While here, Alketas, Polemon, and Dokimus caballed against
him, claiming the supreme command for themselves. Hereupon Eumenes
quoted the proverb, "No one reflects that he who rules must die."
He now promised his soldiers that in three days he would give them
their pay, and accomplished this by selling the various fortified
villages and castles in the neighbourhood to them, all of which were
full of human beings to sell for slaves, and of cattle. The officers
who bought these places from Eumenes were supplied by him with
siege-artillery to take them, and the proceeds of the plunder were set
off against the arrears of pay due to the soldiers. This proceeding
made Eumenes very popular with his army, indeed, when a proclamation
was distributed in his camp by contrivance of the enemy, in which a
reward of a hundred talents and special honours were offered to the
man who would kill Eumenes, the Macedonians were greatly enraged, and
determined that a body-guard of one thousand men, of the best families
in Macedonia, should watch over his safety day and night. The soldiers
obeyed him with alacrity and were proud to receive from his hands the
same marks of favour which kings are wont to bestow upon their
favourites. Eumenes even took upon himself to give away purple hats
and cloaks, which is accounted the most royal present of all by the
Macedonians.
IX. Success exalts even mean minds, and men always appear to have a
certain dignity when in high station and power; but the truly great
man proves his greatness more by the way in which he bears up against
misfortunes and endures evil days, as did Eumenes.
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