Page:History of Greece Vol XII.djvu/401

 GREECE PROCLAIMED FREE BY ANTIGONUS. 369 even of his position on the Isthmus, where he left a powerful detachment, and then returned to Macedonia.^ His increasing power raised both apprehension and hatred in the bosom of Antigonus, who endeavored to come to terms with him, but in vain.*^ Kassander preferred the alliance with Ptolemy, Seleu- kus, and Lysimachus — against Antigonus, Avho was now master of nearly the whole of Asia, inspiring common dread to all of ihem.^ Accordingly, from Asia to Peloponnesus, with arms and money Antigonus despatched the Milesian Aristodemus to strengthen Alexander against Kassander ; wliom he farther de- nounced as an enemy of the Macedonian name, because he had slain Olympias, imprisoned the other members of the regal fam- ily, and re-established the Olynthian exiles. He caused the ab- sent Kassander to be condemned by what was called a Macedo- nian assembly, upon these and other charges. Antigonus farther proclaimed, by the voice of this assembl}', that all the Greeks should be free, self-governing, and exempt from garrisons or military occupation.* It was expected that these brilliant promises would enlist partisans in Greece against Kassander ; accordingly Ptolemy ruler of Egypt, one of the ene- mies of Antigonus, thought fit to issue similar proclamations a few months afterwards, tendering to the Greeks the same boon from himself.5 These promises, neither executed, nor intended to be executed, by either of the kings, appear to have produced little or no effect upon the Greeks. The arrival of Aristodemus in Peloponnesus had re-animated the party of Alexander (son of Polysperchon), against whom Kassander was again obliged to bring his full forces from Mace- donia. Though successful against Alexander at Argos, Orcho- menus, and other places, Kassander was not able to crush him, and presently thought it prudent to gain him over. He offered to him the separate government of Peloponnesus, though in sub- ordination to himself: Alexander accepted the offer, becoming Kassander's ally® — and carried on war, jointly with him, against Aristodemus, with varying success, until he was presently assas- • Diodor. xix. 54. * Diodor. xix. 56. • Diodor. xix. 57. * Diodor. xix. 61. • Diodor. xix. 62 ' ' Diodor. xix. 03, 64