Cytye and to all the reste of the contreye of lidia he gaue libertye to liue vnder their owne lawes He got also into his possessyon the Cytye of Epheses by reason that the fourth daye after the battell yt was abandoned of the guarison which Darius set ther. Magnesia In the meane season ther cam Anbassedours froÌ„ Magnesia froÌ„ the TralliaÌ„s proffering the delyuery of thier Cities Parmenio was sent to theÌ„ with .iii. Meliton thousand fotemen .cc. horsemen Helicarnassus wyth whych powre he wan Miletum that sâ—od at defeÌ„ce marching froÌ„ theÌ„s toward helycarnassus got al the townes therabouts at the first approche afterwardes besieged helicarnassus yt self which with great trauaile he wan at length Ada the Quene of Carya rased to the ground As Alexander entered into Caria Orontocâ—tes Ada the QueÌ„e of that Countrey Alynda which had bene spoiled of al hir Domynion by Orontobates Darius lieutenant sauinge of one strong Citye called Alinda mette with Alexander and adopted hym for hir sonne and heire He wold not refuse the name the proffer of hir liberalitie but dyd betake to hyr againe the custody of hyr owne Citie Licia And besides for the memory of hyr beneuolens put the hole Contrey of Caria vnder hyr rule and subiection From thence he wente into Lycia and Pamphilia to th entent that by gettyng the possession of the sea costes of those contries Pamphilia shulde causse the sea powre of Darius to stand to none effecte wheÌ„ he had ones subdued the people of Pisydia Pisydia he entred into Phrigia by the which contrey he was enforsed to passe and marched towards Darius Phrigia with whom he had great desire to encounter hearynge saye that he was comming against him with many thousand of men of warre ¶ The thyrde boke of Quyntus Curtius of the Actâ—s of the great Alexander Kyng of Macedon Geander ALexander in the meane season hauing seÌ„te GeaÌ„der to wage meÌ„ of warre out of Peleponese established the contreis of Lycia and Pamphilia remoued his Armye to the Citye of Celenas Celenas Marcia throughe thys Citye theyr rane the same tyme the Riuer of Marcia verie famous in the greake poesis whose hed springing out of the tope of an highe mountayne and fallyng downe vpon a rock beneth made muche nose toringe It floweth from thence and watreth the feldes all about wythout encrease of any streame sauing hys owne The collore wherof being like vnto the calmeese gaue occasion to the poetes to fayne howe the Nymphes for the delight they toke in the Riuer choise their dwellyng vnder that roke So longe as it ronnethe within compasse of the walles yt keapeth his owne name but wheÌ„ it cometh without where the streme is more swyfte vehemente is then called Lycum Lycum Alexander dyd enter into thys towne being foresaken of the Inhabitaunts and perceyuing they were fled into the castle whych he determined to winne before he departed seÌ„t frist to sommoÌ„ them by an Heraulde whych declared that except they wold yelde them selues they should suffre the extremytie of the law of Armys They brought the herauld into an highe towre which was strong both by nature and workmaÌ„ship willing him to coÌ„sider the thing to declare vnto Alexander that he wayed not sufficiently the strengthe of the place for thei said they knewe it to be impringable if the worstshuld falle yet were thei redy to dye in there truth allegeance Notwth standinge which wordes wheÌ„ it came to the pointe that thei sawe theÌ„ selues be sieged al thinges wax scarse They toke truse for lâ— dayes with thys composition that if they were not reseued by Darius within the time they wold reÌ„dre it vp into his haÌ„ds Which thei did afterwards at the dai apointed wheÌ„ thei saw no succors coming To the place there ceme Embassadors to hym froÌ„ Athens makyng request that such of there Citie as were takeÌ„ prisoÌ„res at the battel fought vppon the riuer of Granyke myght be restored to thē· To whom aunswer was made that wheÌ„ the warres of percie wer oÌ„es broÌ„ght to an end both thers al other that wer greaks shuld be restored to their libertie Alexander had his present care ImagenaroÌ„ alwaies vpoÌ„ Darius whoÌ„ he knew not yet to be passed the ryuer of Euphrates He assembled therfore all hys powre togethers purposing to adueÌ„ture the hasard of the bataile The coÌ„trey was called Phriga that he passed thorugh plentyful of villages but scarse of Cyties Cytye of Gordyn yet their was one therin of great Antiquitie called Gordin the roiall seat sometyme of Kynge Mydas The riuer Sangarius doth ronne throught yt and it standeth in midewaye tetweÌ„e the SeaÌ„ of Ponte Cilicia being iudged to be the narowest parte of Asia by reasoÌ„ of the Sees which lye on both sides representing the forme of an IlaÌ„d And if it were not for a smale point of land that do lie betwext those ses thei shuld win both togithers Alexander hauing brought this Citye vnder his boeysans entered into the temple of Iubyter were he saw the wagon wherin Mydas the builder of the Citie was wonte to ride The same in the furniture outwarde appearance differred lyttle froÌ„ other common wagoÌ„s Gordies knotte but there was in yt a thing notable which was a rope folded knit with many knots one so wrethed within an otheir that no man could perceyue the maner of yt nether where the knotes began nor wher thei eanded Vpon theys the Contremen had a prophesie that he shuld be lord of all Asia that could vndo that endles knot which matter put the kinge in a meruelus desire to become the fulfiller of that prophesie Ther stod a great nombre aboute him bothe of Phrigians Macedons â—hone parte of theÌ„ musing to what coÌ„clusioÌ„ this matter wold come to and the other feacing the rashe presiumpcoÌ„ of the kyng Forasmuch as they could perceyue bi no reasoÌ„ now the knot shuld be vndoÌ„e The Kynge him self also doughting that the failing of his purpose in the matter might be take as a tokeÌ„ of his euel fortune to come Wherfore after he had coÌ„sidred the thing What matter maketh it qd he which way it be vndone and striued nolenger how to vnknit it but out of hand cut with his sword the cordes a sondre therbi etheir illuding or els fulfilling theffecte of the prophecye When this was doÌ„e AlexaÌ„der purposed to find out Darius wher so euer he wer And to the inteÌ„t he wold leue al thinges cleare behind his back made Amphitorus captayne of his name vpon the coste of Helliespont Amphitorus comettyng the charge of the meÌ„ of warre to Egilocus Egilocus Thei two haue commissoÌ„ to deliuer the IlaÌ„ds of Lesbos Lesbos Scyo Coos Scyo Coos from the handes of the Percians And for the furniture of their chargs apointed to theÌ„ .l.
For feare is impediment to some desire vnto other and to many the self loue of the thyng that they haue deuised I will not speake of pryde nor impute it vnto you Ye haue sene experience howe euery man doth exteme that thyng only to be best whiche he him self hath inuented The diademe of a kyng that you were vpon your head is a great burden whiche if it be not borne moderatly the weight therof will oppresse the berer It is not furye can auayle in this case but wyse and prudent counsel When he had spoken those wordes he rehersed a prouerbe commonly vsed amonges the Bactrians which is that the fearfull dogge dothe barcke more then he doth byte and that the depest ryuers doth runne with lest noyse Whiche thinges I haue rehersed because suche prudence may appeare as remayned amonges the Barbarous As he talked after this maner suche as haâ—de him wondred to what ende his tale woulde come to Then he began to shewe his aduise whiche was more proffitable to bessus then gratefull Alexanders celerity qd he is suche that he is come in maner to the entrey of your court He can remoue his armye before you can remoue this table You say that you will drawe your assistaunce from the ryuer of Tanais and that you will put ryuers betwixt you your enemies I would know if he be not able to folowe whersoeuer you shall flee If the way be indifferent it must nedes be moste easy and assured to the victorer And though you thinke feare wil make much spede yet hope is more swifter It were therfore me thinkes expedieÌ„t to procure the fauour of hym that is the mightiest and yelde your self vnto the stronger Howe soeuer he shal accept it your fortune is more lyke to be better that way then to remayne still an enemy Consider that you possesse another mans kyngdome and therfore ye may the better departe therwithall For ye cannot be a iust kyng till you receiue the kyngdome of hym that is able to gyue it and toke it away This is a faythfull counsell wherfore it is not necessary to delay the execution therof The horse that of noble courage is gouerned with the shadowe of a rodde But the dulle beast is not pricked forward with the spoores Bessus that was fierse of nature and well set forwardes with drynking became in suche a fury with his wordes that he could scarsely be holden by his frendes from the sleing of Cobares for he pulled out his sworde to haue done the dede and departed out of the feast in a greate rage But Cobares in this store escaped away came vnto Alexander Bessus had .viii. M BactriaÌ„s armed attending vpon him Which so loÌ„g as they iudged the by reasoÌ„ of the inteÌ„peratnes of the ayre in those partes that Macedons woulde rather haue gone into Inde then into Bactria were verye obediente at his commaundemente But when they vnderstode that Alexander was commynge towardes theim euerye one shronke away and forsoke Bessus Then he with a band of his familie whiche were yet faiethfull vnto him passed the riuer of Oxus Oxus burnynge suche boâ—â—es as caried him ouer because that the same shoulde not serue his enemie in folowynge him and assembled a newe power amonges the Sogdians Alexander as it hath ben said before passed the mounte Caucasus but for lacke of corne his army was brought in maner to the extremitie of hoÌ„ger In stede of oyle they were faine to noint them selues with iuse whiche they wringe out of Sesema but euerie measure therof called Amphora was solde for .ccxl. deners euery like measure of honye for cccxc and of wyne for .ccc. and yet of the same was verye little to be gotten They haue in that countrey certaine vessels called Syri which thinhabitauÌ„tes vse to hide so priuely that they can not be fouÌ„d except they be digged for within the earth The couÌ„trey men bury their corne after that maner for want wherof the souldiours were fayne to lyue with herbes and suche fishe as thei caught in the Riuers But that kynde of fode wantinge also they were enforced to slea their beastes that caried their baggage and with the fleshe of theim liued till thei came into Bactria The description of Bactria The nature of the soyle of whiche countrey is diuers and of sundrye kindes Some place is plentifull of woode and vines and aboundaunte of pleasaunte fâ—uite the grounde fatte well watered and full of springes Those partes which be most temperate are sowed with corne and the rest be reserued for fedyng of beastes But the greater part of that countrey is couered ouer with baraine sandes withered vp for want of moisture nourishing niether man nor bringinge forth fruite But with certaine windes that come from the sea of Ponte the saÌ„d in the plaines is blowen together in heapes whiche seme a farre of like great hilles wherby the accustomed wayes be damned so that no signe of them can appere Therfore such as do passe those plaines vse to obserue the starres in the night as thei do that sayle the seas by the course of theÌ„ direct their iourney The nightes for the more parte be brighter then the dayes wherfore in the daye time the countrey is wild and vnpassable when they can nether finde any tracte nor waye to go in nor marke or signe whereby to passe the starres beyng hidden by the miste If the same wind chaunce to come duryng the time that meÌ„ be passyng it ouerwhelmeth them with sande Where the countrey is temperate it bringeth forth great plenty both of men horse So that the Bactrians may make .xxx. M. horsemen Bactria whiche is the heade citie of that region standeth vnder a mountaine called Parapanisus Parapanysus Bactras the riuer called Bactras runneth by the walles wherof both the citye and the countrey take their names Alexander liyng there in campe receiued aduertisemeÌ„t out of Grece how the Lacedemonians and the whole countrey of Peliponese had rebelled againste him For thei had not lost the battail at such time as the messeÌ„gers were dispatched that brought the newes of their reuolt In the necke of this euil tidinges there came another presente terroure whiche was that the Scythians inhabitynge beyonde the riuer of Tanays were comming to ayde Bessus And at the same tyme tidynges was brought him of the battayle that Caranus and Erigius hadde fought amonges the Arians Caranus Erigius where Satybarzanes that was newlye reuolted beynge chiefe of the countrey seynge the battayle to stande equall on bothe sides ridde into the fore fronte and plucked of his helmet forbiddyng anye of his syde eyther to caste darte or strike anye stroke and there make a chalenge to fight hande to hande if any man durste come forthe and proue his strength Erigius capitayne to the Macedons was a man striken in yeres But yet not inferiour to any yong man either in stowtnes of stomake or strength of bodye who could not beare the
affirmed their original to come of Bacchê° who in dede builded their city at the fote of a mouÌ„taine called Meroe The mouÌ„te Meroe The qualitie of whiche mountaine being reported to Alexander by thinhabiters he sent vittels before passed thether with his whole armye ascendyng vp to the toppe The mountayne grew ful of vynes Iuie aboundyng with sprynges that flowed out in euery place The same was also pleÌ„tiful of many kindes of Apples of most pleasaunt taste the ground also brought forthe corne without any cultiuation There grew also pleÌ„ty of Laurell trees with many kind of wild frute I caÌ„ not impute it to any mâ—cion of religioÌ„ but rather to pleÌ„ty and wantonnes that caused theÌ„ to repaire thither wherof the Iuye and the vyne leaues they made them selfes garlandes and ran vp and downe after a dissolute maner all the holowes and valeyes there about rebounding with the voice of so many thousandes calling vpoÌ„ Bacchus to whom that place was dedicate Which licence and libertie begonne a fewe was spredde sosodeinly through out the hole armye that the souldiers scatered abrode wythout ordre lay heare and there reposing them selues vpon the grasse and leaues they had gathered togither as it had bene in a time of quiet and moste assured peace Whiche lycensiousnes of the souldiers rising by chaunce Alexander dyd not withstand but ten daies togither made feastes to Bacchus during which tyme he plentyfully banketed hys hole armye Who can therefore denye but that greatnes of fame and glory is oftentymes a benefite rather of fortune then of vertue for ther enemies had no harte to set vpon them whiles they were drowned in thys excesse of banketting dronkenship and drowsenes but were as much afrayed of there dronken noyse as if they had hard there cry encountring with them in battell whiche felicitie preseruing them here did afterwardes defend them after the same maner in the middes of their enemies retorning as it were in triumphe from the Ocean Sea when they were giuen all to festing and to dronkenes When Alexander descended from the mountaine he went to a countrey called Dedala which thinhabiters forsoke fledde to the woods and the wyld mountaines Dedala and therfore passed from thence into Achadera Achadera which he found both burned and habandoned likewise of thinhabiters wherby of necessitye he was compelled to vse the warre after an other maner For he deuided hys armye into diuers partes shewed his powre in many places at ones By which meanes he oppressed them before they coulde prouide and subdued them to their vtter ruyne Ptolomeus toke most Cities but Alexander wanne the greateste and afterwardes ioyned agayne his armye togither which he had thus deuided Coaspe That done he went forwards and passed a riuer called Coaspe where he left Cenon to besiege a riche Cytie called Bezira Bezira Amazaga and he him selfe went to Amazaga where Assacanns beinge deade had lefte the dominion both of the countrey and the Citie to his mother Cleophes Quene Cleophes There were .xxx. thousand fotemen to defend that Cytie whiche bothe was well fortified and stronge of scituacion â–ª being enclosed vpon the este with a swift riuer that hath sâ—epe bankes defendyng the cytie â–ª that it caÌ„not be approched on that side vpon the South and the weste partes nature as it were for the nonce had planted high rockes betwyxt the which there laye depe holowes and pittes made of old antyquitie wheras the rockes cessed ther began a dike of a wouÌ„derfull depth and widenes The wall wherwith the citie was enclosed was .xxxv. furlonges in compasse whereof the nether partes were builded of stonne and the vpper partes of Claye Yet stones were mixed with the clay to the intent that the fraille substance clinging to the hardre the one should bynd the other And left the earth wasshed vpon with the raine might fal altogether there were stanchinges of Tymbre put betwixt to stay the holle worck Which couered ouer wyth bordes was a waye for men to go vpon Alexander beholding this kynde of fortificacion was vncertayne what to do For he sawe he could not approche to the walles but by fylling of those dikes and holowe places And that he could not otherwise fil theÌ„ then by making of a mounte which was the only way he had to bryng his engines to the walles But whiles he was viewing the towne after that maner he was striken from the wall with an arrowe in the thieghe Which he pulled out and without wrappinge of his wound called for his horse and letted not for hys hurt to giue order for such thinges as he though expedient But at length when by hanging of hys legge the blod drue from the wounde and waxed colde wherby hys hurte beganne to payne hym he then sayde That he was called the Sonne of Iuppiter but he felt in hym self the passions of a deseased bodye Yet notwithstandyng he would not returne into the campe before he had viewed all thinges that were necessary and apoynted all thinges he would haue done After that the souldiers had receyued there apointment by pluâ—kyng downe of houses without the towne they gotte great plenty of stuf to make the mount withal And by casting stockes of trees on heapes into the dykes and holowe places the mount within nyne dayes was raised vp to the top of the wales and the towres were planted vpon the same such was the labour and dilygence the souldiers vsed in the matier The kynge before hys wounde was closed vp went to see howe the workes went forwarde and when he parceyued them in such case commended the souldiers for there dilygence caused thyngynes to be brought to the walles out of the whych they that defended the walles were sore afflicted wyth shotte And by reason they had not sene any such kynd of worke were wonderfully amased spesially when they beheld the towres of suche bignes come forwardes and yet coulde not perceiue bâ— what meanes they were moued iudged those things to be done by the powre of the Gods And besides they could not think it a mateir of mans inuencion that so great dartes and speares as came amonges them should be shot by engynes disperyng therefore of the defence of there Citye they retired into the Castle And bicause they could not be satisfied any maner of waie til they had yealded theÌ„ selfes â–ª they sent Embasseadors to the king to ask pardon Which thing obtained at his hands the Quene with a great trayne of noble women came furth bearing in there handes cuppes of gold ful of wyne Who presenting her little sonne before the kinges feete not onely obtayned pardonne but also restorement of her former dignytie Wherefore some thought that her beuty procured hir more fauore then his mercie But this is certaine that the child which afterwardes she brought furth who soeuer did beget it was called AlexaÌ„der FroÌ„ this place Polycarpon was sent with a powre vnto a City
