1Meanwhile those wars were kindled which were waged to the point of annihilation after Alexander's death, and all combined to crush Perdiccas. 1Although Eumenes saw that he was weak, because he alone was forced to resist everyone, he nevertheless did not desert his friend, nor was he more eager for safety than for loyalty. 2Perdiccas had put him in charge of that part of Asia which lies between the Taurus mountains and the Hellespont, and had set him alone against his European opponents; 2he himself had set out to attack Egypt against Ptolemy. 3Eumenes, since he had neither large nor steady forces, because they were both untrained and had been gathered not long before, while Antipater and Craterus were said to be approaching and to have crossed the Hellespont with a great army of Macedonians, men outstanding both in renown and in experience of war (and the Macedonian soldiers then had the reputation which the Romans now enjoy: for those who held supreme power have always been considered the bravest): Eumenes understood that, if his troops learned against whom they were being led, they would not only refuse to go but would melt away the moment the news came.
5Therefore this seemed to him the wisest course: to lead the soldiers by out-of-the-way routes, on which they could not hear the truth, and to persuade them that he was marching against some barbarians. 6And he kept to this plan, and led the army out into line and joined battle before his soldiers knew with whom they were crossing arms. 6By seizing positions in advance he also brought it about that he fought with his cavalry, in which he was stronger, rather than with his infantry, in which he was weaker.