accustomed honour of his nobilitie TheÌ„ thei came to the countrey of Parthenia Parthenia then being but obscure vnknowen but now the head of all those countreis which lie vpon Tigre Euphrates be bouÌ„ded with the read seas This countrey being frutefull haboundaunt of al thinges was taken by the Scithians whiche possessing part both of Asia Europe be troubleous neyghbours to them both They which inhabite vpoÌ„ the Bospheron sea Baspheron are ascribed to be in Asia And such as be in Europe possesse the couÌ„treis lieng on the lefte side of Thracia so far as Boristhenes Boristenes froÌ„ thence right furth so farre as the ryuer of Tanais that parteth Europe Asia It is certain that the Sythes of whom the Percians be descended came not from Bospheron but out of Europe There was a noble cytie in those daies called Atomphilos builded by the Grekes Atoâ—philos where Alexander remained with his army conuoieng vittels thether from all partes A tumulte that rose vpon a rumour Amonges the souldiers lieng there in idlenes there did rise sodainly a rumour that enterid into their heades without any certain auctour or beginniÌ„g The rumor was how that Alexander satisfied with the actes he had done purposed immediatly to returne into Macedon This fame was not so sone sowen abrode but that they ran like madde men to their lodginges and trussed vp their baggage and their stufa making such preparacion to depart that euery man iudged warning had bene geuen to remoue and that the thing had bene done by appointmeÌ„t The tumult that rysse in the caÌ„pe by lading of cariages the calling that one made vnto another came vnto the kynges eares This rumour obtained the soner credite by the dispatche of certain Greke souldiers whom AlexaÌ„der had dismissed into their couÌ„trey with the gift of .vi. thousand deneres to euery horseman wherupon they toke occasion to thinke that the warre had bene at an ende Alexander whose purpose was to passe into India and the vttermoste bandes of the orient was no lesse afraied of this matter then the case required And therefore called before him the capteins of his army And with the teares in his eies made a great complaint vnto them that in the middle course of his glorie should thus be pulled back and compelled to returne into his countrey rather as a man vainquished then as a victor Whiche misfortune he saide he could not impute to his souldiers nor iudge in theÌ„ any cowardnes to giue impedimeÌ„t to his procedinges but that it was only the enuie of the goddes which put so sodeine a desire of their countrey into the mindes of valiaunt men that within a while should haue returned with great glory and fame Therupon they al promised him to trauaill in reformation of the matter offeringe them selues in al thinges were they neuer so difficult to do as he would haue them And they promised also the obedience of the souldiers if so be that he would make some gentle apt oracion to pacefie them which were neuer yet sene departe from him in any desperacion or disturbaÌ„ce of mind if they once beheld the cherfulnes of his couÌ„tenauÌ„ce and the courage that proceded from his harte He promised that he would so do required at their handes to prepare in the multitude an aptnes to gyue eare vnto hym When all thinges were prepared which were thought expedient for the purpose he assembled all his armye togither and made this oracion vnto them Alexanders oracion vnto the souldiers When ye consider my souldiers the greatnes of the actes which ye haue done the manifolde conquestes that ye haue made it is no merueill at all though ye be enclined to the desyer of quietnes and fully satisfied with fame and glorye For leuing to speake of the Illirians Triballes of Boetia Thracia Sparta of the Acheians Peloponesians whom I haue subdued part in persone the rest by my apointmeÌ„t I will not make rehersal of the warre we began at Hellespont and how we deliuered froÌ„ the intollerable seruitude of the Barbarians nations Ionas and Aeolides and got vnto our possessioÌ„ both Caria Lydia Cappadocia Phrigia Paphlagonia Pamphilia Pisides Cilicia Siria Phenices Armenia Perce Mede and Parthenia We haue gotten more couÌ„treis then other haue taken cities yet I am sure the multitude of them haue caused me to leue some of theÌ„ vnrehersed If I could thinke that the possession of these landes that we haue coÌ„quered in so short time could remain sure vnto vs theÌ„ my souldiers I would though it were against your willes breake from you to visite my house and my home to see my mother my sisters my countreymen to enioy there the laude glory that I haue gotten with you Where as the ioyfull conuersacion of our wifes our children pareÌ„tes peace quietnes a sure possession of thinges gotten through our valiauntnes do tary for vs as large rewardes of our victory But if we wil coÌ„fesse the truth this new empire whiche we haue not yet at coÌ„maundement but is kept as it were by way of entreaty doth require a time that this stiffe necked people may learne to beare our yoke framing their disposicioÌ„s to a more humanitie bring their cruell nature to a more ciuill coÌ„uersacion Do we not see that the corne in the field axeth a time for his riping and though the same be without sence yet hath it his course to be brought to perfection Do you beleue that so many nacions not agreing with vs in religion in customes nor in vse of tongue accustomed to thempire and name of an other man will be conquered and brought to subiectioÌ„ with the wynning of one battail No trust me they be kept vnder with the feare of our powre and do not obey vs of their owne good willes And they whiche shewe you obedience when ye be here amonges them when you be absent wil be your enemies â–ª you must thinke that ye haue to doe with wilde beastes whiche being fierse of nature wheÌ„ they be first taken must be shut vp and tamed with tyme. Hetherto I haue reasoned with you as though we had conquered the hole dominion that perteyned to Darius which is nothyng so For Nabarzanes possesseth Hircania and the traitour Bessus not only enioyeth Bactria but also threateneth vs. The Sogdians Dahans Massagetes Sagans and the Indians remayne yet in their owne libertie and iurisdiction whiche shall not see our backes so sone turned but they will followe vs in the tayles They all haue a certayne frendshyp and amitie one with an other but we be all straungers and foryners vnto them There is no creature but that will more gladly be obedient to rulers of his own nacion then to foryners be their gouernement neuer so terryble We are dryuen of necessitie therefore to wynne that we haue not or els to lose that we haue all redy gotten As phisicions in sick
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
had directioÌ„ by Darius to take the hilles neither durste resiste suche as came against theÌ„ nor yet to coÌ„passe those about that were passed by theÌ„ but fled away at the first sight of the Slingers Which thing chaunsed wel for Alexander for it was the thing that he doubted moste that they from the higher grouÌ„d should inuade the open side of his battaille whiche lay vnflancked towardes them The Macedons marched xxxii in a raÌ„ke for the streightnes of the grouÌ„d would not suffer them to go any broder but by little and little as the playne betwene the mountaygnes began to enlarge so they had libertie both to make their battailles broder and also for the horsemen to marche vpon the sydes WheÌ„ both the battailes were come within sight togethers the Percians first gaue a terrible and rude shoute whiche was agayn doubled of the Macedons not with their nombre whiche were farre inferiour vnto the Percians but with the rebounde of the hilles and the rockes which doubled euery voice of theirs Alexander did ryde vp and downe before the frontes of his battailles makyng a sygne to his souldiours with his hand that they should not make ouermuche haste to ioyne with their enemies for bringing theÌ„selues out of breath And as he passed by The exhortacions that Alexander gaue vnto his souldiours he vsed to euery nacioÌ„ sondry exhortacions as he thought mete for their disposicions and qualitie He put the Macedons in remembraunce of their olde prowes and maÌ„hode with the noÌ„bre of battailles that they had wonne in Europe howe that they were come hether aswel by their own desires as by his conducte to subdue Asia and the vttermoste bondes of the Orient He shewed them to be the people that were ordayned to conquere the worlde to passe the boundes both of Hercules Bachus He declared that both Bactria and Inde should be theirs in respect of whiche the couÌ„treis that they had sene were but trifles yet were to be gotten all with one victory wherin he said their trauaile should not be in vain as it was in the baraine rockes of Illiria or in the mountaynes of Thrace but that in this coÌ„quest the spoyle of the hole Orient was offred vnto them For the getting wherof they should scarsely nede to occupie their wordes since the battailles of their enemies wauered so alredy for feare that with their approche only they should put theÌ„ to flight He reduced his father Philip vnto their memory how he coÌ„quered the AtheniaÌ„s with the couÌ„trey of Boetia where he rased to the ground the noble cytie of Thebes After that he made rehersall of the battail wonne at the ryuer of the Granik and of all the Cities that he had taken or that had bene youlden vnto hym with the countreis thei had passed through subdued When he came vnto the Grekes he desired them to call to mynd the greate warres that had bene made against their countrey in tymes past by the Percians First by the pride of the Xerxes and after by Darius who made destruction both by water and land in suche sorte that the riuers could not serue them of drinke nor the earth of victualles for to eate rehersyng also howe the Temples of their Goddes had bene by them poluted and put to ruen their Cyties ouerthrowen and the truces and promyses by them violated and broken that were confirmed both by deuine and humanie lawes When he was passed by the Illirians and Thracians whiche were accustomed alwayes to lyue vpon thefte and spoyle he had them behold their enemies whiche glistered with gold and bare no armour but spoyle fro them take He encouraged them to go forwardes like men and pluck the pray from those effeminat womeÌ„ to make exchaunge of their kraggie rockes and bare hilles alwaies full of snowe for the plentiful groundes and ryche landes of Perce The battal betwixt Darius and Alexander By the time he had made these exhortacions they were come within throwe of their dartes And Dariê° horsemeÌ„ gaue a fierce charge vpon the right hand battaille of the MacedoÌ„s For Darius desire was to trie the battaille by horsemen iudging as it was indede that the chiefest power of his enemies consisted in their square battaille of fotemeÌ„ So that the battaille where AlexaÌ„der was was brought to the point of enclosing about if he had not ê‘ceiued the same in time who coÌ„maunded two tropes of his horsemeÌ„ to kepe the top of the hill brought all the rest to the encounter of his enemies Then he coÌ„ueied the Tessalians horsmeÌ„ from the place where they stode to fight willing their captain to bring theÌ„ about behind the battailles there ioyning with Parmenio to do the thing manfully that he should appoinct theÌ„ By this the Phalanx of the MacedoÌ„s in maner enclosed about with their enemies fought notably on all partes but they stode so thick so were ioyned one to an other that there waÌ„ted scope to welde their dartes Thei were so miÌ„gled together that in castiÌ„g one letted another very few lighted vpoÌ„ the enemies with weake dintes the moste parte fel on the grouÌ„d without harme doing wherfore being enforced to ioyne haÌ„d for hand they valiauÌ„tly vsed the sworde Then there was great effusioÌ„ of bloud for both tharmies closed so nere that their harnes classhed together wepoÌ„ against wepoÌ„ foyned one at an others face with their swordes Ther was no place for the fearfull or the coward for to fle back but eche set his fote to other by fighting kept stil their place til thei could make their way bi force so always passed forwardes as they could ouerthrowe their enemies being weried and trauailed thus with fightyng they were euer receiued with freshe enemies suche as were wounded myght not parte out of the battaille as it hath bene sene els where their enemies assayled them so fierssy before and their fellowes thrust on so hard behind Alexander did that day not only suche thynges as pertained to a Captayne but aduentured himself as farre as any priuate souldier couetyng by al meanes to kill Darius whiche he estemed the greatest honour Darius did ride alofte vpon his chariot geuing great prouocation both to his enemies to assayle hym Oxatres Dariê° brother and for his own men to defend him As Oxatres his brother apeared moste notable amonges them all in his furniture and personage so in hardines and affection towardes the kyng he exceaded farre the rest specially in that case of necessitie For when he sawe Alexander aproche so nere he thruste in before Darius with the band of horsemen wherof he had the charge where as ouerthrowing diuerse he put many to flight But the Macedones swarmed so about the kyng and were in suche a courage by thexhortacioÌ„ that eche made to other that they charged againe vpon that band of horsemen Then apeared the slaughter lyke an ouerthrowe About the Chayre of Darius lay the moste
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
worthy to suffer misaduenture They geue a greuous sentence vpon the estate of mans mortalitie dispaire muche of mercy that deny their cōpassion to mē in misery Now therfore since the goddes haue offered to you the thing whiche ye durste neuer haue wisshed for that is your countrey your wiues your childrē being the thinges whiche men esteme more then lyfe redeame oftentymes with death why do you doubt for the enioymēt of thē to breake out of this imprisonemēt I iudge that a yet of our own countrey moste naturall to vs where me thīkes is an other maner of beholding the light other customes other religiō another maner of tonge whiche for the pleasaūtnes is coueted of the barbarous naciōs what great thinges therfore be those that ye would willingly leaue the wāte of which only is the cause of your misery My opiniō is plain that we visite our countrey our home and not refuse so great a benefite as Alexander hath proffered vs and if any be so deteined with the loue of suche wifes children as they haue gotten here in seruitude let suche be no impedement to others that of al thinges esteme moste their naturall countrey There were but few of his opiniō for custome that is of greater force then nature preuailed in that matter They agreed to demaunde of Alexander that he would geue vnto them some place to inhabite in and there chosed out an hundred to be suters vnto hym in that behalfe Whome when Alexander perceiued coming towardes hym thynking that they would haue required the thing that he conceiued in his minde I haue apointed to you qd he beastes to cary you and to euery one a M. denires and when you shal come to Grece I wil so do for you that excepting your misfortune no other shall thinke themselues in better case then you But when he sawe them loke still towardes the ground and that they neither lifted vp their countenaūces nor did speake he enquired the cause of their heuines Then Eutemon rehearsed again those thinges in effect which he had spoken before in coūsel The king therfore pitieng no lesse their demaunde then he did their misfortune cōmaunded .iii. M. deneres to be geuen to euery one of them garmentes besides with shepe cattell and corne wherby they might till and sowe the lande that should be appointed vnto them The next day he assembled all the captaines of his army togethers and shewed thē that there was no citie more enemy to the Grekes then the same that was the chief seage of the aunciēt kinges of Perce from whence all the great armies had bene sent into Grece and howe Darius first after Xerxes had come out of that place to moue their vniust warre against Europe with the destruction of whiche cytie he thought good to reuenge their predecessours Thinhabiters had abandoned the citie The taking of Persepolis fled where feare dyd driue thē Wherupon the king streight wayes brought in all his footemen to the spoyle therof He had before that time wonne many cities some by force some by composicion that were full of substaūce princes treasure But the ryches of that citie did excide all the rest as in the place where the Perciās had layd their whole substaunce Gold and siluer was there foūd in heapes and great plenty of ryche vestures and furnimentes of houses not only for necessitie and necessary vse but for excesse and ostentacion whiche was so great that it gaue the victourers occasion to fight amonges them selues