Preparations In Egypt
Agathocles and Sosibius, however, the leading ministers
note
in the kingdom at that time, took counsel
together and did the best they could with
the means at their disposal, in view of the
existing crisis. They resolved to devote themselves to the
preparations for war; and, meanwhile, by embassies to
try to retard the advance of Antiochus: pretending to confirm him in the opinion he originally entertained about
-- 415 --
Ptolemy, namely, that he would not venture to fight, but would
trust to negotiations, and the interposition of common friends,
to induce him to evacuate Coele-Syria. Having determined
upon this policy, Agathocles and Sosibius, to whom the whole
business was entrusted, lost no time in sending their ambassadors
to Antiochus: and at the same time they sent messages to
Rhodes, Byzantium, and Cyzicus, not omitting the Aetolians,
inviting them to send commissioners to discuss the terms of a
treaty. The commissioners duly arrived, and by occupying
the time with going backwards and forwards between the two
kings, abundantly secured to these statesmen the two things
which they wanted,—delay, and time to make their preparations for war. They fixed their residence at Memphis and
there carried on these negotiations continuously. Nor were
they less attentive to the ambassadors from Antiochus, whom
they received with every mark of courtesy and kindness. But
meanwhile they were calling up and collecting at Alexandria
the mercenaries whom they had on service in towns outside
Egypt; were despatching men to recruit foreign soldiers;
and were collecting provisions both for the troops they already
possessed, and for those that were coming in. No less active
were they in every other department of the military preparations. They took turns in going on rapid and frequent visits
to Alexandria, to see that the supplies should in no point be
inadequate to the undertaking before them. The manufacture
of arms, the selection of men, and their division into companies,
they committed to the care of Echecrates of Thessaly and
Phoxidas of Melita. With these they associated Eurylochus
of Magnesia, and Socrates of Boeotia, who were also joined by
Cnopias of Allaria. By the greatest good fortune they had
got hold of these officers, who, while serving with Demetrius
and Antigonus, note had acquired some experience of real war and
actual service in the field. Accordingly they took command
of the assembled troops, and made the best of them by giving
them the training of soldiers.
