Greece -- Biography -- Early works to 1800; Rome -- Biography -- Early works to 1800
IX. Success exalts even mean minds, and men always appear to have a
certain dignity when in high station and power; but the truly great
man proves his greatness more by the way in which he bears up against
misfortunes and endures evil days, as did Eumenes. He was defeated by
Antigonus in Southern Cappadocia by treachery, but when forced to
retreat he did not allow the traitor who had betrayed him to make good
his escape to Antigonus, but took him and hanged him on the spot. He
managed to retreat by a different road to that on which the enemy were
pursuing, and then suddenly turning about, encamped on the
battle-field of the day before. Here he collected the dead bodies,
burned them with the timber of the houses in the neighbouring
villages, and raised separate barrows over the remains of the officers
and the men--monuments of his hardihood and presence of mind which
excited the admiration of Antigonus himself when he again passed that
way. The two armies were still sometimes so near each other, that
Eumenes once had an opportunity of making himself master of the whole
of the enemy's baggage, which would have enriched his troops with an
immense booty. He feared that the possession of such wealth would
render them eager to quit his toilsome and perilous service, and sent
secret warning under the pretext of private friendship to Menander,
the general who had been left in charge of the baggage, and enabled
him to withdraw into an unassailable position. This seemingly generous
action excited the gratitude of the Macedonians, whose wives and
children it had saved from slavery and dishonour, till Antigonus
pointed out to them that Eumenes had spared them only that he might
not encumber himself.[173] X. After this, Eumenes, who was being
constantly pursued by a superior force, recommended the greater part
of his men to return to their homes. This he did either because he was
anxious for their safety, or because he did not wish to drag about
with him a force which was too small to fight, and too large to move
with swiftness and secrecy. He himself took refuge in the impregnable
fortress of Nora, on the borders of Cappadocia and Lycaonia, with five
hundred horse and two hundred foot soldiers, and dismissed from thence
with kind speeches and embraces, all of his friends who wished to
leave the fortress, dismayed by the prospect of the dreary
imprisonment which awaited them during a long siege in such a place.
Antigonus when he arrived summoned Eumenes to a conference before
beginning the siege, to which he answered, that Antigonus had many
friends and officers, while he had none remaining with him, so that
unless Antigonus would give him hostages for his safety, he would not
trust himself with him. Upon this Antigonus bade him remember that he
was speaking to his superior. "While I can hold my sword," retorted
Eumenes, "I acknowledge no man as my superior." However, after
Antigonus had sent his cousin Ptolemæus into the fortress, as Eumenes
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