‘In Ephesus harbour Heron spoke a fishing-boat eight days out of Cyprus, and crowded with fugitives. Ephesus is still held for the Saviour God, but the governor is treating with a band of Syrian horse, and will probably yield the city. Heron filled up with fresh water and set a course direct for Piraeus.
‘The news from Cyprus, as related by fugitives but not confirmed from official sources, is that King Ptolemy has landed with a numerous army. In general the garrisons surrendered and joined his forces. The only city still holding out is Salamis, where Queen Phila has taken refuge. But Salamis, closely besieged, is not expected to make a long resistance.
‘The ships in Piraeus are ready for sea, provisioned and watered. No action will be taken until the arrival of the Saviour God. Message ends.’
Demetrius shut the tablets with a bang. ‘Not so much of the Saviour God in future. It seems that I can’t protect my people. Besieger of Cities, yes. It’s quite likely that I shall pass the rest of my life in the siege of those faithless cities.’
‘You will note that Tyre remains loyal,’ said Sosigenes hopefully. ‘It is a very strong place, with a good harbour.’
‘Yes indeed. A dagger aimed at the heart of Syria. Seleucus said that last year, when he asked me to sell it to him. My father took Tyre after a siege of fourteen months. Even the mighty Alexander was struck before it for half a year; and neither of them had anything else to do at the time. If the Tyrians remain loyal Seleucus will be outside it when he dies of old age. Perhaps I should have sold it to him, and kept Ionia. But it’s comforting to know that I rule one city that wants to be ruled by me. Let me see, how do I stand now?’
‘You hold Tyre and Piraeus, and precious little in between. But while Tyre obeys you the fleet will be loyal. Most of the ships’ captains are Tyrians. As soon as we embark we can set out to relieve Salamis.’
‘That’s what Ptolemy expects. Therefore we must do something different. Note that Lysimachus doesn’t appear in this, though I’m sure he’s behind it. He is my unrelenting enemy. I shall go for him first. I shall attack him by land, in Thessaly or Bithynia. It’s too late to save Salamis. The garrison will go over to Ptolemy. Honest mercenaries fight for their pay, but they aren’t paid to die in a hopeless defence. Ptolemy won’t hurt Phila. He was married to her sister, now he’s married to her niece. Besides, his soldiers wouldn’t let him. Antipater’s daughter, the widow of Craterus - every Macedonian reveres her as a reminder of the days of their glory. No, tomorrow we march for Piraeus, and then embark for the Hellespont. That Lysimachus! If he isn’t a eunuch now he will be one when I have finished with him.’
‘You can march overland to Thrace, if you wish. It might be quicker,’ said Sosigenes.
‘It might, but it would anger the Macedonians. I don’t suppose either of the boy-kings is fit to lead an army, but Queen Thessalonice will find a competent general. There’s no need to bring in another enemy against us.’
‘Queen Thessalonice? Then you haven’t heard? I suppose not. The news arrived while I was talking to the master of the Heron, and what he told me was strange enough to put anything else out of my mind. Queen Thessalonice has been murdered, by her elder son Antipater. At present the Macedonians have no king.’
‘That’s horrible!’ For a moment Demetrius could not find words. ‘Murdered by her son! Is there anything people won’t do, now that Alexander has shown that the world can be conquered? I suppose it was the usual reason, a struggle for the throne of Macedonia?’
‘I suppose so. We haven’t any details, but it was common knowledge that she favoured her younger son Alexander. The army hadn’t yet chosen the king. I expect now they will choose Alexander. But he is under age, so they will need a regent to govern for him.’
‘Send someone to fetch Stratocles. He can tell us how this murder will look to ordinary Hellenes. What a ghastly affair! But if you consider it in cold blood we gain by it. For the present Macedonia is out of the game. There’s one army we don’t have to reckon with.’
Of course they had to inform Stratocles of the reverses in Asia, as well as of the matricide. Characteristically, he seized on the point which affected the city of Athens.
‘Apollo looks after his Spartans. I quite see that you must march north at once, Saviour God. It’s a great pity all the same, with that villainous lair of bandits lying helpless before you. Sparta will recover, to plague Athens until the end of time. Still, I have seen five hundred Spartan prisoners - As for the Macedonians, they will be as shocked as any true Hellenes.’
