952 
G R E 
he confidered it as mod prudent to remain in Epirus un¬ 
til the war (hould be terminate<l. He advifed her not 
to be precipitate in her refohitions, but that, in cafe 
file did return to Macedon, fhe (liould forget the inju¬ 
ries whiclt liad been formerly done her, and endeavour 
to conciliate the affections and efteem of the people. 
She dilregarded, however, this friendly admonition of 
Eumcnes. When her prel'ence was announced at Pella, 
the Macedonian capital, great confternation and difniay 
feized the minds of the people. The friends of Anti¬ 
pater, however, by whofe influence flte had been ba- 
niflied Macedon, had ftill greater reafon to fear the con- 
fequences of her return ; but above all Philip Aridaeus 
and his queen. Aridteus was the fon of Philip by a 
concubine, and on that account he had from his infancy 
been lubjeCled to the hatred and averfion of Olympias. 
It was not, tlierefore, tobefuppofed that either Pliilip, 
or Eurydice his wife, could look upon her with com¬ 
placence. They, in faCl, were fenflble that they liad 
every thing to fear from her power; and Eurydice, 
who had more difeernment than her weak hutband, 
rightly conceived that Olympias would never be at reft 
until file had deprived Aridteus of the regal title and of 
his life. Under this impreflion flie began to levy an 
army, and requeffed all who refpeCted the brother of 
Alexander, their late royal matter, or his queen, or who 
revered the virtues and memory of Antipater, to unite 
in the defence of the rights and liberties of their coun¬ 
try. She then wrote to Cafl'ander, befeeching him to 
haften to her alliftance, and required Polyperchon to 
meddle no more in the adminiftration, but to deliver up 
all to Cafl'ander, to whom the king had deemed it ex¬ 
pedient to delegate the regency of the empire. 
Thefe hafly proceedings of Eurydice gave her ene¬ 
mies fufficient pretext for levying an armed force to op- 
pofe her meafures. Olympias, who had carefully ob- 
Icrved her aCtions, perceived that it was necelfary flie 
fliould be on her guard againft the deflgns of the queen. 
Her brother PEacidas had fent a body of Bpirots to 
efcort her from his kingdom. Thefe flie added to fome 
Macedonian troops, whom her intereft and power in¬ 
duced to follow her fortunes ; and ftraightway inarched 
]ier forces to join the army of Polyperchon, which was 
returning from his difgracefurexpedition into Pelopon- 
nefus. Having formed a jundtion, the whole united 
army moved to attack the troops of Eurydice, who, ani¬ 
mated by the cruel treatment her family had received, 
boldly led forth her forces to oppofe the enemy. It 
was not the intention of Eurydice to hazard a battle be¬ 
fore the arrival of Calfander; but her precipitation in 
raifing forces had roufed her adverfaries ; and their mo¬ 
tions being thus quickened, it was impoflible to defer 
fighting until Calfander could arrive with his army. 
The two contending parties therefore drew up their 
forces in order of battle ; but the appearance of Olym¬ 
pias at the head of her troops, immediately terminated 
the difpute. When the two armies approached each 
other, the foldiers that fliould have fought for Eury¬ 
dice, llruck with, the awful mien of Olympias, who ap¬ 
peared to polfelsall the dignity and majelly of the reliiff 
of Phili, , and the mother of Alexander the Great, in- 
ftaiitly delcrted their ftandafd, and, ranged themfelves 
under the banners of the enemy. By this defection of 
the troops, Philip and Eurydice fell into the hands of 
01y:n pias; and flie caufed them to be put to death. 
