The death of Ptolemy Ceraunus was, of course, the signal for all the old claimants to the throne to come forward with their several pretensions anew. A protracted period of dissension and misrule ensued, during which the Gauls made dreadful havoc in all the northern portions of Macedon. Antigonus at last succeeded in gaining the advantage, and obtained a sort of nominal possession of the throne, which he held until the time when Pyrrhus returned to Epirus from Italy. Pyrrhus, being informed of this state of things, could not resist the desire which he felt of making an incursion into Macedon, and seizing for himself the prize for which rivals, no better entitled to it than he, were so fiercely contending. CHAPTER X. THE RECONQUEST OF MACEDON. B.C. 273-272 Fatal deficiencies in Pyrrhus's character.--Fickleness of Pyrrhus.--Consequences which resulted from it.--Examples of his want of perseverance.--Reasons for the proposed invasion of Macedon.--In the outset Pyrrhus is successful.--The country is disposed to submit to him.--Combat in the mountain defile.--Account of the phalanx.--Its terrible efficacy.--Impossibility of making any impression upon it.--The elephants.--Order of battle.--The elephants overpowered.--The phalanx.--Pyrrhus invites the enemy to join him.--Pyrrhus is victorious, and becomes master of Macedon.--Complaints of the people.--Pyrrhus pays little regard to them.--Pyrrhus receives an unexpected invitation. It was the great misfortune of Pyrrhus's life, a misfortune resulting apparently from an inherent and radical defect in his character, that he had no settled plans or purposes, but embarked in one project after another, as accident or caprice might incline him, apparently without any forethought, consideration, or design. He seemed to form no plan, to live for no object, to contemplate no end, but was governed by a sort of blind and instinctive impulse, which led him to love danger, and to take a wild and savage delight in the performance of military exploits on their own account, and without regard to any ultimate end or aim to be accomplished by them. Thus, although he evinced great power, he produced no permanent effects. There was no steadiness or perseverance in his action, and there could be none, for in his whole course of policy there were no ulterior ends in view by which perseverance could be sustained. He was, consequently, always ready to abandon any enterprise in which he might be engaged as soon as it began to be involved in difficulties requiring the exercise of patience, endurance, and self-denial, and to embark in any new undertaking, provided that it promised to bring him speedily upon a field of battle. He was, in a word, the type and exemplar of that large class of able men who waste their lives in a succession of efforts, which, though they evince great talent in those who perform them, being still without plan or aim, end without producing any result.