποντα πρὸς τὴν ἀοίκητον ὄρη νεμόμενοι θαυμάσαντες τὸ τῶν πυρῶν πλῆθος ἔπεμψαν ἱππαστρίαις καμήλοις ἀγγέλους πρὸς Πευκέσταν. ὁ δὲ ὡς ἤκουσεν, αὐτός τε παντάπασιν ἔκφρων ὑπὸ δέους γενόμενος καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους ὁρῶν ὁμοίως ἔχοντας ὥρμητο φεύγειν, ἀναστήσας τοὺς καθʼ ὁδὸν ὄντας αὐτοῖς μάλιστα τῶν στρατιωτῶν·

[¶24] 15.5. But Eumenes tried to put a stop to their confusion and panic fear, by promising so to check the speed of the enemy that they would come up three days later than they were expected. And when his hearers were persuaded, he sent round messengers with orders that the forces in winter quarters and elsewhere should assemble with all speed; at the same time, too, he himself rode forth with the other commanders, took possession of a place which could be seen at a distance by such as traversed the desert, measured it off, and ordered many fires to be made at intervals, as in an encampment.

> Greek: 15.5. εὐμενὴς δὲ τὴν ταραχὴν ἀφῄρει καὶ τὸν φόβον, ὑπισχνούμενος ἐπιστήσειν τῶν πολεμίων τὸ τάχος, ὥστε τρισὶν ὕστερον ἡμέραις ἢ προσδοκῶνται παραγενέσθαι. πεισθέντων δὲ αὐτῶν ἅμα μὲν ἀγγέλους περιέπεμπε τὰς δυνάμεις ἐκ τῶν χειμαδίων καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους ἀθροίζεσθαι κατὰ τάχος κελεύων, ἅμα δὲ αὐτὸς ἐξιππασάμενος μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων ἡγεμόνων, καὶ τόπον ἐξ ἀπόπτου καταφανῆ τοῖς ὁδεύουσι τὴν ἔρημον περιβαλόμενος καὶ διαμετρήσας, ἐκέλευε πυρὰ πολλὰ καίειν ἐν διαστήμασιν, ὥσπερ οἱ στρατοπεδεύοντες.

[¶25] 15.6. This was done, and when Antigonus saw these fires on the mountains, he was distressed and disheartened, supposing that his enemies had long been aware of his approach and were coming to meet him. In order, therefore, that he might not be forced to fight, when his men were worn and weary from their march, against those who had spent a comfortable winter and were ready for the conflict, he forsook the direct road and led his army through villages and cities, taking time to refresh it.

> Greek: 15.6. γενομένου δὲ τούτου καὶ τῶν πυρῶν τοῖς περὶ Ἀντίγονον ἐκ τῆς ὀρεινῆς καταφανέντων, ἄχθος ἔσχε καὶ δυσθυμία τὸν Ἀντίγονον, οἰόμενον ᾐσθημένους ἔκπαλαι τοὺς πολεμίους ἀπαντᾶν. ἵνʼ οὖν μὴ κατάκοπος καὶ τετρυμένος ἐκ πορείας ἀναγκάζηται μάχεσθαι πρὸς ἀνθρώπους ἑτοίμους καὶ καλῶς κεχειμακότας, προέμενος τὴν σύντομον ἦγε διὰ κωμῶν καὶ πόλεων, καθʼ ἡσυχίαν ἀναλαμβάνων τὸ στράτευμα.

[¶26] 15.7. But when no one tried to obstruct his progress, the thing which usually happens when enemies are facing one another, and when the people round about said they had seen no army, but that the place was full of lighted fires, Antigonus perceived that he had been outgeneraled by Eumenes, and in deep resentment led his forces forward to try the issue in open battle.