eche takyng other for enemies that had gotten the rychest spoyle The plenty there was suche that they could not employe to their vse the ryches they found but when they sawe thynges of value estemed them rather then toke them away Till suche time that euery one couetyng to haue a parte of euery thyng tare and brake a sonder the princely robes and the precious vessels of curious workemanship and the Images of gold and syluer were either beaton in gobetes or plucked in peces as euery one caught holde nothing was left vntouched nor nothing caried away whole Crueltie bare no lesse rule there then couetousnes euery one was so laden with gold and siluer that they esteamed not the keping of prisoners but kylled suche as they first spared in hope of gayne There were many therefore that preuented their enemies handes with voluntary death and diuerse that clothyng them selues in their moste precious apparell leaped downe from the walles with their wyfes and chyldren Certayne there were that set their owne houses on fyer whiche they iudged their enemies woulde els haue done shortely after because they would burne themselues amunges their owne family At length the kyng dyd forbyd any violence to be done to women and that no man should medle with any thyng pertayning to them The some of money taken within this Cytie was greater then any man can well credite but eyther we muste doubte of the reste or els beleue that hath bene lefte in memory howe that the treasure there found The treasure taken at Persepolis amounted to a hundred and twenty thousand talentes whiche treasure because that Alexander purposed to employ in his warres caused horse and camels to be brought from Susis and Babilon to cary thesame The takyng of the Cytie of Persagadis Persagadis wherein was founde syx thousand talentes was an encrease to this some whiche Cytie beyng buylded by Cyrus was yeldid vp by Gobares that had the kepyng therof Gobares Alexander lefte in the castle of Persepolis thre thousand Macedons in guarrison vnder Nycarides Nicarydes capitaine of the same and reserued to Tiridates that deliuered hym the treasure thesame honour that he enioyed with Darius Leuing in this cytie the greater parte of his army with his cariages vnder the rule of Permenio and Craterus He with a thousand horsemen and a band of footemen without any bagage went to visite in the winter season the inward partes of Perce There he was vexed troubled with shoures tēpestes that were in maner intollerable but yet he letted not to go forwardes in his enterprise to the place that he appointed In his iourney he came vnto a coūtrey that was couered all with snowe thesame also frosen by force of the could The wildnes and desert maner therof put the souldiers that were weried of trauail insuch a feare and terror that they imagened to haue sene the vttermoste boūdes of the world For when they beheld all thinges wast and no signe appearing of habitaciō of man they were amased and made requeste to returne againe before that the light and the elementes should fail them The king would not chastice them being in this terror but leped frō his horse and went one fote in the snow and ice Which thing whē his frēdes sawe they could not for shame but folow then the captaines did the like and finally the souldiers The kyng was the first
breake out vpon their enemies AlexaÌ„der therfore caused his men after the maner of hunters to sake out ther lurkiÌ„g places killed many of them But at length he enuironed the woode with his souldiers round about to thintent they might breake in at euery place wher they should spie any entrey Wherby many wandred lost ther company in places that they knew not and were taken prysoners And amonges them Bucephalus AlexaÌ„ders horse Bucephalus Alexanders horse whom he did not esteame as men do other beastes for he would not suffre any other man to come vpon hys back and when the kynge would ride he would kneell downe vpon hys knees to receiue him so that he seamed to haue the sence to vnderstand whom he caried Alexander was more sorowfull and sturred to a greater wrath for the losse of the horse theÌ„ was expedient for such a cause for serching about to get the horse againe caused proclamacioÌ„ to be made by an interpreter the except he were restored he wold not leaue one of them aliue WheÌ„ they hard this terrible threating amoÌ„ges other giftes they presented vnto Alexander his horse yet he was not therwyth pacefied but comaunded the woodes to be cut downe earth to be brought for making of the wayes smooth which he cutt through the woodes This worck went so wel forward that the inhabiters dispayring of habilitie to defend their countrey yelded them selues to the kinge who receyuing their pledges committed them to the keaping of Phradates And from thence the fifte day returned againe to his campe There he gaue to Artabasus the double honor that Darius did vnto him and sent him home againe into his countrey After that he came to that citie of Hircania where Darius Palace was Nabarzanes vpon assurance came thither bringing with him great giftes and amonges the reste presented vnto AlexaÌ„der Bagoas an Enuche of singuler beauty being in the firste flowre of youth whom Darius accustomed and after Alexander The Amazons At whose intercession speicially he did pardon Nabarzanes The nacion of the AmazoÌ„s being nere vnto Hircania as hath bene sayed before did inhabite the playnes of Themiscirae about the riuer of Thermodoonta Thermodoonta had a quene reigning ouer theÌ„ called Thalestris which kept vnder her dominion all the countries betwene the Mount Caucasus and the riuer of Phasis Phasis who for the greate affeccion she had to see Alexander trauailed out of hir owne countrey and being come nere where he was she sente certayne before to declare that a quene was come of desire to visite him and to make hir acquayntaunce Whan libertie was giuen her to come to his presence she caused all the rest of hir band to stay and the came forwardes accompanied with .ccc. women Assone as she parceyued Alexander Thalestrys meâ—te Alexander she leaped from her horse carieng two Lances in hir hande The Amazons apparell is suche that it doth not couer all their bodies for their brestes be bare on the lefte syde nor their garmentes whiche they vse to knytte vp with a knot come not to their knees One breste thei alwaies reserue vntouched wherewith they noryshe their woman children but their ryght breastes thei vse to seare to make them more apt to drawe their bowes and caste their dartes Thalestis behelde Alexander with a bold countenaunce and considered in lokyng vpon hym that his personage aunswered not to the same that she had heard of his actes For the barbarous nacions geue great veneracion to the maiestie of the personage thynking none to be sufficient for the doing of greate actes but suche as nature haue endued with great personages It was demaunded of her if she had any request to make vnto Alexander Wherat she abashed not to confesse that she was come thether to get chyldren with hym thynkyng her selfe a personage worthy of whome he should get heires to enherite his kyngdome Couenanting that if it were a womaÌ„ she wold kepe it styll and if it were a man chylde she would restore it to the father Alexander enquired of her if she would go forwardes with him in his warres but therin she excused her selfe that she had left no ordre for the defence of her kyngdome But she continued styll in declaration of the cause of her commyng and required that her hope therein myght not be in vayne The womans appetite seamed to be more vehemently geuen to luste then the kynges was yet she obtayned of hym to stay for her cause and consumed thirtene daies in satisfieng of her desire Here AlexaÌ„der first forsoke vertue and fell to vice That done she departed to her owne kyngdome and Alexander went to Patthinia which was the place where he first shewed manifestly the vices that were in hym there he turned his continency and moderacion being the moste excellent vertues appearing in any kynde of estate into pryde and voluptuousnesse not esteamyng hys countrey customes nor the holsome temperaunce that was in the vsagies and discipline of the kynges of Macedon whiche iudged their ciuill vsage and maner to be ouer base for his greatnes but did counterfeit the heyghte and pompe of the Kynges of Perce representing the greatnes of the Goddes He was content to suffre men there to fall downe flat vpon the ground and worshyp hym and accustomed the victors of so many nacions by litle and litle to seruile offices coueting to make them equall vnto his captiues He ware vpon his head a diademe of purple interpaled with white lyke as Darius was accustomed and fasshioned his apparell of the maner of the Percians without scrupulesitie of any euell token that it signified for the victorer to chaunge his habite into the fasshion of hym whome he had vanquisshed And though he aduaunted that he ware the spoiles of his enemies yet with those spoyles he put vpon him their euell maners and the insolency of the mynde followed the pride of the apparell Besides he sealed suche letters as he sent into Europe with his accustomed seale but all the letters he sent abrode into Asia were sealed with Darius rynge So it appeared that one mynde could not beare the greatnes that apperteyned to two He apparelled also his frendes his capitaynes and his horsemen in Percian apparell wherat though they grudged in their myndes yet they durst not refuse it for feare of his displeasure His court was replenisshed with concubines for he still maynteined thre hundred .lx. that belonged to Darius amonges them were flockes of Enukes accustomed to perfourme the vse of women The old souldiers of Philippe naturally abhorryng suche thinges manifestly withstode to be infected with suche voluptuousnes and strauÌ„ge customes Wherupon there rose a general talke and opinioÌ„ throughout the caÌ„pe that they had lost more by the victory then they had wonne by the warre For when they sawe themselues ouercome in suche excesse foreine customes so to preuaile amonges them they iudged it aslender reward of their long being
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
the Macedons Yet the cytesens were not of his opinion but when they sawe they could not let him it was of necessitie for them to agree to his will Alexander builded a newe cytie vpoÌ„ Tanais Alexander in the meane season came to the riuer of Tanais where he enclosed about with a wall so muche grounde as his Campe did conteine extending in compasse .lx. furlonges and named the same cytie Alexandria This thing was done with suche expedicioÌ„ that within .xvii. daies after the walles were vâ— the houses also were builded And the whole was perfourmed in a very smale seasoÌ„ through the contencion amonges the souldiers who should perfourme his worke first when thesame was deuided into partes amoÌ„ges them The prisoners thei had taken whose raunsomes AlexaÌ„der paid to their takers were appointed to inhabite this cytie Whose posteritie after so loÌ„g time be not yet worne out such fauour hath bene shewed to theÌ„ in the memory of AlexaÌ„der The king of Scythia whose Empire was theÌ„ beyond the ryuer of Tanais iudging that the fortifieÌ„g vpoÌ„ the ryuers side shuld be as a yoke to his neck sent his brother Carcasis with a great power of horsemen to defeate the fortification Carcasis and to remoue away the Macedons from the waters syde Which is the ryuer that deuideth the BactriaÌ„s from the ScithiaÌ„s of Europe and is the limite whiche parteth Asia and Europe a sondre But the countreis that the Scithes inhabite beginne not farre from Tracia lie betwixt the north thest ioyning with Sarmacia possessing part of it the countrey also that lieth beyoÌ„d the ryuer of Ister is inhabited by theÌ„ Ister their vttermoste bouÌ„des stretche to Bactria to the further bouÌ„des of Asia northwardes wheras be woÌ„derful great woods wild desertes But suche of theÌ„ as bounded nere vnto Tanais Bactria lack not muche the ciuilitie of other nacions This being the first time that Alexander had to do with these people when he sawe that then he had to entre into a warre for the which he was not prouided his enemies riding vp downe in his sight and he diseased of his wound specially not hauing thuse of his speach which failed much by reason of this longe abstinence Alexanders wordes to hys friendes and the paine in his necke called his friendes to counsell declare vnto theÌ„ that he was not troubled with any fear of his ennemies but with the iniquitye of the tyme the Bactrians rebelling the Scithians prouokyng him when neyther he was able to stande vpon the ground or stroÌ„g enough to ryde on horsbacke or in case to geue aduise or exhortacion to hys men In consideracion therefore of the doubtful dauÌ„ger he saw him self wrapt in he accused the gods complayning that he was then enforsed to lye styll as a stocke whose swiftnes before tyme none was hable to escape Aduersitie maketh men religious The matters grue soo great that his owne men beleued he had counterfeited his sicknes for feare And therefore he which since the ouerthrowe of Darius had lefte consultacion with the deuiners prophetes turned himself againe to the vanitie supersticion of man willinge Aristander to whoÌ„ he was addicted in beliefe that he shoulde trye out by Sacrifice what his successe shoulde be The custome of them which were called Auruspices was to consider the intrayles of the beastes wythout the kynge Auruspices and to make report to him of there significacion In the meane season whiles they were serching secretes that kind of way he willed EphestioÌ„ Craterus Erigius other his frends to draw nere about him lest by streyning of his voice he might breake out his wouÌ„d again said thus vnto them Alexanders wordes The daunger I am in hath caused the time to serue better for mine enemies then for me necessitie I see chiefly in the warres to go before reason For it is seldome geuen to men to choyse their owne tyme. The Bactrians be reuolted vpoÌ„ whose shoulders yet we stande purposing to trie what courage we be of by our behauour towardes the Scithians If we leaue of with doubtful fortune and meddle not with theÌ„ which of their own mindes haue prouoked vs we shal at our retourne be had in contempt of them whome we entend to visit But if we shal passe the riuer of Tanais and by the destruction of the Scythians shedding of their bloud shewe our selues inuincible euery where Who will then doubt but that Europe will lye open geue obedience to vs being victorers he is deceiued that doth measure by any distaunce the boundes of our glory that we entende to passe There is but one riuer that letteth vs nowe for bringing of our power ouer into Europe whiche if we shall bring to passe what an estimacioÌ„ shal it be for vs whiles we be subduing of Asia to set vp the monumentes of our victories as it weâ—e in a newe world ioyning so sone together with one victory the thing that nature seme to haue deuided with so great distauÌ„ce but if we shal stay neuer so little and geue ground the Scythians will then come after vs pursue vs in taile Be there no more but we that haue passed riuers there be many inuencioÌ„s yet remaining amonges our selues wherby we haue gotten victories But fortune of the warre doth teache policy to suche as be ouercomme we haue shewed a president of late howe to swymme ouer ryuers vpon bottels Whiche thyng if the Scythians can not doe the Bactrians shall teache them It is but the power of one nacion that nowe come against you all the other yet stande in a stay to vnderstande of our doinges So that by eschewing battail we shal norysh warre and be coÌ„pelled to receyue those blowes whiche it lieth in vs to geue to other The reason of my aduise is manyfest But whether the Macedons wyll suffre me to vse mine owne disposicion I doubte because that since I receiued this wound I haue not ridden on horseback nor gone on foote If you will folowe me my freÌ„des I am whole I haue then strength enough to endure these thynges if th ende of my lyfe be at hande wherin can I spend it better These wordes that he spake were vttered with a broken and weake voice so that they could scarsely be hard of such as were next hym But when his meanyng was perceyued all that were present went about to fray hym from so rashe an enterprice Erigius But Erigius wrought chiefly in the matter whiche perceiuing that his authoritie could not preuayle against the kynges obstinat mynde attempted to worcke hym by religion whiche was of greater force For he declared to hym that the Goddes were against his determinacion whiche had signified great perill to ensue if he passed the ryuer He said he had vnderstande that thyng by Aristaunder who told hym at his comming into the pauilion what he had perceiued in the beastes intrailes AlexaÌ„der vpon
