siege Seringis, which was the capital of Hyrcania. Having besieged it for some time, he at last made a great breach, and took the city by storm, upon which the inhabitants surrendered at discretion.

a In the mean time Arsaces was very busy. As he retired, he re-assembled troops, which at last formed an army of an hundred and twenty thousand foot, and twenty thou sand horse. He then took the field against the enemy, and, checked their progress with the utmost bravery. His resistance protracted the war, which seemed almost at an end. After many engagements, Antiochus perceiving he gained no advantage, judged that it would be extremely difficult to reduce so valiant an enemy, and drive him entirely out of the provinces, where by length of time, he had so strongly established himself. For this reason, he began to listen to the overtures which were made him, for terminating so tedious a

war.

At last a treaty was concluded, in which it was stipulated that Arsaces should continue in possession of Hyrcania, upon condition that he should assist Antiochus in recovering the rest of the revolted provinces.

**c Antiochus, after this peace, turned his arms against Euthydemus, king of Bactria. We have already shown in what manner Theodotus had disunited Bactria from the empire of Syria, and left it to his son of the same name with himself. This son had been defeated and dispossessed by Euthydemus, a brave and prudent man, who maintained for a long time a war against Antiochus. The latter used his utmost endeavours to recover Bactria; but they all were rendered ineffectual by the valour and vigilance of Euthydemus. During the course of this war, Antiochus displayed his bravery in the most extraordinary manner. In one of these battles his horse was killed under him, and he himself received a wound in the mouth, which, however, was not dangerous, being attended with only the loss of some of his teeth.

At last he grew weary of a war, when he plainly perceived that it would be impossible for him to dethrone this prince. He therefore gave audience to Euthydemus's ambassadors, who represented to him, that the war he was carrying on against their sovereign was not just; that he had never been his subject, and consequently that he ought not to avenge himself on their king, because others had rebelled against him; that Bactria had thrown off the yoke of the Syrian empire under other monarchs long before him; that he possessed this kingdom by right of conquest over the descendants of those chiefs of the rebellion, and preserved it

a Justin. I. xli.c. 5.

b A. M. 3796. Ant. J C. 208. c A. M. 3797. Ant. J. C. 207. d Polyb. 1. x. p. 620, 621, and h. xi. p. 651, 632

as the reward of a just victory. They also insinuated to him that the Scythians, observing both parties had weakened themselves by this war, were preparing to invade Bactria with great fury; and that, should they persist obstinately in disputing it, those Barbarians" might very possibly dispossess both of it. This reflection made an impression on Antiochus, who by this time was grown quite weary of so unprofitable and tedious a war; and for this reason he granted them such conditions as ended in a peace. To confirm and ratify it, Euthydemus sent his son to Antiochus. He gave him a gracious reception; and judging, by his agreeable mien, his conversation, and the air of majesty conspicuous in his whole person, that he was worthy of a throne, he promised him one of his daughters in marriage, and granted his father the title of king. The other articles of the treaty were put into writing, and the alliance was confirmed by the usual oaths.

Having received all Euthydemus's elephants, which was one of the articles of the peace, he passed Mount Caucasus, and entered India, and then renewed his alliance with the king of that country. He also received elephants from him, which, with those Euthydemus had given him, amounted to an hundred and fifty. He marched from thence into Arachosia, afterwards into Drangiana, thence into Carmania, establishing his authority and good order in all those provinces.

He passed the winter in the latter country. From thence he returned by Persia, Babylonia, and Mesopotamia, and at last arrived at Antioch, after having spent seven years in this expedition. The vigour of his enterprises, and the prudence with which he had conducted the whole war, acquired him the character of a wise and valiant prince, and made him formidable to Europe as well as Asia.

A little after his arrival at Antioch, advice was brought him of the death of Ptolemy Philopator. That prince, by his intemperance and excesses, had quite ruined his constitution, which was naturally strong and vigorous. He died, as generally happens to those who abandon themselves to pleasure, before he had run half his course. He was little more than twenty years old when he ascended the throne, and reigned but seventeen years. He was succeeded by Ptolemy Epiphanes his son, then five years old.

a A. M. 3798. Ant. J. C. 206.

b A. M. 3799. Ant. J. C. 205.

c A. M. 3800. Ant. J. C. 204.

SEQUEL

OF

THE HISTORY

OF

>

ALEXANDER'S SUCCESSORS.

SECT. I.

Ptolemy Epiphanes succeeds Philopater in Egypt. Troubles which soon follow.

"I related in the preceding book how Ptolemy Philopator, worn out with riots and excesses, had closed his life, after having reigned seventeen years. As the only persons present when that monarch expired were Agathocles, his sister, and their creatures, they concealed his death as long as possible from the public, in order that they might have time to carry off all the money, jewels, and other valuable effects in the palace. They also formed a plan to maintain themselves in the same authority they had enjoyed under the late king, by usurping the regency during the minority of his son, named Ptolemy Epiphanes, who was then but five years old. They imagined this might be easily done, if they could but take off Tlepolemus, who had succeeded Sosibes in the ministry; and accordingly they concerted measures to dispatch him.