> Greek: 15.7. μηδενὸς δὲ ἐμποδὼν ὄντος, ὥσπερ εἴωθεν ἀντικαθημένων πολεμίων, τῶν δὲ περιχώρων λεγόντων στράτευμα μηδὲν ὦφθαι, πυρῶν δὲ κεκαυμένων μεστὸν εἶναι τὸν τόπον, ᾔσθετο κατεστρατηγημένος ὑπὸ Εὐμένους, καὶ βαρέως φέρων προσῆγεν ὡς φανερᾷ μάχῃ κριθησόμενος.

[¶27] 16.1. But meanwhile most of the forces with Eumenes had assembled, and, admiring his sagacity, demanded that he should be sole commander. At this, Antigenes and Teutamus, the leaders of the Silver-shields, were filled with vexation and jealousy, so that they plotted against the life of Eumenes, and, assembling most of the satraps and generals, deliberated when and how they might put him out of the way.

> Greek: 16.1. ἐν τούτῳ δὲ τῆς δυνάμεως περὶ τὸν Εὐμενῆ τὸ πλεῖστον ἠθροισμένον ἐθαύμαζε τὴν σύνεσιν αὐτοῦ, καὶ μόνον ἐκέλευεν ἄρχειν· ἐφʼ ᾧ λυπούμενοι καὶ φθονοῦντες οἱ τῶν ἀργυρασπίδων ἡγεμόνες, Ἀντιγένης καὶ Τεύταμος, ἐπεβούλευον αὐτῷ, καὶ τοὺς πλείστους τῶν τε σατραπῶν καὶ τῶν στρατηγῶν συναγαγόντες ἐβουλεύοντο πότε χρὴ καὶ πῶς τὸν Εὐμενῆ διαφθεῖραι.

[¶28] 16.2. They were unanimous in the decision to make every use of him in the ensuing battle, and after the battle to kill him at once. But Eudamus, the master of the elephants, and Phaedimus, secretly brought word to Eumenes of this decision; not that they were moved by any goodwill or kindness, but because they were anxious not to lose the money they had lent him. These men Eumenes commended, and then went off to his tent, where he said to his friends that he was living in a great herd of wild beasts. Then he made his will, and tore up and destroyed his papers; he did not wish that after his death, in consequence of the secrets contained in these documents, accusations and calumnies should be brought against his correspondents.

> Greek: 16.2. συνδόξαν δὲ πᾶσιν ἀποχρήσασθαι πρὸς τὴν μάχην αὐτῷ, μετὰ δὲ τὴν μάχην εὐθὺς ἀνελεῖν Εὔδαμος ὁ τῶν ἐλεφάντων ἡγεμὼν καὶ Φαίδιμος ἐξαγγέλλουσι,ʼ, κρύφα τῷ Εὐμενεῖ τὰ δεδογμένα, διʼ εὔνοιαν μὲν οὐδεμίαν ἢ χάριν, εὐλαβούμενοι δὲ μὴ τῶν χρημάτων, ἃ δεδανείκεσαν αὐτῷ, στερηθῶσιν. εὐμενὴς δὲ τούτους μὲν ἐπῄνεσεν, εἰς δὲ τὴν σκηνὴν ἀπελθών καὶ πρὸς τοὺς φίλους εἰπὼν ὡς ἐν πανηγύρει θηρίων ἀναστρέφοιτο, διαθήκας ἔγραψε καὶ τὰ γραμματεῖα κατέσχισε καὶ διέφθειρεν, οὐ βουλόμενος αὐτοῦ τελευτήσαντος ἐκ τῶν ἀπορρήτων αἰτίας καὶ συκοφαντήματα τοῖς γράψασι γενέσθαι.

[¶29] 16.3. After this business had been finished, he deliberated whether to give over the victory to the enemy, or to take flight through Media and Armenia and invade Cappadocia. He came to no decision while his friends were with him, but after considering many expedients with a mind which was as versatile as his fortunes were changeable, he proceeded to draw up his forces, urging on the Greeks and the Barbarians, and himself exhorted by the phalanx and the Silver-shields to be of good courage, since, as they felt sure, the enemy would not withstand their attack.

