Page 585 brave, sprightly Men, betook themselves to the difficult Passes in the Mountains, where they had before dispos'd and lodg'd much of their Wealth, and all their Wives, Children, and Old People. And though they had quitted the Cities that was not Tenable, yet they plac'd strong Garisons in those that were fortisied; and so undauntedly waited for the approach of the Enemy.
Antipater and Craterus therefore having entered Aetolia, when they saw all the Cities that were weak and untenable forsaken of their Inhabitants, made towards them that were posted in the Fastnesses of the Mountains. At the first Assault they made upon those dreadful and unaccessable Precipices, they lost Multitudes of their Men; for the Valour of the Aetolians being supported and confirm'd by the Strength of the Places, easily repuls'd the Enemy that ran themselves, upon Difficulties that were insuperable. But afterwards, when Craterus his Soldiers in the Winter had secur'd themselves, by Huts and warm Tents, the Aetolians were forc'd to abide (in the depth of Winter) in Places cover'd over with Snow, where they remain'd in great lack of Provision; so that they were reduc'd to a most desperate Condition: For they were brought to that strait, that they must of necessity either leave the Mountains, and fight with an Army far superiour in number to themselves, and with Commanders who were every-where famous for their Conduct, or if they staid longer, certainly to perish with Hunger and Cold.
And now all hopes of Deliverance being despair'd of, suddenly and unexpectedly appear'd a Release at hand from all their Miseries, as if some God in a special manner had had Compassion of such Brave and Noble Souls: For Antigonus, who fled out of Asia, and was now come into the Camp, inform'd them what Perdiccas was inhatching and contriving; and that having marry'd Cleopatra, he was ready as King to come over with his Army into Macedonia, to wrest the Kingdom out of their hands. At which strange and unexpected News, Antipater and Craterus, and all those with them were so affrighted, that they call'd a Council of War, where, upon Consultation, it was resolv'd, that Matters should be ended and compounded with the Aetolians as well as they could; and that Forces should be forthwith transported into Asia; and that Craterus should be General in Asia, and Antipater have the Chief Command in Europe; that Ambassadors should likewise be dispatch'd to Ptolemy (who was Perdiccas's Enemy, and their Friend, and design'd to be cut off as well as they) to move him to join with them as a Confederate. Hereupon they forthwith struck up a Peace with the Aetolians, intending notwithstanding in due time afterwards, to root them up and all their Families, and to send them into some remote and desart Corner of the World far from Asia. The Pacification according to the Terms before agreed upon, being put into writing, and sign'd, they prepar'd themselves for the Expedition.
Perdiccas, on the other side, calling together his Friends and General Officers, consulted with them whether he should transport his Army into Macedonia, or march first against Ptolemy. All agreeing that Ptolemy was first to be conquer'd, lest he should obstruct his Expedition into Macedonia, he sent away Eumenes before with a considerable Army, to secure the Passes at the Hellespont, to prevent all passage that way: And he himself march'd out of Pisiclia with all his Forces towards Egypt. And these were the things done this Year.