Page 597 In former times, when he assisted Perdiccas and the Kings, he gain'd the Province of Cappadocia, and those Places that as Members belong'd to it, where he liv'd in the height of Prosperity, commanding both Men and Money at his Pleasure: For he conquer'd Craterus and Neoptolemus, two famous Captains, who then Commanded the before-unconquer'd Troops of the Macedonians, and kill'd them both in the Fight: So that now he seem'd to be invincible, when on a sudden his Fortune was so chang'd, that he was routed by Antigonus in a great Battel, and forc'd to fly with a few Friends to a very little Fort for shelter. Being then shut up, and hemm'd in with a double Wall, he had no Friend left that could help him in his Distress; but after he had been coop'd up a Year together, now utterly despairing of Deliverance, unexpectedly and on a sudden appear'd an opportunity of Freedom from all his Troubles: For Antigonus, who a little before had straitly besieg'd him, and earnestly sought to take away his Life (the Scene being chang'd) now seeks to him to be a Partner with him in his Concerns; and so (upon a mutual Stipulation upon Oath between them) he was freed from the Pressures and Hardships of the Siege. And thus after a long time being unexpectedly deliver'd, he continu'd a while in Cappadocia, where he again got together his old Friends, and his former Fellow-Soldiers that were dispers'd and scatter'd up and down in the Country; and was so wonderfully belov'd, that many of his Associates and Companions in the same Hopes and Expectations, presently flock'd to him, ready to join in Arms, and be observent to all his Commands. To conclude, within a very few days he had got together above Two thousand Soldiers, who chearfully listed themselves, besides those five hundred Friends, who indur'd the Siege with him in the Fort: And, by the Assistance of Fortune, he was at length rais'd to that height, that he gain'd the Kings Forces, and defended the Interest of the Kings against all that dar'd to deprive them of their Sovereign Authority. But we shall give a more exact account of these Matters shortly hereafter, in their proper time and place. And so having now in short related the Affairs of Asia, we shall pass to Things done in Europe.
Cassander, though he was excluded from the Chief Command of Macedonia, yet was not at all discourag'd, but resolv'd to gain it; for he look'd upon it as a base and dishonourable thing, that the Sovereign Authority enjoy'd by his Father, shou'd now be manag'd by others. But discerning that the Macedonians favour'd Polysphercon, he privately discours'd with some of his Friends, and then sent them (that nothing might be suspected) to the Hellespont: He himself in the mean time continuing for some days together in the Country, and spending his time in Hunting, made every one believe that he had no Thoughts or Designs of aspiring to the Sovereign Command. But when he got all things ready for his Journey, he secretly slipt out of Macedonia, and made to the Chersonesus, and thence forward to the Hellespont; where passing over, he went to Antigonus in Asia, craving his Assistance, and told him that Ptolemy would join with him. Antigonus readily embrac'd the Offer, and made him large Promises of Assistance, and engag'd forthwith to supply him with Forces both for Land and Sea-Service. But all this was nothing but Dissimulation, pretending as if he join'd with him upon the account of the Love and Kindness he always bore towards Antipater; whereas in truth he design'd to divert Polysperchon with fierce and bloody Wars, to the end he might with more ease subdue Asia in the mean time; and so without any hazard, gain the Sovereign Command of all at last.
While these things were in acting, Polysperchon, the Kings Protector, having a prospect of a great War he was like to have with Cassander (and conceiving that it was not fit to undertake any thing, without consulting first with his Friends) assembled all his Captains, and all those that were of Chief Authority among the Macedonians. And forasmuch as it was apparent, that Cassander was strengthen'd with the Forces of Antigonus, to gain all the Cities of Greece; and that some of them were Garison'd with his Father's Forces, and others were govern'd by an Oligarchy, influenc'd chiefly by the Friends and Favourites of Antipater: And besides all this, that Ptolemy, who had the Power in Aegypt, and Antigonus, who had openly and apparently deserted the Kings, were Confederates with Cassander; and that both were richly stor'd with Men and Money, and had the Command of many Potent Cities and Provinces: For these Reasons he appointed a Consultation to consider how the War should be manag'd against them. After the matter was banded to and fro with variety of Opinions, it was at length resolv'd that the Cities of Greece should be restor'd to their Liberties, and the Oligarchy every where abolish'd: For by this means they conceiv'd they should weaken the Interest of Cassander; and much advance their own Reputation, and gain strong and powerful Confederates. Hereupon they that were present, forthwith sent to the Ambassadors of the Cities; and wishing them to be Courageous, promis'd to restore them to their several Democracies; and deliver'd to the