He stopped, blushing. He had forgotten that it was tactless to remind a Macedonian Saviour God that Athenians did not see him as a true Hellene. To cover his embarrassment he began to talk weightily, like an expert in foreign affairs rather than a popular demagogue.
‘Cassander seized the throne. He was not of the royal line. But he married Thessalonice, daughter of old King Philip. Her sons have a strong claim to the throne. Unfortunately she bore three sons, which is too many for a royal house in these degenerate days. The eldest was lucky enough to die in his bed. The second has murdered her, I suppose because he thought she favoured the third. He didn’t see that he was destroying the link which gave him his hereditary claim. That leaves only young Alexander. He will be the next King of the Macedonians. I suppose you, Saviour God, will be his regent.’
‘It isn’t as simple as that,’ Sosigenes put in. ‘Once you allow claims through the female line you let in King Pyrrhus. He’s just over the frontier, at the head of an army. I bet he makes a snatch at Macedonia. Ptolemy will back him. There’s your next move, my lord god. You must race King Pyrrhus, and get to Pella before him. Shall I ride back tomorrow, to say that the fleet won’t be needed?’
13. KINGS IN MACEDONIA
The council of war met in the gatehouses of the Acropolis, a purely secular building which was the normal quarters of the garrison. Demetrius had proposed that they meet in the Parthenon, to remind the Athenians that he was still their Saviour
God even though he had lost Asia. Phila persuaded him not to. It would involve closing to the public the most popular shrine in Athens, at a time of grave danger when it was thronged with worshippers. Besides, she pointed out, ordinary men who were not themselves gods felt nervous in the holy building, and might not give their advice frankly.
Dear Phila had arrived in Piraeus by sea on the day the army reached Athens. In Cyprus she had suffered no harm, except to her pride. Ptolemy had treated her with great consideration, addressing her as his dear aunt.
‘Yes, Ptolemy behaved like a gentleman,’ she reported, ‘but still I don’t like him. Aunt indeed! If he wants to claim kinship I am his sister, or at least his sister-in-law. He is married to my sister Eurydice. He married her of his own free will, and she has never given him grounds for a divorce. If he chooses to take as his concubine that vain little Berenice it doesn’t make him my nephew, for all that she is poor Eurydice’s niece and mine. Matricide in Macedonia - incest in Egypt - I don’t know what the world is coming to. Macedonians didn’t go in for that sort of thing before Alexander marched to India. In a way it’s all his doing.’
‘Ptolemy is your brother-in-law, or else your nephew by marriage,’ Demetrius answered her. ‘But young Antipater is your own brother’s son. Your father was the most loyal and selfless hero if the age of conquest, and his grandson murders his own mother! ’
‘The really awful thing is that he didn’t think anyone would mind,’ Phila continued. ‘He wants to be King of Macedonia. He must know, better than anyone, that the King of Macedonia is elected by the army. Did he suppose that the soldiers would cheer for him?’
‘Lysimachus approves. He’s a Macedonian of sorts, though not very well born. He has received young Antipater at his court, instead of sending him back in chains to be executed at the scene of his crime. I’m glad Lysimachus hates me. I wouldn’t like to think that such a man had ever been my friend.’
‘That’s modern politics,’ said Phila with a
sad shake of her head. ‘Now Lysimachus has a good excuse for invading Macedonia whenever he wants to. It won’t be aggression, just intervention to restore the rightful king. But it’s the same everywhere. Have you heard what Seleucus has done to our Stratonice?’
‘Whatever it is I’ll kill him for it,’ Demetrius answered. ‘At the time of the wedding we agreed that first we should eliminate the other kings, and then fight one another for the Empire. So I am due to kill him anyway. I shall do it more easily if I have a good reason. What has he done?’
