45.11
(Livy
takes up the history from Book 24.19) Antiochus was now master of the rest
of Egypt, but after his check before Alexandria he retired from its walls. The
elder Ptolemy, whose restoration to his throne Antiochus pretended was his
sole object in invading Egypt was left at Memphis, and Antiochus withdrew
his army into Syria, prepared to attack whichever brother should prove
victorious. Ptolemy was quite aware of his intention, and hoped that by
playing upon his brother's fears and holding out the prospect of a siege he
might possibly, with the active assistance of his sister and the acquiescence
of his brother's friends, be admitted into Alexandria. He began a
correspondence with his sister and his brother's friends, and continued to
write to them until he had come to terms with them. What made him
suspicious of Antiochus was that after handing over the rest of Egypt he had
left a strong garrison in Pelusium. It was obvious that Antiochus was holding
the key of Egypt in order to make a fresh invasion whenever he chose, and
for Ptolemy to engage in intestine strife with his brother would prove to be
his ruin, since, even if victorious, he would be no match for Antiochus after
an exhausting war. These wise reflections met with the approval of his
brother and his friends, and his sister helped him very largely by her advice
and her appeals to the brother. So peace was made, and he was admitted into
Alexandria with everybody's consent; even the populace manifested no
opposition, though they had suffered severely both during the investment
and after the retirement of the enemy, as no supplies were being brought in
from the rest of Egypt. This ought to have given the liveliest satisfaction to
Antiochus, had his motive for bringing his army into Egypt really been the
restoration of Ptolemy. For this was the pretext he alleged in all his
communications to the cities of Greece and Asia, and in his replies to their
deputations. But he was so intensely annoyed at what had happened that he
began to make preparations for war in a much more aggressive and ruthless
temper against the two brothers than he had previously shown against the
one. He at once sent his fleet to Cyprus, and in the first days of spring set his
army in motion for Egypt and advanced into Coelo-Syria. When near
Rhinocolura he was met by envoys from Ptolemy, who thanked him for the
recovery of his ancestral crown and begged him to protect the boon he had
conferred and to say clearly what he wanted rather than attack him as an
enemy by force of arms after being his friend. Antiochus replied that he
would not recall his fleet or withdraw his army on any other conditions than
the cession of Cyprus and of Pelusium and the surrounding country at the
mouth of the Nile. He further fixed a day by which he was to receive a reply
stating the acceptance of the conditions.