Humanitext Reader

Plutarch · Life of Eumenes §6.1-6.7

Craterus's Advance and the Dream of Eumenes

Passage 6 of 19 · Greek

Summary

Craterus joins the defeated Neoptolemus to launch a surprise attack, but Eumenes, inspired by a propitious dream, conceals the identity of the highly popular Craterus from his own troops as he prepares for battle.

§6.1οἱ μὲν οὖν περὶ τὸν Ἀντίπατρον πυθόμενοι ταῦτα κατὰ σχολὴν ἐβουλεύοντο περὶ τῶν ὅλων, ὁ Νεοπτόλεμος δὲ μετὰ τήν φυγὴν ἀφικόμενος πρὸς αὐτούς τήν τε μάχην ἀπήγγελλε καὶ παρεκάλει βοηθεῖν, μάλιστα μὲν ἀμφοτέρους, πάντως δὲ Κρατερόν· ποθεῖσθαι γὰρ ὑπερφυῶς ἐκεῖνον ὑπὸ τῶν Μακεδόνων, κἂν μόνον ἴδωσι τήν καυσίαν αὐτοῦ καὶ τήν φωνὴν ἀκούσωσι, μετὰ τῶν ὅπλων ἥξειν φερομένους,
Antipater and his associates, on hearing this, deliberated at their leisure about the general situation, but Neoptolemus, arriving at their camp after his flight, reported the battle and begged them for help, especially both of them, but by all means Craterus; for he said that Craterus was extraordinarily beloved by the Macedonians, and if they but saw his causia and heard his voice, they would come running with their arms.
§6.2καὶ γὰρ ἦν ὄντως ὄνομα τοῦ Κρατεροῦ μέγα, καὶ μετὰ τήν Ἀλεξάνδρου τελευτὴν τοῦτον ἐπόθησαν οἱ πολλοί, μνημονεύοντες ὅτι καὶ πρὸς Ἀλέξανδρον ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν ἀνεδέξατο πολλάκις ἀπεχθείας πολλάς, ὑποφερομένου πρὸς τὸν Περσικὸν ζῆλον ἀντιλαμβανόμενος, καὶ τοῖς πατρίοις ἀμύνων διὰ τρυφὴν καὶ ὄγκον ἤδη περιυβριζομένοις.
And indeed, the name of Craterus was truly great, and after the death of Alexander, the majority longed for him, remembering that even against Alexander he had often incurred much resentment on their behalf, opposing him when he was drifting toward Persian customs, and defending their ancestral customs, which were already being insulted through luxury and arrogance.
§6.3τότε δὲ οὖν ὁ Κρατερὸς τὸν μὲν Ἀντίπατρον εἰς Κιλικίαν ἀπέστειλεν, αὐτὸς δὲ τῆς δυνάμεως ἀναλαβὼν πολύ μέρος ἐπὶ τὸν Εὐμενῆ μετὰ τοῦ Νεοπτολέμου προῆγεν, οἰόμενος οὐ προσδεχομένῳ καὶ μετὰ πρόσφατον νίκην ἐν ἀταξίᾳ καὶ περὶ πότους ἔχοντι τήν δύναμιν ἐπιπεσεῖσθαι.
At that time, then, Craterus sent Antipater into Cilicia, while he himself, taking a large part of the army, advanced against Eumenes with Neoptolemus, thinking he would fall upon him when he was not expecting it and when his army, after a recent victory, was in disorder and given to drinking.
τὸ μὲν οὖν προαισθέσθαι τήν ἔφοδον ἀὺτοῦ τὸν Εὐμενῆ καὶ προπαρασκευάσασθαι νηφούσης ἄν τις ἡγεμονίας, οὐ μὴν ἄκρας θείη δεινότητος· §6.4τὸ δὲ μὴ μόνον τοὺς πολεμίους ἃ μὴ καλῶς εἶχεν αἰσθέσθαι διαφυγεῖν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς μετʼ ἀὐτοῦ στρατευομένους ἀγνοοῦντας ᾧ μαχοῦνται προενσεῖσαι τῷ Κρατερῷ καὶ ἀποκρύψαι τὸν ἀντιστράτηγον, ἴδιον δοκεῖ τούτου τοῦ ἡγεμόνος ἔργον γενέσθαι, διέδωκε μὲν οὖν λόγον ὡς Νεοπτόλεμος αὖθις ἐπίοι καὶ Πίγρης, ἔχοντες ἱππεῖς καὶ Καππαδοκῶν καὶ Παφλαγόνων.
Now, that Eumenes should foresee his onset and make preparation beforehand might be attributed to a sober generalship, but not to consummate skill; but that he should not only prevent the enemy from perceiving what was disadvantageous to him, but also cause those marching with him to clash with Craterus while ignorant of whom they were fighting, and conceal the opposing general, seems to have been a feat peculiar to this commander. Accordingly, he spread a report that Neoptolemus was coming against him again, along with Pigres, having Cappadocia and Paphlagonian cavalry.
νυκτὸς δὲ ἀναζεῦξαι βουλόμενος, εἶτα καταδαρθών ὄψιν εἶδεν ἀλλόκοτον.
And wishing to decamp by night, he fell asleep and saw a strange vision.
§6.5ἐδόκει γὰρ ὁρᾶν Ἀλεξάνδρους δύο παρασκευαζομένους ἀλλήλοις μάχεσθαι, μιᾶς ἑκάτερον ἡγούμενον φάλαγγος· εἶτα τῷ μὲν τήν Ἀθηνᾶν, τῷ δὲ τήν Δήμητραν βοηθοῦσαν ἐλθεῖν, γενομένου δὲ ἀγῶνος ἰσχυροῦ κρατηθῆναι τὸν μετὰ τῆς Ἀθηνᾶς, τῷ δὲ νικῶντι σταχύων δρεπομένην τήν Δήμητραν συμπλέκειν στέφανον.
For he seemed to see two Alexanders preparing to fight each other, each leading a phalanx; then Athena came to help the one, and Demeter the other; and after a fierce struggle took place, the one with Athena was defeated, and Demeter, gathering ears of corn, wove a wreath for the victor.
§6.6αὐτόθεν μὲν οὖν τὴν ὄψιν εἴκαζεν εἶναι πρὸς αὑτοῦ, μαχομένου περὶ γῆς ἀρίστης καὶ τότε πολὺν καὶ καλὸν ἐχούσης ἐν κάλυκι στάχυν ἅπασα γὰο κατέσπαρτο καὶ παρεῖχεν εἰρήνῃ πρέπουσαν ὄψιν, ἀμφιλαφῶς τῶν πεδίων κομώντων μᾶλλον δὲ ἐπερρώσθη πυθόμενος σύνθημα τοῖς πολεμίοις Ἀθηνᾶν καὶ Ἀλέξανδρον εἶναι, Δήμητραν δὴ καὶ αὐτὸς ἐδίδου σύνθημα καὶ Ἀλέξανδρον, ἀναδεῖσθαί τε πάντας ἐκέλευε καὶ καταστέφειν τὰ ὅπλα τῶν σταχύων λαμβάνοντας.
At once, then, he conjectured that the vision was in his favor, since he was to fight for a country that was most fertile and at that time had abundant and fine grain in the ear; for the whole land had been sown and presented an appearance suited to peace, the plains waving in rich abundance. But he was still more encouraged when he learned that the enemy's watchword was 'Athena and Alexander'; accordingly, he himself gave 'Demeter and Alexander' as the watchword, and ordered all to bind wreaths on their heads and to crown their weapons with ears of corn they gathered.
§6.7ὁρμήσας δὲ πολλάκις ἐξαγορεῦσαι καὶ φράσαι τοῖς περὶ αὑτὸν ἡγεμόσι καὶ στρατηγοῖς πρὸς ὃν ἔμελλεν ὁ ἀγὼν ἔσεσθαι, καὶ μὴ μόνος ἐν αὑτῷ θέμενος ἀποκρύψαι καὶ κατασχεῖν ἀπόρρητον οὕτως ἀναγκαῖον, ὅμως ἐνέμεινε τοῖς λογισμοῖς καὶ διεπίστευσε τῇ γνώμῃ τὸν κίνδυνον.
And though he was many times tempted to speak out and tell his officers and generals with whom they were to fight, and not to hide within himself and keep secret a matter so necessary to be known, he nevertheless persisted in his calculations and trusted the danger to his own judgment.