office By reason wher of the Macedons could not haue scoope to caste their dartes with any force taking more care howe to place them selues out of perill then for to auoyde their enemies Their ingyns stode them in great steade which seldome did shote in vaine against their enemies that stoode thicke before them proffering to resiste their laÌ„ding When the Scithians sawe them nere the shore they did shote an infinite nombre of arrowes into the boates so that there was not in maner any target that had not many heades sticking in it At length the boates arriued at the land then the target men did ryse vpon their feete and hauing more scope and sure footing threw their dartes more certainly with greater force wherby when they perceiued their enemies to shrinke and reane backe their horses they then leaped cherefully vnto the land one exhorting and encourging an other and frely pursued the Scythians whoÌ„ they sawe falle out of aray By that tyme Alexanders horsemen which had assembled them selues in tropes brake vpon their ennemies and put them to great dysordre In the meane season the rest being defended by them that were fighting landed and prepared them selues to the battell Nor Alexander letted not wyth stowtnes of courage to supplye the impotency of hys bodye Hys voyce could not be hard when he spake exhorted his men the scarre of his wound not yet closed but all men might se him fighting Wherefore euery one vsed the office of a captaine in giuing exhortacion vnto hys fellowes and ran vpon their ennemies wythout respect of their owne liues Then the Scythians could not endure any lenger the countenance the force nor the crye of ther enemies but being all on horsback fled away vpon the spoores Whom the king pursued .iiii. score furlonges notwithstaÌ„ding that with great payne he endured hys informitye When his hart faynted he coÌ„maunded hys men that they should folowe still in the chace so long as the day lasted and not hauing strength to sustaine any further trauaile returned into hys camp to rest hym selfe The Macedons in their pursuite passed the boundes of Bacchus In mounment of whom their were great stones set vp by equal distaunce and highe trees whose stocks were couered ouer with I vye But no bouÌ„des could be a stay to the MacedoÌ„s â–ª being caried forwards in there fury for it was midde night before they returned againe to their campe who hauing killed many and taken great nombre of prisoners dyd driue before them M. viii.c horses Ther were slayne of the Macedons .lx. horsemen of the fotemen to the poynt of one hundred a thousand of them were hurte This enterprise with the fame of the victory falling in so good a seasoÌ„ kept the more part of Asia in obedience which was of the point to haue rebelled For they beleued that the Scythians were inuincible Who being veinqueshed they iudged no nacioÌ„ hable to withstand the powre of the Macedons Sacans The Sacans therefore after thys victory sent ther Embassadours vnto Alexander offring them selues to come vnder his obedience To the doing whereof they were not so greatly moued with feare of his force as they were with report of the clemency he vsed towardes the Scythans after he had discoÌ„fited them For he deliuered home all their prisoners wtout raunsome to witnes to the world that he made warre with those firste nacions to shew his powre his vertue not for any malice nor to shewe his wrath vpon them That was the cause that he so geÌ„tly receiued the Embassadours of the SacaÌ„s causing Excipinus to accompany them Excipinus who being a beutiful yong man in the first flowre of his youth was in that respect in great fauour and familarity with Alexander In parsonage he was like to Ephestion but inferior to him in pleasauÌ„tnes of speach After this Alexander giuing ordre to Craterus to folowe him by small iorneys with the greater parte of hys armie he him selfe came to the city of MaracaÌ„da from whence Spitamenes that hard of his coÌ„myng was fled into Bactria The king therfore making great iourneyes foure dayes continuially came into the place where as vnder the conduct of Megedemus he had lost two M. fotemen .iii. C. horsemeÌ„ Whose boÌ„es he caused to be gathered togithers buried celebrating their funeralls after his contrey maner By that time Craterus with the phalaux was come vnto the king to thinteÌ„t he might puÌ„ishe with the sword al suche as had rebelled he deuided his powre into diuerse partes coÌ„manÌ„ding them to burne in euery place where they went and to kyl al the children The contrey of the SogdiaÌ„s is for the more parte wast by reason of the great desertes that be there wherof some be iiii score furlonges in bredth The riuer called Bolytimetum passeth in maner throught the length of the countrey which ronneth violently in a narowe chanel and then is receyued into an hole of the earth from whence it goeth vnderneth the ground whose course is manifest by the noise of the water that may be hard And yet in all grounde vnder the which suche a riuer doth ronne ther do not apeare any moisture put forth Of the captiues that were taken amoÌ„gs the Sagdians there were .xxx. of the most noblest brought vnto Alexander Which vnderstanding by an interpreter that by the kinges commaundement they shoulde be put to execution They beganne as men in myrth to sing and daunce and by a certaine lasiuious mocion of ther bodies expressed a great ioyfulnes of the mind Alexander merueling that they toke their death wyth such sâ—owtnes and magnanmitye of harte called them vnto him enquering why they shewed so great a gladnes when they had death before therface They aunswerrd that if they had bene put to death by any savinge by such one as he was that they should haue takeÌ„ their death sorofully But now seing they should be restored to their predecessors by a kyng that was a conqerour of all nacions they reioysed in their honest death as the thing that all men should wyshe desyre The king then meruayling at there magnauymitye I enquere of you qd he if you can be content to liue become frendes to him by whose benifite you shal receiue your life They said that as they neuer were his enemies but as they were prouoked by occasion to the warres euen so if he would make an experiment of them rather by a benefite then an iniury They would labour not to be ouercome in good will nor in doyng the thing that pertained to their dutie Thei were axed what pledge they would laye of their promyse They said their liues they had receiued shuld be their pledge redy to be yelded againe when it were required wherin they brake no promise for suche of them as were returned home into their couÌ„trey kept the people in good obedience foure of them that were appointed to be of the kinges guard gaue place to
assēble vnto the court Then Perdicas and Ptolomeus fell downe vpon their knees requiring him that he would not perseuer in his wrath whiche he so sodaynely had conceyued but rather respite his displeasure seynge that he might the next day much more better order the matter But his wrath preuayled so much that his eares were shutte vp and he ranne in a fury amonges the watchmen pluckyng a speare from one of them which once gotten he stode in the entrye throughe the whiche they that supped with him must nedes passe When all the the rest were come forth Clitus came last without light And because Alexander could not discerne him he asked what he was but that was done so terribly that the cruelty of the acte he went about apeared in his voice But Clitus which seyng the king in a fury had no respect howe much he had offended him before aunswered that he was Clitus whiche was commynge from the kinges banquet With the worde he strake him throughe the body so that he fel downe starke dead was al besprinckeled with his bloud Go now quod he to Philip Parmenio Attalus Herein it may be sene that nature prouided euill in the disposition of man which for the more part can not consider so well thinges to come as those that be past For after that Alexanders ire was asswaged and his dronkennes past weying aduisedlye the foulenes of the acte he had done considered then that thoughe Clitus hadde vsed ouermuch libertie in his talke that yet he ought not to haue slayne so noble a manne of warre yea and the sauer of his owne life though he were ashamed to confesse it He sawe that he beyng a kyng hadde vsed the detestable office of an hangman in reuengyng with wicked slaughter the libertye of wordes whiche might haue bene imputed to wyne When he behelde the bloude of hym whiche a litle before he had bydden to his banquet runne ouer all the entrey and that the watchemen were so astonied and amased that they stode a farre of and durste not come nere his solitarines caused hys repentaunce to be the greater Then he plucked the speare out of the dead corse and would haue thruste it through his owne bodye if the watchemen had not come runnynge and with great striuynge wronge the same out of his handes That done they toke hym vp and caried him into hys lodgynge Wheras he fell downe flatte vpon the grounde fillyng full all the courte wyth the miserable noyse of hys howlynge and lamentation He tare hys face wyth his nayles required suche as stode aboute hym that they woulde not suffer hym to lyue in suche a shame and dishonoure In these requestes he consumed the whole nyght and caused diligente searche to be made whether it were the ire of the Goddes or no that had caused him to commit so haynous an acte At length it was founde that the yerelye sacrifice due vnto Bacchus was not done in due tyme. And therfore it appeared manifestlye that it shoulde be the wrathe of the Goddes that hadde moued him to committe murther vpon eatynge and drynckyng But the greateste thyng that encreased his sorowe was the amasement of hys frendes when he sawe thē shrinke from hym that none of them after that dede done woulde gladly vse suche familiar communication as they dyd before Then he parceyued that he should liue as a wild beast in a desart both fearing others and also afrayed hym selfe The next morning he commaunded the body blody as it was to be brought into his chambre which when he saw lyeng before him fell in weping and sayd Shal I after this sort requit my norse whose .ii. Alexanders lamentacyō for the deal of Clitus sōnes slaine for my glory at milatun I haue nowe killed her brother that was her only Ioy at myne owne bourd What refuge shal that wretched woman haue I was al the cōfort that did remaine to her and now she shal neuer be gladde to be hold me Shall I the wicked killer of my preseruers returne into my coūtrey whē I shal not be able to presente my hand vnto my nurse wythout the remembraunce of her misery When he could put no end to these kind of bewailinges complayntes the body was taken awaye by the apoyntmēt of his frēdes After he had laien thre daies shut vp in his chambre sorowing after this manner the squiers such as had the keaping of his persone seing him geuen obstinatly to death brake all into his lodging and with great payne brought hym though he long withstode their prayers at lenght to take some reliefe and sustenaunce And to the intent he should be the lesse ashamed of Clitus death the Macedones decreed that he was lawfully killed and would not suffre him to be buried but that the king commaunded it Hauinge consumed ten dayes at Maracanda specially to confyrme the shame he had cōceyued of Clitus death sent Ephestion with parte of his army into bactria to prouide vitells againste wynter And commytted the same prouience vnto Amintas which before he had giuen to Clytus zenippa From thence he went into a countrey called zenyppa that confyneth with the Scythians which being well inhabited and full of villages doth with the plentyfulnes thereof not only detayne theinhabiters to dwell their still but also inuite straungers to come amonges them The same was a refuge to the outlaws of Bactria that styll rebelled but after Alexanders comming was knowne they were driuen furth by the countreye men and two M. and two hondred of them assembled to gither which were horsemen accustumed to lyue by theft and spoyle in tyme of peace And then not onely the warre but also dyspayre of forgeuenes had made ther cruel and wild disposicions worse They gaue an onset sodeynly vpon Amyntas Amyntas that was Darius lieutenant The battel was long doubtful betwixt them But fynally they lost .vii. C. of there nombre whereof iii. c were taken presoners and turned ther backes to the victorers not without a reueng for they slewe of them .iiii. score besides .iii. C.L. that they wounded And yet notwithstanding after this second rebellion they obteyned pardon When Alexander had brought them to obedience He came with his hole Army into a coūtrey called Naura the lord wherof was called Sysymithers Naura Sysymythres who had gotten two sonnes by hys owne mother it being lawfull there for the parentes to vse ther children The same Sysimythres with two thousande armed men fortefyed and kepte the streight at the entreye of the countreye where as it was moste narawe The passage was defended bothe with a riuer and with a rock through that which rock the way was made by force of hand The light is receyued in at the entrey but further inward ther is non but such as mē bryng wyth them Frō thys rock there goeth a vawte From this rocke there goeth a vaure vnderneth the grounde that hath issues into
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
The multitude of whom though the Indians purposely do encrease yet of their lieng we maye perceyue the nombre to be greate But if ye be vtterly determined to passe yet further into Inde the couÌ„trey that lyeth southward is not so desert whiche beyng subdued you may passe to that Sea whiche nature hath appointed to bound in the worlde Why doe you seke that glory afarre of whiche remayneth to you redy at your hande Here the Occean sea doth mete vs and except your mynde be to wonder we are come to a place whether your fortune hath brought vs. I had rather speake these thynges before you then behynde your backe for I seke not to wynne fauour amonges the men of warre that stande here about me but desire you should rather heare their mindes expressed in playne woordes then to heare their grief and their grudge vttered in muttering in murmour When Cenus had made an ende of his tale theÌ„ rose a crie and a lamentacion whiche with confused voyces euery where called Alexandre their king their father and their lord Then the other captaines specially thelders whiche by reason of their age had the more honest excuse and greater aucthoritie made the like request So that the king was not able to chastise them being in that obstinacie nor mitigate them being so moued Therfore vncertayne what to do he lept froÌ„ the iudgement place and commaunding his lodging to be shut in admitted no man but suche as were accustomed about his persone Two dayes he consumed in his anger and the third he came furth amonges his men causing .xii. aulters of square stone there to be set vp as a monument of his expedicion willed the trenches of his campe to be made greater and the places of mens lieng to be enlarged bigger then serued for their bodies For he thought by the encreasyng of the fourme and shape of thynges to leaue a disceitful woÌ„dre vnto his posteritie From thence he returned again by the way he had passed before encamped vpon the riuer of Acesines Cenus chaunsed there to die whose death the king lamented but yet he said that for a few daies he had made a long oracion as though he alone shuld haue returned into Macedon By that time the nauy of shippes which he had apoiÌ„ted to be made stode in redines aflote MemnoÌ„ in the meane season brought him out of Thrace a supply of .vi. M. horsemen Wemnon besides from Harpalas .vii. M. fotemen with .xxv. M. armours that were wrought with siluer gold which he distributed amonges his men coÌ„maunded the olde to be burned purposing to passe vnto the OcceaÌ„ sea with M. ships But before his departure he recoÌ„ciled together by affinitie Porus Taxiles betwixt whoÌ„ there was a new discord risen vpoÌ„ the old hatreds that had bene betwixt theÌ„ He had of theÌ„ great aide both in the making and furnishing of his nauy During the tyme he was about that busines he builded there two cyties wherof he called th one Nycea Nycea BucephaloÌ„ the other Buchephalon dedicating the latter by the name of his horse that was dead He gaue order that his Elephantes and cariage shuld passe by lande and he sayled downe the ryuer procedyng euery daye about .xl. furlonges so that he might euer land his power in suche places as he thought conuenieÌ„t At length he came into a couÌ„trey where as the ryuer of Hidaspis and Acesynes do ioyne togethers ronne from thence into the boundes of a nacion called Sobyons The Sobians They declared that their predecessours came of Hercules army whiche beyng left there sicke did inhabite the countrey They were clothed in beastes