Pausanias' description of Greece, Volume I.Pausanias, active approximately 150-175
History
Pausanias' description of Greece, Volume I.
Pausanias, active approximately 150-175
Greece -- Antiquities; Greece -- Description and travel -- Early works to 1800
the revolt of the Hebrews who live beyond the Syrians. And as to the
temples of the gods, part of which he originally built, and part of
which he adorned with votive offerings and decorations, or of the gifts
which he gave to the Greek cities and to those of the barbarians who
asked for them, all these good deeds of his are written up at Athens,
in the temple common to all the gods.
CHAPTER VI.
As to the actions of Attalus and Ptolemy, not only are they become more
ancient from the progress of time, so that the fame of them no longer
remains, but also those who lived with those kings in former days
neglected to register their exploits. I thought it well therefore to
record whatever works they did, and how it was that the government of
Egypt and of the Mysi, and of the neighbouring nations, fell to their
fathers. Ptolemy, the Macedonians think, was really the son of Philip
the son of Amyntas, (but putatively the son of Lagus), for his mother,
they say, was pregnant when she was given to Lagus to wife by Philip.
And they say that Ptolemy not only distinguished himself brilliantly
in Asia Minor, but, when danger befel Alexander at Oxydracæ, he of
all his companions was foremost to bring him aid. And upon the death
of Alexander, he it was who mainly resisted those who wished to give
all the dominions of Alexander to Aridæus the son of Philip, and he
again was responsible for the different nationalities being divided
into kingdoms. And he himself crossed into Egypt and slew Cleomenes,
whom Alexander had made satrap of Egypt, thinking him friendly to
Perdiccas and therefore not loyal to himself, and persuaded those of
the Macedonians who were appointed to carry the dead body of Alexander
to Ægæ to hand it over to him, and buried him at Memphis with the
customary Macedonian rites; but, feeling sure that Perdiccas would go
to war with him, he filled Egypt with garrisons. And Perdiccas, to
give a specious colour to his expedition, led about with him Aridæus
the son of Philip, and the lad Alexander, the son of Alexander by
Roxana the daughter of Oxyartes, but really was plotting to take away
the kingdom of Egypt from Ptolemy. But having been thrust out of
Egypt, and consequently losing his former prestige as a general, and
having incurred odium among the Macedonians on other grounds, he was
assassinated by his bodyguard. The death of Perdiccas roused Ptolemy
to immediate action: simultaneously he seized Syria and Phœnicia,
welcomed Seleucus the son of Antiochus, a fugitive who had been driven
into exile by Antigonus, and made preparations to take the field in
person against Antigonus. And Cassander the son of Antipater, and
Lysimachus king of Thrace, he persuaded to join him in the war, saying
that the exile of Seleucus and the aggrandisement of Antigonus was a
common danger to all of them. Now Antigonus for a time went on with
his preparations, but by no means courted war. But when he heard that
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