fficult road, on which no
water was to be found, but which nevertheless was very short and
direct. He hoped to fall upon the enemy while scattered in their
winter quarters, and defeat them before their generals could rally
them into a compact mass. But as he marched through a desert region
his army met with strong winds and bitter cold, so that the men were
forced to light large fires to warm themselves, and these gave notice
of their arrival to the enemy; for the natives who inhabited the
mountains near the line of Antigonus's march, when they saw the
numerous fires lighted by his troops, sent messengers on swift camels
to tell Peukestas what they had observed. He was much alarmed at the
news, and, noticing that the rest of the satraps shared his fears,
proposed to retreat to the opposite extremity of the province, where
they might at least reassemble a part of their force before the enemy
came up. Eumenes, however, calmed their fears by promising that he
would stop the progress of Antigonus, and prevent his coming to attack
them until three days after they expected him. His counsels prevailed,
and he at once despatched messengers to call the troops together out
of their winter quarters, and collect all the available force, while
he himself with the other generals rode to the front, and selecting a
spot which was plainly visible to those crossing the desert, ordered
fires to be lighted at intervals, as though an army were encamped
along the frontier awaiting the attack of Antigonus. The latter,
observing the heights covered with watch-fires, was filled with rage
and mortification, imagining that the enemy must long ago have known
his plans. Fearing to fight with his wearied troops against men who
were fresh and had been living in comfort, he turned aside from the
desert, and refreshed his army among some neighbouring villages.
When, however, he saw no enemy, or any signs of a hostile army being
near, and learned from the natives that no troops had been seen by
them, but only a large number of fires, he perceived that he had been
out-manoeuvred by Eumenes, and marched forward in anger, determined to
settle their disputes by a pitched battle.

XVI. Meanwhile the greater part of the army of Eumenes had assembled,
and, admiring his stratagem, declared that he alone was fit to be
their leader. This so vexed the officers in command of the
Argyraspids, Antigenes, and Teutamus, that they determined to make
away with him, and