skinnes vsyng clubbes for their weapons and though they had left the customes of the Grekes yet there appeared many thinges amonges them that declared from whence they were descended Here the kyng landed and merched CCx. furlonges within the countrey whiche he wasted and toke the chiefest cytie in the same There were .xl. M. men that stode in defence against hym vpon a ryuer syde but he passed the water puttyng them to flyght and after they fledde into the cytie he wanne it by force The chyldren were slayne and the rest solde as slaues He assaulted an other cytie where he was repulced with the great force of the defendauntes and lost many of his men But when the inhabitauntes sawe that he continued still the siege dispayring of their saulfeguarde they set fire on their houses burned them selues their wifes and their children Which fire when the Macedons quenched they kyndled agayne it seamed a straunge contencion The Cytesins destroyed their owne cytie their enemies laboured to saue it the warres so contrariously chaunged the lawes wrought in man by nature The castle was saued wherin a guarrison was left Alexander went about this castle by water which was inuironed with thre of the greatest ryuers in all India Ganges except Indus passing vpon the north syde and Acesynes ronnyng into Hidaspis vpon the south Where these ryuers met the waues rose lyke as they do in the sea They be full of mudde and â—oes whiche by the course of the water dryuen vnto the sydes for all that the ryuers he broade yet the chanelles be but narowe the shyppes must passe in The waues dyd ryse so hygh and thicke breaking somtyme vpon the puppes of the shippes and somtime vpoÌ„ the sydes that the shipmen beganne to vale their sayles But they were so troubled through feare and the violent swiftnes of the streame that they could not ordre their tackling so that two of their greatest shyppes were drowned within syght And the smaller vessels which they were as vnable to gouerne were driuen vpon the shore without any harme The kyng chaunsed vpon the place where the waues went hyghest wherwith his shyppe was so tossed and trauersed that the helme could not direct his course Wherfore the kyng doubtyng of drownyng pulled of his garment redy to caste hym selfe into the water and his frendes dyd swymme nere there about redy to receyue hym It appeariÌ„g to him doubtful which peril was greatest either to swimme or to coÌ„tinew still aborde But the mariners laboured woÌ„derfully with their â—ers adding all the force that lay in mans power to cut through the waues By whose importunate trauaill the water semed to deuide a sondre and to geue place So that at length they haled out of the surges and yet not able to bring the ship to the shore dashed vpon the next flat it appearyng that the shyppes and the streame had fought a battaill togethers Alexander hauing escaped this perill sette vp to euery ryuer an aultar whereupon he offred due sacrifice and that done past forwardes thirty furlonges From thence he came into the countrey of the Sudrychans and Mallians â—â—drichaÌ„e â—allians whiche accustomed to be at warre amonges them selues then for their owne defence ioyned in societie They assembled in armes to the nombre of .ix.
floud came from the Sea and with his force did dryue the streame backeward whiche at the first beyng but stayed was afterwardes so vehemently repulced that it caused the water to returne backwarde with greater fury then any swifte streame is wont to ronne The commen sort that knewe not the nature of the OcceaÌ„ The nature of the occeaÌ„ was vnknowen to the Macedons thought the sâ—â—me to be a woÌ„derfull matter and that it had bene a token sent to them of the goddes wrath and whiles they were in that imaginacion the Sea swellyng more and more ouerflowed the lande whiche they sawe before drye and as the water rosse the shipps mounted and al the nauy was disperkled here and there Such as were vpoÌ„ land were amased with the sodeinnes of the thing and ran froÌ„ al partes in great feare vnto their ships But in a tumulte haste doth hurte gyue the impediment Some there were that went about to set ther shipes forwardes other forbad rowyng and remoued not at all Other whiles they made haste awaye and would not tary to take in ther companye moued vnaptly and could make no waie Some when they sawe them presse a shipbord in such thronges for feare of takyng into many woulde receyue none at all So that both multitude and smal numbre was a let vnto the hast they made The crye that some made in bidding men tary and the noise that other made willing them to go forwardes and there voyses that differed and agred not in one effect toke away the vse both of their sight and hearing The mariners could not help the matter whose wordes in the tumult coulde not be harde nor their commaundementes obserued amonges men in feare and out of order The shyppes therfore dashed one agaynst an other the Ores crasshed a sonder and euery shippe either thurst forwards or put backe an other No man would haue iudged it to be one nauye but rather two sondrey fighting a battell togither vpon the Sea The poores did strycke agaynst the puppes such as went before troubled them that came after and the wordes of men in their wrath came vnto strypes By that tyme the fludde had ouer flowne al the playnes there about so that nothyng appeared aboue the water sauinge the hilles whyche seamed lyke lyttle Ilands wherunto many did swyme and left ther shippes for feare Whyles the nauye thus disperkled abrode partlye stode a flote when they hapned in anye valey and pacte stycked vpon the grounde if they dyd hit vpon the flattes according as the ground was that the water couered sodeinly there came an other terror greatter then the first For when then the Sea began to ebbe the water fell backe agayne into hys wonted course with so greate violence as it came forwardes and restored and sight of the lande whiche before was drowned as in a depe Sea The shippes then forsaken of the water fel vpon their sides and the feldes were strowen with broken bordes and wyth peares of Ores The souldiers durst not go furth to land and yet were in feare to tarye a shipbord lokynge euer for some greater mischiefe to come then that they sawe present or paste They could scarsly beleue that they sawe and suffred which was shipwarck vpon the land and the Sea within a riuer And they thought no eand could come of hys myschiefe For they knewe not that the fludde should shortly returne agayne and set their shippes aflote And therefore they Imagyned to them selfes famyne and all extremities The monsters also of the Sea that after the water was paste were left on drye land put them in great feare The nyght approached and despayre brought the kynge into a great agonye Yet no care could ouercome his hart that was inuincible but that he watched all night and sent horsemen to the mouth of the riuer to bryng him word when the tyde came He caused the shippes that were broken to be amended and suche as were ouerwhelmed to be hoised vp agayne warning al men to laye awayte and be in redines agaynst the water should rise When he had consumed all that night in watchinge and gyuing exhortacion to his men streightwaies the horsemen returned amayne gallop and the fludde folowed them which mildly encreasing begane to raise againe their shyppes and when it had ones ouerflowne the bankes the holle nauye beganne to moue Then al the coost rebounded with the vnmeasurable reioâ—sing that the souldiers and mariners made for there saulfgarde whereof they were before in despaire When they sawe the daungier pasâ—e they enquered with wonder one of an other by what reason the sea could so sone after that maner go and come and debated the nature of that element whych one while disagred and an otherwhile was obedient and subiect to the time The kyng coniecturing by the signes he had sene before that after the sonne risyng the tyde would serue hys purpose to preuent the matier at midnight wyth a fewe shippes he fleted downe the streame and passing out at the mouth of the riuer entred foure huÌ„dred furlongs into the sea where attayning the thing that he desired made sacrifice to the goddes of the Sea which were worshipped in those countreyes and returned agayne into hys nauye From thence the next day he returned backwardes agaynst the streame and arriued at a salt lake the nature wherof beynge vnknowne disceyued many that rashely entered into the water for ther bodies by and by became ful of scabbes which discease takeÌ„ by some the contagyon therof infected many other But they founde that oyle was a remedye for the same Alexander lyeng still wyth hys armye waiting for the spring time of the yeare sent Leonatus before by the land which waie he thought to passe for to digge welles bicause the countrey was verye drye and destitute of water In the meane season he builded many Cytyes and commaunded Nearchus and Onesicritus Nearchus Onesicritus that were most expert of naual thinges with his strongest shippes to passe into the Occeane and to go so farre forwards as they myght with suretye for to vnderstand the nature of the sea and willed them at theyr returne to land either with that riuer or ells within Euphrates When the winter was well passed he burned those shyppes whych he occupied not and conueyed hys armye by land After ix encampinges he came into the couÌ„trey of the Arabitans Arabytans Gedrosians and from thence in nine dayes came amonges the Gedrosians which being a fre nacion by a general counseill had amonges them yealded them selfes of whom their was not any thynge demaunded sauinge only vittelles Arabon The fift day he came vnto a riuer whych the couÌ„trey men cal Arabon beyond the which there laye a barein countrey greatly destitute of water through the which he passed and entred amonges the Horitans Horitans There he betoke the greater parte of hys armye to Emphestion and parted hys souldiers that were light armed wyth Ptolomeus and
Leonatus and so wasted the countrey with thre armies at once toke great praies Ptolomeus burned towardes the Sea Leonatus vpon the other hand and Alexander him self in the mides In that countrey he builded also a cytie and brought men out of Arrachosia to enhabite the same From thence he came amonges the Indians which lieng vpoÌ„ the Sea coost do inhabite a great countrey that is wast and desert They vse no traffick enter course â–ª nor coÌ„uersacioÌ„ with any of their neighboures but the desertnes of their countrey haue made them sauage being wild of there owne nature They ware long nailes that be neuer cut and longe here that is neuer clipped They make there howses of the Shelles of fisshes and of other thinges that the Sea caste vp And being clad wyth the skynnes of wilde beastes eate fishe dryed with the Sonne and feade vpon such monsters as the Sea cast vp on the lande The famine that fell amonges the Macedons Heare the Macedons consumed ther vitelles first endured scarscitie and afterwards extreame honger serching out in euery place the rootes of palmes whiche is the only tree that groweth in that countrey But when that kind of norishemente sayled them they killed there cariage beastes and abstained not from there horses whereby lacked beastes to beare there bagage they were enforced to consume with fire the spoyles of there enemyes whyche had caused them to trauayll into the vttermoste boundes of the Orient After their famine folowed a pestilence for the vnaccustumed norishmente of the vnholsome meates they did eate with the trauayle of ther Iorney and the care of mynd spreade diseases amoÌ„ges them in such sort that they could neither continue in a place nor yet go forwardes without great distruction Honger oppressed them when they taried and the pestilence was more vehement euer as they went forwardes The fildes therefore were strowen ful of meÌ„ that were half dead and half aliue And such as were but smally sick where not hable to folowe tharmye it marched wyth such speade For euery man thought to further so much his owne saufguard as by makynge hast he could get before his felowes Such as fainted and could not folowe desired both such as they knewe and knewe not to helpe them forwardes But they had no beastes wherupoÌ„ to set them and the souldiers could scarsly bare their owne armour which had the imminent myschiefe that fell vpon other men represented before there own eies Wherfore wheÌ„ they were often called vpon they would not vouchsaue ones to loke backe feare had so taken awaye all compassion from them Then they which were lefte behind cryed vpon the goddes and their king for helpe alledgyng their relygion that was in comen to them with such as had forsaken them But when they had cried long in vayne vnto their deaf eares through desperation they began to rage and wisshed the like eand to ther frendes and companions that they theÌ„ selfes had The king troubled bothe with sorowe with shame did write to Phratap hernes ruler of the Parthinyans to send to hym vpon Camelles vittelles in redines to be eaten and certifyed the prynces of the countres therabout of hys necessitye whych did not slack the tyme but made prouision according to hys wyll Thus hys army deliuered only from famyne was brought wythin the boundes of the Godrosyans Godorsyans And forasmuch as the same was a countrey fertyl of all thynges he thought good to stay there awhyle wyth rest to recouer agayne hys feble souldiers Ther he receyued letteres froÌ„ Leonatus howe he had wonne the victorye of the Horitans which encountred him with .viii. thousand fotemen and .v.. C. horsemen Ozynes Zariaspes and was aduertised also from Craterus howe he had taken and put in hold Ozynes and zariaspes noble men of Perâ—e that went about to rebell Alexander also vnderstandynge that Memnon was deade gaue the charge of the countrey wherof he had the rule vnto Siburâ—ius and afterwardes went into Carmania Syburcius Carmania Astaspes Astaspes was gouernour of that nacion who being suspected of innouacion whiles Alexander was in India metâ— hym on hys waye who dissimulynge his Ire enterteined him gentlie and did to him his accustumed honor tyll such tyme as he had better proufe of the matter that was layed agaynst him When the princes of India had according to hys apointment sent out of al countreis vnder his Impire great plentye of horse and other beastes bothe of cariage and of draught he gaue cariage againe to all men that wanted and restored there armour to the former beutyfulnes and excellency For they were come into a countrey ioyning vpon Perce whych bothe was haboundant of all thynges and also brought quietly vnder hys subieccion He thought it then a tyme to counterfeit Bacchus in hys glorye and fame whych the gotte amonges those nacions Whither it were a trumphe that Bacchus first instituted or a pastyme of him vsed in dronkennes Alexander was determyned to counterfeit it hauynge hys mynde puffed vp aboue mans estate He commaunded therefore all the villagies The Tryumphe that Alexander made in hys retorâ—e oâ—t of Inde throughe the which he should passe to be strowne with flowres and garlandes and cuppes wyth other great vesselles to be set full of wyne at the entreye of euerye house He caused Wagons also to be made of suche laâ—genes that they might be hable to cary manisouldiers atons and decking the same with precious furnimâ—ees The kynge went fyrste in order wyth hys frendes and next to them the kings guard wearyng vpon ther heddes garlaÌ„des of flowers some plaing vpon flutes and some vpon harpes Euery one generally throughe tharmy decked his Chariot according to hys habilitye and substaunce where as they geuen to bankettynge did hang ther riche armour about them Alexander with such as he called to hys companye was caried in a Chariot laden wyth Cuppes of gold and other goldeÌ„ vessell He wyth his dronken armye marched after this maner .vii. daies togither in ostentacion of the praye they had gotten Wherein they shewed such dissolutenes that if one thousand of the subdued people durst duringe the space of those .vii. daies haue geuen them the onset they might haue taken them prisoners and led them away in triumphe But fortune whiche hath apoynted both fame and estymacion to thinges turned all this disordre of warre vnto his glorye For both the age that was then and the posterity that came after meruailed and toke it for a wonder â–ª that he durst go so dissolutely amonges those nacions not yet establisshed vnder hys Impire the harberous people reputing hys rashenes for an assured confidnce But sheding of blood ensued after this tryumphe For prince Aspastes that hath bene spoken of before was commaunded to be put to death so that his excesse in voluptuousnes was no let vnto his crueltye nor oâ—ueltye impediment to his voluptuousnes The tenth boke of Quintus Curtius of the actes
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.
