Many saved themselves in this way.  They came without weapons, worn out and desperate, to the shore; others were drowned or eaten by crocodiles.  Some were carried down-stream, and reached the shore where the enemy stood.  Two thousand men were missing, many officers among them.  The camp of the Egyptians was situated on the other side, and they could be seen helping the men in the water and burning logs of wood to show honour to the dead.  On this side of the river there was sad silence; each man sought his comrade, or officer, and sought in vain.  Food was scarce, and there was no means of overcoming this dreadful state of affairs; night came on, and curses and complaints were heard on all sides.  The lives of so many brave men had been sacrificed for nothing; it was bad enough to lose the “honour of their arms,” but now, through the stupidity of their leader, their lives had been lost, and to be swallowed by crocodiles was now the distinguished death of Macedonian warriors.  Many of the officers went to the tent of the regent, and told him openly that he was the cause of this calamity.  Outside the tent the Macedonians yelled, beside themselves with rage.  About a hundred of the officers, headed by the satrap Python, refused to share further responsibility, resigned their commissions, and left the tent.  The excitement grew intense.  The troops, in ungovernable rage, entered the regent’s tent and threw themselves upon him.  Antigonus struck the first blow, others followed, and, after a desperate but short struggle, Perdiccas fell to the ground covered with wounds.

Thus died Perdiccas, in the third year of his regency.  His great idea, the unity of the kingdom entrusted to his care, should have made him worthy of more success had he given himself up to this idea with more conscientiousness.  Unfortunately, with growing power, he became despotic and unjust.  He was not great enough to become the successor of Alexander, to be another “ruler of the world.”  This last step, the one which was to lead him to his long-coveted goal, led him instead to his death.

Ptolemy soon heard the news, and the next morning he crossed the river and came to the camp.  He asked to be taken to the kings, presented them and some of the nobles with gifts; was kind and considerate to all, and was greeted with great joy.  Then he called the troops together and spoke to them.  He told the Macedonians that it was only stern necessity that caused him to take up arms against his old comrades.  No man regretted more than he the untimely death of so many heroes.  Perdiccas was the cause of this calamity; he had but received his just punishment.  Now all enmity was to be ended.  He had saved as many as he could from death in the water, and the corpses which the river had brought to the shore he had buried with all honour; and finally he told them that he had given orders for the immediate alleviation of the want which he knew was being felt in the camp.