‘It’s a long story, as I heard it from Ptolemy. Perhaps bits of it are exaggerated. It seems that young Antiochus took to his bed with a fever. The doctors couldn’t cure him, they couldn’t even find out what was the matter with him. Then one doctor noticed that whenever Stratonice came into the sickroom the fever increased, and under questioning Antiochus admitted that he was in love with his stepmother. He’s a decent boy, so of course he had not told his father. The doctor, a barbarian, went at once to Seleucus and explained that the prince must die, for though the cure was known it could not be carried out. Seleucus said that was nonsense, he would do anything to cure his son and heir. As soon as he knew the facts he handed on our Stratonice to young Antiochus, who got well at once. There was a formal marriage, and they have been sent to govern the provinces beyond Tigris.’
‘While Seleucus, I suppose, sprouted a pair of antlers? It would be funny if it wasn’t so disgusting. I’ve heard plenty of barrack-room jokes about young sons and handsome stepmothers, but this must be the first time an elderly husband has organised his own betrayal. How does Stratonice feel about it?’
‘She hasn’t written, but according to Ptolemy she’s miserable. You know how devout she is, always making offerings to the Mother under her various local names. Of course she is miserable, forced to live in incest. Ptolemy says she refuses to recognise the divorce, and still describes herself in legal documents as Queen to King Seleucus.’
‘That’s a fine revenge. It reminds the pair of them of their joint wickedness. Antiochus won’t have much pleasure in her. But she wouldn’t be your daughter and mine if she couldn’t score off her enemies. Poor Stratonice! One day I shall rescue her. So we must add incest to Syria to the crimes in the other kingdoms. Do you know, Phila, it’s odd, but I think I am the most respectable king now reigning? I have been worshipped as a god, and that may be tempting Fate. But neither I nor my worshippers took it very seriously.’
‘There was Deidameia, and that Athenian woman before her. But you took care that I should never meet them, and I won’t rub it in. Yes, you really are the most reputable of the kings. Guard your reputation. In the end all these new kingdoms rest on Macedonian pikes, and our countrymen are old-fashioned and conventional. They will fight for you more earnestly if they respect you.’
‘Never fear, dear Phila. Look at me, a model husband, living with the wife I married in boyhood, my only wife. I have just defeated a Spartan army. Can there be anything more respectable than that, at any rate in Attica? Now I must confer with my officers, to plan our next move. Will you join the council of war? You are the famous expert on Macedonian sentiment, and since everyone knows I consult you on everything the officers won’t be offended.’
Demetrius handed round the King’s Letter, so that his advisers might read it. ‘Now is there a king in Macedonia, or isn’t there?’ he asked. ‘Here’s young Alexander sending a formal King’s Letter, as though his power were universally recognised and secure. He invites me to join Pyrrhus in defending the rightful king against the unjustified aggression of Lysimachus. At the same time it’s pretty obvious that young Alexander has no army and no revenue, and that no one obeys his commands.’
‘Macedonia has no king,’ said Phila decisively. ‘The army has not chosen one. But my nephew Alexander is the obvious candidate - a grandson of old King Philip - not implicated in his brother’s crime. The army is sure to elect him. I think we ought to help him.’
‘Why not?’ said Sosigenes. ‘If you put him on the throne you are as much king of Macedonia as he is. You want their phalanx, you don’t want to govern Pella. If you are his ally and preserver he must lend you his army.’
‘Will you make war on Pyrrhus if you meet him?’ asked Stratocles. ‘He hasn’t so far to go, and when you arrive you may find him in possession.’
‘Not unless he attacks me first,’ answered Demetrius. ‘Alexander invited him, as he has invited me. He has every right to be there. I find Pyrrhus a great nuisance, but so do many other people. Give him time, and someone else will kill him for me.’
‘He will be lucky to die on the battlefield,’ said Phila with a frown. ‘It’s more likely that the Furies will put a dagger into the hand of one of his companions. If you must confer with him in Macedonia, don’t bring him under your roof. His presence would pollute my hearth.’
‘What’s he done that’s so terrible, Mother?’ asked young Antigonus. ‘Off the battlefield he isn’t cruel. He kills conspirators without trial, but every king does that nowadays.’
‘Nowadays are very evil days. You should follow the example of your mighty ancestors, not that of the kings who reign now.’