semed to hym that Alexander was brought to his preseÌ„ce in such kid of appariel as he him self did were when he was first chosen Kyng and that Alexander should ther be caried on horsebacke through BabiloÌ„ and so to vanishe out of sight Hereupon thinterpretors of dreames with the diuersitie of theyr deuininge did driue Darius into diuers ymaginacions Some said his dreame betokened good fortune to him selfe bicause of the fire that semed to be in his enemyes campe for that Alexander wyth out any vesture of a King aperid in the vulgare apariel of the Parcians Other did enterprete it otherwise that the lighteniÌ„g in that Macedons campe signified glory victorie to Alexander also then ioyment of the empire of Asia which they made a clere matter for as muche as Alexander apered in the same vestures that Darius ware when he was chosen King Care besydes and trouble of mynd as it often chaunseth brought thinges by paste again to remembrance It was rehersed howe Darius in the beginning of his raigne chauÌ„ged the scabard of hys sword from the Percian manner into the faschion that the Grekes vsed Whereupon that Caldees did prenosticat that the Kyngdome of Perce shuld be translated to those whose faschion he had counterfaited NotwithstaÌ„ding through the confidence of such prophecies as were commonly sene abrode and of of the vision that he seamed to haue sene in his sleape became very mery and commaunded his Army to marche forwards to the riuer of Euphrates It was the auncient custome amongeste the PerciaÌ„s at the sonne risinge to raise their campe and warnyng of their setting forewardes to be geuen by the blaste of a Trompet sowned at the kinges paullion vpoÌ„ the which there stode an Image of the sonne enclosed in christall shininge so bright that it might be sene throught out the campe The order of the percians in their merchins The order of their marche was in this maner The fire which thei cal holie and eternall was caried before vpon siluer aultars and the priestes of their lawe went next synginge after theyr contrey maner There folowed .ccc.lxv. yong men in scarlet robes like in nombre vnto the daies of the yeare Then came the chariots that was coÌ„secrate to Iupiter drawen with whyte palfreis a great horse folowinge which thei cal that horse of that sonne Such as did ride vpon the palfreys dyd weare white garmentes and had roddes of gold in theyr handes next in order came ten chariots garnished and wrought with siluer and gold The horsemen of twelue nacions folowed next in sondry sorte of Armoure TheÌ„ came a coÌ„pany that the Percians call immortall the ryches of whose apparell exceded farre the reste thei had al cheines of gold coates embrodered with gold and sleues set with Perle there folowed with in a smale distans a band of xv thousand called Doriphere reputed for the King kinsmen which were disguised in maner like women more notable for their gallentnes and varietie of apariel theÌ„ for the armour they did weare Such as were wont to receyue the kynges robes at his haÌ„des did ryde next before the chariot vpoÌ„ that which Darius did sit on high with great pompe and magnificens his chariot was set on bothe sides with carued Images of their gods both of siluer and gold al the former parte was adorned with perles and precious stones hauing two Images of golde their standynge of a cubyte lengthe combattant on against the other and ouer their heades an Egle of gold displayed But amongeste all the reste the Kynges apparell shewed maruelous sumptuouse whych was of purple empaled whit with a border embroidred of gold faucons fighting togithers He was gird effemynately with a gerdle of golde and the sword that hung therupon had the scabard made of a perle The diadeame the Kyng were vpon his head called by the Percyans Cydarys had a â—oule about yt of white and grene Next behind the Kyng came .x. thousande horsemen which had all their speares plated with siluer their speares heades gilded He was enclosed on both sides with .cc of the bloud royal at whose backes there folowed .xxx. M fotemen Sisigambis darius mother and after them cccc of the Kynges coursers wythin the distance of one furlonge Sisigambis the mother of Darius was caried in a Wagone and hys wief in an other that trayne of their women ridinge on horsback Next them weÌ„t .xv. wagons wherin the kinges children were caried their nurces and Enuches which are greatly estemed in the nacion And after them folowed .ccc. .lx. of the Kinges concubines al aparelled like Quenes Then came vi.c mules and .ccc. Camels that caried the Kynges treasure whych were garded with a band of Archers the wiues of the Kinges kinsmen and the other that were about the Kyng came ridinge next after them a great companye of slaues and verlets Last came their reward lightly armed of whom euery captaine seueraly with his own company closed in the army Such was the order of Darius host on the other side beholding Alexanders Armye Alexanders Armye there was to be sene agreat dyfference niether the men nor the horse were set forthe with such gold nor precious furnymentes glistering only with the brightnes of their harnes but they were obedieÌ„t at their captaines beck alwaies in redines to stay or to passe forwardes nether combred with ouer greate multitude nor pestered with to muche bagage Thei wanted not in any place either grouÌ„d for their encaÌ„ping or victualles for their feding wherby theire smalle nombre was alwayes sufficient when they came to fyght Where as Darius the lorde of so huge a multitude through the streightnes of the ground wherein he was driuen to geue battaille could worke theffect but of a small nombre whiche he before had dispised in his enemy Alexander appointed Abistamines the rule of Capadocia and marching with his army towardes Calicia came to the place that was called Cyrus Campe because he lodged there when he passed into Licia against kyng Creasus This place was distant aboutes .50 forlonges from the streight wherby he must entre Cilicia The enhabyters vse to cal those streightes Pyloe where as the natural scituacion of the place had made a fortification as it were made with mans handes Arsanes When Arsanes gouernour of Cilicia vnderstode of Alexanders comyng remembryng what opinion Menon was of in the beginnyng of the warres put in executioÌ„ his wise couÌ„sell thought it were ouer late wastyng and destroyeng through out Cilicia all suche thinges as he thought might stande his enemy in stede leuyng the countrey waste whiche he thought he was not able to defend where as it had bene muche better to haue preuented his enemy in the streightes where from the hilles lyeng ouer the way he might without hasard either haue letted his entrey or els haue distressed hym in his passing But he leuieng a small nombre for the defence of the streyght retired him selfe back to waste
Tyron had nere drawn him beyond the bouÌ„des of the sonne Memnon Tyron But the warres he had in hande being of much more momeÌ„t theÌ„ any such idle peregrinacion gaue him no time to fulfill his fantasie And therfore apointed Aestylus a Rodyan Aestylus Pewcestes and Pewcestes a Macedon the gouernaÌ„s of Egipt And assigning to the .iiii. thousaÌ„d souldiers for defeÌ„ce of the Region gaue TolomaÌ„ .xxx. galles to keape the mouthe of Nile He made Posomus ruler of that parte of Afrik which ioyneth vnto Egipt and Cliomenes receyuer of the Tributes in both Contreis Clyomenes This newe Cytye was sone replenished wyth a great multitude for commandiment was giuen to all the Cyties theraboutes to send inhabiters vnto Alexandrey It is saide that when the kynge occordinge to the Macedones custume vsede the kyng according to the Macedons custome vsed the ceremony of steping barley at the making of the walles that the birdes came fed thereupon which being takeÌ„ of many for an vnlucky token it was aunswered by their deuiners that ther shuld be great resort of strauÌ„gers to that citie that it should giue norishement to many landes The Ryuer of Nyle As the king went down the riuer of Nile Hector Parmenio his soÌ„ne desirous to folowe him was drowned For the vessel sonke that caried him being pestred with ouer many meÌ„ He striued loÌ„g with the streame but his garmentes gaue impediment to his swimming so that his breath was nere gone before he could recouer the banke The death of Hector Parmenâ—os sonne wherfore want of succour he died Whose vnfortunate chauÌ„ce AlexaÌ„der toke greuously as one that did beare him speciall fauour therfore caused his body to be honorably buried The death of Andromachus lieutenaunt of Siria Andromachus burnid by the Samaritans whoÌ„ the SamaritaÌ„s had burned was encrease of AlexaÌ„ders sorow for the reuengemeÌ„t wherof he made al the halfe he might at his coÌ„ming into Samaria had the auctours of the acte deliuered into his handes whom he put to death then placed NemnoÌ„ in Andromachus rowme Methinians He deliuered into the MethiniaÌ„s handes Aristonicus Crisolaus that had vsurped amonges them whoÌ„ they after many greuous tormeÌ„tes did haÌ„g ouer their walles That done he gaue audieÌ„ce to the Embassadours of the Athenians the Rodians the Sciottis The Athenians did gratefie vnto hym his victory and required that such Grekes as were takeÌ„ prisoners might be restored to libertie The RodiaÌ„s and the Sciotes demaunded assistaunce of some guarrison he graunted to them all their requestes and restoryng to the Mytelens their pledges encreased their territorie and dominion in respecte of the fidelitie they shewed vnto hym and the money that they employed in the warres He gaue honour also according to their deseruinges vnto he kynges of Cipres whiche reuolted from Darius vnto him and had aided him with shippes at the siege of Tyre Amphoterus his admiral had coÌ„mission to driue the Percians out of the Isle Crete but specially that he shuld ridde the seas of the pirates whiche troubled and spoiled all the IlaÌ„des whiles these two princes conuerted their powers one against another When he had geuen order to all these thinges he did dedicate to Hercules at Tyre a greate standing pece and .xxx. bowles of gold Alexander Darius prepared to fight another battel That done he set his hole mynde and care vpon Darius causing it to be proclaimed that euery man should set forwardes towardes Euphrates But Darius vnderstanding that his enemy was gone through Egipt into Affrick stode in doubte whether he shuld stay about Mesopotania or withdrawe into the inward partes of his kyngdome iudging that he should be hable to worcke with those farre nacions in bringing of them forwardes to the warres that his lieftenaunt should not be able to doe yet when the fame had published and he vnderstode by assured aduertisement that Alexander was retourned out of Egipt and fully resolued to folowe him with all his power into what countrey soeuer he should go he then gaue order that the force of all the farre nations should drawe towardes BabiloÌ„ knowing the stoutnes of his enemy he had to match withal Thither resorted both Bactrians Scythians and Indians for the power of other countreys were come thether before And hauing the double nombre of men that he had before in Cilicia prepared much armour for them with diligeÌ„ce wherof many of them had want Both the horsemen and the horses were armed with plates of stele And such as before had no weapoÌ„s but dartes had swordes and bucklers geuen to them more And to encrease the power of his horsemeÌ„ deliuered many horses to be broken amoÌ„ges the footemen He had prepared also CC. wagons set with hokes whiche in those couÌ„treys were estemed thynges of great force and iudged to be a woÌ„derfull terrour to the ennemie they were made with greate loÌ„g pykes styking out before and with swordes set ouerwhart on both sydes The wheales were also full of Iron pikes ryght forth and of great hokes both vpward and downward wherewith all thyng was cutte a sondre that came in their waye When his people were thus furnysshed of armour and had prouided sufficiently for the warres he remoued from Babilon and kepyng the ryuer of Tygre on his ryght hand â–ª Tygre Euphrates and Euphrates on his lefte hand ouerspredde with his army all the playnes of Mesopotania After that he passed Tigre and vnderstandyng that his enemy was commyng at hand sent first Satrapaces before with a thousand chosen horsemen Satrapaces and afterwardes appointed syx thousand to Mascens to stop Alexander the passage of the Ryuer Masens Who had also in commission to waste burne all the couÌ„trey where he iudged that his enemies should come thynking to famyshe them with wante of victualles consyderyng that they had no other prouision but suche as they got by rauyne and by stelthe they themselues hauyng plenty brought them both by lande and by the ryuer of Tigre At length he came vnto a village called Arbella Arbella whiche was afterwardes famous by reason of his ouerthrowe There he lefte the chief furniture of his victualles and cariage Licus and made a brydge ouer the Ryuer of Licus and in fyue dayes conueyed ouer his army as he had done before ouer Euphrates passyng forewardes from thence about foure store forloÌ„ges He came vnto an other ryuer called Bowmello Bowmello and there encamped The countrey serued wonderfull well for the arrangyng of his battailles in the large playnes passable for horses euery where and without stubbes or shorte brushe to couer the ground withall but so free a prospect that the eye might decerne thynges a great waye of And if there appeared any hilles within the playne Darius caused thesame to be caste downe and the ground to be made smothe Suche as by coniecture made reporte to Alexander of Darius power coulde not be
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