At last they informed the public of the king's death. Immediately a great council of the Macedonians was assembled, in which Agathocles and Agathoclea, his sister, were present. Agathocles, after shedding abundance of tears, begins by imploring their protection for the young king, whom he held in his arms. He tells them that his royal father, in his expiring moments had committed him to the care of

a A. M. 3800. Ant. J. C. 204. Justin. 1. xxx. c. 2. Polyb. l. xv. p. 712-720, b Polybius gives this name to the Alexandrians who descended from the Ma cedonians, and the posterity of the founders of Alexandria, or of those to whom the same privileges had been granted,

Agathoclea, whom he pointed out to them, and had recommended him to the fidelity of the Macedonians. That for this reason he was come to implore their assistance against Tlepolemus, who, as he was well informed, had meditated a design of usurping the crown. He added, that he had brought witnesses expressly to prove his treason, and at the same time offered to produce them. He imagined that, by this weak artifice, Tlepolemus would be immediately dispatched, and that in consequence he might easily obtain the regency; but the artifice was too gross, and the people immediately swore the destruction of Agathocles, his sister, and all their creatures. This last attempt recalling to their remembrance their other crimes, all the inhabitants of Alexandria rose against them. The young king was taken out of their hands, and seated on the throne in the Hippodrome. After which, Agathocles, his sister, and Enanthe his mother, were brought before the king, and all three put to death as by his order. The populace exposed their dead bodies to all the indignities possible; dragging them through the streets, and tearing them to pieces. All their relations and creatures met with the same treatment, and not one of them was spared; the usual and just end of those unworthy favourites, who abuse the confidence of their sovereign to oppress the people, but which does not effect the reformation of those who resemble them.

Philammon, the assassin, who had been hired to murder Arsinoe, being returned from Cyrene to Alexandria, two or three days before this tumult broke out, the ladies of honour of that unfortunate queen had immediate notice of it, and taking this opportunity, which the distractions of the city gave them, they resolved to revenge their mistress's death. Accordingly they broke open the door of the house where he was, and killed him with clubs and stones.

The care of the king's person, till otherwise provided for, was given to Sosibes, son to him who had governed during the last three reigns. History does not inform us whether the father was still alive; but it is certain that he lived to a great age, as he had passed above threescore years in the administration. a No minister was ever more cunning or more corrupt than this Sosibes. He made no scruple of committing the blackest crimes, provided they conduced to his ends. Polybius imputes to him the murder of Lysimachus son of Ptolemy, and of Arsinoe daughter of that Lysimachus; of Magas son of Ptolemy, and of Berenice daughter of Magas; of Berenice mother to Ptolemy Philopator; of Cleomenes king of Sparta; and lastly, of Arsinoe daughter of Berenice. It is

a Polyb. in Excerpt. p. 64.

surprising that, notwithstanding a conduct of so much inhumanity and cruelty in his administration, he should support himself so long, and at last come to a peaceable end.

a Antiochus king of Syria, and Philip king of Macedonia, during the whole reign of Ptolemy Philopator, had discovered the strongest zeal for the interest of that monarch, and were ready to assist him on all occasions. Yet, no sooner was he dead, leaving behind him an infant, whom the laws of humanity and justice enjoined them not to disturb in the possession of his father's kingdom, than they immediately join in a criminal alliance, and excite each other to take off the lawful heir, and divide hisdominions between them. Philip was to have Caria, Lybia, Cyrenica and Egypt; and Antiochus all the rest. With this view, the latter entered Colosyria and Palestine; and, in less than two campaigns, made an entire conquest of those two provinces, with all their cities and dependencies. Their guilt, says Polybius, would not have been quite so glaring, had they like tyrants, endeavoured to gloss over their crimes with some specious pretence; but so far from doing this, their injustice and cruelty were so barefaced, that to them was applied what is generally said of fishes, that the large ones, though of the same species, prey on the lesser. One would be tempted, continues the same author, at seeing the most sacred laws of society so openly violated, to accuse Providence of being indifferent and insensible to the most horrid crimes. But it fully justified its conduct, by punishing those two kings according to their deserts; and made such an example of them, as ought in all succeeding ages to deter others from following their conduct. For, whilst they are meditating to dispossess a weak and helpless infant of his kingdom, by piece-meal, Providence raised up the Romans against them, who entirely subverted the kingdoms of Philip and Antiochus, reduced their successors to almost as great calamities, as those with which they intended to crush the infant king.

During that time, Philip was engaged in a war against the Rhodians, over whom he gained an inconsiderable advantage, in a naval engagement near the island of Lade, opposite to the city of Miletus.

The next year he invaded Attalus, and advanced as far as Pergamus, the capital of his kingdom. But all his efforts in assaulting that city being to no purpose, he turned his rage and fury against the gods; and not satisfied with burning their temples, he demolished their statues, broke to pieces

a A. M. 3801 Ant. J. C, 203. Polyb. I. iii. p. 159. Id. l. xv. p. 707 and 708. b Polyb in Excerpt. Vales p. 70. and 73. CA, M. 3802. Ant. J. C. 202.

Polyb.ib p. 65. Diod. ib. p. 294.