made his powre inuincible After all these thinges beyng happely brought to passe he toke to wyfe Olympias one of the daughters of Neoptolenius Kyng of the Molossons Olimpias Philippes wyfe whiche mariage was coÌ„cluded by the meanes of Arisba Arisba who hauiÌ„g the gouernemeÌ„t of Olympias was become king by the mariage of her other sister called Troada Troada This mariage whiche he thought to haue made for his suertie turned afterwardes to his subuercion For thynking to haue made him self strong by thaffinitie of Philip he was at length by hym depryued of the hole kyngdome ending his life myserably in exile Not long after this mariage Kyng Philip dreamed that he sawe his wiues wombe wonderfully swollen Philippes dreame and to his seming a liuely Image of a lion thereuppoÌ„ by whiche dreame the deuyners dreame readers did enterprete that his wyfe was coÌ„ceiued of a chylde that should be of a lions hert and courage with whiche interpretacioÌ„ he was mitch pleased Methron Afterwardes at thassault of a citie called Methron by shot of an arrowe he loste his right eie Wherof though the displeasure was great yet was he conteÌ„t vpon their submissioÌ„ to take them to mercy He wanne also the cytie of Pagus and annexed the same vnto his kingdome Pagus He inuaded the lande of the Triballes Tryballes and at one instant conquered it with all the contreis thereaboute Thus hauyng made his kyngdome strong by subduing his neighbours at his retournyng home his wyfe Olympias was deliuered of his sonne Alexander The byrthe of Alexand the .8 daye of Aprill Of these good fortunes the kyng reioysed no lesse than reason was hauyng stablyshed his contrey at home subdued his enemies abrode â–ª and gotten an heire to succede in his kyngdome He coulde haue desired no more of God if the mynde of man could euer be satisfied whiche the more it hath the more it coueteth And as the dominion encreaseth so doth also the desire to haue more Which was wel seen in Philip that still did compasse howe to growe great by taking from his neighbours and laye alwayes like a spie awayting tyme and occasion howe to catche froÌ„ euerie man whereunto he had occasion mynistred by the Cyties of Greace for whiles one did couet to subdue an other and through ambition were at strife who should be chief by one and one at laste he brought all to subiection firste persuadyng the smaler states to moue warre agaynste the greater and to serue his purpose contcyued the wayes to set them all together by the eares but at lenght when his practizes were perceyued dyuers Cyties fearyng his encrease confeadered agaynste hym as their commen ennemye and namely the Thebans Neuertheles in a necessitie when they were dryuen to wage men of warre they chose hym to be there generall Capitaine agaynste the Lacedemonians and the Phoceans Philip chosen Captain agaynst the Phoceans and the LacedemoniaÌ„s whiche had spoyled the temple of Apollo This warre he honorablie acheued so that by pounysshement of their sacryledge he gat hym self great honour in all those places But in th ende espyeng either of those Countreis to be brought lowe with warre he founde the meanes to subdue both the one and the other compellyng as well the ouercommers as the ouercomme to be his Tributaries and subiectes Then made he a voyage into Cappadoce where killyng and takyng all the Princes there aboutes prisoners reducede the hole prouince to the subiection of Macedon He conquered Olinthus and within a while put his fote in Thrace For where the two Kynges of that countrey were at variaunce aboute the limites of ther kyngdomes and choyse hym to be Arbitrer he gladly toke it vpon hym but at the daye aâ—oynted for the Iugement he came not thither like a Iudge in a Counsell but like a warrier with an army and to parte the strife expulsid both the partes from their kyngdomes By this time yong Alexander was of twelue yeares of age The towardnes of Alexander and began to take great delyght in the feates of warre shewyng moste manifeste signes â—f noble harte and Princely courage He was very swifte of foote and one daie at a solempne game of ronnyng called Olimpiacum beyng demaunded by some of his Companions whether he would ronne a rase with them gladly quod he If I had kynges sonnes to ronne withall Another tyme when certayne Embassadours of the Percians came into Macedon Alexander whiche in his fathers absence toke vpon hym their entertaynement and deuisyng with them of diuers thinges and in all his communication there neuer passed from him one chyldishe or vaine worde but either he enquired the state of their Countrey the maners of the people the distance of the waies the powre of their kyng or the order of his warres and suche other like So that the Embassadours hauing meruaill the rat esteamed the prouffe of the father to be muche lesse theÌ„ the towardnes of the sonne and that his courage was muche more then was to be loked for in one of his yeres As ofteÌ„ as tidinges came that the kyng his father had wonne any stronge or ryche Towne or obteyned any notable victory He neuer seamed greatly ioyfull but would saye to his playe fellowes my father doth so many great actes that he will leaue no occasion of any notable thing for vs to do together Suche were his wordes suche was his talke whereby it was easy to coÌ„iecture what a maÌ„ he would after proue in age whiche so begaÌ„ in youth His delight was not set in any kynde of pleasure or gredines of gayne but in the only exercise of vertue and desire of honoure And the more aucthoritie that he receiued of his father the lesse he would seame to beare And although by the great encrease of his fathers dominion it semed that he should haue the lesse occasion to vse the warres yet he did not set his delight in vayne pleasure or heapyng vp of treasure but sought all the meanes he could to vse mercial feates and exercises of warre coueting suche a kingdome wherein for his vertue and proues he might purchase fame and immortalitie whiche hope neuer deceiued Alexander nor any other when it happeneth in a maÌ„ of vertue and noble hert that hath wille or occasion to put the same in vre Alexander was coÌ„mitted to the gouernementes of Aristotle The charge and gouernaunce of this young Prince was committed to sondrie excelleÌ„t Maisters and Gouernours but chiefly to the greate Philosopher Aristotle whose vertue learnyng and knowledge Kynge Philip so muche estemed that he would often saye he toke no greater comforte in the byrthe of his sonne then in that he was prouided of suche a Maister for hym as Aristotle vnder whose tuicion he remayned ten yeares Many thynges there chaunsed besydes whereby it was coniectured that Alexander should proue a man of greate valoure The oracle at Delphos For when his father sent to Delphos
the countrey whiche his parte had bene to defend from destructiō Of his departure it came to passe that those whiche he left behynd thynking them selues betrayed would not so muche as abyde the fyght of their enemies when a muche lesse nōbre had bene sufficient to haue kept the passage The destruccion o◠Cilicia For the scituaciō of Cilicia is suche that it is enuironed round about with a continuall rough and steade Mountayne whiche rysing from the sea on the one syde fetchyng a compasse aboute ioyneth againe with the sea on the other syde Through that parte of this Mountayne whiche lieth furdest from the Sea beyng thre narowe and rough passages by one of the whiche they must entre that will passe into Cilicia This coūtrey towardes the Sea is playne and full of Riuers amonges which two be notable Pyramus and Cydnus Pyramus Cydnus but Cydnus moste speciall not so muche for his greatnes as for the clerenes of his water whiche from his firste spryng ronneth plesauntly through all the Countrey and hath no other Ryuer runnyng into hym to disturbe the purenes of his streame For whiche cause it remayneth alwaies clere ▪ and also coold by reason of the woodes that do shadowe all the banckes Tyme hath consumed many antiquities within that countrey whiche be remembred of the Poeres There maie yet be sene the foundacions of the Cities of Lyrnessus Lyrnessus Cebestus Coricius and Cebestus with the caue and woode of Coricius where saffron groweth with many other thynges whereof nothyng remayneth sauyng only the same When Alexander entred the straytes that before be mencioned and beheld the scituacion of them he neuer in all his life marueiled more of his owne felicitie and good fortune confessyng that it had not bene possible for hym to haue passed if any had stand at defence agaynst hym for that with stones only he myght haue bene destressed and the strayte besydes was so narrowe that there could not passe aboue foure in a front To thencrease of whiche difficulty the toppes of the Mountaynes hong ouer the ways whiche in many places were broken and made hollowe with the streames that ranne downe from the hilles Alexander sent the Thracians that were lyght armed to scower discouer the ways for feare the enemies should lye there in busshement and sodeynly breake forth vpon hym He appoyncted also a bād of Archers to take the toppe of the hyl which were willed so to marche that they myght be alwayes in a redines to fyghte After this maner he came with his army to the Cytie of Tarson Tarson whiche was set on fyre by the Percions because that Alexander should fynde no herborow there But Parmeno was sent thether with a choyse nomber of horsemen to quenche the fyer who vnderstandyng that the enemies were fled away through his commyng entred into the Cytie and by that meanes saued it from burnyng The Ryuer of Cydnus spoken of before dyd ronne through this Cytie where the kyng arryued about mydday it beynge in the Sommer season what tyme the heate is no where more feruent then in that countrey He toke suche delyght in the pleasauntnes of the water that he would nedes bathe his body to washe awaye the sweate dust he had caught and being in an heate entred naked into the water in euery mans syght thynckyng it should be a contentacion to his souldiers to se that the furnemētes about his body was no other but suche as they cōmonly vsed to weare Alexander by bathing in a Ryuer became in great perill of his life He was not so sone entred but all the partes of his body began to shake tremble his face waxed pale the liuely heate was mortified in all partes of his body His seruauntes toke hym vp and caried hym into his tent as one besides him self and at the poinct of death Then there was a great desolacion and heuines in the campe they wepte lamented and bewayled that suche a Kyng so noble a Capitaine as had not bene sene in any age should thus be taken from them in the chief of his enterprise and brunte of all his busines and that after suche a manner not in battaile slayne by his enemies but thus cast away bathing in a ryuer It greued them that Darius now beyng at hand should obtein the victory by suche a chaunce without seing of his enemy that they should be enforced to retourne back agayne as men vanquysshed by those Countreis through the whiche they had passed before as victorers In whiche countreis all thynges beyng destroyed by themselues or by their enemies it was of necessitie for them to dye for hunger though no man should persue them It became a question amonges them selues who should be their Capitayne in their flyeng away or what he were that durste succede Alexander And though they might saufely arriue at the Sea of Hellespont yet who should prepare them passage there And when they had disputed these questions their argument by and by was turned in compassion towardes their Prince lamentyng as mē out of their wittes that suche a floure of yought suche a force of courage as was in hym that thesame their kyng and companion in armes should after this sorte be taken from them In the meane season Alexāder began to drawe his breath somwhat better when he came vnto himselfe he lifted vp his eyes and began to knowe his frendes that were about hym the vehemens of his sicknes somwhat assuaging whiche was perceiued in that he began to vnderstand the perill he was in But the pensiuenes of his mynde was greate hinderaunce vnto his health for tidinges came that Darius within fiue dayes would be in Cilicia whiche was the thing that made him to sorowe and lamēt He could not take it but greuously that suche a victory should be plucked out of his handes through his infirmitie And that he should be taken as one tied in bondes and be put to some shamefull and vile death He called therfore to hym both his frendes and Phisiciōs and sayd vnto them ye see in what state of my busines fortune hath taken me The wordes of Alexander to his frendes in his sickenes Me thyncke the noyse of myne enemies do ringe in mine eares and I whiche moued first the warre am now chalenged and prouoked to fyght When Darius did wrytte to me suche proude letters he was not ignoraunt of myne estate yet peraduenture he shal be deceyued if I may vse myne own mynde in recouery of myne owne health My case requireth no slacke medicines nor slowe Phisicions I had rather dye sloutly at ones then to consume long tyme in my recouery Wherfore if there be any hope or connyng in physicke let it be shewed And thincke that I seke not remedy so muche for mine own life as I do for the care I haue to encountre with myne enemies When they harde him speake those wordes they were in great doubte
commyng of his enemies Whiles AlexaÌ„der was busied about these thinges he receiued plesaunt newes how his men had wonne a battaille of the Percians at Halicarnassus and that the Myndians and Cawnians Myndians Cawnians with diuers other nacions in those partes were brought vnder his obedieÌ„ce This triumphe ones ended he remoued and by a brydge made ouer the ryuer of Piramus he came to the Cytie of Malon Malon Castabulon and from thence with an other remoue came to a towne called Castabulon There Parmenio returned to the kyng whiche had bene sent to searche the strayte that lay betwene them and the Cytie of Isson He had preuented the Percians at the passage and so leuyng men for the defence therof toke the Citie of Isson that was lefte desolate Isson he departed from thence and did driue the PerciaÌ„s out of the mouÌ„taynes serched all the waies So that hauing made all thinges clere for tharmy to passe he returned again both the aucthour of the acte the reporter of the thing done Alexander encamped within the Citie debated there in couÌ„sail whether it were better to passe on further or els to tary there for a more power whiche was coÌ„ming to him out of Macedon Parmenios opinion Parmenio was of opinion that this place was moste metest to abide Dariê° in and geue him battaille where both tharmies should be of like force by reasoÌ„ of the straytes wherein no great multitude could fight at once He shewed reasons why thei ought to eschue the plaines wherein their enemies shoud haue great auantage through their great noÌ„bre that might enclose theÌ„ about Wherin he said he doubted not his enemies stoutnes but only feared that their own men might be ouercoÌ„me with werenes where a multitude should fight with a fewe freshe men succede in the place of them that fainted This counsaill was receiued for good and Alexander determined in that place to abide his enemies There was in the host of the Macedons one Sysenes a persone sent before tyme from the gouernour of Egipt vnto kyng Philip Sysenes who being aduaunced with rewarde and promocioÌ„s choyse to lyue out of his own conÌ„trey so folowing AlexaÌ„der into Asia was estemed among those that the kyng trusted well A souldier of Create deliuered hym a letter from Nabazzanes Darius Lieutenaunt wherin he exhorted him to do some notable enterprise wherby he might wynne fauour reputacioÌ„ with Darius Sysenes innoceÌ„t of this matter was about diuers times to present the letter to the king but seing him occupied with weyghty affaires of prouision for the battaille prolonged the matter And whiles he wayted for a more conuenient time he brought himself in suspicioÌ„ of treason for the letter was brought to the kinges handes before it was deliuered vnto him who readyng it did seale the same with a strong seale and caused it to be deliuered to Sysenes to proue therby his fidelite but because he counsealed the thyng many dayes and opened not the matter to the kyng it semed that he consented thereunto And therefore by the kynges commaundement he was put to death by the band of the CreteÌ„sians The Greke souldiers whiche Tymodes had receyued of Pharnabasus beyng those that Darius trusted moste were come vnto him The grekes adâ—ise They perswaded muche Darius to retire backe into the playnes of Mesopotania and if he would not do so that at the leste he should deuide his power and not commyt the hole force of his estate to one stroke of fortune This counsaill was not so displesaunt vnto the Kyng as it was to suche that were about hym For they sayd mercinary souldiours were alwayes full of treason and were to be doubted the more for that they counsayled the Army to be deuided whiche was for no other purpose but only that they myght haue commoditie to flee vnto Alexander when they should haue any charge committed vnto them There is nothyng therefore more sure for vs quod they then to enclose them round about with our army and to cut them in peces to be an ensample to the worlde that treason should neuer be vnreuenged But Darius whiche was of a meke and good disposicion Darius clemency refused to commit so cruell an acte in sleyng suche as had betaken themselues to his truste Darmes answere vnto his counsail For if we should fyle oure handes quod he with their bloude what straunge nacion would euer then committe them selues into our handes alledgyng that there ought no man to lose his lyfe for geuyng folyshe counsayll For who would be bolde to geue Counsaylle yf in counsayllyng there should be any peryll For I call you quod he to counsaill daily and heare the diuersitie of your opinions yet mistruste not theÌ„ that geue me not always the best counsaill He caused the Grekes to be aunswered that he gaue them thaÌ„kes for their good will But in retourning backe he saied he should geue vp him his countrey into his enemies haÌ„des whiche were not conuenient And considering the force that fame is of in the warre in going backe he shuld appeare to flee But to deferre the fight he thought it worste of al seing so great an army as he had the winter theÌ„ approching could not be victailed in a desolate couÌ„trey that had bene wasted both by them selues by their ennemies And for the deuiding of his power he shewed that he could not do it obseruing the customes of his predecessours which were not wont to hasard the battaille but with their hole power He declared that AlexaÌ„der before his coÌ„ming semed terrible to the worlde and through his absence was brought in a vaine presumption But after he sawe him come became ware wel aduised hiding him in the straytes of the mountaines like those coward beastes that hearing the noyse of coÌ„mers by do hide them selues in the deÌ„s of the woddes He hath blynded his souldiers qd he with his couÌ„terfeit sicknes but nowe I will not suffer him to proloÌ„ge the fyght any longer whiche if he will refuse I wyll oppresse hym in his lurkyng hole These wordes he spake with greater auaunte then truthe And sent his treasure and Iuelles with a smalle conuoye to Damasco in Syria and entred with his Army into Cilicia bryngyng with hym accordyng to hys Countrey maner both his mother his wyfe his little sonne and his doughters It chaunsed thesame night that AlexaÌ„der was come to the strayte entryng into Siria Darius came vnto the place which thei cal Pylae AmaÌ„icae Pylae Amanicae The PerciaÌ„s not doubtiÌ„g at al but that the MacedoÌ„s would haue forsaken the Citie of Isson and fled away for feare for certayne of theÌ„ that were weke and could not folowe were taken the whiche Darius through instigacion of the great men about him raging in barbarouse crueltie caused their handes to be cut of and to be lead about his campe to the enteÌ„t they might behold the multitude
