OCR Text |
Show ThefourthBookeofthefirpart Cra P5§.6. '@ VI HeGories ofProlomy by Sea. Agreat battaile ge Gara, which Ptolomy aad Seleucus wai, againft Demettiusthefox ofAntigonus: A S the prefence or neerneffe of Axtigonas gaue life to his affaires in the lower Afia and:Greece:, forhedefignes of his enemies; taking aduantage ofhisabfence, ruined the very foundations ofthofe great workesitithe Eafterneparts, where- within the yeare preceding ht hacdouer-topped them: /The Ifle of Cy prus,whofe Princes Wauered betweeneicontraty affections) inclining one-while to Aatigonas, another 1 while faintly regarding theit couenant with Prolemy, was vifited by an' Egyptian Fleet, whesewith 2rolomy,in his owne perfoneafily reduced them to.a morefetled order, putritig fometo death,carrying others away prifoners,aniddeauing a Licutenahtof his own appointment,Gouernourofthe whole Country: ‘Withthef{ame. Fleet: hee ran alongft the Sea-coafts,wafting a great part of Caria & Cilicia,with the {poiles of which heen tiched his follower's,and retutned loadento Cyprus. Demetrius the fonof Antigonus, hearing frequent reports ofthe miferies; wherwith his Fathers fubiedts were opprefled, madeall hafte out ofSyriatothe refcue, takingionly his Horfe and light-armed Foote with him,becaufethe bufineffe required expedition. Butin vaine did hee tire himfelfe and bis followers,in hafty feckingiofione,that by lanching ourinto the deep, could ina few minutes. deludethe labour of fo many:dayes,if need had-fotequired:Anfwerableto the vanity-of this expedition wasthe fucceffe.: For Ptolomy was gone, before Demetrins came.into Cilicia.Neither was it.certainwhether hauinglightried his hipsoftheirburthen in Cyprus,he.would return vpotithofe maritimeCountries;or make towards Syria, where his comming was expeted.He was indeed goneihto Egypt, andthere withsedeucus was defcribing a Royall Amywhich he leuied with all conuenient{peed,for the recouery of Syria. This was more than Demetrixs knew. Therefore heejas faine to choofe out ofvncertaintiesthe moft likelihood,and retutriethe waythat hecame,vvith all his companies,which werefitter fot feruice inthe open field,than to be beftowed in Garrifons amongthe Cilicians/He had fcarcerefrethed his Menand. Horfesin Syria, vvhenthe newes arrined of Prolomies comming witha puiffant Army, togiue bim bate 30 taile. Hereupon hecalled to counfaile his principall friends, who aduifed himto give Const ~- vsoftheHiftorieofthe World, 219 firinine more to win honourithan to fatisfie any othet palfion}+as hauinglittle caufe of hatredor reuenge. "Burafter fome continuance, the greater niutaber holding betterout, the értour of Demerrivs,who vpon no neceflity would needés fight a batrailevvith difadwantage, began to appeare byhis lofles. Hee had committed himfelfeto Fortune, hauing moreto lofe by her than he could get: but in this fight thee vvas idle,and left aif tobe decided by ftrong hands vnleffe it maybe faid; that theterror brought Vpon his menjby the loffe of his Elephants, was bad lucke. Thofebeafts were in that kinde of watt@hardly to be refitted on plaine ground ; and therefore at thefirft they madegreat fpoile amiongtt Prolomies men' Afterward fecking to breaké through the Palifado,they 10 wefe forely hurtjand euery one ofthem taken. This difafter¢aufed the Horfe-men of Démecrins to faint. They had laboured hard; & pretiailed little;til! now petceiuing that allmuftlye vpon their hands, whowereill ableto make their owne places good, they begati'to thrinke,ahd many ofthem to prouide for their fafety bytimely fight, vvhich examplethe reft quickly followed: When Demsetrids had ftrouen fo longin' vaine to makeitis men abide,that he himfelfe waslikely to be loft; he wasfaine to giue placeto theftronger, making-a violent retrait as far as to'Azotus, which was aboittchirty miles fromthe place ofbattaile. A great part ofhis carriages was in Gaza, whither fame of hiscompany turned afide,hopine to faue fich goods;as inhaftethey couldpack vp.This foolifh couctoufnelfe was their defttuction,atid the 16fle ofthie Towne. For while} th ey 20 forgetfull ofthe danget,hadfilled the ftreets with fimipter-Horfes, and cloyed vp the gates;thronging, fometo get in.and fetch; others, to carry out what they had already loaden'; Prolomées Army brakein withoutrefiftatice, taking them with their goods and the City'altogether, This viGtory reftored vntoPeolomy the belt parr ofSytia,d Province more eafie