430 EUMENES.

lent exercise, whether for strength or speed ; and then he gave them their corn already coarsely ground, that they might sooner despatch, and better digest it. The siege continuing long, Antigonus received advice that Antipater -was dead in Macedon, and that affairs were embroiled by the differences of Cassander and Poly- sperchon, upon which he conceived no mean hopes, pur- posing to make himself master of all, and, in order to his design, thought to bring over Eumenes, that he might have his advice and assistance. He, therefore, sent Hie- ronymus* to treat with him, proposing a certain oath, which Eumenes first corrected, and then referred himself to the Macedonians themselves that besieged him, to be judged by them, which of the two forms were the most equitable. Antigonus in the beginning of his had slightly mentioned the kings f as by way of ceremony, while all the sequel referred to himself alone ; but Eumenes changed the form of it to Olympus and the kings, and proceeded to swear not to be true to Antigonus only, but to them, and to have the same friends and enemies, not with Antigonus, but with Olympias and the kings. This form the Macedonians thinking the more reasonable, swore Eumenes according to it, and raised the siege, send- ing also to Antigonus, that he should swear in the same form to Eumenes. Meantime, all the hostages of the Cappa- docians whom Eumenes had in Nora he returned, obtain- ing from their friends war horses, beasts of carriage, and tents in exchange. And collecting again all the soldiers who had dispersed at the time of his flight, and were now wandering about the country, he got together a body of

• Hieronymus of Cardia, his thumous child by Roxana, the re-

countryman, who afterwards wrote gents for whom had been, first, Per- his life. diccas, on his death At tipater, and t Arrhidaus Philip, and Alex- now, by Antipater's will, Poly- ander JEgus, the former the son of sperchon. Philip, the latter Alexander's pos-