Page:Plutarch's Lives (Clough, v.5, 1865).djvu/133

 DEMETRIUS. 125 There were now, however, inauspicious signs, which affected his spirits. Demetrius, in a dream, had seen Alex- ander, completely armed, appear and demand of him what word they intended to give in the time of the bat- tle ; and Demetrius answering that he intended the word should be " Jupiter and Victory." " Then," said Alexan- der, " I will go to 3'our adversaries and find my welcome with them." And on the morning of the combat, as the armies were drawing up, Antigonus, going out of the door of his tent, by some accident or other, stumbled and fell flat upon the ground, hurting himself a good deal. Aud on recoveriug his feet, lifting up his hands to heaven, he prayed the gods to grant him " either victory, or death without knowledge of defeat." When the armies engaged, Demetrius, who commanded the greatest and best part of the cavalry, made a charge on Antiochus, the son of Se- leucus, and, gloriously routing the enemy, followed the pursuit, in the jjride and exultation of success, so eagerly, and so unwisely far, that it fatally lost him the day, for when, perceiving his error, he would have come in to the assistance of his own infantry, he was not able, the enemy with their elephants having cut off his retreat. And on the other hand, Seleucus, observing the. main battle of Antigonus left naked of their horse, did not charge, but made a show of charging ; aud keeping them in alann and wheeling about and still threatening an attack, he gave opportunity for those who wished it to separate and come over to him; which a large body of them did, the rest taking to flight. But the old king Antigonus still kept his post, and when a strong body of the enemies drew up to charge him, and one of those about him cried out to him, " Sir, they are coming upon you," he only replied, " What else should they do ? but Demetrius will come to my rescue." And in this hope he persisted to the last, looking out on every side for his son's approach,