in thofe timesito get,thantokeep;and opened the way vito all the preatnefle ofSeleucus. For be- tween Gazh and'Phoenicia noplace offered refiftance.In Ceelofyria & Pheenitia,fome Townesheld out awhile, but werefoon taken da by Pto/om: Among thefe were the great Cities of Tyrus &'Sidon;of which Sidon was given v pby the Inhabitants: Tyrus by the!Garrifon,falling-to mutiny againft their Gapraine, vvhotrufting ro the ftrength $9 of it, had made great vaunts, but was pardonedbyPtolemy, and honourablyentertained, in relpect of his fidelity'. way tothe time, and expect fome better opportunity in the future : beingayolng man, and weakly furnifhed with meanes to refift {ach ancient and famous Generals, as Po lomy & Selencus. This counfaile feemedrather to proceed from the cold temper of thole aged menthat gaue it,thanfrom any neceflity growing out ofthe prefent bufinefle.Fo Demetrins coniidering himfelfe to be the fon'of Autigonus,and now Génerall of his F4- thersArmy,thought his owntitle weighty enoughto belaid in ballance againft thebar names of thofe two great Comanders.Neither found he muchreafon that fhould moue him to diftruft his forces, as infufficient, His. men were better exerci{éd than the ¢"sg mies, and promifedas:much as. could be required, Therefore perf{wading himfelic fuch oddes ofnumber,and ofgreat fame,would rather ferueto adorne his victory hinder him imobtainingit,he refolued to put the matter totriall, without expe aduantage of more helpe. So animating his Souldiers with hopeoffpoileandrewat®s he abode the comming of the Enemies at Gaza } ‘with purpofe ro encounter them, foon as they had finithed their wearifome iourny ouer the Defertsof Arabia- Peolomy and Seleucus iffuing outof fo richa Prouince,as Egypt; came fo well proul- ded ofall neceffaries.thattheir Armyfelt novany great grieuance ofthe cuil way,wheB battaile was prefented them,which confidently they vndertooke. Inall things elfethes had the ods of Demetrius, of Elephantsthey were vtterly vnprouided. But howtact with thofe beafts they were not ignorant. They. had prepared a kinde of Palilaco, ftened ftrongly togetherwith chaines, and tharpened in fuch/a manner, chatme©" How Seleucus reconeréd Babylon, and made himfelfe Lord of many Countries in the higheft Afis. The Aixa of the Kingdome ofthe Gteekes , which began with the Dominion of Seleucus ; Hile Ptolemy followed this bufineffe with fuchprofperity, Selencus tooke 40 V : / leaueofhim,and went-vp to Babylon,to try his owneforttine , which he found fo fanourable,that recoucring firft his owne Prouince,he becameat length mafter of the better part of Alexanders purchafes. This expedition ofSe/eucus was very ftrange,and full of vilikelihoods, His train confiftedofno more than eight hundred foor, andtwo hundred horfe, a numbertoofinall to hauebeen placed as Garrifon,in fome one ofthofe maine great Citiessagainft which "catriedit into the higher Afia. Butlittle forceis needfull, tomake wayinto ftrong Places,for him that already ftands poffefled of their hearts which dwel within the wals. hename of Selewcus was enough;whomthe Babylonians had foundfo good a' Gouer2 hour, thatnone ofthem would finde couragecto refit him ; but lefrthat worke to Agri: Sees his owne men, withing therti ill to fpeed.Someof the Macedonians that were in ole Countries,had the like affe@ion; others madea countenanceot wa tre, vvhich by eafiecompulfion theyleft off, and followed new Enfignes. ° ided courage phants could not feeketo breake vponit,without receiving muchhurt. The nore People,who came in apace,and fubmitted themtelues ioyfully to Se/encus. In a defecti- tied themfelues,either with vaine iournies, or long and dulling expectation, )t°y poledin fch order, as beft anfwered to the forme,wherein Demetrias was embatta Ownes of moft importance: for euery man of them fhould haue beentroubled yvith a €hemies, in his owne lodging. It retnainedthat they fhould iffue forth into the eld and try the matter by fight. Burthe treafon ofone principall man, wh reuolted Thefightbegan , and was maintained with equall courage, foralong time, oa tothe enemy,with more thanathoufand Souldiers following him;fo difmaied the reft, forces, (which (befides that they had aduantage in multitude) vvere heartence, with many fortunate feruices, by them performedthat yeare, whilefttheen emies had We C to the ©n fo generall, it was not a fafe coutfe for the Antigonians,to thruft themfelu¢sinto the that |