> Greek: 16.3. ταῦτα διοικησάμενος ἐβουλεύετο τὴν νίκην παρεῖναι τοῖς ἐναντίοις, ἢ φυγὼν διὰ Μηδίας καὶ Ἀρμενίας ἐμβαλεῖν εἰς Καππαδοκίαν. οὐδὲν δὲ κυρώσας τῶν φίλων παρόντων, ἀλλʼ ἐπὶ πολλὰ τῇ γνώμῃ πολυτρόπῳ παρὰ τὰς τύχας οὔσῃ κινήσας αὑτόν, ἐξέταττε τὴν δύναμιν, τοὺς μὲν Ἕλληνας καὶ τοὺς βαρβάρους παρορμῶν, ὑπὸ δὲ τῆς φάλαγγος καὶ τῶν ἀργυρασπίδων αὐτὸς παρακαλούμενος θαρρεῖν, ὡς οὐ δεξομένων τῶν πολεμίων.

[¶30] 16.4. And indeed they were the oldest soldiers of Philip and Alexander, war’s athletes as it were, without a defeat or a fall up to that time, many of them now seventy years old, and not a man younger than sixty. And so, when they charged upon the forces of Antigonus, they shouted: “It is against your fathers that ye sin, ye miscreants;” and falling upon them in a rage they crushed their whole phalanx at once, not a man withstanding them, and most of their opponents being cut to pieces at close quarters.

> Greek: 16.4. καὶ γὰρ ἦσαν οἱ πρεσβύτατοι τῶν περὶ Φίλιππον καὶ Ἀλέξανδρον, ὥσπερ ἀθληταὶ πολέμων ἀήττητοι καὶ ἀπτῶτες εἰς ἐκεῖνο χρόνου, πολλοὶ μὲν ἑβδομήκοντα ἔτη γεγονότες, νεώτερος δὲ οὐδεὶς ἑξηκονταετοῦς. διὸ καὶ τοῖς περὶ τὸν Ἀντίγονον ἐπιόντες ἐβόων· ἐπὶ τοὺς πατέρας ἁμαρτάνετε, ὦ κακαὶ κεφαλαί· καὶ μετʼ ὀργῆς ἐμπεσόντες ὅλην ὁμοῦ τὴν φάλαγγα συνέτριψαν, οὐδενὸς ὑποστάντος αὐτούς, τῶν δὲ πλείστων ἐν χερσὶ διαφθαρέντων.

[¶31] 16.5. At this point, then, Antigonus was defeated overwhelmingly, but with his cavalry he got the upper hand; for Peucestas fought in a way that was altogether lax and ignoble, and Antigonus captured all the baggage. He was a man who kept cool in the presence of danger, and he was aided by the ground.

> Greek: 16.5. ταύτῃ μὲν οὖν ὁ Ἀντίγονος ἡττᾶτο κατὰ κράτος, τοῖς δὲ ἱππεῦσιν ἐπεκράτει· τοῦ δὲ Πευκέστου παντάπασιν ἐκλελυμένως καὶ ἀγεννῶς ἀγωνισαμένου καὶ τὴν ἀποσκευὴν ἔλαβε πᾶσαν, αὑτῷ τε νήφοντι χρησάμενος παρὰ τὰ δεινὰ καὶ τοῦ τόπου συνεργοῦντος.

[¶32] 16.6. For the plain were they fought was vast, and its soil was neither deep nor trodden hard, but sandy and full of a dry and saline substance, which, loosened up by the trampling of so many horses and men during the battle, issued forth in a dust like lime, and this made the air all white and obscured the vision. Therefore it was easy for Antigonus to capture the enemy’s baggage unobserved.