that did breake the ice and made him selfe away whose ensample the reste did folowe At length hauing passed the woodes that were without way thei foūd here and there some appearaunce of habitacion and perceyued flockes of shepe When thinhabitours that dwelled in Cotages disparcled there aboutes sawe men cōming whome they iudged to be their enemies thinking they had bene enclosed about slew such as were not able to folowe them and fledde to the wild mountains that were ful of snowe But at length by cōmunicatiō with such as they toke prisoners their wildnes was sōwhat mitigated they yelded them selues to Alexander whō he hurted not any kind of way Whē he had destroied all that parte of Perce brought the townes vnder his obediēce he came into the coūtrey of the warlike Mardōs The Mardons whiche differed much frō the rest of the other Percians in their maner of their liuing They with their wiues and children dyd inhabite within caues in the mountaines and liued wyth the fleshe of shepe wyld beastes Nor the womē according to their kind had any more appearaūte of mekenes or mildnes thē the men either in theyr personages or dispositions But their curled heere did hang down before vpon their faces and their garmentes came but to their knee The band of theyr slinge was a fyllet for their forhead whyche they vsed both for ornament and for defence This nacion for al their vncyuill and rude maner could not escape to be subdued with the same force of fortune that others were So that the .xxx. daie after he departed from Persepoles he returned thither againe Then he gaue rewardes to his fredes to al the reste according to their deseruing distributing in a maner al his riches which he found within that cytie But al his excellēt vertues of the mind his princely qualities wherin he excelled al kinges both that constancy in al daungers perilles that celeritie in deuising perfourming his enterprises his promis keaping towards that yelden his clemēcie towardes prisoners that tēperaūce in lawful accustomable pleasures were all defaced through the intollerable desire delite he had in drinking For notwithstanding that his enemie which cōtended with him for thempire did chiefly then prepare for the warres and was gathering of his powre togethers and though the people newly cōquered had not receiued quiet subiection yet he gaue him selfe continually to feasting and banqueting wher womē were euer presēt but not such to whō mē had respect of honestie but harlotes whiche had there more libertie then was beseming in the cōpany of men of warre And amonges thē ther was one Thays Thays who vpō a daie in her dronkenes affirmed to Alexāder that he should wonderfully winne the fauor of the Greakes if he would commaund the palaice of Persepoles to be set on fire The distruction wherof she said they greatlie desired forsomuch as the same was the chief Seate of the kinges of Perce which in tymes paste had distroyed so many great Cities Whē the dronken harlot had giuen hir sentence their were other present who being likewise drōken cōfirmed hir wordes Alexander then that had in him more enclinacion of heate then of pacience said whi do we not then reuenge Greace and set this Citie on fire They were al chaffed with drinking rose immediatly vpon those wordes to burne that citie in there dronkennes which the men of warre had spared in their fury The king him self first and after his gestes his seruauntes and his concubines set fier in the palaice which being builded for the moste parte of cedre trees became sodeinly in a flame When the army that was encamped nere vnto the citie saw the fire which they thought had ben kendled by some casualty came ronning to quench the same again But when thei sawe the king ther present norishing of the fire they powred downe the water which they brought and healped likewise the matter forwardes The distrucion of Persepoles Thus the palaice that was the hedde of the whole Orient from whence so many nacions before had fetched their lawes to liue vnder The seate of so many kinges that only terror somtyme of Grece The same that hath bene the sender forth of the Nauies of .x. thousand shippes of the armies that ouerflowed all Europe that made bridges ouer the Sea and vndermined mountaines where the sea hath nowe hys course was cōsumed and had his eand and neuer rose againe in all the age that did ensue For the kinges of Macedon vsed other cities which be now in the Parthians handes The destruccion of this citie was such that the foundacion thereof at this daye coulde not be found but that the riuer of Araxes doth shew where it stode Which was distant frō persepolis .xx. furlonges as the inhabitātes rather do beleue then knowe The Macedons were ashamed that so noble a Cytie was destroyed by their king in hys drōkenes yet at length it was turned into an earneste matter and were content to thynke it expedient that the Cytie should haue bene destroyed after that maner But it is certeine that when Alexander had taken his reste and was become better aduised he repented hym of his doing and sayed That the Percians should haue doone the Greakes more harme if it had ben his chaunce to haue reigned in Xerxes sted The next daie he gaue .xxx. talentes for a rewarde to him that was his guide into Perce and from thence he toke his iourney into Media Media where a new supplie of souldiers of whom Plato of Athens had the conduccion came to him out of Cilicia being v.c fotemē and a thousand horsemen Whē he had by this meanes encreased his powre he dettermined to pursue Darius Ecathana who was come to Ecathana the hedde citie of Media was purposed from thence to haue passed into Bactria But fearing to be preuented by the spede his enemies made altered his purpose and his iourney Alexāder was not come nere hym by a. M.v.c. forlōg but he could not think any distāce sufficiēt to defend him against his celeritie therfore prepared him self rather to fight then to fle He had with him xxx M. footemen amōgs whō ther were .iiii. M. grekes whose fidilitie neuer failed in al his aduers fortūe He had also .iiii. M. archers Slingers besides .iii. thousand iii.c Bactrian horsemen which were vnder Bessus charge being gouernour both of the citie of Bactria and the contrey Darius with his band wythdrue a litell from the highe waye and commaundyng the verlets such as had charge of the caryng to passe on before Darius wordes called a counsell and spake these wordes vnto them If fortune had matched me with cowardes and with suche as estemed any kynde of lyfe before an honest death I would rather haue holden my peace then consume my wordes in vaine But I haue had greater experience then I would wyshe both of your valiaunt
was about to speak stod in a stay betwixt feare and fidelitie beholding the king in the face WheÌ„ Darius parceiued that he beheld hym after that maner he wylled Bubace his Enuche that rode next hym Bubace to enquire of Patron if he had any thyng to saye to hym Patron sayde ye but his matter was suche as he woulde no man should here Then he was wylled to come nere and without any interpretour Darius vnderstandyng somwhat of the Greke tongue Patron sayd vnto hym Patrons wordes to Darius Syr of fyfty thousand Grekes that serued you there is a smalle nombre of vs ramaining whiche haue continually folowed you in all fortunes bearing vnto you thesame fidelitie and affection that we did in your moste florysshing estate And are determined wheresoeuer you be to take that for our countrey and home both prosperitie and aduersitie hath so coupled vs together by whiche inuincible fidelitie that is in vs. I desire and require you that you would vouchsaue to lodge within our campe and suffer vs to be the guarde of your persone We haue lost Grece we haue no Bactria to go vnto al our hope is in you and God graunt that other had the lyke It is not necessarye I shoulde speake any more nor would not demaunde the custody of your persone beyng an alien and a straunger if I knewe that others were well mynded towardes you Although Bessus was ignoraunt of the Greke tongue yet his coÌ„science pricked him to beleue that PatroÌ„ had disclosed some such matter therefore carieng away some part of his wordes by a greke interpretour became out of doubte Darius nothing afraid as it appeared by his couÌ„tenauÌ„ce enquired of PatroÌ„ what moued him to geue him such aduise Wherupon he thought not good to deferre it any leÌ„ger but said Bessus Nabarzanes worke treason against you so that your life and your estate stand in extreame peril and this day shal be the last either to the traitours or to you whose wordes if Darius had wel wayed and regarded Patron had receiued great glory of the presecuacion of his prince But let them mocke that lyst whiche be persuaded that thestate of man is gouerned at aduenture and by chaunce but I beleue that euery maÌ„ runneth his race by an immutable ordre and an euerlasting appointment by a knitting together of causes vnknowen appointed long before Darius aunswere vnto Parron Darius aunswere was that although the fidelitie of the Greke souldiers was sufficiently knowen vnto hym yet he was determined neuer to departe from his owne nation by whoÌ„ though he might be disceyued yet it was harde for hym to mistrust them whatsoeuer should chaunce to him he sayd he was mynded rather to suffer it amonges his owne subiectes then to parte from them Not desiring to liue if his own souldiers desired not his sauegarde Whereupon Patron dispairing of the kinges well doyng returned to them of whome he had the charge redy to aduenture any thyng for his sake Bessus in the meane season had vtterly determyned to slee Darius but fearing that he could not wynne AlexaÌ„ders fauour except he deliuered his enemy into his handes aliue deferred his purpose till that night folowing In the meane season he came to Darius and gaue him thankes that he had so warely and with suche wisdome auoyded the treason of that false Grecian who being corrupted by Alexander sought nothing but howe to make a present of his head whereat he said he could not maruaill that a mercenary maÌ„ shuld leue any thing vndone for money being without any pledge of his honestie without house home banisshed out of the world a doubtful enemy tossed here and there at the backe of all men that will corrupt hym And then he fell to purging of hym selfe callyng the Goddes of his countrey to wytnes of his innocentie in the matter Darius by his countenaunce semed to beleue hym yet he doubted not of the truth of the tale that Patron had tolde him but he was come to suche a pointe that it was as daungerous for hym not to beleue his owne men as to be deceyued There were .xxx. thousand whose lytenes was feared to haue consented to this conspiracy and Patron had but foure thousand to whome if he had committed his sauegarde and thereby condempned the fidelitie of his owne nacion he sawe that then they myght haue therof a goodly colour and a pretence to perfourme the thyng they went about and therefore chose rather to be killed innocently then to geue any occasion whereby he should seame to haue deserued death And yet when Bessus purged hymselfe he aunswered that he knewe there was no lesse iustice in Alexander then manhode and that they were deceiued that loked for any reward of treason at his handes knowyng that there was no sorer punyssher nor reuenger of the breche of fidelitie When the nyght drewe nere the Percians after their accustomed maner put of their armour and repayred to the next villages to prouide thynges necessary But the Bactrians as Bessus had commaunded them stode styll armed In the meane season Darius had sent for Artabasus and shewed hym what Patron had declared Whereupon Artabasus made no doubte but that he shoulde strayght wayes commit hym selfe amonges the Grekes thynkyng that the Percians wheÌ„ the kynges perill should be publyshed abroade would ioyne with the Grecians But Darius predestinat to his chaunce could not beare then any holsome counsel nor sought for any help in that case but embrased Artabazus as though he should neuer see hym more and being wet with the teares that one of them lette fall vpon another caused Artabazus to be taken away that claue faste vnto hym and because he would not see his sorowe in departing from hym he couered hys head and fell flat vpon the ground Then suche as were accustomed to the guarde of his persone whiche should haue bene his defence in all perils fled awaye thynkyng themselues ouer weake for suche nombre of armed men as they supposed to be commyng Then there was great solitarines within his lodgyng for none remayned about the kyng but a fewe Enukes that had no place to repaire vnto Then he debated and deuised with himselfe alone â–ª sometyme one thyng and sometyme another and by and by waxed wery of that solitarines whiche before he toke for a comforte and called Bubace vnto hym whome he behelde and sayd Go prouyde your selues whiche according to your duties haue bene true to your prince till the last howre Here I doe tary for the fatall lawe of my destynie peraduenture ye do maruayle that I do not ende myne owne lyfe I had rather dye thorough other mens wickednes then by mine own After those wordes Bubâ—ce filled both the kynges lodging and also the hole campe with morning and lamentacion and diuerse brake into Darius which tearyng their clothes bewayled his case with a barbarous howling out WheÌ„ the crie came vnto the PerciaÌ„s they were so amased for