Callander liaving received intelligence of this fatal 
event, haltened into Macedonia. When he arrived at 
the Itraits of Thermopyl^f he found the riielfalians in 
arms ready to oppofe liis palfage; but expedition being 
liis main objett, lie collected all the Ihips he could pro¬ 
cure in the neighbourhood, embarked his troops, and 
reached Macedon before Polyperchon and Olympias 
even liifpeCted his approach. Cafl'ander formed his 
army into two divilions, one of which was under the coiii- 
mand of Callas, wliile he himfelf took the lead of the 
E C E. 
other. Callas had orders to engage the troops of Poly¬ 
perchon, which were now feparated from thofe of Olym¬ 
pias ; while Caflander purfued the army of that vindic¬ 
tive woman. To fupport her meafures, flie went to all 
the principal cities, in company with her daughter Rox¬ 
ana, her grandfon Alexander, her niece Deidamia, 
Thelfalonica the After of Alexander, and many other 
perfons of high birth and intereft. With this numerous 
retinue, (he was at length under the neceflity of retiring 
to Pydna, a fea-port and well-fortified town. CatTander 
immediately invefted the city by land, while his fleet 
blocked up the entrance of the harbour'. The befieged 
foon began to be in want of provifions ; but, encouraged 
by the prefence of many perfons of diftin6lion, they ob- 
ftinately defended the place. Olympias alfo expedled 
that her brother .ffiacidas would fend fuccours from 
Epirus to her afliftance ; which proved to be the cafe. 
Cafl'ander, therefore, knowing that the army of that 
prince was in motion, detached part of liis troops to 
block up the palTages into Epirus. This was done fo 
completely, that the army of ^acidas was reduced to 
great difficulties, and not only defpaired of the fuccefs 
of the expedition, but of their own fafety. Under thefe 
circumftances the troops mutinied, and, depofing j^iaci- 
das, fubmitted to Calfander. The only perfon on whom 
Olympias now relied, was Polyperchon ; but the de¬ 
tachment under Callas employed his attention fo much, 
that he w’as unable to afford her any afliftance. 
The condition of the befieged was now become de¬ 
plorable. The royal family fed on the flefli of horfes, 
the foldiers on their dead companions, and the elephants 
on faw-duft. Nunybers were induced, by the miferies 
which prevailed in the city, to defert to Calfander, who 
received with lenity all that had not been concerned in 
the late murders. Olympias again turned her thoughts 
towards Polyperchon. She wrote to him in the moft 
prefling terms to fend a bark of fifty oars, to convey 
her away by night. Calfander, however, having feized 
the nielfenger, difappointed the defign. Olympias, not 
finding the velfel at the time flie expedted, gave up all 
hopes, and furrendered herfelf and her army to Calfan¬ 
der. This event determined the fate of Macedon. Pel¬ 
la, the capital, foon after fubmitted to the conqueror ; 
and Ariftonus, who commanded a body of troops at 
Amphipolis, alfo yielded up that city. When Olym¬ 
pias fubmitted, flie ftipulated for her life : but the kin¬ 
dred of thofe whofe deaths (he had occafioned, infilled 
that flie Ihould fiiffer. She was therefore accufed be¬ 
fore the alfembly of the Macedonians, and without be¬ 
ing heard in her defence, condemned to die. Calfander 
advifed her to make her efcape to Athens, and offered 
her a fliip of that purpofe ; but the relations for thofe 
who had fallen facrifices to her cruelty, feized her, and 
cut her throat. Immediately after the death of Olym¬ 
pias, Roxana and her fon Alexander were fent to Am¬ 
phipolis, where they were made prifoners; and orders 
were given that they Ihould be treated only as private 
perfons. Hercules the fon of Alexander by Barcine, 
the only remaining branch of the royal family, was mur¬ 
dered by Polypeichon, at the inftigation of Calfander, 
about two years after ; and thus the fhort fpace of eight 
years had Icarcely elapfed lince the death of Alexander, 
when not a lingle branch of his houfe remained to enjoy 
a portion of that empire, which Piiilip and his fon had 
acquired, at the expeuce of fo much labour, blood, and 
treafure. 
While Calfander employed his efforts to eftablifli him¬ 
felf on the throne of Macedon, and fecure the fove- 
reignty of all Greece, Antigonus was concerting mea- 
lures to rid himfelf of Eumenes, in Afia. After being 
defeated by that general in moft of the engagements 
that had taken place, Antigonus, in the year before 
Chrilt ji5, determined to make one deiperate and deci- 
live effort. He refolved to attack Eumenes in his win¬ 
ter quarters, when his troops were difperfed all over 