> Greek: 16.6. ἀχανὲς γὰρ ἦν τὸ πεδίον, οὔτε βαθύτερον οὔτε ἀπόκροτον καὶ στερεόν, ἀλλὰ θινῶδες καὶ μεστὸν ἁλμυρίδος αὐχμηρᾶς, ἢ τοσούτων μὲν ἵππων τοσούτων δὲ ἀνθρώπων ξαινομένη δρόμοις ὑπὸ τὸν τῆς μάχης καιρόν ἐξήνθει κόνιν ὥσπερ ἄσβεστον, ἀπολευκαίνουσαν τὸν ἀέρα καὶ τὰς ὄψεις διαθολοῦσαν. ᾗ καὶ ῥᾴδιον λαθὼν ὁ Ἀντίγονος τῆς ἀποσκευῆς τῶν πολεμίων ἐκράτησε.

[¶33] 17.1. After the battle was over, Teutamus at once sent an embassy to treat for the baggage. And when Antigonus promised not only to give this back to the Silver-shields but also to treat them kindly in other ways, provided they would deliver up Eumenes to him, the Silver-shields formed a dire design to put the man alive into the hands of his enemies.

> Greek: 17.1. παυσαμένης δὲ τῆς μάχης εὐθὺς οἱ περὶ τὸν Τεύταμον ἐπρεσβεύοντο περὶ τῆς ἀποσκευῆς. Ἀντιγόνου δὲ καὶ ταύτην ἀποδώσειν ὑπισχνουμένου τοῖς ἀργυράσπισι καὶ τἆλλα χρήσεσθαι φιλανθρώπως, εἰ παραλάβοι τὸν Εὐμενῆ, βούλευμα δεινὸν οἱ ἀργυράσπιδες ἐβουλεύσαντο, ἐγχειρίσαι ζῶντα τοῖς πολεμίοις τὸν ἄνδρα.

[¶34] 17.2. So, to begin with, they drew near him, without awakening his suspicions, and kept him in ward, some making complaints about their baggage, others bidding him to be of good courage, since he was victorious, and others still denouncing the other commanders. Then they fell upon him, snatched his sword away from him, and tied his hands fast with his girdle. And when Nicanor had been sent by Antigonus to receive him and he was being led along through the Macedonians, he begged for leave to speak to them, not with a view to supplication or entreaty, but in order to set forth what was for their advantage.

> Greek: 17.2. καὶ πρῶτον μὲν ἀνυπόπτως προσεπέλαζον αὐτῷ καὶ παρεφύλαττον, οἱ μὲν ἀποδυρόμενοι περὶ τῆς ἀποσκευῆς, οἱ δὲ θαρρεῖν ὡς νενικηκότα κελεύοντες, οἱ δὲ τῶν ἄλλων ἡγεμόνων κατηγοροῦντες. ἔπειτα προσπεσόντες ἐξήρπασαν τὸ ἐγχειρίδιον αὐτοῦ καὶ τῇ ζώνῃ τὰς χεῖρας ἀποστρέψαντες ἔδησαν. ἐπεὶ δὲ ὑπὸ Ἀντιγόνου Νικάνωρ ἐπέμφθη παραληψόμενος αὐτόν, ἐδεῖτο λόγου τυχεῖν ἀγόμενος διὰ τῶν Μακεδόνων, οὐκ εἰς δέησιν ἢ παραίτησιν, ἀλλʼ ὡς περὶ τῶν ἐκείνοις συμφερόντων διαλεξόμενος.

[¶35] 17.3. Silence was made, and standing on an eminence he stretched forth his hands, bound as they were, and said: “What trophy, O ye basest of Macedonians, could Antigonus have so much desired to set up over your defeat, as this which ye yourselves are now erecting by delivering up your general as a prisoner? It is not a dreadful thing, then, that in the hour of your victory ye should acknowledge yourselves defeated for the sake of your baggage, implying that victory lies in your possessions and not in your arms, but ye must also send your leader as a ransom for that baggage.”

