A long debate took place for several days about
the fate of Eumenes, in which Nearchus, a Cretan, and the young
Demetrius, pleaded earnestly for him, while the other generals all
opposed them and pressed for his execution. It is said that Eumenes
himself inquired of his jailer, Onomarchus, what the reason was that
Antigonus, having got his enemy into his power, did not put him to
death quickly or else set him free honourably. When Onomarchus
insultingly answered that it was not then, but in the battle-field
that he ought to have shown how little he feared death, Eumenes
retorted, "I proved it there also; ask those whom I encountered; but I
never met a stronger man than myself." "Since then you have now met
with a stronger man than yourself," said Onomarchus; "why cannot you
patiently await his pleasure?"
XIX. When, therefore, Antigonus made up his mind to put Eumenes to
death, he ordered him to be kept without food. He lingered thus for
two or three days; but as the camp was suddenly broken up, men were
sent to despatch him. Antigonus restored his body to his friends, and
permitted them to burn it and collect the ashes in a silver urn to be
carried to his wife and children. The death of Eumenes was quickly
avenged by Heaven, which stirred up Antigonus to regard the
Argyraspids with abhorrence, as wicked and faithless villains. He
placed them under the command of Sibystius, the governor of Arachosia,
and gave him orders to employ them, by small parties at a time, upon
services which would ensure their destruction, so that not one of them
should ever return to Macedonia, or behold the Grecian sea.
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