Eumenes

Cornelius Nepos. Cornelii Nepotis Vitae. Fleckeisen, Alfred; Halm, Karl, editors. Leipzig: Teubner, 1886.

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Cloned and adapted by Humanitext, with ongoing edits.

This work is a biography depicting the turbulent life of Eumenes, a brilliant general from Cardia who fought against the adversity of his non-Macedonian origin during the struggles for hegemony among Alexander the Great's successors (Diadochi). Highlighting Eumenes' profound loyalty to the Macedonian royal family, the narrative follows his strategic battles against powerful rivals such as Antigonus. Despite facing intense jealousy from native Macedonian generals, Eumenes repeatedly overcomes crises through ingenious tactics, such as exercising horses in the besieged fortress of Nora and using decoy campfires to delay the enemy. Ultimately, however, betrayal by his own troops leads to his capture and delivery to Antigonus, who reluctantly permits his execution due to strong pressure from subordinates. The biography concludes with the poignant fact that only after Eumenes' death did the surviving generals finally dare to declare themselves kings, underscoring his immense restraining influence during his lifetime.