ose life, like that of
Arridaeus, was soon to end with his minority; Lysimachus was trying
to form a kingdom in Thrace; and Seleucus had for a brief period held
Babylonia.

Ptolemy bore no part in the wars which brought about these changes,
beyond being once or twice called upon to send troops to guard his
province of Cole-Syria.

[Illustration: 057.jpg Alexander adoring Horus]

But Antigonus, in his ambitious efforts to stretch his power over all
the provinces, had by force or by treachery driven Seleucus out of
Babylon, and forced him to seek Egypt for safety, where Ptolemy received
him with the kindness and good policy which had before gained so many
friends. No arguments of Seleucus were wanting to persuade Ptolemy that
Antigonus was dreaming of universal conquest, and that his next attack
would be upon Egypt. He therefore sent ambassadors to make treaties of
alliance with Cassander and Lysimachus, who readily joined him against
the common enemy.

The large fleet and army which Antigonus got together for the invasion
of Egypt proved his opinion of the strength and skill of Ptolemy. All
Syria, except one or two cities, laid down its arms before him on his
approach. But he found that the whole of the fleet had been already
removed to the ports of Egypt, and he ordered Phoenicia to furnish him
with eight thousand shipbuilders and carpenters, to build galleys from
the forests of Lebanon and Antilibanus, and ordered Syria to send four
hundred and fifty thousand medimni, or nearly three millions of bushels
of wheat, for the use of his army within the year. By these means he
raised his fleet to two hundred and forty-three long galleys or ships of
war.

Ptolemy was for a short time called off from the war in Syria by a
rising in Cyrene. The Cyrenians, who clung to their Doric love of
freedom, and were latterly smarting at its loss, had taken arms and were
besieging the Egyptian, or, as they would have called themselves, the
Macedonian garrison, who had shut themselves up in the citadel. He at
first sent messengers to order the Cyrenians to return to their duty;
but his orders were not listened to; the rebels no doubt thought
themselves safe, as his armies seemed more wanted on the eastern
frontier; his messengers were put to death, and the siege of the citadel
pushed forward with all possible speed. On this he sent a large land
force, followed by a fleet, in order to crush the revolt at a single
blow; and the ringlea