Phila spoke with her eyes on the ceiling, deliberately not seeing the lucky signs made by the others. Only a Macedonian lady of unbending principles would speak of the Furies by name, instead of referring to the Good Old Ladies or something similar; they might hear, and come in answer to the call. ‘King Pyrrhus arrested young Neoptolemus; and killed him on the spot as though he were an ox, not a free Epirot. In my opinion that cannot be right. All the same, it’s what kings do everywhere. Neoptolemus was plotting to murder Pyrrhus and seize his throne. The killing may be excusable, the way he did it is not. He invited Neoptolemus to dinner and then murdered his guest. That is unforgivable. Pyrrhus is not to be trusted.’
‘In military matters I trust him, but not in politics. Certainly not.’ Demetrius smiled. ‘But I may have to negotiate with him, and I shan’t call him Guest-Murderer to his face. We shall probably reach some agreement. He wants to enlarge Epirus at the expense of Macedonia. I want to install a puppet king who will lend me his phalanx. There is enough for both of us.’
‘With the Macedonian phalanx behind us we can stand up to Ptolemy,’ said Phila, smiling at her own romantic fancy. ‘I don’t want Pharaoh to come to any harm, but I would like to see him with his tail between his legs. He treated me with every courtesy, but I could not bear to see his ships sailing in triumph off the coast of our islands. I was happy as a Sea-Queen.’
Alexander son of Cassander was a handsome youth. But you could tell at a glance that he would never be a successful king in this bloodstained modern world. His regular features and straight back could not disguise a weakness of spirit. In his father’s palace he had been surrounded by luxury, and now for the first time in his life he was enduring the hardships of campaign. Also, again for the first time in his life, he was frightened.
At the formal interview on the frontier he had no practical suggestions to make. He could only bleat: ‘I trusted Mother. She arranged everything and told me what to do. She said I was to be the next King of the Macedonians, though I’m not ready for it at all. A third son isn’t. Father used to tell me to be loyal to my elder brothers, and here was Mother telling me something quite different. But I did what she said, because Father was dead and Mother was in charge of me. I put on my armour and tried to make friends with the troops. I don’t think they liked me much, but I did my best. Then Antipater killed Mother, and they say he wants to kill me too. Why should he? We used to be good friends. Now I am safe, because he has run away. But they say he will come back soon. I need someone to protect me. So I asked you to come,’
‘That was most prudent’ Demetrius answered genially. ‘When you are older you will be a great statesman. It’s unfortunate that you sent for King Pyrrhus at the same time, for we might have quarrelled about which of us was to protect you. But between us we’ll fix it up pe
acefully. We were comrades once in a great battle, and after we were beaten he helped me to escape. Now you look rather tired and I know you are miserable. Why don’t you go to the women’s quarters at the back of my tent? Your aunt Phila is there, your father’s sister. Do you know her? Anyway, she will comfort you. I would come with you, but I have to talk business with the captain of your guard. Is he here?’
A young Macedonian stepped out from the escort. He was tall and handsome, and moved in his heavy armour as though he wore it often.
‘My name is Pantauchus, Saviour God. I command the bodyguard of King Alexander, and his army.’
‘Are there others beside the bodyguard? Not a very large army, is it? By the way, don’t address me as Saviour God. The Athenians call me so from habit, but just at present it isn’t very suitable. I prefer to be known as Poliorcetes, Besieger of Cities. Come to my private quarters and talk things over.’
As soon as they were alone he turned on the young Macedonian. ‘I suppose you want to be the power behind the throne. A noble ambition, and I admire you for it. But what on earth made you choose that ass for your figure-head?’
The soldier shrugged. ‘There isn’t anyone else, lord king. Besides, he has a hereditary claim; though the line doesn’t seem to breed true nowadays. I need a king to confirm me in my command. My birth isn’t noble enough for me to be king myself.’
‘A wise plan. A less prudent man would have tried for the throne himself. But you haven’t allowed for competition. I also want to be the power behind King Alexander.’
‘Then I haven’t a chance, Poliorcetes. I can’t compete with the ruler of all Hellas. Since you are too strong to be opposed I had better join you. I am a good soldier. At present I command only a few hundred guards, but I am popular among the Macedonians. That is my contribution. Will you give me something in return?’
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