the battell that the PerciaÌ„s left their enguarrison were but of smale noÌ„bre of littel force without any head He shewed how the EgipciaÌ„s vsed to rebel against their gouernours wherfore they were sure to be receiued as frendes For since necessitie qd he hath enforced vs to proue our fortunes which failiÌ„g vs in our first hope we must now thinck the thiÌ„ges to come shal be much better theÌ„ our pÌ„sent estat They al agreed with one voice that he shuld leade theÌ„ where he liste wherupoÌ„ thinking good not to pretermit thoccasioÌ„ whiles the hope was hote in their hartes coÌ„ueied theÌ„ into Egipt entred the haueÌ„ at PelusiuÌ„ vnder pretence that he had bene sent thether by Darius Pelusium WheÌ„ he had gotteÌ„ PelusiuÌ„ he set forwardes towards MeÌ„phis Memphis at the fame of wose coming the Egiptians beyng a lyght nation and more apt to make a store then to maintayne it when it is oure begonne ran to hym out of al townes and villages with entent to destroy all the Percians who notwithstanding for all the feare they were in did not leaue the defence of the countrey but fought with the Grekes and were put to flyght After that victory Amintas beseged Memphis and his men destroyed so all the countrey there aboutes that they left nothing vnspoiled Wherupon Mareches though he perceiued his souldiers much amased with the feare of their late ouerthrowe Mazeches yet when he sawe his enemies scatered abrode without ordre for the pride they had conciued of their victory at length persuaded his men to issue out of the cytie and in setting vpon their enemies to recouer again that they had lost Whiche aduise being good of it selfe toke by good handling moste fortunate â—esse for thei sâ—ewe at that tyme both Aâ—â—intas and all his company This punishement he suffred for the offence committed to both princes Being neither faithfull to Alexander whome he forsake nor to Darius to whom he fled Darius capitaines whiche escaped from the battaille at Isson gathering together such meÌ„ as wer scattered after the battaille with such power besides as they could leuie in Capaducea and Paphlagonia did attempte to recouer again the countrey of Lidia Antigonus was gouernour for Alexander there who notwithstanding that he had take many souldiers out of the guarrisones to send vnto Alexander yet he so litle estemed his enemies that he doubted not to aduenture the battaille Where the Percians receiued the like fortune they did in other places Whiche attempting the fyght in thre sondry countreis were vainguisshed in them all At the same time the nauie of the Macedons whiche Alexander had sent for out of Grece met Aristomeues whom Darius had apoincted to make warre vpoÌ„ the coast of Hellespont where they did take and drowne all his ships aristomenes Farnabazus Darius admirall hauing exacted money at Nulesium Nulesium and set guarison in Sio passed into the I le of Andros with a hundred shippes Andros Syphuns And from thence he went to Syphuns puttyng men of warre into all the Ilandes exacted of them money The greatnes of the warre that was in hand betwene two of the moste puissant princes of Asia and Europe did drawe both Grece and Crete to armes Agys the kyng of Lacedenon gathered together .viii. thousand Grekes that were come home out of Cilicia and moued warre to Antipater that was gouernour of Macedonia The Cretians folowing sometime one parte sometyme another receiued one while guarrisoners of Macedons and an other while of Lacedemonians to lie amonges them But those warres were of no great importunaunce For all mens eies were fixed vpon the warres that were in vâ—e betwene AlexaÌ„der Darius wherupon all the rest did depend The Macedons had sudbued all Siria Phenices The Citie of Tyre Tire only except which being the greatest moste notable cytie of all that couÌ„trey shewed that they estemed themselues worthy rather to ioyne with AlexaÌ„der as frendes then to become his subiectes For when he was come nere vnto them and encamped vpon the the mayn land whiche is deuided from their Cytie with a small arme of the Sea They sent to hym by their Embassadours a crowne of gold for a present with great plenty besides of victuals for his army He receiued their giftes as froÌ„ his freÌ„des and gaue gentle aunsweres vnto the Embassadours but he shewed theÌ„ that he desired to make sacrifice vnto Hercules whom the Cirians specially worshipped for the Macedons opinion was that they were desceÌ„ded of him whiche to do he saied he was admonished by an Oracle the Embassadours aunswered that there was a temple of Hercules without their Cytie in the place whiche they call PaleterioÌ„ where as he might do sacrifice at his pleasure At those wordes Alexand could not refraine his Ire whereunto he was much subiect but fell in a rage I perceiue nowe qd he because ye dwell in an Iland ye truste so muche in the Cituacion of your citie that ye despise my land power But I wil shortly do you to vnderstande that ye dwell vpon the mayne land and bring you to suche case as your Iland shal not helpe you and therfore truste to it that if ye receiue me not in I will enter by force When the Embassadours were dismissed with this aunswere suche as were nere about the king persuaded them that they should not exclude him whome all Siria and Phenises had receiued But they had conceiued such a confidence for that their Cytie stode in the sea deuyded .lxxx. furlonges from the mayn land that they vtterly determined to abyde the siege That Sea of theirs was so muche subiecte to the southwest wynd whiche made at euery storme the waues beate so highe against the Shore that it would not suffer the MacedoÌ„s to make any worcke for the ioynyng of the mayn land to the cytie it being scarsely possible to worcke any thyng there when the wether was moste caulme The Siege of Tyre The first worke that the MacedoÌ„s began was by by throweÌ„ down with the vehemens of the seas that were driueÌ„ by the wynd Nor thei could make no mole so stroÌ„g within the sea but that it was washed awaie and brought downe by beating of the waues And when the wynd blewe strenth able it wold bring the Seas clene ouer the work Ther was an other difficultie no les then this For by reasone that the walles were enuironed about wyth the deapnes of the Sea they could rayse no engine to shote but a far of out of shippes nor ther was not ani grouÌ„d about the Cytie wherupon ladders mought haue bene raised againste the walles or aproche made vpon the land Alexander had no shippes and though he had had some and would haue coueted to bryng them to the walles yet by reason of the water might with shotte easely haue bene keapt of But emonges the reste of other thinges the Tyrians were woÌ„derfully encouraged by the
commynge of the Embassadores that were sent from Cartage to celebrat there yearly sacrifice according to rhere custome Carthage For the Tyrians being the builders of Cartage were since that tyme had in veneracion as there parentes and furste founders Those Embassadores exorted theÌ„ in any wise to abide the siege and promysed them shortly and which they alleged might eselye and sone be done forsomuche as that tyme al the Seas were ful of the Cartage fletes vpon this hatâ—ing they determyned to abide thextremitie and placed ther engynes vpon the towers and the walles deuyding ther armour emoÌ„ges the yought of the Cytie The Artificers wherof that Citie had great pleÌ„ty were deuided into worcke houses to make all suche thinges as were necissarye for the warres There were deuised certaine instrimentes wherwith thei might pull downe the workes that ther ennemies made called Harpagones and also crowes of Iron which be named corui with al other thiÌ„ges that might be inuented for the defence of Cyties But a straunge thinge is reported Pâ—odigous lighted that wheÌ„ the Iron was put in the forge blowne in the fire the same was sene to be full of droppes of bloud Whiche wonder the Tirians did interprete as a token of good fortune towardes them selues as significatioÌ„ of destructioÌ„ towardes their ennemies A like thing was sene amonges the Macedons for when a certayn souldier was breakyng of his breade droppes of bloud appeared therin Whereat Alexander being astonied Aristander Aristander that was moste connyng of all the deuiners of their Religon Did enterprete thus the matter If the bloud had apered outwardly then it had signified il fortune to the Macedons but in asmuch as it was found within it betokened destruction to the Cytie they went about to wynne The lawe of nacions bryken Alexander considering his nauie to be farre from him and that a longe siege â–ª should be great impedyment to his other affaires Sent officers of Armes vnto the Citie to perswade them vnto peace whoÌ„ the Tirians against the lawe of Nacoues did drowne in the sea There vniuste death stored Alexander so muche that he then vtterly determined to go forwardes with the siege but before he could make his aproche it was of necessitie for him to make a Pers or a Mole whereby they might passe from the mayne land to the Citie But in the making therof ther entered great despaire into all mens hartes considering the deapnes of the sea which they sawe not possible to be filled sâ—arcly by any deuine powre For thei thought no stones so great any trees so highe nor any contrey to haue such pleÌ„tie as mighte suffise for the building of a bank in suche a place considring the Sea was alwaies troubled And narowes the place was betweÌ„e the Citie and the land so much more greater was the rage But Alexander that had the way to allure his souldiers to what effect hiÌ„ pleased declared how that Hercules apered vnto him in his slepe and gaue him his hand proffering to be his captaine and him giude for the entraunce of the Citie Therunto he added the killing of his Embassadours and howe that they had violated and broken the lawe that all nacions obserued and that there remayned but only one Cytie whiche staied his victorie Wherupon he deuided the worcke amonges his capteines that euerye one might applye his owne band And so put the worck in vre Mounte Libanus when he had oues sufficientlye encouraged his men There were great plentye of stones had of the mynes of thould Cytie where Tite stode before and for the making of bores and Towres tymber was brought from the mount Libanus The worcke did growe from the bottom of the Sea like a mountayne but not yet brought to the highe wartee marke And the further the Pere was wrought from the land vnto the Sea ward so muche the soner the Sea did swallowe vp the substance of thinges wherof the same was made Whiles the Macedons were thus about their worcke the TiriaÌ„s would roÌ„ne about them in smale vessels and giue the wordes of reproche and scorne as that they were nowe become goodly meÌ„ of warre that would be made pioners cary burdens like beastes vpon ther backes And they asked them also If they thought Alexander to be greater then the god of the Sea But ther reproffe did not hynder but encrease the cherefulnes of the souldiers in there payne and trauaile In so muche the mole in a short space surmounted aboue the water encreasing much in bredth aproched nere vnto the Cytie Then the Tyrians seinge the hugenes of the worcke whereof they before had bene diseiued in there opynion littell thinking that it woulde haue growen to suche a passe they in littell vessels came rowynge aboute the Pere and did driue the soulders with shote from ther woreking and bicause it lay in them to bryng there boats sodeinly forwardes and returne sone ageine they hurte many of the Macedons without any daunger to them selues which enforsed them to leue ther worck and fall to ther owne defence For remedie wherof to auoyde ther enemies shote they were compelled to streach out beastes skynes vpon poles like sayles and set those betwene theÌ„ and their enemies And besides at the hedde of the Peace they raysed vp two Towres from whence with shote and castinge of dartes they keapt of the boates that came aboutes them On the other side the Tirians would lande with ther boates farre out of the sight of the Campt kill such as were carrieÌ„g of stones The peasants besides of Arabie did set vpon certayne Macedons that were sâ—atred abrod in the mount Libanus where they slewe and toke diuers That was one cause whith moued Alexander to deuide his army And lest he might seme to remaine idely about the siege of one citie he apointed Perdicas and Craterus to take the charge of the worcke he had in hande and went into Arabia with such parte of his powre as was most apte for his porpose Arabia In the meane season the Tyrians prepared agreat shyppe laden with stones and grauell behind so that the fore patte flotid aboue the water which ship anoynted ouer with pitche brymstone they brought sodenly by sailinge and force of oers vnto the pere and there remaining the mariners set the shippe on fier and then leaped into boates which folowed after for the purpose The ship thus set on fire so enflamed the wood worcke perteining to the pere that before any rescue could come the fire had taken the towers and al the rest of the workes that were made in the head thereof When they that were leaped into the boates sawe the matter take suche effect they put betwixt the timbre and other voide places both fire brandes and all suche thinges as might geue noryshement and encrease the fire So that the towers and al the rest being on a flame many of the MacedoÌ„s were consumed therewith and
the rest forsoke their armour and throwe themselues into the sea Then the TalaÌ„s that were more desirous to take them on liue then to kyll them with staues and stones did so beate them on the handes as they were swymming that for werenes they were glad to be taken vp into their boates The hole worcke was not consumed with this fire only for it chaunsed also thesame daye a terrible wynde to ryse whiche blowing out of the Sea brought the waues with suche violence vpon the Mole that with often beating of the Seas the ioyntes that knitte the worck together began to lose and leue their hold Then the water that wasshed through brake downe the Mole in the myddes so that the heapes of stones whiche were before susteyned by the tymbre and earth caste betwixt them once broken asonder the hole worcke fell to ruyn and was caried away into the deape sea By that time Alexander was returned out of Arabie and scarsely found any remayne or token that any suche worck had bene In that case as it is euer vsed in thynges that chaunceâ—ll one laide the faulte vpon an other â–ª when in dede the violence of the sea was the cause of al. AlexaÌ„der begaÌ„ to make the Pere againe after a newe sorte A newe Pere made aâ—ter amoyer force so that it ran with the fore front into the wind and not with the open side as before The fore front alwaies defending the reste of the worcke lieng behind which he made of suche bredth because the Toweres might be builded in the middes to be the further of from the shott Hole trees were put into the Sea with all ther braunches and after great stones thrown vpon them And ouer those a newe course of trees and stones againe by which deuice this hole worke was ioyned knit all in one As the Macedons were busie to bring ther worcke forwardes so the Tyrians were as diligent to inuent all such thinges as might giue impediment to their proceding Their cheife practise was for a nombre of them to go vnder water a farre of out of the macedones sight and so come diuing vnder the water till they came vnto the Pere wher with hokes they would pull vnto them the bramuches of the trees that apered out of the stones wherby the stones and thother substaunce folowed after into the depe For the trees being discharged of ther burden were esely drawen awaie and then the foundacion failing the hole worcke that staied vpon the trees fell to ruyne Amongs thes impedimentes Alexander stode in great perplexitie of mynde doutinge whither he should continewe the siege still or els deperte his waye When he was in this imaginacion sodenly his nauie arriued from Cipres and Cleander also with such souldiers as he had brought out of Greace and hauing to the nombre of .c.lxxx. shippes deuided theim into two batailes wherof he committed th one vnto Pitagoras the kinge of Cipres and to Craterus Pytagorâ—s king of Cipris and toke charge of the other him selfe taking for his owne persone a Galey called Cinque reme which had fiue oers in a bancke The TiriaÌ„s durst not adueÌ„ture the sea figh although they had a great nauy but set al there galies in a frouÌ„t before the walles of ther Citie which the king assailed and put to distresse The next daye the Macedons with ther shippes enuironed the Citie round about and did beate downe the walles specially with such engynes as they call Arietes Arietes But the Tirians strayght waye renforced and made vp ther walles againe with stoÌ„es that laie at hande and raised vp an inward wale rouÌ„d aboute within the Citie which might be there defence if the other failed But their destruction approched on euerie side the Mole was wrought with in caste of darte and the shippes gaue the approche round about the walles so that they were ouer laide both by Sea and by land The Macedones had deuised to ioyne ther gallayes two and two togither in such sorte that the forepartes met close before and the hinderpartes lay farre of one from the other And ouer the spaces that remayne betwixt ruppe and puppe they made brydges with mastes and many yardes laied betwixt Galey and galey and faste bounde together to carie souldiers vpon when they had put ther galeis in this ordre they set forwardes towardes the Cytie And hauinge rampared the prores for defence of the souldiers that were behind They stode in the Galies and did shoote and cast dartes against ther enemies without any perill or daunger to themselues It was midnight wheÌ„ they had commaundement to set forwards after this maner A Tempest As the shippes were approching on all partes and the Tyrians stode astonied for feare desperacion SodeÌ„ly the skie was ouerwhelmed with dimeine clowdes a sodeine darkenes toke away the light Then the sea by litell litell waxed terrible and roughe the wyend blewe and raysed vp the waues beate the shippes one againste an other the violences wherof brust a sonder the bandes and graspers wherwith the galaies were fastened togethers Which doun the bridges crashed and flewe asonder and with the souldiers that stoode vpon them fell into the Sea Ther was great confusion for the shippes entangled thus togither could by no means be gouerned in such a tempest the souldiers disturbing the feate of the mariners and the mariners giuinge impediment to the office of the Souldiers Thus as it doth often happeÌ„ in such a case the expert were obedient to the ignorant for the shippe masters that were wont to commaunde then for feare of death were derected by other But at length by force of rowing the galeis recouered the shore the more parte of them being broken and torne It chaunsed at the same time .xxx. Embasseadores to come from Cartage to Tyre who gaue more comfort then assistance to them that were besieged For they shewed howe the Carthaginens were so assailed with warre at ther owne dores that they could by no meanes send them succore SaracusaÌ„s In somuche as the Saracusans were burning in Afrike and had encaÌ„ped them selues vnder the verie walles of Cartage The Tirians yet were not discomfite for al that they were disapointed of ther speciall truste but deliuered vnto those Embassadours their wyues and their childrien to carie vnto Cartage thinking to endure more stowtly the siege if the thinges which were moste deare vnto them were remoued out of Daunger Ther was a Tirian which in an open assemble declared that Apollo whom the Tyrians gretlly do worshyppe had appered to him in his slepe semyng to him that he had forsaken the Cytie and trausformed the mole that the Macedons had made into a grate woode Hereupon though the autter were of small credite yet forasmuch as men in feare be apte to beleue the worste they tied faste Apolloes Image with a golden cherie and they bound faste also the aulter of Hercules to whom the Cytie was