Notes

  1. 6.2ὑποφερομένου — Genitive absolute where the implicit subject refers to the previously mentioned `Ἀλέξανδρον` (in the accusative). Normally, an agreeing participle would be used if the referent is already in the clause, but here the genitive absolute is used to mean 'while (Alexander) was drifting...'
  2. 6.3θείη — Potential optative with `ἄν` (where `ἄν` is placed early near `νηφούσης`). The optative `θείη` (from `τίθημι`) with a genitive (`ἡγεμονίας` / `δεινότητος`) is used here to mean 'one might class it as [the characteristic of]...'
  3. 6.4τὸ δὲ μὴ μόνον τοὺς πολεμίους ἃ μὴ καλῶς εἶχεν αἰσθέσθαι διαφυγεῖν — This phrase up to `ἀποκρύψαι` forms a long subject clause introduced by the article `τὸ`, with `δοκεῖ` as the main verb. The object of `διαφυγεῖν` (to avoid/prevent) is the accusative-with-infinitive construction `τοὺς πολεμίους αἰσθέσθαι...` (the enemy perceiving...).
  4. 6.7ὁρμήσας δὲ πολλάκις ἐξαγορεῦσαι — `ὁρμήσας` (having been tempted to / inclined to) governs two contrasting actions: to speak out (`ἐξαγορεῦσαι`) and not to hide (`μὴ ... ἀποκρύψαι`). The negative `μὴ` qualifies `ἀποκρύψαι` (to hide), expressing his internal conflict: 'having been inclined not to keep secret...'

Cite this passage

Plutarch, Life of Eumenes §6.1-6.7. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0007.tlg041.humanitext-grc2:6.1-6.7

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