> Greek: 17.3. γενομένης δὲ σιωπῆς ἐν ὑψηλῷ τινι καταστὰς καὶ τὰς χεῖρας δεδεμένας προτείνας, ποῖον, εἶπεν, ὦ κάκιστοι Μακεδόνων, τρόπαιον Ἀντίγονος ἐθελήσας ἂν ἔστησε καθʼ ὑμῶν, οἷον ὑμεῖς καθʼ αὑτῶν ἀνίστατε τὸν στρατηγὸν αἰχμάλωτον ἐκδιδόντες; οὐκ ἄρα δεινὸν ἦν κρατοῦντας ὑμᾶς ἧτταν ἐξομολογεῖσθαι διὰ τὰς ἀποσκευάς, ὡς ἐν τοῖς χρήμασιν, οὐκ ἐν τοῖς ὅπλοις τοῦ κρατεῖν ὄντος, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸν ἡγεμόνα πέμπετε λύτρον τῆς ἀποσκευῆς.

[¶36] 17.4. “As for me, then, ye lead me away undefeated, a victor over my enemies, a victim of my fellow-soldiers; but as for you, by Zeus the god of armies and by the gods who hallow oaths, I bid you slay me here with your own hands. Even should I be slain yonder, it will be wholly your work. Nor will Antigonus find any fault; for he wants a dead and not a living Eumenes. And if ye would spare your own hands, one of mine, if released, will suffice to do the business.”

> Greek: 17.4. ἐγώ μὲν οὖν ἀήττητος ἄγομαι, νικῶν τοὺς πολεμίους, ὑπὸ τῶν συμμάχων ἀπολλύμενος· ὑμεῖς δέ, πρὸς Διὸς στρατίου καὶ θεῶν ὁρκίων, ἐνταῦθά με διʼ αὑτῶν κτείνατε. πάντως κἀκεῖ κτεινόμενος ὑμέτερον ἔργον εἰμί. μέμψεται δὲ οὐδὲν Ἀντίγονος· νεκροῦ γὰρ Εὐμενοῦς δεῖται καὶ οὐ ζῶντος, εἰ δὲ φείδεσθε τῶν χειρῶν, ἀρκέσει τῶν ἐμῶν ἡ ἑτέρα λυθεῖσα πρᾶξαι τὸ ἔργον.

[¶37] 17.5. “And if ye cannot trust me with a sword, cast me under the feet of your elephants, all bound as I am. If ye do this, I will absolve you from your guilt towards me, holding that ye have shown yourselves most just and righteous in your dealings with your own general.”

> Greek: 17.5. εἰ δὲ οὐ πιστεύετέ μοι ξίφος, ὑπορρίψατε τοῖς θηρίοις δεδεμένον. καὶ ταῦτα πράξαντας ὑμᾶς ἀφίημι τῆς ἐπʼ ἐμοὶ δίκης ὡς ἄνδρας ὁσιωτάτους καὶ δικαιοτάτους περὶ τὸν αὑτῶν στρατηγὸν γενομένους.

[¶38] 18.1. As Eumenes said this, the rest of the throng was overwhelmed with sorrow, and some wept, but the Silver-shields shouted to lead him along and pay no attention to his babbling; for it was not so dreadful a thing, they said, that a pest from the Chersonesus should come to grief for having harassed Macedonians with infinite wars, as that the best of the soldiers of Philip and Alexander, after all their toils, should in their old age be robbed of their rewards and get their support from others, and that their wives should be spending the third night now in the arms of their enemies. At the same time they led him along at a quickened pace.

