An abridgement of Sir Walter Raleigh's History of the world in five books ... : wherein the particular chapters and paragraphs are succinctly abrig'd according to his own method in the larger volume : to which is added his Premonition to princes.

CHAP. V. Civil Wars between Alexander's Captains.

§. 1. ANtigonus's Riches and Power made him for∣midable, and caused Ptolomy, Cassander, and Lysimachus to combine against him, notwithstand∣ing his Embassadours, by whom he intreated the continuance of their Amity. In their Answer they require a share of the Eastern Treasure, increase of Cassander and Lysimachus's Dominions, and restoring of Seleuchus. He roundly replyed, that he would share his Victories with them who afforded him no succour, and injoy'd what they had thereby, being by his Arms freed from Polyspercon.

§. 2. Antigonus prepareth for War, Guards the Sea Coast to hinder Cassander, and invaded Syria, setting Workmen on Lybanus to build a Navy, takes Ioppa and Gaza, and forces Tyrus by Famine to yield, upon Condition, that Ptolomy's Souldiers might de∣part with their Armies. Ptolomy kept close in his Country, not being able to Incounter the other in the Field; but sent a Fleet of One Hundred Sail with S••∣leuchus to strengthen Cyprus, by which also Caria, held by another Cassander, took a Resolution to hold out.

§. 3. Greece was desired on both sides, as an aid of much Importance, where Antigonus by his Treasures gained the Lacedemonians, and others of Peloponesus. He also sought to make Cassander odious for the Death of Olympias, and Imprisoneth Roxane and her Son; forcing Thessalonica, building Cassandria, and re-edi∣fying

Thebes in spite of Philip and Alexander. Upon these Reasons he required the Army to declare Cas∣sander a Traitor, except he restored Roxane and her Son, and submitted to the Lieutenant General (him∣self) and that all the Cities of Greece should be set free. His regard of the Royal Blood was not soon to be abated, but 'twas the Liberty of Greece which induced Ptolomy to decree the like. An∣tigonus to make sure work, gave Alexander, Son of Polyspercon, Five Hundred Talents to make War in Peloponesus: But he at the persuasion of one sent from Cassander, kept the Treasure, and had the Lordship of Peloponesus put into his hand, making a League with Ptolomy and Cassander. But this Ho∣nour he enjoy'd not long, being slain by the Treason of the Sycionians, hoping thereby to become free, but were subdued by Cr••tisipolis his Wife, &c.

§. 4. Antigonus with his Five Hundred Talents having bought an Enemy, stirred up the Factious Aetolians; but Cassander curbed them, and won from them Ptolomy's Fleet, Commanded by Polyclitus, who upon Alexander's defect from Antigonus, left Pelo∣ponesus, and returned homewards; hearing of the Rhodian Fleet, led by Theodatus, Admiral to Antigo∣nus, he cunningly surprized it, not one escaping. This ill News brought Antigonus and Ptolomy to meet about some composition, but to no effect.

§. 5. Lysimachus Overthrew Seuthes, a King of the wild Thracians, with the Cities which Rebelled, and slew Pausanias, and took his Army sent by Anti∣gonus. Philip also, Lieutenant of Cassander, wasted the Aetolians, and drove most out of their Country, and slew Aeacides, King of Epirus, lately Restored. Antigonus in the mean time won Caria: sent Armies into Peloponesus, and other parts of Gr••ec••, bestowing Liberty on whom he took; and making shew to come over into Macedon, forc't Cassander to hast thereto, and to leave many places weakly Guarded, which his Army freed.