the CyreniaÌ„s came to him thither brought him pÌ„sentes whoÌ„ he iently entertained assuring theÌ„ of his frendship And that done went forwards in his voyage The firste the second daies traueil seamed tollerable not beiÌ„g yet come to the barein and wild wildernes and yet the ground they passed on was but vnfrutefull and dead erth But when the plaens apeared that were couered ouer wyth deape sand they then loked and sought a farre of wyth their eyes for the land eueÌ„ as men be accustomed to do wheÌ„ they saill in the mayne Sea For they could not iudge them selues on lande where they neuer sawe tree nor any apearance of habitacion or haunt of men And water ther was none to be found in that drie and burniÌ„g sand and such as thei had brought with them in bottels vpon camelles backes was consumed and spent Besides the sonne was so hote that it dried and burned vp all thinges When they were afflicted after this maner whither yt were by the wil of god or by chauÌ„ce the clowdes sodenly ouerwelmed the skye and so shadowed them that it was great coÌ„fort to suche as were forweried with the heat thoughe they wanted water to drinck But to supplie ther lacke therin ther fell by and by a great shoure which euery man for the greate desire they had to drincke gaped to receyue with open mouth When they had traueled foure dayes in passiÌ„g of these wild desertes and were come nere vnto the place of the Oracle there apeared a great swarme of Crowes flieng lowe before the troupe and when the hoste merched softely they sat downe vpon the grouÌ„d and sometime flewe forwardes as they had bene guides the shewe vnto tharmye the way The destricion of Hamon At length they came vnto the place consecrate vnto Iupiter where as it was a wonder to se in the mides of so wyld a desert such a grouÌ„d so enuironed on al partes with high trees defending the heat of the sonne such a nombre of springes ronyng euery where which cause the woodes alwaies to loke greane The ayer there al seasons of the yeare is like vnto the springe tyme holsom and temperat to liue in This cuntrey doth border wyth the Ethiops towardes the Este and vpon the arabies that they cal Troglodites vpoÌ„ the southe Ethiops Whose contrey stretche to the Red sea vpon the west it confineth with other Ethiops that be called Symenos vpon the the north by a NacioÌ„ called NasamoÌ„s who inhabiting vpon a flat shore be acustumed to liue on spoiles of the sea and lye alwaies in a wayt vpon the coste to spoyle such ships as suffre wracke the people which inhabite about the wood be called HaÌ„monios dwel in cotages scatered abrode The middes of there woode closed about with a treable walle is vnto them as a Castle In the fyrste warde is the Palaice of there auncient kinges in the second ther wyues children and concubines were lodged in whych place the Oracle of Iupiter is also The descricon of the Idolle And the laste is a place apointed for the men of warre Ther is also an other wood whiche in the middes hath a spring called the fountaine of the sonne which at the rising is luke warme in the heat of the day it is coolde in the euenynge warmeth againe so that at mydnight it is scalding hote and as it draweth towardes daie it demynisheth his heate more and more The same thing that is worshipped for Iubiter hath not the symilitude of other Images that craftes men do make for goddes but is very like vnto the fashioÌ„ of a nauell hauing in the middes a Emeraâ—de set about with perles WheÌ„ any answer is required the priestes cary thesame in a ship of gold that hath many plates of siluer hanging on both sides The Matrones the virgines folowe after singinge a iude songe after their couÌ„trey manner wherby they beleue to obtayne of Iupiter to shewe hys Oracle manifeste and true When Alexander was come vnto the place the eldeste of the Priestes met him and called him sonne affirming that Iupiter his father had geuen hym that name and he forgetting the state of his mortalitie said that he bothe did receyue and acknowledge thesame Then he demaunded further if thempire of the hole worlde were apointed to hym by destiny The flattery of the prophettes Whereupon the prophet prepared before to flattery aunswered that the hole worlde should come vnder his obeysaunce After that he demaunded whether al had suffred death that murthered his father The priest answered that his father could not be harmed by the treason of any man but he said that all Philippes killers were put to death one thing he added more that he should be inuincible til suche time as he should departe to the gods Thereupon Alexander made sacrifice both offred vnto Iupiter gaue great giftes vnto the priestes He liceÌ„sed also his frendes that they might coÌ„sult with the oracle for suche thinges as they would demauÌ„de but they enquired no further but if it were Iupiter his wil that thei shuld worship their king with deuine honours To them it was answered that if they honoured their prince being victorer as a god A digressioÌ„ it should be acceptable vnto Iupiter If he had with iudgement wayed the oracle according to the veritie he should well haue perceiued the vntruthe that was therein but whome fortune hath brought to beleue in her she make theÌ„ many times more desirous of glory then able to receiue it Alexander not only suffred but also coÌ„maunded himself to be called the sonne of Iupiter whiles he weÌ„t about to encrease the fame of his actes he did corrupt and deface them through suche vayne titles Whereby the Macedons accustomed to be gouerned by kinges but yet reseruiÌ„g a greater shadowe of libertie then other nacioÌ„s did withstaÌ„de hym more arogantly in affecting of hys in mortalytie then was eyther expedyent for hym or them but thes thinges shal be declared in tyme conuenient Nowe I will procede in the reste of his doinges The building of Alexandâ—a When AlexaÌ„der was returned from hamon and come to the marisse of Marcotes scituat nere vnto the Isle of Pharos viewed the nature of the place was at the fyrste determined to biuld a Citie within the Iland But afterwardes coÌ„sidering the Isle not to be large enough chose out the ground where AlexaÌ„dria is nowe called by the name of the biulder contayning all that ground betweÌ„e the Mere and the sea the which was in coÌ„pass as the walles went .lxxx. furlonges When he had takeÌ„ ordre for building of this Citie leuing such behind him as he had apointed for the performaÌ„s therof departed vnto Memphis He had a desire not vnreasoÌ„able if it had ben in time conuenieÌ„t to haue visited both the inward partes of Egipt also Ethiopia And the affeccion he had to viewe antiquities the famous pallaces of Memon and
Some toke the way that came next to hand a nother sort fled vnto the woods and sought out by pathes to escape such as folowed after them Ther was a confusion of horsmē footemē mixed togither without any head the armed with the vnarmed and the whole wyth the hurte At length the compassion that one had of an other was turned into feare and they that could not folow were lefte bewailing themselues one to another But thirest chieflie afflicted the wounded and weried which laye alōg euerie where in the waies where any water was gasping after it with open mouth And when for gredines they had gulled in the troubled water they began to swell when the mudde ones entred into their entrayles And bienge thus not in case to moue the enemie came and sturred them vp with new wounds Some when the brookes nere hand were taken vp by other sought out for springes in euery secret place Nor their was no puddle so drie nor so farre out of the way that could be hidden from the thirest of them that serched them out The olde men and women were hard howling and crieng in all the villages nere the waies side how Darius was yet their kinge Alexander as it hath bene saied before staieng the chase was come to the Riuer of Licus where as the multitude of the fliers was greater then could passe the bridge So that many when their enemyes pursued them lept into the water and their laden wyth their armour and weried wyth fightyng and flienge were consumed wyth the streame But within a while neither the bridge nor the riuer were hable to receyue the companies that continually encreased by their vndiscret flieng For when feare was once entred into their hartes they doubted only that which put them first in feare The Macedōs were eger in the pursute of their enemies ▪ and required Alexāder that he would not suffre their enemies to escape fre away But he to stay them alledgid that their weapons were dull their hādes weried their bodies faint with long pursute and that the daye drue towards night But in veraie dede the care of his other battail which he thought to be yet fighting caused him to returne to their socour He had not so sone turned his ensignes but the certaine horsmē brought him worde from Permenio that the victory was wōne also on their part He was not in so great a daūger al that day as whē he was cōming towards his cāpe The daungier Alexander was in at his returne from the chase For there were but fewe that folowed him and those out of ordre as men that reioising of the victorye iudged all their enemies either to be fled or slaine in the field then sodēly ther appered a band of horsemē of the contrary parte coming against thē which at the first staied but afterwardes perceiuing the small nombre of the Macedōs gaue a charge vpō thē The king rode formoste rather disimuling ▪ then despising the perill he was in but his perpetual felicitie neuer failed him in extremities For at the first encountre he stracke thorough with a speare the captaine of the Percians who in egernes of the fight vnaduisedly came agaynst hym Whē he through his stroke was fallen to the ground ▪ Alexāder slewe the next to him with the same weapō ▪ and after diuers other wherewith his company seing the Percians amased bracke vpon them and threwe many to the earthe yet they for their partes were not vnreuenged ▪ for the whole battaill did not so ernestly fyght as that small bande assembled so by chaunce But at lengthe when they sawe that flyenge in the darke should be more suretie to thē then fighting shocked away in diuers companies Alexander hauing escaped thys extraordinarie perill brought hys men in saufegarde vnto his campe There were slayne of the Percians The nobre of the dead whiche came to the knowledge of them that had the victory .xl. M. and of the Macedons lesse then iii. C. whiche victory Alexander wan more by his own vertue then by any fortune and with hardines courage more then through any aduantage of the ground For he both ordred his battailles politikely and fought manfully With greate wysdome he contemned the losse of the bagage cōsideryng the weight of the whole matter to consist in the battaille it self Whiles the fortune of the field was yet doubtfull he vsed hymself as assured of the victory And when he had put his enemies in feare he cessed not till he had set them flyeng and that whiche scarsely can be beleued in that fiersenes of spirite he pursued in the chase more wisely then gredely For if he should haue folowed on still parte of his powre yet fighting in the field he shuld either haue lost the battaylle through his owne fault or els haue wonne the victory through the prowes of other men Or if after he had gottē the victory he had shewed him selfe afrayed of the horsemen that he met he must either haue shamefully fled or haue bene miserably slain Nor his capitains were not to be defrauded of their cōmendacion For the woundes that they did receyue were tokens of their manhode Ephestions arme was wounded with a spere Perdicas Cenos and Menidas with shot of arrowes were nere slayne And if we will geue a true iudgement of the Macedons that were there we muste confesse that he was a kyng worthy such ministers and they men worthy of suche a maister ¶ The fifte boke of Quintus Curtius of the actes of the great Alexander Kyng of Macedonie IF I shall make mencion of the matters that chaunsed in the meane season both in Grece Iliria and Thracia by the appointment and commission of Alexander in order as they fell the matters of Asia shuld therby be interrupted which I thought most cōuenient to put wholy together vntil the death of Darius and then to ioyne them in thys worke as they agre with the tyme. Darius wordes to them that were fledde from the felde I will firste speake of those thinges that ensued after the battayll at Arbella where Darius arriued about midnight And as it chaunsed the more parte of his fryndes and of all other that were escaped from the felde were come thither he called them all togither and made an oracion to this effect That he doubted not but Alexander and his men gaping with gredy desire for the haboūdance of spoyle that was in redines for them would visite suche cities and cōtries of his as were moste notable plentiful of riches which thing he said considering his estate ▪ could not but turne at length to his auaill Hys purpose was nowe with a small band to repayre into the desertes And seing the vttermoste partes of his kingdōe were yet vntouched he should from thēce easely repayre hys powre agayne to renue the warre Let therefore that gredy nacion qd he take my treasure and satisfie their great hunger with gold which shortly
shall cause both the same and them also to be a pray vnto vs. For he had learned he said by experiēce that the haboudance and excesse of ther preciouse furniture ▪ their flockes of Concubines Eunukes were nothing els but burdens and impedimentes Whych Alexander possessing and carieng about should make him inferior vnto them of whom before he was victorius His oracion semed to all men to be full of desperacion For they sawe therby that the riche Citie of babilon should be geuen vp vnto the Macedōs Susa shortly after wyth all other ornamentes of the realme that were cause of the warre But he procedid in persuading them howe that men in aduersitie ought not do thinges that should seame goodly in the speaking but necessary in thexperiēce That warres were made wyth iron and not with gold wyth men and not wyth the walles of Cities For all thinges folowe them that be armed and in strength He shewed that his auntetors were afflicted after this maner in the begining yet recouered againe quickly their former estate After he had spoken these wordes either for that they were therby encouraged or els that they rather obeid his autoritie then liked his counsell folowed hym into the bondes of Media Arbella yeldid vnto Alexander Shortly after Arbella was geuen vp vnto Alexander which was full of the kynges ryches and treasure of precious stuf and appariell And besides in that towne the substāce of the hole army was lesse The siknes that began in Alexanders campe rising of the sauor of the deade bodies scatered ouer all the fieldes was the cause that he did the soner remoue Arabye The champion contrey of Arabia very notable with the haboundāce of swete odoers there growyng lay vpon the right hand as they marched And so passed through the coūtrey lieng betwen Tigre and. Euphrates whyche is so fat and plentyfull a ground that the inhabiters be fayne to dryue their bestes from feading leaste they should kill them selues by eating ouer muche The cause of thys fertilitie commeth of the moister that issueth from both riuers Tygre distilling by vaines through the grounde Both these riuer haue their beginning in the mountaynes of Armenia Euphrates wher they be distaunt .v. thousand thousand .v. C. fuclonges and so runne forwardes keaping their distāce till they come nere the boundes of Media and Gordia For thē by little and little the further they go they draue more nere together leuing les space betwixte them They enclose of both sids the coūtrey that is called Mesopotania Mesopotamia from whence they runne through the bonds of Babilō in the redde sea After Alexāder had chaunged hys campe foure tymes Mennium he came to a citie called Mennium wher as there is a fountaine within a caue that boyleth out great plenty of pycche so it apeareth that the Babilonians had there cement from thence which they employed about the making of their huge walles As Alexāder was going frō thence towardes Babilō Mazeus which was said before to haue fled from the battell came to mete hym in moste humble maner where cōmitting hys children into his hands yelded him self and rendred vp the cytie Hys comming was very greate full vnto the kynge considering what trauayll he shoulde haue susteyned in the syege of so strong a Citie if it had bene keapte agaynst hym And besides forsomuchas Mazeus was a mā both famous and valient much noted for his doing in the last battel thought his ensamble should much prouoke others do to the like For that cause he receyued both hym and hys childrē wyth gentil maner and yet gaue ordre to hys men that they should enter into the Cytye in suche array of battaill as if they