> Greek: 18.1. ταῦτα τοῦ Εὐμενοῦς λέγοντος τὸ μὲν ἄλλο πλῆθος ἄχθει κατείχετο καὶ κλαυθμὸς ἦν, οἱ δὲ ἀργυράσπιδες ἄγειν ἐβόων καὶ μὴ φλυαροῦντι προσέχειν οὐ γὰρ εἶναι δεινόν εἰ Χερρονησίτης ὄλεθρος οἰμώξεται μυρίοις γυμνάσας πολέμοις Μακεδόνας, ἀλλʼ εἰ τῶν Ἀλεξάνδρου καὶ Φιλίππου στρατιωτῶν οἱ κράτιστοι τοσαῦτα καμόντες ἐν γήρᾳ στέρονται τῶν ἐπάθλων καὶ τροφὴν παρʼ ἑτέρων λαμβάνουσιν, αἱ δὲ γυναῖκες αὐτῶν ἤδη τρίτην νύκτα τοῖς πολεμίοις συγκαθεύδουσιν. ἅμα δὲ ἦγον αὐτὸν ἐπιταχύνοντες.

[¶39] 18.2. But Antigonus, fearing their multitude (since no one had been left behind in the camp), sent out ten of his strongest elephants and a great number of Median and Parthian spear-men to drive away the throng. He himself could not endure to see Eumenes, by reason of their former intimate friendship, and when those who had received him asked how they should guard his person, he said: “Just as ye would an elephant or a lion.”

> Greek: 18.2. Ἀντίγονος δὲ δείσας τὸν ὄχλον ἀπελείφθη γὰρ οὐδεὶς ἐν τῷ στρατοπέδῳ δέκα τοὺς κρατιστεύοντας ἐλέφαντας ἐξέπεμψε καὶ λογχοφόρους συχνοὺς Μήδους καὶ Παρθυαίους διακρουσομένους τὸ πλῆθος, εἶτʼ αὐτὸς μὲν ἰδεῖν οὐχ ὑπέμεινε τὸν Εὐμενῆ διὰ τὴν προγεγενημένην φιλίαν καὶ συνήθειαν, πυνθανομένων δὲ τῶν παρειληφότων τὸ σῶμα πῶς φυλάξουσιν, οὕτως, εἶπεν, ὡς ἐλέφαντα ἣ ὡς λέοντα.

[¶40] 18.3. But after a little while he became compassionate and ordered the keepers to remove the prisoner’s heavy fetters and admit one of his personal servants to anoint him, and permitted any one of his friends who wished to spend the day with him and bring him what he needed. Then he deliberated many days what to do with him, and considered various arguments and suggestions, Demetrius his son and Nearchus the Cretan being eager to save the life of Eumenes, while the rest, almost all of them, were insistent in urging that he be put to death.

> Greek: 18.3. μετὰ μικρὸν δὲ συμπαθὴς γενόμενος τῶν τε δεσμῶν τοὺς βαρεῖς ἐκέλευσεν ἀφελεῖν καὶ παῖδα παραδέξασθαι τῶν συνήθων, ὅπως ἀλείψαιτο, καὶ τῶν φίλων ἐφῆκε τῷ βουλομένῳ συνδιημερεύειν καὶ κομίζειν τὰ ἐπιτήδεια, βουλευόμενος δὲ περὶ αὐτοῦ πλείονας ἡμέρας προσίετο καὶ λόγους καὶ ὑποσχέσεις, Νεάρχου τε τοῦ Κρητὸς καὶ Δημητρίου τοῦ υἱοῦ φιλοτιμουμένων τὸν Εὐμενῆ σῶσαι, τῶν δὲ ἄλλων ὁμοῦ τι πάντων ἐνισταμένων καὶ κελευόντων ἀναιρεῖν.

[¶41] 18.4. We are told, also, that Eumenes asked his keeper, Onomarchus, why in the world Antigonus, now that he had got a hated enemy in his hands, neither killed him speedily nor generously set him free; and when Onomarchus insolently told him it was not now, but on the field of battle, that he should have faced death boldly, “Yea, by Zeus,” said Eumenes, “then, too, I did so; ask the men who fought with me; I know that none I met was a better man.” “Well, then,” said Onomarchus, “since now thou hast found thy better, why canst thou not bide his time?”

