Page:Plutarch's Lives (Clough, v.5, 1865).djvu/147

 DEMETRIUS. 139 brated the feast at Athens, alleging it was great reason those honors should be paid in that place, Apollo beinc the paternal god of the Athenian people, and the reputed fii'st founder of their race.* From thence Demetrius returned to Macedon, and as he not only was of a restless temper himself, but saw also that the Macedonians were ever the best subjects when employed in miUtary expeditions, but turbulent and de- sirous of change in the idleness of peace, he led them against the ^tolians, and, having wasted their countr}', he left Pantauchus with a great part of his anny to com- plete the conquest, and with the rest he marched in per- son to find out Pyrrhus, who in like manner was advan- cing to encounter him. But so it fell out, that by taking diflerent ways the two armies did not meet ; but whilst Demetrius entered Epu'us, and laid all waste before him, Pyrrhus fell upon Pantauchus, and, in a battle in which the two commanders met in person and wounded each other, he gained the victor}', and took five thousand prisoners, besides great numbers slain on the field. The worst thing, however, for Demetrius was that Pyrrhus had excited less animosity as an enemy than admiration as a brave man. His taking so large a part with his own hand in the battle had gained him the greatest name and glory among the Macedonians. Many among them be- gan to say that this was the only king in whom there was any likeness to be seen of the great Alexander's courage ; the other kings, and particularly Demetrius, did nothing but personate him, like actors on a stage, in his pomp and outward majesty. And Demetrius truly was a perfect play and pageant, with his robes and diar • Apollo was worshipped at and nation, was the son of Apollo Athens under the name of Patroos. and Creiisa, begotten in the cave Apollo paternal or ancestral; and of Apollo and Pan, in the rocks of Ion. the father of the Ionian name the Acropolis.