§. 6. Antigonus's Presence in lesser Asia, gave life to his Affairs there and in Greece; but Ptolomy took advantage of his Absence in Syria, visited Cyprus, recover'd it, and left a Lieutenant in it, and in re∣turn made Ravage in Caria, and Cilicia, and drew Demetrius Policartes, Son of Antigonus to the rescue, and departed to Egypt; where, with Seleuchus, he rais∣ed a Royal Army for recovery of Syria. Demetrius being return'd, and hearing of Ptolomy's coming, is advised to give way, and not to Encounter two such Generals; but he rejects the Council as a cold Tem∣per of aged Men, and will needs stand them at Ga∣za. Ptolomy hath the odds, but wanted Elephants, which ••e supplied with a Palisade sharpned to gall the Beasts, and Overthrew Demetrius, who fled to Azo∣tus Thirty Miles off: Won Gaza, and the best part of Syria.

§. 7. Seleuchus Nicanor now took leave of Ptolomy with Eight Hundred Foot, and Two Hundred Horse, too small a Garrison to keep, much less to win one of those great Cities in the East; but Men enough to enter where the Hearts of the Inhabitants are al∣ready gain'd. Seleuchus's Name, whose Government the Babylonians had found so good, was sufficient to them to put all the resistance upon Antigonus Men, wishing them ill to speed. The defection grew so ge∣neral, that the Antigonians durst stay in no strong Town; only they held a Castle full of Hostages, and Prisoners which Seleuchus took, and so the Possession of Mesopotamia, and Babel. Nicanor left in Media by Antigonus with an Army, came with Ten Thou∣sand Foot, and Seven Thousand Horse. Seleuchus having but Four Hundred Horse, and above Three Thousand Foot, drew them into a Marsh near Tygris, which Nicanor thinking to be a flight, grew less careful to Forti••ie his Camp, and so was sur∣prized the first Night, and lost all, with Susiana and Media. Now began the Aera, or Date, of the Greeks,

used by the Iews, Chaldeans and Syrians, whose first Compleat Year at Babylon, was accounted from the end of the 438th of Nabonasser, saith Gauricus.

§. 8. Ptolomy having taken Gaza, sent Demetrius all his Goods, Pages and Servants freely, with a cour∣teous Message, that their War was upon Terms of Honour, not Personal hatred. This inflam'd Deme∣trius's earnest desire of Requital, which made him ga∣ther all the Force he could, and send to his Father for supply; against which, Ptolomy sent Cilles with part of his Army, which was suddenly Surpriz'd by Demetrius, through Cilles's careless Marching, as a∣gainst a beaten remnant. Thus Demetrius repaired his Honour, and requited his Enemy, by restoring Cilles, and many other Friends with rich Presents. Antigonus hasteth into Syria to embrace his Son, and perfect the recovering of it upon his Son's Foundati∣on; but Ptolomy now at leisure returns to Egypt, Dis∣mantling the Principal Cities as he went; thus all fell to Antigonus presently: So easily did the Provin∣ces accept strange Lords, as Sheep and Oxen change Masters, having no Title to their own Heads. These People of Syria, Egypt, Babylon, Assyria, Persia, were of no such manly Temper, as at this time the States of Greece were, who took all occasion to recover Li∣berty, which these little esteemed: So that the Per∣sian Nobles never strove to recover Liberty after A∣lexander's Death, but tamely submitted to the Captains and Officers of the Army. The Reason hereof Machivel gives from the Form of Go∣vernment: For where the Subjects are kept as Slaves, as in Turkey, a Conquest is easily obtained: But where ••••cient Nobility are in due esteem, it is hard to ge•• ••ll, and harder to keep, as in France. In the Per∣sian Empire all the Princes depended upon the meer Favour of the King, so that even his Brethren are his Slaves, as are all the Bassaes in Turkey. Adding here∣to want of Convenient Liberty in the People, who

like Esops Ass, think Enemies cannot load him more heavily than his Master, and if they find the Con∣querours Yoke more easy, they will not hastily shake it off; as the Gaseoigns under the Government of England, heartily affected our Kings.

