Pyrrhus   

immediate friends, giving and receiving many presents; here Gelo,
one of the friends of Neoptolemus, taking Pyrrhus by the hand, presented
him with two pair of draught oxen. Myrtilus, his cup-bearer, being
then by, begged these of Pyrrhus, who not giving them to him, but
to another, Myrtilus extremely resented it, which Gelo took notice
of, and, inviting him to a banquet (amidst drinking and other excesses,
as some relate, Myrtilus being then in the flower of his youth), he
entered into discourse, persuading him to adhere to Neoptolemus, and
destroy Pyrrhus by poison. Myrtilus received the design, appearing
to approve and consent to it, but privately discovered it to Pyrrhus,
by whose command he recommended Alexicrates, his chief cup-bearer,
to Gelo, as a fit instrument for their design, Pyrrhus being very
desirous to have proof of the plot by several evidences. So Gelo,
being deceived, Neoptolemus, who was no less deceived, imagining the
design went prosperously on, could not forbear, but in his joy spoke
of it among his friends, and once at an entertainment at his sister
Cadmea's talked openly of it, thinking none heard but themselves.
Nor was any one there but Phaenarete the wife of Samon, who had the
care of Neoptolemus's flocks and herds. She, turning her face towards
the wall upon a couch, seemed fast asleep, and having heard all that
passed, unsuspected, next day came to Antigone, Pyrrhus's wife, and
told her what she had heard Neoptolemus say to his sister. On understanding
which Pyrrhus for the present said little, but on a sacrifice day,
making an invitation for Neoptolemus, killed him; being satisfied
before that the great men of the Epirots were his friends, and that
they were eager for him to rid himself of Neoptolemus, and not to
content himself with a mere petty share of the government, but to
follow his own natural vocation to great designs, and now when a just
ground of suspicion appeared, to anticipate Neoptolemus by taking
him off first.
In memory of Berenice and Ptolemy he named his son by Antigone, Ptolemy,
and having built a city in the peninsula of Epirus, called it Berenicis.
From this time he began to revolve many and vast projects in his thoughts;
but his first special hope and design lay near home, and he found
means to engage himself in the Macedonian affairs under the following
pretext. Of Cassander's sons, Antipater, the eldest, killed Thessalonica,
his mother, and expelled his brother Alexander, who sent to Demetrius
entreating his assistance, and also called in Pyrrhus; but Demetrius
being retarded by multitude of business, Pyrrhus, coming first, demanded
in reward of his service the districts called Tymphaea and Parauaea
in Macedon itself and of their new conquests, Ambracia, Acarnania,
and Amphilochia. The young prince giving way, he took possession of
these countries, and secured them with good garrisons, and proceeded
to reduce for Alexander himself other parts of the kingdom which he
gained from Antipater. Lysimachus, designing to send aid to Antipater,
was involved in much other business, but knowing Pyrrhus would not
disoblige Ptolemy, or deny him anything, sent pretended letters to
him as from Ptolemy, desiring him to give up his expedition, upon
the payment of three hundred talents to him by Antipater. Pyrrhus,
opening the letter, quickly discovered the fraud of Lysimachus; for
it had not the accustomed style of salutation, "The father to the
son, health," but "King Ptolemy to Pyrrhus, the king, health;" and
reproaching Lysimachus, he notwithstanding made a peace, and they
all met to confirm it by a solemn oath upon sacrifice. A goat, a bull,
and a ram being brought out, the ram on a sudden fell dead. The others
laughed, but Theodotus the prophet forbade Pyrrhus to swear, declaring
that Heaven by that portended the death of one of the three kings,
upon which he refused to ratify the peace.
The affairs of Alexander being now in some kind of settlement, Demetrius
arrived, contrary, as soon appeared, to the desire and indeed not
without the alarm of Alexander. After they had been a few days together,
their mutual jealousy led them to conspire against each other; and
Demetrius, taking advantage of the first occasion, was beforehand
with the young king, and slew him, and proclaimed himself King of