should fight A great nōbre of the Babilonians stoode vpon the walles desirous to behold him that was ther new king But the more parte went forthe to mete hym Bagistenes Bagistenes that was captayne of the castle and keaper of the kynges treasour because he would shewe hym selfe to be no lesse affectionate towardes Alexander than Mazeus was strowed all the waies where he should passe with flowers and garlādes and set aulters of siluer on both sides the waye wherupon frankensence was burning and all other kinde of swete odours Next vnto hym came flockes of beastes great nombres of horses wyth Lyons and Pardalies caried in cages which he brought to geue as presentes vnto Alexander And after them the Magies singing according to their contrey manner Caldees went next with their deuiners and prophetes and then musicians wyth their kindes of instrumētes their propertie was to singe the praises of kinges And the Caldeis vsed to declare the mociōs of the planetes The distruccion of Babilon with the course reuolucion of the time Laste in ordre came the Babilonian horsemen whose sumptuous furniture both for them selues and their horses tendid more to voluptuousnes and delicacy thē to any magnificence Alexander that was enclosed about wyth armed men willed that the Babilonians should come behind his footemen and he riding alofte in his chariot entred into the cytie and afterwardes into the palace where the next daye he surueyed Darius threasure and riches The beuty and plesauntnes of that Citie gaue iuste occasion to Alexander and such as were with him to wonder much vpon it Semiramis was the builder therof and according to some mens opinion Belus Semiramis Belus whose palaice is to be sene their The walles be made all of brick set with pitche whiche is called bytumen And they be .xxxii. foote in bredth so that two cartes may easely go vpō them afront They be in height C. cubites the towers be .x. foote higher then the reste of the walles The compasse of thē about is CCClxviii furlonges being builded as it is left in memory in so many dayes The houses stand the brede of an acre distaūt from the walles not builded through out the cytie but only by the space of .iiii. score .x. forlōges and those not ioyned nere one to another but for some consideracion deuided a sondre The rest of the ground is sowed and tilled to thintēt that if any forein powre cometh against them thei should be able to be releued by the frute therof comyng The ryuer of Euphrates doth ronne through the middes of the citie and is kept in on both sides with walles of a wounderfull worckmanship but the great caues made of bricke and in pitche in steade of morter wrought lowe within the ground to receiue the violence of the streame do excede all the relle of the worckes there made for except thesame were of quantitie and largenes to receiue the water when the streame floweth ouer the bankes that be made to kepe it in the violēce therof shuld beare down the houses of the citie There is also ouer that ryuer a stone brydge whiche ioyneth both partes of the citie togethers counted amonges the marueilous workes of
vsed this kinde of polecy Spitamenes repayred to Bessus and getting hym alone enformed hym that he had found out howe Dataphernes and Catenes had conspired to deliuer him aliue into Alexanders handes wheras he said he had preuented theÌ„ whiles they were about their purpose hauing taken them both put them fast in prison Bessus then thinking himself muche bound to him for so greate a good turne gaue him many thaÌ„kes And for the desire he had to be reueÌ„ged of his enemies willed Spitamenes to bring theÌ„ to his presence He caused their haÌ„des to be bound behind their backes and to be brought by suche as were priuy to their couÌ„sell when they came in Bessus presence he beheld theÌ„ with a fell countenaunce and rose vp to haue striken at them But theÌ„ they left their couÌ„terfeiting streight wayes enclosing Bessus about bound him fast whiche strugled in vayne and pulled the diademe froÌ„ his head tearing his garment from his back whiche was parte of the spoyle of his prince whome he had slayne When he sawe hym self thus vsed he confessed that the gods had ryghtfully reuenged his treason and perceyued by the plague they sent hym that bothe they fauoured Darius and were frendes to Alexander whose enemies euermore preferred his victory It is vncertain whether the multitude would haue assisted Bessus or no but that spitamenes had deuysed the thyng to be done by Alexanders appointmeÌ„t wherby he put them in feare being yet doubtfull of mynde and set Bessus vpon an horse whereupon he brought hym vnto Alexander He in the meane season had chosen out nyne hundred suche as for their age were not mete any more for the warres and gaue to euery one of them bâ—yng horsemen two talentes and to euery footeman thre thousand deneres whome he dispatched home and gaue thankes vnto the reste because they promised to continewe with hym tyll he had brought his warres to an ende Bessus was presented vnto hym at a litle towne wherof the inhabiters be called Branchidans BraÌ„chidaÌ„s whiche in tymes paste by the commaundement of Xerxes when he came out of Grece were brought from Miletum and placed there because that in his fauour they had violated a temple that was called Dydyma They had not all together forgotten their countrey customes but had myxed their tongue that by little and little they were fallen from their owne language and yet had not attayned the countrey speache They receyued the kyng with great ioye yealdyng them selues and their cytie vnto his wyll Whereupon he called vnto hym the Mylesians that serued hym in his warres Milesians who bare an auncient hatred against the generacion of the Branchidans put it in their handes to determine where thei would saue theÌ„ for the countrey sake or els destroy theÌ„ for the iniury they had do it in times past But when the Milesians could not agre in opinion he said he would ordre the matter him self The next day when the Branchidans came to mete him he returned them all againe into the cytie coÌ„maunding his footemen to enclose the cytie about entered with suche as he appointed for the purpose and by a token geuen put all to the sworde and spoyled the cytie as a receptacle of traytours They whiche were without armour and vnprouided were slayne in euery place For neither the affinitie of their tongue nor any prayer or intercession could mitigate their enemies crueltie Whiche after the destruction of the towne did cast downe the walles to the foundacioÌ„ so that no memory therof should remayne That done they did not only cut downe the woodes wherin they vsed their sacrifice but also plucked vp the trees by the rootes that the ground might be left barayn as a desert If the same thinges had bene done againste the very offenders the reuenge might haue bene thought rightuous but to lay the fault of the predecessours vpoÌ„ the posteritie it might be thought a cruell acte seing there was not any of them that had euer sene Myletum or done to Xexes any kynd of pleasure As AlexaÌ„der remoued from thence towardes the ryuer of Tanays Bessus was brought before him Bessus presented vnto Alexander not only bound as a captiue but also spoyled of all his garmeÌ„tes whoÌ„ Spitamenes led in a theme put about his neck a plesaunt sight to beholde as well to the Barbarous as to the Macedons When Spitamenes was come with him in Alexanders presence he sayd I haue brought here vnto you the kyller of his owne maister after the same maner that he him self gaue then sample wherin I haue both reuenged Darius that was my king and you also that nowe haue got the souereignty Let Darius open his eyes and ryse from death to beholde this sight that was vnworthy of such an ende and worthy to receiue such a coÌ„fort as this is After that AlexaÌ„der had geuen Spitamenes thankes Alexander to Bessus he turned hym self vnto Bessus and sayd what beastly woodnes was in thy mynd that durst first take thine owne prince prysoner afterwardes kill hym that had so well deserued of that of whiche thy doinges thou hast receiued sufficieÌ„t rewarde by the couÌ„terfeit name of a king whiche thou diddest vsurpe He had no hart to make answere nor excuse his offence sauing that he sayd he toke vpon him to be kyng because he might deliuer hym possession of the countrey Whiche thing if he had omitted some other would haue taken in hande Then Alexander called for Oxatres Darius brother whome he had placed about his persone and committed Bessus to his keaping to thintent he should cutte of his eares and his nose and hang hym vpon a crosse causing his owne men to shote him thorowe with arrowes so preseruing his body that byrdes should not touche it Oxatres promysed to perfourme all the rest sauing the keapyng awaye of the byrdes whiche for the desyre he had to set forth Cathenes conning affirmed that none could so well keape them away as he who did shote so assuredly that he could strike the birdes flyeng in the ayer And though it was a conning not so muche to be marueiled at in a nacion so expert in shooting yet was it greatly wondred at of suche as did beholde him was great honour vnto the doer He gaue rewardes to all such as were the bryngers of Bessus but he differred his punishmeÌ„t because he mynded to put him to death in the same place where he slewe Darius The Macedons in the meane season going a forraging without ordre were ouerthrowen by their enemies that came ronnidg downe from the next mountaines they toke mo then they did kille and driuing their prisoners before them returned againe into the mouÌ„taines There were of them to the nombre of .xx. M. whiche accustomed to liue by theft vsed slinges and bowes in their fight whome whiles Alexander did besiege in a skirmish pressed forth with the foremoste he was stroiken with an arrowe in the
middes of his legge where the hed did stike still The Macedons that were sorowfull and amased for their kinges hurt caried him into his campe of whose departure out of the field his enemies were not ignoraunt for they might behold all thinges from the mountaine Wherupon the next day they sent Embassadours vnto Alexander whom he admitted to his presence vnfolding his wouÌ„d wherby he thought to dissimule the greatnes therof shewed his legge vnto them When they were commaunded to sit downe they said that he ring of his hurte they were as sorowfull for it as his owne subiectes whiche should welbe knowen for if they could find out the persone that did the dede he shuld be deliuered vnto his haÌ„des Seing they could not iudge them but sacrileges that woulde fight with goddes of whose vertue they supposed hym to be and therfore were determined to yeld theÌ„ selues Therupon he gaue them assuraunce receiued againe his men that were takeÌ„ prisoners and admitted them as his subiectes That done he remoued his campe was caried in a foote litter for the bearing wherof the horsemen and footemen coÌ„tended together The horsmen alledged it to be their office because the king accustomed to fight amonges them And the footemen argued for their parte that in asmuche as they vsed to cary the hurt souldiers that thought no reason their office should be taken from them chiefly when the kyng should be caried Alexander therfore in so great a contention of both partes thought it a difficult matter to geue senteÌ„ce because the iudgemeÌ„t should be greuous to them that should be put froÌ„ the office therfore ordred that they should cary him by course FroÌ„ thence the fourth day he came vnto a citie called Maracanda the walles wherof were .lxx. furloÌ„ges about Maracanda but the castle was without any wall he set a guarrison in the citie then burned and destroied the countrey thereaboutes Embassadours came vnto him The Scythians there froÌ„ the Scythes called Auians whiche had bene fre since the time that Cyrus was amonges them but yet they shewed them selues then redy to be at his commaundement They were knowen to be the moste rightuous people of all the barbarous nacioÌ„ 〈◊〉 that neuer vsed to make warre but when thei â—e prouoked whose moderacioÌ„ and temperauÌ„ce in vsing of their libertie made the inferriours equall vnto the supperiours Alexander receiued them gently and sent Penidas a frend of his to those Scithes that inhabited within Europe Penydas to forbid theÌ„ to passe the riuer of Tanais without his appointment Who had also a secrete commission to viewe the scituacioÌ„ of the couÌ„trey to visit those ScithiaÌ„s that inhabited about Bosphorus he willed him besides to choise out a place vpoÌ„ the brinke of Tanais where as he might build a citie to remain as a fortres for the subduing of those people that he entended to visite The rebellion of the Sogdians But this deuise was delayed by the rebellioÌ„ of the SogdiaÌ„s who had also drawen the BactriaÌ„s to their part There were of theÌ„ .vii. in horsmeÌ„ whose autoritie the rest folowed for the daunting of whome Alexander caused Spytamenes and Catenes the betrayers of Bessus to be sent for thinking by their meanes to bring the countrey agayn to his obedience and to subdue suche as had made this sturre But they whiche were iudged mete to stay the rebellioÌ„ and were sent for to that intent were the chief authours of all the reuolt whiche caused it to be noysed abrode that Alexander had sent for the Bactrian horsemen of purpose to kill them all Whiche commission they sayd being appointed to them they would not execute because they thought it ouer foull an act to commit against their countreymen And for that cause could as il beare then Alexanders crueltie as in times past Bessus treason By this meanes when feare of death was put into their heades they were easely sturred to armes whiche before were sufficiently enclyned of their owne myndes When Alexander was aduertised of their doinges he willed Craterus to besiege Cyropolis Ciropolis And he him self warme an other city of that countrey by an assault whiche he gaue to it on all partes at once and by a signe geuen caused all the chyldreÌ„ to be put to death making the rest a pray for the souldiers This done the cytie was rased to the ground to thintent that others by their ensample might be kept in obedience There was a valiaunt people called Memacenans Memacenans who were determined to abide the siege not only for their honesties sake but also for that they thought it moste for their suertie For the mitigating of whose wilfulnes the kyng sent to them fifty horsemen to declare his clemency towardes suche as submitted them selues and howe inexorable he was to suche as he wan by force Their answere was to them that they neither doubted of the kynges promis nor of his power but after their answere geuen they lodged them without their walles where as enterteining theÌ„ with great there till it was the depe of the nyght they set vpon them and slewe them all Alexander was no lesse moued with this matter then the case required but made an assault vnto the cytie on all partes at once whiche he found furnisshed in suche wyse that he could not take it at the first attempt Wherfore he appointed Meleager and Perdicas to the siege therof whiche first were at the siege of Ciropolis mynding to spare thesame because it was builded by Cyrus For he had not so great admiracion of any kyng that had reigned in those partes as of hym and Semyramis whose magnaminitie of mynde and fame of their actes semed to hym to excede all the rest But the obstinate wilfulnes of the inhabitauntes sturred vp his wrath For when he had taken the cytie he willed the Macedons to spoyle it whiche had great cause to be moued against them and so returned agayne to Meleager and Perdicas There was not one cytie that did more valiauntly abide the siege then the same did for both the hardiest of the souldiers were slayne and the kyng was brought in great daunger being striken in the necke with a stone so that he lost his sight and was felled to the earth so that he lost his sence The army lameÌ„ted thinking he had bene dead but he was inuincible against those thinges which put other men moste in feare For without tarieng he dressed his wounde and returned to the fyght and after anger had sturred vp the egernes he had of nature he renued the assault againe more fiersely then before At length a great peace of the wall was ouerthrowen by a myne at the whiche he brake in and put the whole cytie to sacke and to ruyne Menedemê° He sent from theÌ„ce Menedemus with .iii. M. footemen and .viii. C. horsemen to the citie of Maracanda which Spitamenes had newly taken and put out from theÌ„ce the guarrison of
