VI.  In memory of Berenike and Ptolemy he named a boy who was now born to him Ptolemy, and gave the name of Berenike to a city which he founded on the peninsula of Epirus.  He now began to revolve great designs, casting his eyes especially upon the territory of his neighbours; and he was soon enabled to interfere in the affairs of Macedonia on the following grounds.  The elder of the sons of Kassander put his mother, Thessalonika, to death, and drove his younger brother Alexander into exile.  This prince now applied both to Demetrius and to Pyrrhus for aid.  Demetrius was engaged in other matters and was slow to render him any assistance, but Pyrrhus offered his services, demanding as the price of his assistance the districts called Stymphaea and Paranaea in Macedon itself, and of the Macedonian conquests Ambrakia, Akarnania, and Amphilochia.  The youth agreed to these terms, and Pyrrhus at once occupied those countries, which he secured by garrisoning their fortresses, while he began to press Antipater hard in his endeavours to gain the remainder of Macedonia for his brother.  At this time king Lysimachus, an eager partisan of Antipater, was too much occupied with other matters to send him any material help, but, knowing that Pyrrhus would never disoblige or thwart Ptolemy in anything, sent a forged letter to him, in which it was stated to be Ptolemy’s desire that he should withdraw his forces on the receipt of three hundred talents from Antipater.  Pyrrhus, however, as soon as he opened the letter saw the deceit; for it did not begin with Ptolemy’s usual greeting to him, “The father to the son wishes health” but “King Ptolemy to king Pyrrhus wishes health.”  He reproached Lysimachus for his conduct, but nevertheless made a peace, which they all met to ratify by a solemn oath upon a sacrifice.  A bull, a boar, and a ram were brought to the altar, when suddenly the ram fell down dead.  The others laughed at this, but the soothsayer Theodotus, who was conducting the sacrifice forbad Pyrrhus to swear, saying that Heaven by this portended the death of one of the three kings who were there met together.  Pyrrhus therefore refused to ratify the peace.

VII.  Alexander now was in a fair way to succeed, when he was joined by Demetrius, who was evidently unwelcome, and a dangerous ally.  Before many days had passed the two princes, from mutual distrust, began to plot against each other.  Demetrius, seizing his opportunity, assassinated the youthful Alexander, and proclaimed himself king of Macedonia.  He had before this been on bad terms with Pyrrhus, who had made incursions into Thessaly, and the usual disease of princes, grasping covetousness, had made them suspicious and quarrelsome neighbours, especially since the death of Deidameia.  Now, however, as they both claimed Macedonia, they were brought into direct collision, and Demetrius, after mating a campaign in AEtolia and leaving Pantauchus with a large force to guard his conquests there, himself marched against