Antigonus sent Forces into Arabia, which at a Mart, surpr••z'd the Nabotheans; but in their return with the Body, were all slain, except Fifty Horse out of Six Hundred, and not a Footman of Four Thousand escap∣ed. Demetrius sent to revenge it, but was glad to make Peace; and returned, and then was sent against Seleu∣cus with Fifteen Thousand Foot, and Three Thousand Horse, but did nothing but Ravage about Babylon, Se∣leucus being in Media: Neither durst Antigonus carry the War beyond Euphrates, le••t Syria and Asia the less should be lost, having ill-affected Neigh∣bours.

§. 9. These Ambitious Heads, upon a slow ad∣vancement of their hopes grew dull and willing to breath, till occasion might better serve, and agreed for the present, First, That each should retain what he had in present possession. Secondly, That Alexander's Son by Roxane, coming to Age, should be made King, ••hirdly, All Greece to be set free. The Second Article most concerned Cass••nd••r, who was sure by it to lose all, whatever shift the other made, who meant not to lose by it: But he by Murdering Roxane, and her Son, to make himself an odious Security, did thereby free them also from all accompt to any Superiour Lord. Antigo∣nus pretended the Liberty of Greece; but Ptolomy to provoke the Greeks to stir in it, sent a Fleet a∣long the Coast of Asia to molest Antigonus, and see∣ing them not much concern'd at it, he entred Peloponesus to embolden them to take Courage. But long Servitude had well ne're extinguished the An∣cient Valour of the Nation, and their many former ••nfortunate Attempts, had so spent their Spirits, as that they sate still, expecting it should fall in their

mouths; yet Cratisipolis yielded Si••yon and Corinth into his hand. When he saw the Greeks witheld the promised supply of Mony and Victuals, he renewed his former Friendship with Cassander. Now Polyspercon had in his hands another Son of Alexander's, by Barsine a Persian, called Hercules, whom he design'd to bring into Macedo••, against whom ••as••ander prepared an Army, which yet he could not trust against the only Child of Alexander, and therefore attempted the treacherous old Villain, who for the Lor••ship of Peloponesus murdered his Pupil. Antigonus in the mean time slept no••, but was working upon a busi∣ness which would give a specio••s T••tle to the Em∣pire; this was by matching with Cleopatra the Sister of Alexander, then lying in Sardis; But Ptolomy for all his many Wives, which was his Do••age, had pre∣vented him in her Affection, which had induc'd her to take a journey into Aegypt, but the mischievous pra∣ctice with the Governour prevented it by her secret Murther. Thus was the whole Race of Philip and of An∣tigonus Alexander extinguished by the justice of God for the Cruelty of those bloody Princes; and the ambitious Designs of those Tyrants founded in innocent Blood, were soon after cast down, overwhelming them∣selves and their Children in the Ruins thereof.

§. 10. Royalty is now extinguished by Antigonus's last infamous Murder, which he thought to over-sha∣dow with the Glory of the freedom of Greece; for effecting whereof, he sent D••metrius with a strong Army of Two Hundred and Fifty Sail, and Five Thousand Talents, with Charge to begin at Athens, which he did; as also to Megera, for which the A∣thenians, who had forgot to employ thei•• Hands, a∣dulterate the Eloquence of their Tongues to base Flattery; decree the Titles of Kings and Gods, the the Saviours of Athens to Antigonus and Demetrius; chose a Priest, and cause the Ambassadors, to be sent

to them as to Iupiter, Th••ori, or Consulters with the Gods.

§. 12. Antigonus calls his own Garison from Im∣bros, and set it free, and called Demetrius to Cyprus, kept by Menelaus, Brother of Ptolomy, whom he worsted, and forced him to Salamis, to whose relief Ptolomy hasted with One Hundred and Forty Gallies, and Two Hundred Ships, with an Army; Demetrius Encounters them with One Hundred and Eighteen, but better furnished, with which he overthrew and put Ptolomy to flight with Eight only; so Cyprus was yielded. After this, Antigonus and Demetrius made themselves Kings, as did Ptolomy, Lysimachus, and Seleucus.