there eares and couer all there armes wyth braslettes and ornamentes of gould They vse greate curiositye in kymminge of there heades which they rounde very sildome They shaue without anye forme of grauitie all partes of there face sauinge their chinne The voluptuousnes and excesse in the kings of India But thexcesse in voluptuousnes which they cal magnificence vsed by the kynges ther do excede the vices of all nacions When there will is to be sene abrode there seruamite cary about them parfuming pannes of siluer fyll al the wayes where they goâ—â— fine are sauoures and they theim selues be borne in litters of golds hangynge full of pearles and the garmentes they were be of golde and purple enpaled together The armed men folow their litter such as be of their garde emong whoÌ„ there be birdes borne vpon boughes whyche they haue taught alwayes to synge when they be occupied in earnest matters In the kynges palayce there be pillers of golde carued aboute wyth Vynes of golde wherin the images of those byrdes they delight moste in be artificiallye wrought The court is open to all commers when the Kynges do kembe and dresse their heades then they vse to gaue aunswere to the imbassadoures and to do iustice vnto their people When their soles be taken of their fete be anoynted wyth swete odours The greatest trauayle they take is when they hunt wilde beastê enclosed in Parkes whyche they stryke whiles their concubynes be syngynge and daliynge wyth them The arrowes that they shote be of two cubites long whyche doo not the effecte of the force they be shotte wythall by reason of ther weyght which is an impedimente to their swiftenes wherin the propertye of the arowe chiefely consisteth In small iourneys they vse to ryde on horsebacke but when they haue to trauayle further they be caried vpon Elephantes the huge bodies be couered all ouer with golde And because no vice shoulde wante amonges their corrupte maners great rowtes of concubines do folowe them in golden litters The Quenes haue their bandes seperate by theÌ„ selues which in all excesse of voluptuousnes be nothing inferior vnto the kinges It belongeth to the womeÌ„ there to dresse meat they also serue men of wine wherof there is great plentye amonges the Indians When the kyng hath largelye dronke and is fallen in a sleape hys concubynnes vse to carye hym into hys chamber callyng vpon their Goddes with a songe after their countrey maner Who woulde thinke that amonges all these vices there were any regarde had of uertue The wise men of India There is amonges them a rude and an vnciuill kynde of people whom they call wise men whyche count it the most glorious thyng to preuent their owne deathes and they vse to burne them selfes whiles thei be a liue It is imputed for a great shanie to such as ether can not wel stere for age or haue not their perfite health if they prolong their life till their natural death approche Nor there is no honoure geuen to those bodies that dye for age They thinke the Fiers be defiled if the bodyes be not alyue that be burned in them Suche as liue in cityes after a ciuill maner attayne to the most apt knowledge of the starres moâ—yng and to the propheciyng of thynges to come Nor they can not thinke that anye man dothe shorten his life that loketh for death without feare They esteme those for Goddes that they begynne once to worshippe and specially trees the violatyng of the whiche they forbidde vnder paine of death They count after fiftye dayes to the moneth notwithstandynge limitte their yeres as they do in other places They note not their tymes by such course of the moune as is coÌ„munely vsed that is from the ful mouÌ„e but froÌ„ the first quarter wheÌ„ she beginneth firste horned by couÌ„tynge of theÌ„ after the same maner make theÌ„ the shorter There be many other thinges reported of theÌ„ with the which I thought not necessary to interrupt the order of this story As Alexander entred into India the Princes of the countrey came vnto him submitting theÌ„ selues declaring that he was the thirde man that euer came amonges them beynge begotten of Iupiter They said that Hercules Bacchus was not knowen to them but onely by fame but they reioysed that they mighte beholde him presentlye with their eyes Alexander receiued theÌ„ wyth all gentlenes he coulde deuise willed them to accoÌ„pany him because he woulde vse them as guides in his iourney But when he sawe that the whole numbre came not he sent Ephestion Perdicas with part of his armye before to subdue suche as would not submit them seluee and willed them to go forwardes tyll they came to the riuer of Indus and there to make boates wherby he myght transport his armye And bycause they had to passe many riuers the boates were so deuised that thei myght be taken a sunder to be caried in cartes and afterwardes ioyned agayne together He appointed Craterus to folow him with the phalanx and he wyth such horsemen and fotemen that were lightarmed went before and beynge encountred in his waye foughte a small battayle and did driue his enemies into the next â—itye When Craterus was come to thintent he might strike terrour amonges those people that had not yet proued the Macedons force commaunded that when they wanne the citye they shoulde kyll both man woman and child and burne the same to the hard grouÌ„d But whiles he ridde about the walles he was striken with an arowe Notwithstanding the city was wonne and al put to the swerd the verye houses not escaping the victorers cruelty After this he subdued an obscure nacion and came to a citye called Nysa The citye of Nisa It chaunsed the whiles ther encamped in a woode before the citye there fell a cold in the nyght that more afflicted the Macedons then euer it had done before in any other place Against the whiche thei prepared the remedy that was next at hande and cutte doune the woode to make theÌ„ great fires The flame wherof caught the sepulchres belonging to the citye which by reasoÌ„ they were made of Cedre were sone set on fire and neuer left burning till they were all consumed That fire made both aâ—arum to the Citye and to the campe for therby the citizens iudged that their enemies woulde make some attempt against them and the MacedoÌ„s perceiued by the barkyng of the dogges and noyse of men that the Indians would salye out vpon them Wherfore Alexander issuyng out of his campe in order of battel slew such of them as attempted the fight Wherupon they within the Citie became of diuers opinions some were minded to yelde and other thought good to aduenture the extremitie When Alexander vnderstode of their diuison he caused his men to abstayne from slaughter only to maintaine the siege At length they were so weried wyth the discommodities of the warre that they yelded them selues They
called Ora Ora. where he ouerthrewe in battel thinhabiters that encountred with him whereby he got the Citye into hys possession Ther were many other Cities obscure of fame that came into Alexanders handes by thabaÌ„doning of thinhabiters which assembled them selfes togither in armes and kept a rock called Aorun The rocke called Aorun The fame was that Hercules had besieged the same before tyme in vaine and by reason of an earthquake enforced to departe When Alexander viewed thys rocke and sawe howe stepe it was and vnpassable became voyde of counsell tyl such tyme as an old man that knewe wel the place came to hym with hys two sonnes offring for a reward to guyde hys men awaye vp to toppe Alexander promised them .iiii. score talentes and keapinge one of his sonnes as pledge sente him to parfourme that he had promysed Mulinus the kynges Secretary was apoynted with certayne souldiers lighte armed to folowe the guyde whose purpose was to receiue the Indians by fetching a compasse about the rock But the same rock was not as the more parte be whiche lieng aslope hath wayes vp vnto the toppe by degrees For it stode bolte vpright after the fashion of a but brode benethe and euer as it groweth vpward lesse and lesse tyll it becometh sharpe in the â—oppe And it is enclosed on that on syde with the Riuer of Indus that hath highe stepe banckes vpon the otheirwith depe dikes holowe places ful of water and mudde Wherefore there could be deuised no way to wynne it except those dikes were firste fylled There was a woode at hand which the king commaunded to be cut downe and causyng the bowes to be shred of for the cariage filled the holowes with the bare stockes Alexander bare the fyrst tree and all the souldiers folowed after with a couragious showt for there was no man that would refuce to do that they sawe the kynge begynne So that within .vii. dayes the dikes and hollowe places were fylled vp Then the king apoynted the Agrians and the archers to go to the assaulte of the rocke and did chose .xxx. yonge men of such as he iudged most apt for the purpose out of hys owne bande Charus and Alexander to leading of whoÌ„ he apointed Charus and Alexander whom he put in remembraunce of his name that was in comen to them bothe At the fyrst bicause the hasard was so manifest the kyng was not determyned to aduenture his own parson But when the trompet blewe to thassault he was of such a redy courag that he could not obstaine but making a signe to his guard that thei shoulde folowe him was the fyrste that set fote vpon the rock Then there were fewe of the Macedons that would gladly haue taried behind but many lefte their array where as they stode in ordre of battell and folowed the king The cause of many was miserable whom the riuer that ran by swalowed in when they fell downe from the rocke Which sight was sorowfull to such as were out of daungeir being admonished by the perel of other what they ought to feare them selfs So that their cumpassion being turned into feare lamented aswell them selues as those whome they sawe slayne after that maner At length they went so farre â—urth that without the getting of the rocke they coulde not returne back againe without there greate destruccion For there enemies rowled downe great stones vpon them wherwith they were easely beaten downe the rocke hauing so slippar and vnstable standing Yet for all that Charus and Alexander whiche were apointed the leading of the .xxx. chosen souldiers had gotten to the toppe and beganne to fight hand to hand But there were so many dartes cast at them from afarre that they receiued mo wouÌ„des then they could gyue Wherefore Alexander bothe myndfull of his name and of his promise whiles he fought more egerly then warely was enclosed aboute and slayne Whom when Charus sawe deade he ranne vpon his enemies and vnmyndefull of all thynges sauing of reueng slewe many wyth hys pike and dyuers wyth hys sworde But beinge layed at by so manye at onse he fell downe deade vpon the bodye of hys frende The death of thes two so hardy yonge men â–ª and of the reste moued Alexander greatly yet parceyuing no remedy in the matter caused the retracte to be sowned It was gretly for their salfgard â–ª that they retired by lettle and little without aperaunce of anye feare and the Indians contented to haue repulsed their enemies pursued not after them Alexander herupon was determined to leaue of his purpoce seing he sawe no hope howe to wynne the rock yet he made a countenaunce as though he ment to coÌ„tinewe the sieg styll For both he caused the wayes to be closed vp And made an approche with towers of woode alwayes putting freshe men in place of them that were weried When the Indians parceiued Alexanders abstinacy two dayes and two night they banketed contiunially and played vpon timbrels after there maner to cause there enemies thinke that they had no doubte in the siege but trusted suerly to preuaill The thirde nighte the noyse of there â—imbreles ceased and many torches were sene burning which the Indians had lighted to se which way they might escape downe the rocke in the darke night Alexander sent Balacrus to descouer the matter Balacrus who found that the Indians were fledde and that the rock was habandoned Then asigne was geuen that the holle Armye should giue a showte at once wherbye they dyd strycke suche feare amongys their enemyes that fledde wythout ordre That many of them thynkynge their enemies had bene at there backes leaped downe the rockes and slewe them selues and some mayned in there falling were left behind by there felowes that fled awaie Thus the kynge being victorer of the place rathere then of the man testyfied natwithstaÌ„ding with solempne sacrifyces vnto the gods a greatnes of victory and set vp aulters vpon the rock to Minarua and Victoria And though the guides that he apoynted to his light armed men parfourmed not so much as they promised yet there reward was truely giuen them And the rule of the rock with the countrey thereaboutes was coÌ„mitted to Sysocostus Sâ—socostus And he him self went forwardes wyth his army from thence to Echolyma Echolyma But vnderstanding that certayne streightes through the whych he should passe were kept by one Erix with Erix xx thousand armed men He committed that parte of hys army that were heuie armed to Cenon to be brought on by soft iorneyes and going before in parson with the slyngers and Archers put his enemies to flight making the way clere for hys army to passe that folowed after The Indians whither it were for the hatred they bare vnto their capteine or els for to get the fauour of the victorer kylled Eryx as he fled awaye and brought hys head and hys armour vnto Alexander Who considering the fowlenes of the act woulde
deade vnder him Wherfore whiles he was aboute to chaunge and take an other was caste farre behinde In the meane season Taxiles brother that was sent by Alexander vnto Porus began to exhorte him that he should not be so abstinate to proue the extremitye but rather yelde him selfe vnto the victorer But he notwithstandyng that his strength was nere past and his bloude fayled yet sturred vp at a knowen voyce saied â–ª that he knewe him to be the brother of Taxiles A traytoure to hys king and his countrey and with that word toke a dart whiche by chaunce was not fallen awaye and threwe it so at Taxyles brother that it passed throughe the middes of hys breste vnto hys backe And hauynge shewed this last profe of his manhode he fled agayne more faster then before But when the Elephant through many woundes that he had receiued fainted in like sort then he stayed and turned his fotemen towards his enemies that folowed By that time alexaÌ„der was come nere him who vnderstandyng the wilfulnes of Porus willed none to be spared that made resistaunce Wherupon euery man threw dartes against Porus suche fotemen as stode in his defeÌ„ce wherwith at length he was so oppressed that he began to fal from his Elephant Then the Indian wyiche was his gouernoure thinkyng that Porus desiered to haue lighted caused the beast after hys accustomed maner to bende towarde the earth whyche submittynge him selfe all the rest as they were taught bowed downe their bodies likewise which was the cause of Porus takynge and of the reste When Alexander sawe Porus bodye vpon the grounde caused him to be spoyled thinkyhg he had bene dead and diuers ranne about him to pull of his harnays and his vesture whiche thyng when the Elephant saw He began to defeÌ„d his master runnyng vpoÌ„ his spoylers and went about to lift him agayne vpon his backe Wherupon they all settyng vpon the Elephant slewe hym and layed Porus in a carte Whom when Alexander did beholde lyftyng vp his eyes moued with no hatred but with compassion saied vnto him What mischiefe and madnes was in thy mynde hearyng of the fame of my actes Alexanders wordes to Porus. to hasard the battayle with me and my power seyng Tapyles was so neare an example of the clemency that I vse to suche as submit them selues To whom he made answere Forsomuch quod he as I am demaunded a question I wyl aunswere as frely as I am spokeÌ„ vnto knowing mine owne strength Porus answere not hauing yet proued thine thought no maÌ„ of greater power theÌ„ mi selfe But nowe the successe of this battel hath declared the to be mightier And yet therin I do impute to my selfe not a little felicitie that I haue gotten the second place and am next vnto the. He was asked more ouer his opinioÌ„ after what maner he thought good the victorye shoulde be vsed Vse it quod he after such sort as this dayes fortune shal put in thy mind wherin ther hath ben sufficieÌ„t profe shewed you how traÌ„sitory the felicity of maÌ„ is This admonishment aduailed him more then if he had submitted him selfe or made any sute For when Alexander sawe the greatnes of his courage and his hart so voide of feare that it coulde not be broken with any aduersitye was moued not onely to geue him his life but also honorablye to entertayne hym For so long as he laye diseased of his woundê toke no lesse care of his curing theÌ„ if he had fought in his quarel And when he was once healed contrary to that which all men loked for he receiued him amonges the numbre of his frendes and enlarged his kingdome greater theÌ„ before There was nothing in AlexaÌ„ders nature more perfite or more coÌ„stante then that he woulde euer haue vertue in admiration when it was suche that it deserued true praise and glory And specially when he saw the same in hys enemy For when it chaunsed in any of his owne men it was somwhat terrible vnto him thinking that their fame might be a destructioÌ„ to his owne greatnes whiche he euer thought to growe more greater as they were of greatnes that he subdued The ninth boke of Quintus Curtius of the actes of the great Alexander Kyng of Macedon ALexander reioysinge in so notable a victorye wherby he sawe the confines of the Orient opened vnto hym offred vp sacrifice vnto the Sunne to cause his souldiours to be more willyng to goo forwardes in finishynge the rest of the warres assembled theÌ„ togethers after he had commended their doynges declared how in that latter battayle they hadde defeated broken the force of all the Indians and shoulde fynde frome thenceforthe nothynge but a plentifull praye For he sayed that in the countrey wherunto he was goynge the riches chiefelye remayned that was so muche spoken of throughout the whole worlde In respect wherof the spoyles of the Percians were but vyle and baggage and that occasion nowe was geuen theim not onelye to fill their owne houses but also all Macedonia and Greace with pearles wyth precious stones wyth gold and wyth Iuorye The Souldiours beynge desierous bothe of riches and of glorye because they hadde neuer fownde his wordes vayne promised him to do whatsoeuer he woulde haue them Wherupon he dismissed them full of good hope and set theim about the makyng of shyppes to the intente that hauynge ouerrunne all Asia â–ª he myght visite the Occean Sea that was in the ende of the worlde The Mountaynes nexte at hande were plentifull of Tymber to make Shippes withall in cuttynge downe wherof the Macedons founde Serpentes of such bignes as they hadde not sene before also Rhynocerites Rinocerites beastes that be seldome founde in any other place whiche name was geuen to theim by the Grekes for in the Indian language they be otherwise called Alexander builded a Citye vpon either side of the Riuer of Hidaspys whyche once perfourmed he gaue to euerye one of his capitaynes a crowne of golde and a thousand pieces of golde besides preferryng and rewardynge euery other accordynge to their qualitie degree and deseruyng Abyazares whyche had sent Embassadours vnto Alexdnder before the battayle fought wyth Porus sent then Embassadours to him agayne offeryng to do all thynges that he woulde appoynt so that he kepe his bodye at libertye For he desiered not to lyue except he myght remayne a kyng and he thought hym self vnmete to raygne after he had bene once a captiue He signified bi them to Abyazares that if his commyng should be greuous he woulde not stycke to visite him in parson Hauyng thus vainquished Porus and passed the riuer of Hidaspis he wente forwardes into the inwarde partes of India whyche was a countrey full of great woodes and high trees the ayre very holesome temperate the shadowe of the trees mitigatynge the heate of the sunne and the plentye of sprynges kepynge the grounde moyste There were also manye Serpentes sene whose scales glistered lyke golde There
