(CASSANDER, king of Macedonia, by Thessalonica, sister of Alexander the
Great. In his quarrel with his elder brother Antipater for the government [ANTIPATER], he called in the aid of Pyrrhus of Epirus and
Demetrius Poliorcetes. To the former he was compelled to surrender, as the price of his
alliance, the land on the sea-coast of Macedonia, together with the provinces of Ambracia,
Acarnania, and Amphilochia. (Plut. Pyrrh. p. 386b.) Demetrius, according
to Plutarch (Demetr. 906, a.), arrived after Pyrrhus had retired, and when matters, through his
mediation, had been arranged between the brothers. Demetrius, therefore, was now an unwelcome
visitor, and Alexander, while he received ceived him with all outward civility, is said by
Plutarch to have laid a plan for murdering him at a banquet, which was baffled, however, by
the precaution of Demetrius. (Demetr. 906, a. b.) The next day Demetrius
took his departure, and Alexander attended him as far as Thessaly. Here, at Larissa, he went
to dine with Demetrius, and (taking no guards with him by a fancied refinement of policy) was
assassinated, together with his friends who attended him, one of whom is said to have
exclaimed, that Demetrius was only one day beforehand with them. (Plut. Demetr. p. 906c. d.;