Page:History of Greece Vol XII.djvu/353

 PLANS OF THE MACEDONIAN OFFICERS. 321 any one but Alexander to think of.i Ki'aterus and Antipater had each a concurrent claim to Greece and Macedonia, and the distributors of the empire had allotted these countries to them jointly, not venturing to exclude either. Amidst the conflicting pretensions of these gi-eat Macedonian afficers, Leonnatus also cherished hopes of the same prize. He was satrap of the Asiatic territory bordering upon the Hellespont, and had re- ceived propositions from Kleopatra at Pella, inviting him to marry her and assume the government of Macedonia. About the same time, urgent messages were also sent to him (through Hekataeus despot of Kardia) from Antipater, immediately after the defeat preceding the siege of Lamia, entreating his co- operation against the Greeks. Leonnatus accordingly came, intending to assist Antipater against the Greeks, but also to dis- possess him of the government of Macedonia and marry Kleopa- lra.2 This scheme remained unexecuted, because (as has been already related) Leonnatus was slain in his first encounter with the Greeks. To them, his death was a grave misfortune ; to Antipater, it was an advantage which more than counter- vailed the defeat, since it relieved him from a dangerous rival. It was not till the ensuing summer that Kraterus found leisure to conduct his army into Macedonia. By this junction, Antipa- ter to whom he ceded the command, found himself at the head of a powerful army — 40,000 heavy infantry, 5000 cavalry, and 3000 archers and slingers. He again marched into Thessaly against the Greeks under Antiphilus ; and the two armies came in sight on the Thessalian plains near Krannon. The Grecian army consisted of 25,000 infantry, and 3500 cavalry — the latter, Thessalians under Menon, of admirable efficiency. The soldiers in general were brave, but insubordinate ; while the contingents of many cities had gone home without returning, in spite of urgent remonstrances from the commander. Hoping to be re- joined by these absentees, Antiphilus and Menon tried at first to defer fighting; but Antipater forced them to a battle. Though Menon with his Thessalian cavalry defeated and dispersed the INIaeedonian cavalry, the Grecian infantry were unable to re- sist the superior number of Antipater's infantry, and the heavy • Diodor. xviii. 4. ^ Plutarch, Enmcnes, 3.