betwyxte earnest and pastyme dyd reproue that he was geuen to farre hys bodye as an vnprofitable beaste And when other went to the battaile he would anoynt his body with oyle and prepare him selfe to eate Emonges other that vsed wordes of despyte agaynste hym there was at the same feast â—â—rratus one Horratus a Macedon who in his dronkennes chalenged Dioâ—ippus that if he were a man he shoulde fight the campe with him the nexte daye vpon llife and death A combate where as the kynge shoulde iudge either him to be to rashe or the other to much a dastarâ— Dioxippus then laughyng to scorne the pride and arrogancie of the souldiour accepted his profer The next day they were more earnest to go to the combate then they were before in makynge of the chalenge therfore when the kyng sawe them so bente and that they would not leaue their purpose he coÌ„sented to their will There were greate nombre of men assembled at the combate amonges whom there were many Grecians whiche fauoured Dioxippus parte The Macedon came into the Lystes armed at all peaces holdyng in his left hande an yron buckler and a speare and in his right hande a casting launce hauing his sworde besydes girte to his syde was furnysshed as though he should haue fought with many men at once Dioxippus came furth anoynted with oyle with a garlande vpon his head and hauing a read cloke wrapt about his left arme held in his right hande a great knottiye cudgell The diuersitie of their furnishement brought euery man in a wonderfull expectacioÌ„ For they could not thinke it only a rashenes but a madnes for Dioxippus that was naked to matche with the other that was armed The Macedon thinking to kil his aduersary before they should come to hand strippes threwe at him his launce whiche Dioxippus auoided with beÌ„ding of his body before that he could charge his pike he leaped to him and with his cudgell brake thesame asondre When the Macedon had lost both his weapoÌ„s he beganne to drawe his sworde but Dioxippus preuented him wit a close and taking both his feete from vnder him â–ª threwe him to the earth and there plucking his sworde from him set his foote vpon his necke and held vp his cudgell to haue striken out his braynes if the kyng had not caused him to staye his hand This triumphe ended with displeasure both vnto the Macedons and vnto vnto AlexaÌ„der himselfe specially because this thing was done in the Indians presence he feared lest the valiauntnes of the MacedoÌ„s famed so muche in the worlde might therby come into conteÌ„pt Hereupon AlexaÌ„der grudging at Dioxippus bare his eares open to the accusacion of the enuyous They within a fewe dayes after had caused a golden cuppe to be purposely conueyed out of the waye whiche the ministers hauing imbesealed them selues made complaynt vnto Alexander of the losse thereof Oftymes men shewe lesse constauncy then in the offence it selfe For in their complaynt Dioxippus perceyued by their lokes that they noted hym as the thefe whiche he coulde not endure but partyng out of the feaste after he had wrytten a letter to the kyng he kylled hymselfe Alexander was very sory for his death whiche he tooke for no token of repentaunce but rather of indignacion For afterwardes it appeared through the ouermuche reioysing of hys enemies that he had bene falsely accused The Embassadours of the Indians that were dismissed home within a fewe dayes after returned agayne presenting vnto Alexander thre C. horses M. and .xxx. wagons euery one drawen with foure horses certain vestures of linnen cloth M. Indian targetes an hundred talentes of white Iren both lyons of a rare bygnes and Tigres that were made â—ame the skinnes of great Lyzardes and the shelles of certain fisshes The kyng then commaunded Craterus to conduct his army along the ryuer wherupon he sayled and he enbarking suche as were wont to accompany him with the streame passed into the boundes of the Mallians and from thence came vnto the Sabracans Sabracans whiche was a nacion of great power not ruled by kynges but by a gouernement of the people They had gathered together .vi. M. footemen and .vi. M. horsemen and .v. C. armed wagons and had chosen thre capitaines that were approued men of warre But when suche as inhabited next vnto the ryuer the bankes being full of villages sawe all the ryuer so farre as they coulde view strowed with shippes and the armour glistering of so many men of warre they were amased with the straungenes of the sight and thought that some army of the Goddes or els Bacchus whose name was famous amonges those nacions had become amonges them The crye of the men of warre with the classing of the oers and the straunge noyse of the mariners exhortyng one another fylled full their fearefull eares They ranne therfore amonges their countrey men whiche had assembled their force declaring their madnes if they woulde contende with Goddes For they sayde the shippes coulde not be nombred that caried those inuicible people With whiche wordes they put suche feare amonges the men of warre of their owne nacion that they sent immediatly Embassadours to yelde them selues When he had receyued assuraunce of them he came the fourth day into an other nacion whiche durste no more withstande then the reste dyd and there he buylded a cytie whiche he named Alexandria and from thence entred into a couÌ„trey the inhabiters whereof be called Musycans Musycans Caracanusidans There he vnderstode by the accusacion of the Caramisidans that Destirioldes whom Alexander had appointed lieutenant amoÌ„ges them had ruled in excessiue pride and couetousnes therfore coÌ„maunded him to be put to death And Oxarres lieutenauÌ„t of the Bactrians being also accused was not only acquited but also had a greater rule coÌ„mitted vnto him WheÌ„ he had subdued the vtter partes of the MusicaÌ„s he put a guarrison in their cytie Porticanus kyng of the Prestyans and went from thence to another nacion of the Indians called Prestians of whome Porticanus was kyng whiche with a great powre got him selfe into a strong citie whiche Alexander wanne the thirde daye after he beganne his siege Vpon the taking of the towne Porticanus fled into the castle and sent Embassadours to treate of peace But before they were come to Alexanders presence twoo towres of the Castle fell with a greate crashe by the ruynes wherof the Macedons got into the castle where Porticanus whiche with a fewe standing at defence was slayne The castle being rased and all that were with in sould as slaues Alexander came into the boundes of Saba Python where besydes many cyties that yelded vnto hym he toke the strongest cytie of that countrey by force of a myne It semed a monstrous thyng vnto the Indians being ignoraunt of suche policies of warre for armed men to come furthe of the grounde in the myddes of their cytie there appearyng before no signe of any way
vnder the earth Clitarâ—us doth write that there were foure score thousand Indians slayne in that countrey besydes many prisoners solde as slaues The Musicanes in the meane tyme rebelled Saba for the oppression of whome Python was sent thether who toke the prince of the nacion prisoner and brought hym to Alexander whom he caused to be hanged on a crosse as the aucthour of the reuolt and that done returned agayne to the ryuer where as he had willed his nauy to tary for hym The fourth daye after passing downe the streme he came to a towne at the entrey of the kyngdome of Samus Samus The kynge whereof had newely yelded hymselfe but the cytezens dyd shutte their gates and woulde not be at commaundement Whose smalle nombre Alexander regarded so little that he sent fyue hundred Agrians vnto their gates to proffer them the skirmyshe to the intent by retiryng little and little they myght drawe them out of their strength whiche were thought would folowe in the chase when they should see their enemies flyeng The Agrians did as it was appoynted them for when they had once prouoked their enemies they turned their backes and the Indians folowed them till they came to the embushement where the kyng lay Then the Agrians turned and the fight was renued agayne so that of thre thousand Indians there were fyue hundred slaine and a thousand taken the rest recouered agayne the cytie But the ende of the victory was not so pleasaunt as it appeared in the begynnyng for the Indians had so inuenemed their swordes that suche as were hurte dyed of their woundes And the Phisicioâ—s could not deuyse the cause of so straunge a death for euen the very lyght hurtes were vncurable The Indians trusted that Alexander through his rashenes myght haue come within that daunger whiche by chaunse fyghting amonges the thyckest escaped vnhurte Ptolomeus Ptolomeus was fyghtly wounded vpon his lefte shoulder who beyng in greater daunger then the greatnes of his wounde shewed caused the kynge to be carefull of hym For he was nere of his kynne and as some thought Philippe was his father But it is certayne that his mother was Philippes concubyne he was one that had the charge of the kynges persone a valiaunt man of warre and yet more famous in the faculties of peace He was moderate both in his apparell and lyuing lyberall easye to be spoken to and without any suche height of mynde as is wont to be in men discended of bloud royall by reason of whiche qualities it is vncertaine whether he was better beloued with the kyng or with the rest of men That was the first occasion he had to proue how the mindes of men were affectionat towardes him for euen in that daunger he was in the Macedons beganne to deuyne of his fortune wherunto afterwardes he ascended They had no lesse care of Ptolomeus then of the kyng him selfe who vsed hym so familierly that when he was weried either with trauayll or care of mynde woulde sit for his solace with Ptolomeus and at that time caused his bedd to be brought into his owne chambre When Ptolomeus was layde there he fell sodeinly into a profounde sleape in the whiche it appeared vnto hym that a dragonne offred to hym a herbe out of his mouthe of the healing of his wounde and takyng away of the venyme When he awaked he declared his dreame and shewed both the colour and fashion of the herbe affirmyng that he coulde knowe it if any man could fynde it out The same was sought by so many that at length it was founde and being put vpon the wounde the paine streight wayes cessed and the skarre within short space was closed When the Indians were disappointed of the hope they had conceyued that waye they yelded them selues and their Cytie From thence Alexander went into the next countrey called Pathalia Meres king of Pathalia the kyng wherof called Meres lefte the Cytie and fledde into the Mountaynes so that Alexander toke the same and destroyed all the countrey fyndyng bothe a wonderfull praye of Sheape of Cattell and of Corne. There he toke Pilotes that knewe that Ryuer and came vnto an Iland whiche stode in the middes of the streame he was compelled to remayne there the lenger because the Pilotes beyng negligentlye keapt were escaped awaye â–ª â—e sent therfore to seke out other but when he coulde fynde none there entred a vehement desyre into his head to visite the Occean Sea and the ende of the worlde without any guyde and so committed his owne lyfe and the lyues of so many thousandes to a ryuer that none of them dyd knowe They sayled as men ignoraunt of all the places they came vnto either howe farre the Sea was distaunt froÌ„ what nacions did inhabite the countreys there aboutes whether the mouthe of the ryuer were nauigable for Galeis or no. In all these thynges they were ledde by a blynde and doubtfull imaginacion hauyng no comfort in their rasshe enterprise but only their continuall felicitie When they had gone forwardes foure hundred furlonges the shyppemaisters tolde the kynge that they felt the ayre of the Sea wherby they knewe that the Occean was at hande Thereat he reioysed greatly and exhorted the mariners that they woulde in all that they myght make waye with the â—ers to bryng hym to the syght of the ende of the worlde which he had so long desired Nowe quod he our glory is perfite when our manhode is suche that nothyng can geue impediment vnto vs nowe the worlde is come into our haÌ„des without any further hasard of warre or sheding of bloud Nowe since the bâ—undes that nature hath wrought be so nere at hande we shall shortly se thinges vnknoweÌ„ sauing to the immortal gods Yet notwithstanding he set certain a land to take foure of the countrey men by whome he trusted to haue knowen more certaintie of the truthe When they serched out their cotagies at length founde out some that were hydden Whiche beyng demaunded howe farre the sea was from them they made aunswere that they neuer harde it named but they sayde that within thre dayes saylyng they shoulde come vnto a place where as a brakishe water did corrupt the freshe By whiche wordes the mariners vnderstode that they ment the Sea of the nature whereof the people were ignoraunt Then the mariners rowed cherefully their desire growing euer the greater as they approched nere vnto the place whiche they hoped to be the ende of their trauaill The third daye they came where the sea and the ryuer ioyned together mixing with a smale floud their waters that were of a contrary nature Then because the tyde was somwhat againste them they haled towardes an other Iland standing in the myddes of the ryuer whiche beyng an easy place to lande at the Macedons ran about to seke vitâ—lles in suretie as they thought being ignoraunt of the chaunce that came vpon them The thirde houre accordyng to the ordinary course the
as thoughe he had bene striken to the harte And beynge caried out of the feast halfe dead was so tormented wyth payne that he required a swerde to haue killed him selfe His frendes did publyshe abroade dronkennes to be the cause of his disease but in verye dede it was prepensed treason the infamye wherof the power of his successours did oppresse The poyson prepared longe before was deliuered by Antipater vnto Cassander his sōne whiche wyth his brethren Phillippe and Iolla were wonte to serue the kynge at meate He was warned that he shoulde not committe the same poyson to anye person except it were to Thessalus or to his brethren Philippe therfore and Iollas whiche were wonte to take the saye of the kynge cuppes hauyng the poyson readye in colde water mixed it with the wine after they had tasted it When the fourth daye was come the souldiours partly for that they suspected he hadde bene dead and partlye because they coulde not endure to wante longe his syght came sorowfullye vnto the courte desirynge to see the kynge whiche by his commaundemēt were admitted vnto his presence by such as had the charge of his person When they behelde him liynge in that case they made great sorowe and lamentacion for he semed not to them to be the same their kynge whom they were wont to see but rather a deade corse If their griefe were great the sorowe of theim that stode nexte to the bedde appeared muche more whom when Alexander behelde lamentyng after that sorte he saied vnto thē When I shall departe you shall finde a kynge worthye for suche men as you be It is a thynge incredible howe that he durynge the tyme the souldiours of his whole armye came to viset hym he neuer altered countenaunce nor gesture but continued in that kind of presence he gaue vnto the firste vnto the laste man When he hadde dismissed the multitude as though he had bene discharged of al the debt of life he laye downe againe to rest his weake body his voyce beginnyng to fayle him cōmaunded his frendes to come neare aboute him and then takinge his rynge from his finger deliuered it to Perdicas and gaue therwith a commaundemente that his bodye shoulde be conueyed to Hammon They demaunded to whom he would leaue his kingdome He saide to the worthiest By whiche wordes it appeared that he forsawe the contention that was like to ensue vpon his death Perdicas more ouer demaunded of him when he woulde haue diuine honours done vnto him At such time quod he as you shall finde your selfes in felicitie These were the laste wordes Alexander spake and shortelye after he died Immediatlye after his death the courte was full of howlynge The sorow that was made vpon Alexāders death lamentynge and sorowe makynge and by and by as it hadde bene in a deserte or a place solitary all thynges were whiste and a sorowfull silence was spredde ouer all euerye man beynge conuerted into imagination what shoulde become of the matter The yonge menne of the nobilitye that were accustomed aboute Alexanders person coulde not beare the greatnes of their doloure nor kepe them selfes within compasse of the courte but ranne aboute as menne out of their wyttes wherby the citye was filled with heauines and complainte and no kinde of lamentation pretermitted that sorow is wont to minister in such a case Suche therfore as were without the courte vnderstandynge this matter as well Macedones as other came runnynge thither wheras the Conquerours from the conquered nor the Victorers from the vainquished coulde not be discerned the sorowe was so indifferent to thē al. The Percians called vpō their iust and mercifull Lorde and the Macedons made inuocation to him that was so valeaunte and gracious a kynge and thus there was a certaine contencion of sorow amōges thē Men did not vse their only wordes of griefe and heauines but also of grudge and indignation that so yonge a prince beynge in the flower of his age and of his fortunate successe shoulde by the enuy of the Goddes be so taken out of this worlde They called to remembraūce what a cherefulnes they had alwaies sene in his countenaunce ether when he led them to the battel when he besieged or assaulted any citie or when he would geue any commendacion to the worthye in anye assemble Then the Macedons repented that euer they hadde denied him deuine honours confessyng them selues bothe wicked and vngratefull for depriuynge him of anye name wherof he was worthye And when they had continued long in the veneration and desire of him that was dead then they began to pitye their owne case whiche commyng out of Macedon were passed the riuer of Euphrates amonges the middes of their enemies that vnwillinglye receiued their new gouernement They saw them selues left destitute the Empire without any certaine heyre for wāt of whō euery one wold go about to draw the power of the state vnto his priuate behofe And thē they began to conceiue and forsee in their mindes the ciuill warres that did ensue that they shoulde be enforced to shede their bloude againe not for the cōquest of Asia but for the title of some such one that would go about to make him selfe king wherby their old scarres should breake out againe into new woūdes that such as by reason of their age had bene discharged from the warres by their noble righteous king should now be enforced to spend their liues in the quarell of some such one as was but his souldier Whiles thei were in these imaginaciōs the night came on encreased their terroure The men of warre watched in harnayes the Babilonians loked ouer the walles pepyng out frō the toppes of their houses to spye some certaintye how the matter wēt There was none that durst kyndle any light And bicause the vse of the eie did fail thei laied their eares to heare the rumours wordes that were spoken And many times thei wer afraied whē no cause was whē thei met together in the narow stretes or darke lanes thei would be amased suspect eche other as enemies The Percians after their accustumed maner clipped there heare and with ther wiues and children lamented the death of Alexander in mourning garmentes with vnfained affeccion not as a conqueror and one that lately had bene there enemye but as there rightwise and naturall kyng For they being accustumed to liue vnder a king could think no man more worthy then he to rule ouer them Thys sorowe was not only conteined within the walles of the citie but streightwayes spred ouer all the countrey ther aboutes And the fame of so great a mischiefe flyenge through oute Asia brought some tydinges therof vnto Darius mother She at the fyrste reporte tare a sonder the garment she ware and put on morning appareill she pulled her heare and fel downe groueling vpon the earth One of her neces sat by her morning the death of Ephestion whom she had
