Page:Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology (1870) - Volume 3.djvu/605

PTOLEMAEUS. however, had the magnanimity to pardon liim, and it was arranged by the Roman deputies that the two "brothers should divide the monarchy ; Euer- getes obtaining Cyrene as a separate kingdom, Avhile Philometor retained Egypt itself. The former, however, could not long remain contented with the portion allotted him: he repaired to Rome in person, and succeeded in persuading the senate, in contravention of their own arrangement, to add Cyprus to his share. Three Roman am- bassadors accompanied Euergetes to enforce these new terms, but they prevented that monarch from asserting his claim to Cyprus by arms, and sent him to Cyrene to await the result of their nego- tiations with Philometor. The latter, however, contrived to amuse the deputies with fair words, and detained them at Alexandria a considerable time without making any concessions. Euergetes meanwhile had assembled an army, and advanced to the confines of Egypt, but an insurrection at Cyrene itself, which nearly cost him both his throne and his life, prevented him from prosecuting his cause by arms. The next year both brothers again sent ambassadors to Rome, but those of Phi- lometor were unfavourably received and ordered to quit the city without delay. Still no effectual support was given to Euergetes, and iiis own efforts having failed to put him in possession of Cyprus, he again repaired to Rome in b. c. 154, to invoke the assistance of the senate. They now proceeded to send with him five legates charged to establish him in Cyprus, but without supporting him with any Roman force. Philometor meanwhile antici- pated him, and occupied Cyprus in person with a powerful fleet and army, so that when his brother at length landed in the island at the head of a mercenary force, he was quickly defeated and shut up in the city of Lapethus, where he was soon compelled to surrender. Philometor not only a second time spared his life, but treated him with the utmost kindness, and sent him back to Cyrene on condition that he should thenceforth content himself with that kingdom. Nor did the Romans again interfere to disturb the arrangement thus concluded. (Polvb. xxxi. 18, 25 — 27, xxxii. 1, xxxiii. 5, X. 112'; Diod. Exc. Vales, pp. 584. 588, Exc. Vat. p. 84, Exc. Legat. p. 626 ; Liv. Epit. xlvi. xlvii. ; Porphyrins, ap. Euseb. Arm. pp. 114, 115.) The attention of Philometor appears to have been, from this time, principally directed to the side of Syria. Demetrius Soter, wao was then established on the throne of that country, had sought (luring the dissensions between the two brothers to make himself master of Cyprus ; and in return for this act of hostility Ptolemy now lent his support to the pretensions of Alexander Balas, and when the latter had established himself on the throne of Syria, bestowed on him his daughter Cleopatra in marriage, B.C. 150. But the usurper repaid this favour with the blackest ingratitude. For Demetrius, the son of the dethroned monarch, having landed in Syria to assert his claim to the crown, Ptolemy immediately assembled a large fleet and army, with which he advanced to the support of his son-in-law ; but on arriving at Ptole- mai's, he was near falling a victim to an attempt on his life, made by Ammonius, the favourite and mhiister of Alexander, and there is little doubt tliat the king himself was a partner in the design. At all events, by protecting his favourite, and re- VOL. Ill PTOLEMAEUS. 593 fusing to punish him, he justly alienated the mind of Ptolemy, who hastened to conclude a peace with Demetrius, and give him the support of the very forces which he had brought to oppose him. Having t;iken away his daughter Cleopatra from her faith- less husband, he now bestowed her hand on his new ally Demetrius. The disaffection of the Syrians towards Alexander quickly enabled Pto- lemy to subdue the whole country, and he entered Antioch without opposition ; where he was him- self declared, by the acclamations of the people, king of Syria as well as Egypt. But his natural moderation concurred with policy in leading him to decline the proffered honour, and establish De- metrius on the throne. Meanwhile Alexander, having assembled an army in Cilicia, again invaded Syria. He was met by the combined forces of Demetrius and Ptolemy, and totally defeated ; but Philometor himself was thrown from his horse during the battle, and fractured his skull so se- verely, that he died a few daj^s after, B. c. 146. (Polyb. xl. 12 ; Justin, xxxv. 1, 2 ; Joseph, xiii. 4 ; Liv. Epit. lii. ; Appian. Syr. 67 ; Euseb. Arm, p. 166.) He had reigned 35 years from the period of his first accession, and ] 8 from his restoration by the Romans. (Porphyr, ap. Euseb. Arm. p. 115.) During the reign, of Philometor the number of Jews in Egypt received a large augmentation by the emigration of a numerous body who were driven out of Judaea by the opposite faction, and established themselves at Heliopolis with the per- mission and under the protection of the Egyptian king. (Joseph. Anl. xiii. 3, B. J. i. 1. § 1.) We learn also that Philometor followed the example of his predecessors in dedicating new temples, or re- pairing and augmenting the old ones to the Egyptian divinities. (Letronne, Rec. des Inscr. pp. 10, 24 ; Wilkinson's Thebes, p. 82.) Philometor is praised for the mildness and hu- manity of his disposition, qualities which distinguish him not only by comparison with his brother, but even beyond most of his predecessors. Polybius even tells us that not a single citizen of Alexandria was put to death by him for any political or private offence. In the earlier years of his reign he allowed himself to fall into weakness and indolence, but his subsequent conduct in the wars of Cyprus and Syria shows that he was by no means deficient in occasional energy. On the whole, if not one of the greatest, he was at least one of the best of the race of the Ptolemies. (Polyb. xl. 12 ; Diod. Exc. Vales, p. 594.) He left three children : 1. A son, Ptolemy, who was proclaimed king after his father's death, under the name of Ptolemy Eupator, but was put to death almost immediately after by his uncle Euergetes. 2. A daughter, Cleopatra, married first to Alexander Bala, then to Demetrius II. king of Syria; and COIN OF PTOLEMAEUS VI., KING O? EGYPT. QQ