he, as in revenge thereof, did thus requite. But leaving to speak of this change which the coming in of the Macedonian wrought in the civil state of the Achæans, let us return unto his war against the Lacedæmonians.

The next summer Antigonus won Tegea, Mantinea, Orchomenus, Herea, and Telphussa. Mantinea he dispeopled, as was said before; in Orchomenus he placed a garrison of his Macedonians; the rest he restored to the Achæans, with whom he wintered at Ægium, where they held a parliament. Once only Cleomenes had met him this year, and that was on the borders of Laconia, where he lay ready to defend his own territory. The reason why he stirred no further, nor followed Antigonus to Mantinea, and to those other towns that he won, was this: He had few soldiers, and not money enough to wage more. Ptolemy, the Egyptian, promised much, but would perform nothing, unless he might have Cleomenes's own mother and his children in pledge. These were sent into Egypt, yet the aid came not. For Ptolemy was slow; as dealing in the business of Greece, rather for his mind's sake, than upon any apprehension of necessity. Cleomenes therefore provided for himself as well as his ability would serve. He manumised all the Helotes, which were the Lacedæmonian slaves; taking money for their liberty, and arming two thousand of them after the Macedonian fashion. Having thus increased his forces, he came on the sudden to Megalopolis, that lay secure, as having defended itself in more dangerous times, and having now Antigonus near at hand in Ægium. The town he won; but after he was entered, all that were fit to bear arms rose hastily against him; and though they could not drive him out, yet saved the multitude, to whom they gave aport free for their escape. He sent after the citizens, offering their town and goods to them again, if they would be of his party. But they braveVOL. V.

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ly refused his offer; wherefore he sacked and ruined it, carrying with him to Sparta a great booty that he found therein. These news astonished the Achæans at Ægium; who thereupon broke up their parliament. Antigonus sent hastily for his Macedonians out of their wintering quarters; but they were so long in coming, that Cleomenes was safely gone home. Therefore he returned them back to their lodgings, and went himself to Argos, there to pass the rest of this unlucky winter, somewhat further from the eyes of the grieved Achæans. When he had lain a while at Argos, Cleomenes was at the gates, with no great number of men, yet with more than Antigonus had then about him. The Argives perceiving that their country would be spoiled, if Antigonus did not issue into the field, were very earnest with him to go forth and fight. But he was wiser than to be moved by their clamours, and suffered them to see their villages burnt; to bid him resign his office of protector unto some that were more valiant; and to satisfy their passions with foolish words, rather than he would be overcome in fight, and thereby lose more honour than could easily be repaired. By this Cleomenes had his desire in weakening the reputation of his enemy, though he thereby added neither followers nor other strength unto Lacedæmon.

Afterwards, when the season was more fit for war, Antigonus gathered together all his troops; meaning to requite these bravados of his enemy, with the conquest of Sparta. Cleomenes, on the other side, laboured to keep the war from his own gates; and therefore entered upon the country of Argos; where he made such havock as drew Antigonus thither, from his intended invasion of Laconia. Many great affronts the Macedonian was fain to endure in coasting the Spartan king; that ranging over the country of the Argives, Philasians, and Orchomenians, drove a garrison of his out of Oligyris; and did