in Macedon He gaue his suster in mariage to Attalus then whome I had neuer greater enemye When by reason of olde frendship and familiaritie I wrote to hym of the title geuen to me by the oracle of Iupiter Hammon he did not stick to aunswere that he was very glad that I was admitted into the nombre of Goddes howbeit very sory for those that should liue vnder suche oâ—eâ— as woulde oxâ—â—de the state of a man These were playne tokens that his harte was turned from me and that he â—pitedony glory Whiche I kept close in my hart so long as I myght For I thought my bowels pulled from me if I should make a litle store of them for whome I had done so muche But now it is not their wordes that must be punished for the rashenes of their toÌ„gues is turned to swordes whiche if ye beleue me Philotas hath whâ—tted to my destruction Whome if I should suffer to escape alas my souldiers whether should I go to whom should I commit my person He was the man that I made generall of my horsemen of the greatest part of myne army of all the noble yong gentlemen To his trouth fidelitie haue I committed my saueguarde my truste victory His father did I preserue vnto the same estate wherunto you aduaunced me Media then whiche there is not a richer countrey with many thousandes of your frendes and fellowes I haue put vnder his gouernaunce and aucthoritie Where I trusted of moste surty there found I moste perill Howe muche more happy had I bene to haue died in battell and rather slayne of myne enemies then thus betrayed of my subiectes For now being saued froÌ„ the daungers that I moste feared I haue fallen into those that I ought to haue doubted lest You haue bene wont often times to warne me that I should regard my surtie It is you that may make me sure of that that you couÌ„seil me To your handes to your succour I fle I would not liue though I might agaiÌ„st your willes though you wold yet can I not except I be deliuered from these my enemies Hereupon Philotas was brought furth in an old garment his haÌ„des bound behind his back It wel appeared how much this miserable sight moued theÌ„ whiche late before enuied him The daye before they sawe him generall of the horsemeÌ„ they knew that he was at supper with the king sodainly they sawe him both prisoner bound like a thefe also coÌ„dempned to dye So did it pity their hartes to coÌ„sider how Parmenio so noble a maÌ„ so great a captain which late hauing lost two of his sonnes Hector Nicanor shuld be put to answer absent with the third sonne whoÌ„ euell fortune had left him The multitude being thus enclined to pitye Amintas one of the kinges officers Amyntas tale with a cruel tale set them all against the prisoner we be all qd he betrayed to the barbarous nacioÌ„s none of vs shal returne home to his couÌ„trey wife nor freÌ„des but as a maymed body without an head without honour without fame in a straunge countrey shal be a mocking stock to our enemies His tale was nothing pleasauÌ„t to the king because he put the souldiers in remeÌ„braunce of their wifes couÌ„trey wherby he thought they would be the lesse willing to go forwardes in his warres There was one Cenus which though he had maried the suster of Philotas Cenus yet did he more extremely â—â—uay againste hym then any other calling hym traitour against his kyng to his countrey to the whole army And therupoÌ„ toke vp a stone that by chaunce laye at his feete to haue cast at Philotas which he dyd as some thought to th ende he might rid him from racking But the king kepte backe his hand said that the prisoner should haue libertie to speake for him self would not suffre him to be coÌ„dempned otherwise Then Philotas being admitted to speak were it through the coÌ„science of his offence or through the greatnes of his perill as a maÌ„ astonied and besides him self durste neither loke vp nor speake but burste out into teares Wherupon his hart fainted and he swowned downe vpon those that ledde him But afterwardes when he had wiped his eyes and by little and little recouered his hart and tonge he made countenaunce to speake What tyme the kinge beheld hym and said The Macedons shal be thy iudges I woulde knowe therefore whither thou wilt speake vnto them in thy countrey language or not to whom Philotas aunswered There be diuers nacions here besides the Macedons which as I trust shall perceiue my wordes the better If I vse the same language that you did bicause the moe myght vnderstand your tale Then said the kinge marke howe this man hath his owne Countrey tonge in hatred for ther is none but he that will dysdaine to speake it but let him say what he will so long as you remembre that he not onely disdayneth our custumes but also our language And with that word the king departed from thassemble Then saied Philotas The aunswere of Philotas It is easy for an innosent to finde words to speake but it is very hard for a maÌ„ in misery to keape a temperaunce in his tale Thus standyng betwixt a cleare coÌ„science most vnhappie fortune I know not in what wise I shal satisfie my self the time both togither For he that might beste haue iudged my cause is gone what the cause is he would not here me I cannot well imagen sith vpon the matter heard it lieth onely in his haÌ„des both to discharge coÌ„demne me For the matter not heard he can not acquite me beyng absent since he coÌ„deÌ„pned me wheÌ„ he was here preseÌ„t But not withstanding that the defence of a prisoner is not only superfluous but also hatefull which semeth not to enforme but to reproue the iudge Yet wil I not forsake my self nor so do that I shal seme coÌ„dempned by mine owne defaulte I se not of what treason I shoulde be gilty emong the coÌ„spiratours no man named me Nichomacus saied nothing of me Ceballinus could not tel more of me then he heard And yet doth the king beleue that I should be head of this conspiracye Was it possible that Dymnus should forget to name him that was chefe or is it likely that he wold haue ouerslipped me wheÌ„ the names of the conspirators were demaunded of him he would rather haue named me falsely to alure the yong man the soner to his opinion yet when he tolde the matter priuely to Nichomacas which he beleued verilye would haue kept it secrede namyng hym selfe and all the rest of me only he made no mencion wherin it can not be gathered that he omitted me for bicause he woulde haue spared me I â—raye you my felowes if no man had come to me noâ—geâ—â—en me knowledge of the matter should I this day haue bene put to answere wheÌ„ no man could haue accused
passed on Camels through suche places as were desert for lacke of moysture and within .xi. dayes came to their iourneys ende before any knewe of their commyng Polydamas then toke againe his Macedons apparell and in the dead of the night Cleander came into Cleanders lodging whiche had the chief auctoritie there next vnto Parmenio When Cleander by his letters vnderstode the kinges pleasure Polydamas hauing more letters to deliuer likewise to others agreed by the spryng of the day to go al togethers vnto Parmenio As they were going tidiÌ„ges came to Parmenio of Polydamas arriual who reioysing both for the coÌ„ming of his freÌ„d and for the desire he had to knowe of the kinges estate the rather because he had receiued no letter from him a long space commaunded Polydamas to be sought out The houses of that countrey haue large backsydes and pleasaunt orchardes full of trees beyng the chefe delight of princes and greate lordes there The capitaines whiche had receiued commaundemeÌ„t by the kynges letters to kyll hym came to Parmenio walkyng vnder the shadow of the trees beyng agreed amonges them selues to execute the thyng when he should begynne to rede his letters So sone as Parmenio had spied Polydamas comming a farre of with a semblaunt of ioye as it appeared by his couÌ„tenauÌ„ce ranne to embrace hym and after salutacion geuen eche to other deliuered the kinges letter As he was vnclosing it he demaunded of Polidamas what the king intended to do you shall knowe that quod he by the content of your letters Whiche when he had redde I perceiue quod Parmenio that the kyng purposeth a voyage againste the Arochosians surely he is a painfull prince and neuer in rest But nowe after so much glory wonne it were tyme for hym to take his ease haue consideracion of his health and sauegarde And then he redde the other letter written in the name of Philotas wherat he was ioyfull as appeared by his countenaunce Parmenio slayne With that Cleander stabbed him with his sworde into the side after striking him ouer the throte the residue thurst him in as he lay dyeÌ„g But Parmenios men whiche stode nere at haÌ„d and sawe the murder wherof they knew not the cause ran into the caÌ„pe with their troublous tydinges set all those souldiers in a rore Whiche streight ran al to harneis clustring together about the place where the murder was done made an exclamacion that except Polydamas the other doers of that dede were deliuered to their haÌ„des they would ouerthrow the walle and make sacrifice to their dead capitayne with their bloud Cleander willed the chief of theÌ„ to be let in recited the kinges letters wherin was coÌ„teined the treasoÌ„ of Parmenio inteÌ„ded against him with a request to them to see it reuenged Then immediatly vpon the kynges pleasure knowen the sedicion was appeased but the grudge was not rid out of their hartes The moste part departed sauing a fewe whiche required instantly that at the lest they might be suffred to bury the body It was denied theÌ„ long by reason of Cleander who dreaded the kynges displeasure but because they beganne to waxe more earnest intending to auoyde matter of sedicion he cut of the head whiche he sent to the kyng and lefte them the body to bury This was the end of Parmenio a noble man both in warre and peace many thynges had he done valiauÌ„tly without the kyng but the kyng with out hym did euer any thyng worthy prayse He serued and satisfied in all affaires a kyng moste happy fortunate and being .lxx. yeares of age executed thoffice of a capitaine as liuely as though he had bene young in yeares and pretermitted not oftentimes the partes of a common souldier He was quicke in counsel doubtie of dead welbeloued of all princes but moste dere to the common sorte of souldiers yet whether those thynges did moue him to couer to be kyng or els caused hym to be suspected therof it is yet doubted For whether the wordes that Philotas spake wheÌ„ he was ouercome with the paines in his last tormentes were true or false or els that he sought and end of his paine by accusing hym self falsely it was muche doubtfull seyng there was nothing proued at suche tyme as the matter was moste fresh in memory Such as Alexander perceiued to grudge at the death of Philotas were seperated from the rest of the army and put into one Cohort vnder Leonidas their Capitaine Leonidas whiche in times past was of nere familiaritie with Parmenio the kyng bare priuie displeasure against them and therefore willing to proue the disposicioÌ„ of euery man gaue warnyng throughout the army that all suche as would write into Macedonia and haue their letters surely conueyed should bring them to be caried with such as he would send WherupoÌ„ euery man did write fraÌ„kely to their frendes such thinges as were in their hartes Some shewed theÌ„ selues to be offended with the long waâ—res and some semed to be well pleased But all their letters were intercepted aswell of suche as commended the kyng as of those that grudged at his doinges Wherfore he willed suche as by their letters disclosed them selues to be wery of the trauaill of the warres for their reproche to be put in a band apart from the rest Wherby he both gaue them occasion to shewe their hardines and besides remoued the libertie of their tongues from the credulous eares of the rest Whiche rashe deuise as all other thinges turned to the setting furth of the kinges felicitie For in al extremities they shewed themselues the rediest and the moste forward and whyles they coueted to redeame their reproche their valiaunt doinges could not be hidden in so small a nombre separate by them selues These thinges being ordred after this maner he appointed a ruler ouer the Arians Arians and proclaymed his iourney against the Ariaspians whiche by chaunging of their name were called Euergitans Euergitans since the tyme that they releued Cyrus army with lodging and vitel beyng afflicted with colde and penury It was the fift daye before he entred into their countrey where he vnderstode that Satibarzanes whiche toke Bessus part was with a power of horsemen entered againe amonges the Arians He sent against hym Caranus Erigius and in their ayde Artabasus and Andromacus with syx thousand Greke footemen and syxe hundred horsemen Alexander continued .lx. dayes in settyng ordre amonges the Euergitans vpon whome he bestowed a greate somme of money for the notable fidelitie they shewed towardes Cirus leuing Amydines to be their gouernour Amydines ArachossiaÌ„s who was Darius secretary He went to subdue the ArachosiaÌ„s which border vpon the sea of Ponte The men of warre that were vnder Parmenios rule came then to Alexander beyng syxe thousand Macedons with two huÌ„dred of the nobilitie v. M. Greke footemen and two hundred horsemen whiche were the chiefest porcion of all his power To these Arachosians
Mennon Mennon was appointed lieutenaÌ„t with .iiii. thousand footemen and .vi. C. horsemen Alexander from thence entred with his army into a couÌ„trey not knowen to such as borderd vpoÌ„ it For thinhabitauÌ„tes would not haue coÌ„uersacioÌ„ with any other people Thei were called Paramisadans Paramisadans being a rustical kynd of men moste rude amongest all the barbarous nacions The hardnes of the countrey had so indurated their disposicions They lye moste towardes the coold north pole ioyning with the Bactrians vpoÌ„ the west and bend towardes the Indian sea vpon the south They vse to build their houses of brick and because the land is full of bareyne mountaynes voyde of timbre they make their whole houses of the same Whiche beginning brode beneth growing euermore narrowe towardes the toppe endeth like the keele of a shyp wheras a hole is made aboue to receiue light Such of their vynes and trees that bring furth frute as they will preserue froÌ„ the violence of the cold they couer theÌ„ with earth during the winter season when the snowe is vanished away they restore them agayne to the ayer and to the sonne The earth was there couered with such snow frosen so hard that there remained no sygne of any birde or beste within the couÌ„trey The ayer besides was so darck that litle light appeared but the earth couered as it were with a dymme shadowe men could scarsly deserue thinges very nere at hand The armye brought into this countrey destitute of all cultiuacion of man suffred all the discomodities and miseries that might be endured both of hungre colde werynes and dispayre There were many of them that died for colde and the snowe destroyed their feete but specially it perysshed many mennes syght When they were weried and not able to traueyll any further they layd themselues downe vpon the frosen snowe Whiche hauyng once left the mocion of their bodies whiche stored in theÌ„ their naturall heate They were streyght wayes so nummed for coolde that they could not ryse agayne tyll they were lift vp by their coÌ„panions And remedy was there none in this matter but to compell them to go forwardes for then by storyng of them selues their naturall heat was reuiued and they recouered agayne some strength Suche as recouered the Cotagies wherin the couÌ„treymen dwelled were very well refresshed But the darkenes was so greate that the houses could not be otherwyse deserned then by the smoke The inhabiters that had neuer sene straungers before amonges them when they behelde the armed men come sodaynly vpon them were amased for feare and brought furth what soeuer they had to saue their bodies froÌ„ violeÌ„ce AlexaÌ„der went on his fete amoÌ„ges his men raising such as were lieng releuing suche as he sawe afflicted with the cold with his own clothes He was sene one while in the forward another while in the middes and some tyme in the rereward to the great trauaill of his body At length they came to places better manured where he refresshed his army with plenty of vittels there remained in campe