maried and in an vniuersall heuines bewayled the cause of hir owne sorowe But Sysigambis alone susteyned all there miseries The behauour of Darius mother vpon the death of Alexander and bewayled bothe hir owne case and her nefes her freshe sorowe causing her to call to mynde thinges paste A man would haue iudged by her behauour that Darius had bene newly slayne and that she had celebrated the funeralles of bothe her sonnes togither She did not only lament the deade but sorowed also for the lyuing Who shall nowe qd she take care of this yong woman or who can be like vnto Alexander nowe we be taken prisoners againe nowe we be newly fallen from our dignitie and estate After Darius death we found one to defend vs. But nowe since Alexander is gone who wyll haue respect of vs Amongs she called to mind how Occhus the cruell kinge had slayne her father and foure score of her brethren on one daye and that of seuen children borne of hir bodye there was but one of theim lefte aliue She sawe that fortune had aduaunced Darius and caused him to floryshe for a tyme to the entente he myght ende his life by greater crueltye Finallye she was so ouercome wyth sorowe that she couered her head turning her selfe from her nese and nephew that sate at her fete and abstayninge both frō meate frō beholdynge of the light ended hir life the fift daye after she was determined to dye This hir death was a great argument of the clemencye Alexander hadde shewed towardes her and of the iustice towardes all the captyues seyng that after Darius death she could abide to liue but after Alexanders departure she was ashamed to continue any lenger Considerynge Alexander rightwiselye A discourse of Alexanders vices and his vertues we must impute all his vertues to his owne nature and his vices either to hys youth or to the greatnes of his fortune There was in him an incredible force of courage and an exceadynge sufferaunce of trauaile He was endued with manhode excellinge not onely amonges kynges but also amonges such as had neither vertue nor qualitye He was of that liberalitye that oftentymes he gaue greater thinges then the reciuers could haue asked of God The multitude of kyngdomes that he gaue in gift and restored to such from whom he had taken theim by force was a token of his clemencye towardes them that he subdued He shewed a perpetuall contempte of deathe the feare wherof doth amase other men And as there was in him a greater desire of glorye and worldely prayse then reason woulde beare so was it intollerable in so yong a man enterprisynge so great actes The reuerence and affection he bare towardes his parentes appeared in that he purposed to consecrate his mother Olimpias to immortalitie and that he so sore reuenged Philips death How gentle and familiar was he towardes his frēdes and how beniuolence towarde his souldiours He had a wisedome equall to the greatnes of his harte and suche a policie and forecast as so yong yeres were scarsely able to receiue A measure in immoderate plesures And the vse of his lust lesse then nature desiered vsing no pleasure but that was lawefull these were wonderfull greate giftes and vertues But in that he compared him selfe to the Gods coueted diuine honours and beleued the Oracles that perswaded such thinges that he was offended with thē that woulde not worship him and geuen more vehementlye to wrath then was expedient That he altered his habite and apparell into the fashion of straungers coūterfaited the custome of them he had subdued and despised before his victorye were vices to be attributed to the greatnes of fortune As the heate of youthe stirred him to anger and to the desyre of drinkyng so age might haue mitigated againe those faultes Notwithstandynge it muste nedes be confessed that though he preuailed muche by his vertue yet ought he to impute more vnto his fortune which only of al mortal men he had in his owne power Howe oftē did she deliuer him from the poynte of death Howe often did she defende him wyth perpetuall felicitie when he hadde rashelye brought him selfe in peryll And when she poynted an ende to his glorye she euen then was contente to finyshe his life stayinge his fatall destenye tyll he had subdued the Orient visited the Occean Sea and fulfilled all that mans mortalitie was able to performe To this so greate a kynge and noble conqueroure a successour was loked for But the matter was of ouermuch importaūce for any one mā to take vpō him Alexanders name and renowne was so great amonges all Nacions and they were counted moste noble that might be partakers of his prosperous fortune thoughe the porcion was neuer so small But to returne agayne to Babilon from whence this digression hath bene made The assēble after the death of Alexander They whiche had the guarde and custodie of Alexanders persone ▪ called into the courte suche as hadde bene his chiefe frendes and captaines of the men of warre after whom there folowed a great multitude of Souldioures desierynge to knowe who shoulde be successoure vnto Alexander The thronge of the souldiours was suche that manye of the capitaynes were excluded and coulde not enter into the courte A Proclamation therfore was made wherby all men were forbidden to enter except suche as were called by name But because their commaundement semed to want aucthoritie it was little regarded the multitude at the first began to make a greuous sorow lamentation But straightwaies the desire they had to vnderstande the successe of the matter stopped their lamētatiō made silēce Thē Perditas brought forth in sight of al the people the kinges chayre of estate wherin Alexanders Diademe his vestures regall hys armor was laide Emōges that which ornamētes Perdicas also laide downe the kinges signet deliuered to him the day before at the sight wherof they began to wepe and to renue againe their sorowe Then saied Perdicas Perdicas wordes Lo here is the rynge wherwith he was wōt to seale such thinges as perteined to the force of his Empire as he deliuered the same to me I so do restore it agayne to you And although no aduersitye can be deuised by the Goddes were they neuer so muche offended comperable to this Yet considering the greatnes of the actes whych he hath done we muste thinke that the Goddes sent suche a man as he was to raigne in the worlde whose tyme beyng expired that was appointed they haue called him againe to the place from whence he came Forsomuche therefore as none other thinge remaine of hym amonges vs but onely that whiche is alwayes wont to be remoued from immortalitie let vs perfourme the due pertayninge bothe to his bodye and to his name remembringe in what citye we be amonges what kynde of people and what a kynge and what maner of gouernoure we haue loste We must debate and deuise how to
not remoue hym away At length Tauron apered aboue the castle of the cytie at whose sight the enemies hartes faynted and the Macedons the more fierslye did assayll them When they sawe themself with this extremitie and perceiued they were not of powre to withstand the Macedons they became of diuers disposicioÌ„s For some were determined to dye and many to flye awaye But the greater parte retired them selues into the castle from whence they sent vnto Alexander .xxx. Embassadours to aske mercy But he gaue vnto them a sorowfull aunswere that there was no pardoÌ„ to be obtained at his handes wherupoÌ„ being in doubt of death and excluded from al other remedies sent vnto Sisigambes by a priuy way vnknowne to their enemies makyng their requeste that she would vouchsaufe to be a meane to AlexaÌ„der for the pacefieng of his rigour wrath towardes theÌ„ In her only they put theyr hope knowing howe much AlexaÌ„der loued her that he estemed her as if she had ben his mother And they thought she would the rather encline to their desire because Madates that was captaine there had maried her sisters daughter wherby he became a kyn to Darius Sisigambis stode longe in deniall of their requeste sheweng that it agreed not with her fortune to become an intercessor for others addyng therunto that she feared lest she might misuse the victorers fauor and make him we by of her for she said she had more remeÌ„brauÌ„ce that she was a prisoner then that she was a Quene But at lengthe she was ouercome with there suite and by hir letters made intercession vnto Alexander after that sorte that she fyrste excused hir self of her suite making and after required him that he would pardon them or at the leste waies that he would forgiue her that was peticioner but for the life only of such one as was hir frend and hyr kinsmaÌ„ and now no lenger any enemy to his maiestie but in redines to submit him self This one matter is sufficieÌ„t to declare the Moderacion and clemeÌ„cy that was then in Alexander For he dyd not only pardon Madates but also left the Citie vntouched graunting to all that were within it both libertie and fredom with enioyment of their landes and goods without paieng of any tribute more then the which she could not haue obtayned of Darius being hir sonne When he had thus subdued the Vxions he annexed them to the prouince of Susa and purposing to passe forwards deuided his army into two partes wherof he coÌ„mitted the one to Permenio to be conuaied by theÌ„ plaine contrey and reseruing such a parte as was pestered leste wyth bagage toke the way of the mounteins whych wyth a contiunall ridge ronne out in length from thence into Perce In his passage he destroyed al the mouÌ„teine couÌ„trey arriuing the thirdday in the bouÌ„des of Percia The fifte day he entred into the streightes called Piloe Susidoe Ariobazzanes keapt the streight betwixt Susys and Percia which were defended by Ariobazzanes with xv M. fotemeÌ„ who keping the toppes of the highe and steepe rockes that hange ouer on both sides of the way at the firste keapt them selues quyet of purpose preteÌ„ding a feare vntyll such time as the army was entered into the narowest of the streight But when they sawe the Macedons passe onforwards in their contempte then they threw downe great stones vpon them which falling vpon the tiethermoste rockes and these breaking in peaces rebounded amonge the Macedons fel with greater violence and distressed hole bands at ones And besides that did theÌ„ great damage with shot of arrowes and stones that they did caste out of slinges Suche as were men of courage were not so muche greued with the death destrucioÌ„ that they sawe their presently as that they shuld be slain after such a maner like beastes caught in a pitte wher as thei could not be reuenged vpon their enemies Their wrath hereupon was turned into such a rage and woodnes that they ran vp against the rokes ther enforced them selues by taking holde and by hauing vp one of an other to mount vp vnto their enemies But when they hade caught hold vpon some outward parte and therby labored to ascend by force of so many handes that fastened to it at ones they pulled a sondre the thing they held by and so fell downe all togithers In this case they could neither stand passe forwards nor yet defend themselues by any deuise thei could make with their targetes seing the stones were of such weight that were throwen down vpoÌ„ theÌ„ AlexaÌ„der was in great trouble of minde not only for the greif he receiued by the destrucion of his meÌ„ but much more for the shame that he had so rasheli brought his armi into such a dauÌ„gerus streight He had bene inuincible before that daie neuer atteÌ„pted thing in vaine He had passed that streightes of Cilicia with out damage opened to himself a new way by sea into PaÌ„philia Which felicity of his semed theÌ„ to be staied plucked back for he could ê‘ceiue no other remedy theÌ„ to returne by the way he cam he caused the retreit therfore to be blown gaue ordre to his soldiers to go close together by castiÌ„g their targets ouer their heads returne back again after thei had merched .xxx. forloÌ„ges wtin the streyte â–ª When he was retourned and had planted his campe in an open ground he coÌ„sulted what was best to doe and therewith suche a supersticion entred into his minde that he called for the priestes and deuiners to healpe herein by their inuocation But Aristander to whome he gaue moste confidence could do nothing in the case so that Alexander condempning their sacrifices which he thought then done out of tyme called for suche as knewe the couÌ„tray They shewed him of an other way that was playne and open enough but he lyked it not he was so ashamed to leue his souldiers vnburied that were slayne For amonges al other ceremonies obserued in the discipline of their warres there was none more religiously kept then the burieng of the dead He caused therefore suche prisoners as were lately taken to be called before him amonges whom there was one experte both of the Greke and Percian tongue whiche shewed to the kyng that he laboured in vayne if he thought to conuoy his army ouer the toppes of those mouÌ„taines whiche he sayd beginne at mount Caufasus The description of the streyte the couÌ„trey therunto adioyning and closed in the one syde of Perce by the space of M.vi C. furlonges in length and Clx. in bredth till suche tyme as they come vnto the sea which also enclosed the couÌ„trey from the place where the mouÌ„taines ceased The countrey lyeng at the foote of the mountaynes he dedescribed to be playne frutefull and replenysshed with many faire cyties and villages and that the ryuer of Arares ronning through thesame Arates falleth into another ryuer called Medus Medus bringing with
it the waâ—eds of many smale streames Whiche ryuer of Medus beyng muche lesse then thesame whiche it doth receyue runneth from thence towardes the south Sea No place could be more aboundant of grasse for euerery where nere vnto the water the grounde was couered ouer wyth flowres The riuer was shadowed ouer wyth plantyne and pople trees which by reason they stande somwhat highe and the water ronne lowe in a depe chanell seme to such as be a farre to be woodes adioynning to the Mountains He counted no contrey in al Asia to be more holsome or to haue more temperat ayer then thys both by reason of shadowing mouÌ„tein that euermore defendeth the heate and also of the sea which on the parte being at hand with a certeine temperature doth norishe the ground When the prisoner had made a descriptioÌ„ of the contrey after this maner the kinge enquired of hym whither he knewe those thinges by hearing say or els had sene them with hys eyes He sayde that he had bene an herdman knewe the contrey veraie well and al the wayes thither And that he had bene twise taken prisoner ones by PercaÌ„s in Licia and now the second time by hym Vpon those wordes Alexander called an oracle to memorye wherby it was signified to him that a Lician shouâ—d be hys guide into Perce Wherfore promising to him suche rewardes as the present necessitie required as hys estate was mete to receiue willed him to be armed after the Macedons maner and wyth good spede to go shewe on the waye Which though he had declared to be but streight and difficult yet AlexaÌ„der put no doubt to passe it wyth a fewe meÌ„ except any thought he said that Alexander would not attempte that thyng for to wynne glorye and perpetuall commendacion that the herdman had done often tymes in feading of his beastes TheÌ„ the prisoner left not to alledge the difficulties of the waye specially for such as ware armour Then the kinge said Take me for suertie that neuer one of them that be appoynted to the shall refuce to go where thou shalt passe Craterus That done he left Craterus with the charge of his campe and he hym self passed forwardes with suche fotemen as were accustomed to his person with those haÌ„des of whom Meleager had charge Meleager and a thousaÌ„d Archers on horsback taking first ordre with Crateus that he should kepe his caÌ„pe in such forme as it had bene vsed before cause many fiers to be made of purpose that the enemies might that rather think hym to be there stil present aduising him further that if Ariobarzanes shuld get knowlege of his enterprise send part of his powre to stop his passage that theÌ„ Craterus should shew al the terror they could to cause him coÌ„uert theÌ„ self to the defence of the daunger that was next at hand But if he should deceiue his enemye recouer the hil vpon hym that then vpon the hearing of the alarome in the Percians campe preparing theÌ„ selues to his resistauÌ„ce he should not doubt to passe that way from which they wer repulced the day before wher he iudged thei should find no resistaunce the enemies being conuerted towards him In the third watch he set forwardes in great sileÌ„ce without blowyng of trompet passed on by such way as was shewed him by the guide Euery souldier that was lyght armed carieng thre dayes vitaile But when he was on his way besides the wild rockes and sharpe stones that caused them oft fayle their foting the snowe also driuen wyth the wynd was a great impediment to them in their iourney For they fell diuers tymes downe into pittes and suche as coueted to pull them out were oft times drawen after The night also wyth the countrey vnknowne and the guide of whose fidelitye they doubted encreased muche their feare considering â—hat if they should not deceiue their enemies watch they should be taken like beastes they wayed also that both the sauegard of them and of the king lay in the handes of one that was a prisoner At length they came to a mounteyne wher as the way towards Ariobarzanes lay on the right haÌ„d TheÌ„ he sent before by the guiding of such as they had taken prisoners Philotas Cenon Amintas Policarpon wyth a band of the lighteste Armed whom he aduised that forasmuch as they had both horsemeÌ„ and fotemen and the couÌ„trey fertell and habound of fodder that they should make no haste but passe forwardes faire easely And he with the esquiers of his body the band of horsemeÌ„ that they called Agema was guided by another bipath farre of froÌ„ that place wher his enemies kept their watch But the way was so streight and so depe that thei suffred great trouble vexacioÌ„ in passing therof It was middaie they were so weried that of necessitie they must take reste for they had so farre to go as they had trauailed all redy sauing that the waye was not so difficult nor so roughe He refreshed therefore his men with meat with sleape in the secoÌ„d watche did rise vp passed the reste of hys iourney without any great difficultie Sauing in the part where the mouÌ„tayne begaÌ„ne to fall aslope towards the plaine their passage was sodeinly stopped by a great gull made with the violence of the streames that ranne downe the mouÌ„tains by wearing away of the earth And besids the trees staÌ„ding so thick the bowes that grewe one within another appeared before theÌ„ as a coÌ„tinual hedge WheÌ„ they saw theÌ„selues staied after this maner such desperacioÌ„ fel amoÌ„ges theÌ„ that thei could sâ—arsly abstain froÌ„ teares The darknes being a great encrease of their terror seing thei could not enioy any benefit of the statres For if any gaue light the same was takeÌ„ away by the shadow of the trees And the vse of the eares could not serue for one to receiue counsel and comforte at an other the wynd whyrlid so amoÌ„ges the leaues and the shakyng of the bowes made such a noyse But at length the daie which they so much desired demynished wyth his lighte the terrors that the darknes of the night did make For by fetching of a little compasse about they passed the holow gylle and euery man began to be aguide Finally they got vp in the toppe of the hille from whence they might beholde their enemies lieng in campe TheÌ„ the macedons shewed them selues stoutly in their Armour appering sodeinly on their backes when they mistrusted no suche thyng and there slewe suche as came fyrste to encountre wyth them So that on the one parte the greuous noyse of them that were slayne and the miserable showt of suche as ran in for succour amonges their owne companye put the rest to flyght without making any resistaunce When the alarome was once hard in the camp wher Craterus lay the Army by and by passed forwards to go through the streightes in the which they were repulsed the day