sacrifice, as it were, before his face, in the suburbs of Argos, without the temple of Juno, that was shut up; sending unto him in scorn to borrow the keys. These were light things, yet served to dishearten the Achæan side, and to fill the enemy with courage, which was no matter of light importance. Therefore he concluded to lay apart all other regard of things abroad, and to put all to hazard, by setting up his rest, without any more delay, upon Sparta itself. He had in his army eight and twenty thousand foot, and twelve hundred horse, collected out of sundry nations; as Macedonians, Illyrians, Gauls, Epirots, Boeotians, Acarnanians, and others; together with the Achæans, and their friends of Peloponnesus. Cleomenes had of all sorts twenty thousand, with which he lay at Selasia; fortifying slightly the other passages into Laconia, through which the Macedonians were not likely to seek entrance. Antigonus coming to Selasia, found the enemy so strongly encamped upon and between the hills of Eva and Olympus, that he was constrained to spend much time there, before he could advance any one foot; neither lay it in his power to come hastily to blows, which he greatly desired, without the hazard of his whole army, in assailing of their well-defenced camp. But at length, (as it happens when men are weary both of their hopes and fears,) both kings being resolved to make an end one way or other, Antigonus attempted with his Illyrians to force that part which lay on the hill Eva; but his Illyrians were so ill seconded by the Achæan foot, that the Spartan horse and light-armed foot, encamped in the strait valley between those hills, issuing forth, fell upon their skirts, and not only disordered them, but were like to have endangered all the rest. If Cleomenes himself had stood in that part of the battle, he would have made great use of such a fair beginning. But Euclidas, his brother, a more valiant than skilful soldier, commanded in that wing;

who neither followed this advantage, nor took such benefit as the ground afforded whereon he lay. Philopmen, the Arcadian of Megalopolis, who afterwards proved a famous captain, served then on horse as a private young man among the Achæans. He seeing that all was like to go to rout, if their Illyrians were driven to fall back upon the army following, persuaded the captains of the Achæan horse to break upon the Spartan mercenaries. But they would not; partly despising his youth and want of charge; partly for that Antigonus had given order that they should keep their places, until they received a sign from him, which was not as yet. Philopomen, perceiving them to be more orderly than well advised, ordered some of his own countrymen to follow him; gave a charge on the Spartans, and forced them, not only to leave the Illyrians, but seek how to save themselves. Being so far advanced, he found the place which the Illyrians had attempted, like enough to be won, through the unskilfulness of him that held it. Wherefore he alighted, and persuaded the men at arms, his companions, to do the like; the folly of Euclidas being manifest, who kept the top of the hill, and stirred not to hinder those that ascended, but waited for them in a plain, where they might fight upon even terms. So he recovered the hill top, where, though he was sore hurt, yet made good the place that he had gotten, until the whole army came up to him; by which the Lacedæmonians were beaten from it, with great slaughter of them in their descent. This overthrow, and death of Euclidas, made Cleomenes lose the day; who, fighting bravely on the other side, upon Olympus, against Antigonus himself, was like to have been surrounded and lost, if he had not withdrawn himself with an extraordinary speed. In this battle ended the glory of Lacedæmon; which, as a light ready to go out, had with a great, but not long blaze, shined more brightly of late, than in many ages past.

Cleomenes fled unto Sparta, where he had no desire to stay; finding only two hundred left of six thousand Spartans that he had led unto this battle, and most of his hired soldiers dead or gone away. So he persuaded his people to yield themselves to Antigonus; and promising to do all that should at any time lie in his own power for their good, he hasted away to the sea-side, (where he had shipping long before provided against all that might happen,) and embarked himself for Egypt. He was lovingly entertained by Ptolemy Evergetes, who undertook to restore him to his kingdom; and (perhaps) meant no less, as being much delighted with his gallant behaviour and qualities. In the mean season he had a pension allowed him of four and twenty talents yearly. But this Ptolemy died; and his son, Ptolemy Philopater, succeeded him; a vicious young man, wholly governed by lewd women and base men, unmindful of all virtue, and hating any in whom it was found. When, therefore, Cleomenes was desirous to return into Greece, whither the troubles in Peloponnesus did seem to unite him; Ptolemy nor his minions would neither give him aid, nor yet dared to dismiss him, (as he desired,) to try his own friends in Greece; because he was too well acquainted with the weakness of Egypt; nor well knew how to detain him against his will. At length they devised matter against him, and made him prisoner. The last act of him was, that with thirty of his countrymen he undertook a desperate enterprise; breaking out of the prison, and provoking the Alexandrians to rebel and seek their liberty. In which attempt he slew some enemies of his that he met; and having walked up and down the streets without resistance, (no man offering to take his part, or, which is very strange, to fight against him on the king's behalf,) he and his companions agreed together to be ministers of their own death. Upon his dead body Ptolemy was bold to