> Greek: 18.4. λέγεται δὲ τὸν Εὐμενῆ τοῦ φυλάσσοντος αὐτὸν Ὀνομάρχου πυθέσθαι τί δήποτε Ἀντίγονος ἐχθρὸν ἄνδρα καὶ πολέμιον λαβὼν ὑποχείριον οὔτε ἀποκτίννυσι ταχέως οὔτε εὐγενῶς ἀφίησι· τοῦ δὲ Ὀνομάρχου πρὸς ὕβριν εἰπόντος ὡς οὐ νῦν, ἀλλʼ ἐπὶ τῆς μάχης ἔδει πρὸς θάνατον ἔχειν εὐθαρσῶς, ναὶ μὰ τὸν Δία, φάναι τὸν Εὐμενῆ, καὶ τότε εἶχον ἐροῦ δὲ τοὺς εἰς χεῖρας ἐλθόντας· ἀλλʼ οὐδενὶ κρείττονι προστυχὼν οἶδα. καὶ τὸν Ὀνόμαρχον, οὐκοῦν ἐπεὶ νῦν, φάναι, τὸν κρείττονα εὕρηκας, τί οὐκ ἀναμένεις τὸν ἐκείνου καιρόν;

[¶42] 19.1. When, then, Antigonus had decided to kill Eumenes, he gave orders to deprive him of food. And so, after two or three days of fasting, the prisoner began to draw nigh his end. But camp was suddenly broken and a man was sent to dispatch him. His body, however, was delivered to his friends by Antigonus, who permitted them to burn it and collect the ashes and place them in a silver urn, that they might be returned to his wife and children.

> Greek: 19.1. τὸ δὲ οὖν ἔδοξε τῷ Ἀντιγόνῳ τὸν Εὐμενῆ κτείνειν, ἐκέλευσεν ἀὐτοῦ τὴν τροφὴν ἀφελεῖν. καὶ δύο μὲν ἡμέρας ἢ τρεῖς ἄσιτος οὕτω προσήγετο πρὸς τὴν τελευτήν. αἰφνίδιον δὲ ἀναζυγῆς γενομένης εἰσπέμψαντες ἄνθρωπον ἀποσφάττουσιν αὐτόν. τὸ δὲ σῶμα τοῖς φίλοις παραδοὺς ὁ Ἀντίγονος ἐπέτρεψε καῦσαι καὶ τὰ λείψανα συνθέντας εἰς ἀργυρᾶν ὑδρίαν κομίζειν, ἀποδοθησόμενα τῇ γυναικὶ καὶ τοῖς παισίν.

[¶43] 19.2. Eumenes thus slain, on no other man than Antigonus did Heaven devolve the punishment of the soldiers and commanders who betrayed him, but he himself, regarding the Silver-shields as impious and bestial men, put them into the service of Sibyrtius the governor of Arachosia, ordering him to wear them out and destroy them in every possible way, that not a man of them might ever return to Macedonia or behold the Grecian sea.

> Greek: 19.2. οὕτω δὲ ἀποθανόντος Εὐμενοῦς οὐκ ἐπʼ ἄλλῳ τινὶ τὴν τιμωρίαν ἐποιήσατο τῶν προδόντων αὐτὸν ἡγεμόνων καὶ στρατιωτῶν τὸ δαιμόνιον, ἀλλʼ αὐτὸς Ἀντίγονος προβαλόμενος ὡς ἀσεβεῖς καὶ θηριώδεις τοὺς ἀργυράσπιδας παρέδωκε Σιβυρτίῳ τῷ διοικοῦντι τὴν Ἀραχωσίαν, πάντα τρόπον ἐκτρῖψαι καὶ καταφθεῖραι κελεύσας, ὅπως μηδεὶς αὐτῶν εἰς Μακεδονίαν ἄπεισι μηδὲ ὄψεται τὴν Ἑλληνικὴν θάλατταν.