till suche tyme as al that were left behinde came vnto their fellowes Then he went forwardes with his army to the mount Caucasus whiche deuideth all Asia into two partes Caucasus For on the one syde it stretcheth towardes the sea of Cilicia and on the other side to the Caspian sea to the ryuer of Araxes and the desertes of Scythia To this mount Caucasus there ioyneth another mountaine called Taurus Taurus next vnto it in bignes whiche riseth froÌ„ Capadochia passing by Cilicia closeth with the mountaines of Armeny Out of these mountaines ioyning thus together as it were in one continuall rydge all the ryuers of Asia do discende Some of them ronning into the redde sea some into the Caspian and Hircanian sea other into the Sea of Ponte In .xvii. dayes Alexander with hys army passed the mounte Caucasus wherin a rocke that is .x. furlonges in compasse and foure in height Prometheus the antiquitie fayned that Prometheus laye bound At the foote of this mountaine AlexaÌ„der chase out a place to build a cytie wherin he placed .vii. thousand of the moste auncient Macedons and such other besides whose seruice he woulde not vse any more in the warres and called thesame Alexandria Alexandria But Bessus that was put in feare with Alexanders celecyte made sacrifice vnto the Goddes of his countrey and according to the custome of those nacions consulted with his frendes and his capitaines for the mayntenaunce of the warres beyng at meate And when thei were wel charged with wine thei extolled greatly their owne power and despisyng the rashenes of their enemies and their small numbre But chiefelye Bessus was moste arrogant in his wordes who puffed vp with pride by reason of the kingdome he had newely gotten by treason Bessus wordes and not master of his wyttes began to declare howe that Darius by his folye hadde encreased his enemies fame who woulde nedes fight with them in the straightes of Celicia when by retirynge backe he myght haue drawen them before they shoulde haue ben ware into desert places and there haue put riuers and mouÌ„taines betwene his enemies and him and amonges the saine so enclosed them that they coulde by no possibilitye haue fledde away and much lesse make any resistaunce Wherfore he saied he was become of opinioÌ„ to go backe amoÌ„ges the Sogdians wheras the riuer of Oxus shoulde be as a walle betwixte him and his enemies tyll suche time as he myghte assemble a stronge power of the nacions therabout knowing very well that the Chorasmyons the Dahans and Sacans the Indians and Scythyans inhabitynge beyonde the riuer of Tanais woulde come to his assistaunce of whoÌ„ there was none so little that any Macedon with the toppe of his heade coulde reache to his shoulders They al in their dronkeÌ„nes asseÌ„ted to him affirming that onely to be the wisest waye WherupoÌ„ Bessus caused the wine to be caried about plentifully to coÌ„quere Alexander vpon drinke There was at that feaste one Cobares a Median whyche in the Arte Magick if it be an Arte and not rather a disceyte of sâ—me vayne manne was more notable by his profession then by his knoweledge but otherwise a moderate and an honest man He making a preamble before his tale Cobarus wordes sayd He was not ignoraunt howe muche more better it was to be obedient to others counsell then to be a counsell geuer For suche as be folowers of other mennes deuises are sure to haue no worse fortune then the rest but suche as be authours and persuaders of any matter commonly prepare their owne perill and therwith deliuered the cup he had in his hand and proceded thus The nature of man in this respect may be called peruers and euell because euery one can se better in other mennes matters then in their own Their counsels must nedes be alwayes full of perturbacion whiche take their own aduise
they were Then vpon the pointes of two speares they set vp the signe that was appointed them and founde that in their coming vp they had lost of their nombre two and thirty The kyng being carefull not so muche for the desire he had to winne the rocke as for to saue those whom he had sent to so manifest a daūger stode all daye beholding the toppe of the mountayne And when darckenes of the night toke away the prospecte of the eyes he departed to refreshe his body The next day before it was ful light he perceiued the white cloth set vp in the toppe of the rocke but the varietie of the ayer and the sonne beginning to apeare and yet hiddē caused him to doubte a while whether his sighte had fayled him or no. But when it was full and open daye it appeared manifestly and all doubte was takē away Then he called Cophes by whome he had attempted their myndes before willing him ones agayne to exhorte them to be better aduised And if so be that in trust of their strength they would not submit them selues that then he should shewe to thē the men that had taken the rocke ouer their heades Whē Cophes came thether he beganne to persuade Arimazes to geue vp his strength therby to winne the kinges fauour and not enforce him to stay in the siege of a rock hauing so many weighty affaires in hād But he foūd him more obstinat and proude then he did before and willed Cophes to depart and moue him no more in the matter Then he toke Arimazes by the hād and required him to go with him out of the caue When they were come where as they might loke about he shewed him those that were gotten to the top of the cragge and skorning thē his pride axed of him whether Alexāders souldiers had gottē winges or no but that time the trōpettes were blowen in the Macedons campe thei might here the alarome that was made in the armye Whiche matter as many and vaine and trifling thinges are wont in the warres to growe to greate effect so that was the cause why they yelded them selues For feare so troubled them that they could not consider the smalle nombre that were ouer their heades but called Cophen againe in great hast who was departed away and sent with him Alexander .xxx. of the chief men authorised to yelde vp the rocke with composition for to depart in sauegard But Alexander not withstanding that he doubted lest his enemies discouering the fewnes of his men might put them to distresse yet trusting in the felicitie of his owne fortune and offended with the pride of Arimazes would agre to no cōdicion but that they should yelde simply Arimazes therupon dispayring more of his estate then he had cause Descended downe to the campe with the chiefest of the nacion that were of kinne to him All the whiche Alexander caused to be scourged with roddes and be crucified at the foote of the rocke The multitude that yelded with the money that there was taken were geuen in gifte to thinhabiters of the newe cities And the rule of the sayd rocke was committed to Artabasus with the charge of the countrey there about The eigth boke of Quintus Curtius of the actes of the great Alexander Kyng of Macedon ALexander hauing wonne this rock with greater fame then glory because his enemies remained in no place certaine it was necessary for him to seperate his power so deuided his army in thre partes He gaue the charge of the one part to Ephestion to Cenon the other toke the third part vnto him self His enemies were not all of one opinion for some of them seing their defence could not auaill yelded them selues before the fight to whome he gaue the cyties and the landes of those that continued still his enemies Messagetes Atynas But the outlawes of Bactria with .viii. C. horsemen wasted the villages of the Messagetes For the redresse wherof Attynas gouernour of that countrey went against them with .iii. C. horsemen not knowing that his enemies lay in wayte for him whiche had layd their imbushement in a wood ioyning to a great playne wheras they had appointed a certaine to driue cattel therby to drawe their enemies with the gredines of the praye within daunger of the bushemen When Attinas men sawe the driuers of the cattell they pursued them without ordre and whē they were passed the wood where thimbushement lay their enemies brake out vpon them casting no suche perils and slewe them euery one The fame of this ouerthrowe came immediatly vnto Craterus whiche drue thether with the horsemē But the Massagetes being fled before his comming he slewe M. Dahans of the Dahans that toke their parte wherby the whole rebellion of the whole countrey cessed Thus Alexander hauing subdued the Sogdians returned to Maracanda Whether Berdes whom he had sent to the Scythians inhabiting about Bosphrous came to him with Embassadours of that coūtrey Phrataphernes Phrataphernes also that had the chief rule of the Masagetes and Dahans whiche nacions were ioyned by affinitie togethers sent certaine messengers to Alexander offring to be at his cōmaundemēt The Scythian Embassadours made request that Alexander would mary their kinges doughter if the affinitie pleased him that he would suffre the princes of the Macedons to enter in mariage likewise with the noble mens doughters of their coūtrey promising that the king should come in person to visite him He hard gently both the Embassades and styll continued in that place till Ephestion and Artabasus came vnto him and then ioyning his power againe together came into the countrey that is called Basaria Basaria There is nothing more estemed in that nacion then to haue great herdes of wild beastes enclosed in parkes whiche be very plesaunt and full of springes Those parkes be enclosed with walles and towers builded within them to be lodges for the hunters There was one parke in that countrey that had remained vnhunted during the tyme of foure mens ages Wherinto Alexander entred with his whole army chasing the wilde beastes in euery quarter Amōges the rest there was a liō of a rare bignes that came rōning towardes Alexander Lysimachus Whiche thing when Lysimachus that afterwardes was king perceiued standing by chaunce then next to Alexāder perceiued he stepped before him to receiue the lyon with his hūting speare But Alexāder plucked him back and willed him to auoyde sayēg that he was able to kyll a lyon so well as Lysimachus This Lysimacus on a time hūting in Siria killed by himself alone an huge lyon But he was torne to the bones vnder his left shoulder put in great daunger of his life Which being the matter that Alexāder ment he performed with that worde no lesse then he promised for he did not only receiue the lyon but killed hym with one stroke Wherupon the fable rise howe Alexander shuld haue cast Lysimachus to a lyon But
the captaines of the armye togethers promysing to restore to them whatsoeuer they had lost Wherin he perfourmed his promis For Sysimithres bringing vnto him many beastes of burden with two M. Camels and great nombre of shepe and oxen he distributed all amonges the souldiers wherin he bothe restored to them their losse and also deliuered them of their honger The kyng gaue great thankes vnto Sysimithres and coÌ„maunded his souldiers to cary syx dayes vitels ready dressed went to the Sacans Sacans where he destroyed all their countrey and of the botie there taken gaue .xxx. thousand shepe in gift to Sysimythres From thence he came vnto a countrey belonging to a noble prince called Cohortanus Cohortanê° whiche submitted him selfe vnto the kyng And he againe restored his countrey vnto hym exacting nothing of his but that of his thre sonnes he should sende two with hym to serue in his warres But Cohortanus offred to hym all three and made a feaste vnto Alexander with all suche sumptuousnes as belonged to the maner of the countrey Wherein all the pleasures beyng shewed that coulde be deuised thyrty virgines of the noble mens chyldren were brought in before Alexander amonges whome there was Cohortanus doughter called Roxane Roxane which in beuty excellens of personage and in comlynes of apparell rare amonges those nacions excelled all the reste And notwithstandyng that they were all electe with whome she was accompanied yet she drewe all mens eyes towardes her and specially the kynges that coulde not well nowe gouerne his affections in suche prosperitie of fortune whiche is the thyng that the fraylenes of man seldome can auoyde So that he whiche behelde the wyfe of Darius and her two doughters to whome Roxane was nothyng comparable with no other entent then he myght haue done his mother was then so farre ouercome with the loue of a young virgine being but of a base stock if she should be compared to kynges bloud that he affirmed it to be a thyng necessary for the establyshement of the Empire for the Percians and Macedons to mary togethers by whiche only meanes shame myght be taken from the vanquyshed and pryde from the victorers He also for his purpose alledged a president howe Achilles of whome he was descended ioyned hym selfe with a captiue And lest his doynges should be thought iniury he would couple hym selfe by waye of mariage The father ioyfull of these newes that he loked not for gladly confirmed the kynges wordes Who in the heate of his desire A ceremony of mariage amoÌ„ges the Macedons caused bread to be brought furth accordyng to the custome of his countrey the same beyng the moste religious ceremony of mariage amonges the Macedons Whiche bread was cut a sonder with a sworde and eche of them made of it a sacrifice It is to be thought that suche as establyshed the customes of that nacion coueted by a moderate and a scarse diet to shewe to them that were the gatherers of great ryches with howe small a thyng they ought to content them selues Thus he that was both kyng of Asia and Europe ioyned him selfe in mariage with a mayde brought in at a maske to beget vpon a captiue that shoulde reigne ouer the victorious Macedons His frendes were ashamed that he should chose vpon drinke a father in lawe of them that he had lately subdued But after the death of Clitus all libertie and franckenes of speache being taken away they semed to agre with their countenaunces the moste apt instrument to declare the consent of the mynde After this was done he prepared his iourney towardes India purposing to visite the Occian Sea And because he would leaue nothyng behynde his backe that myght be impediment to his expedition toke ordre for thyrty thousand young men to be leuied out of all the prouinces and to be brought vnto hym armed myndyng to vse them both as pledges and souldiers He sent Craterus to pursue Haustenes and Cathenes of whome the one was taken and the other slayne Polycarpon also subdued the countrey that was called Bubacen Bubacen And so hauing set all his thinges in ordre he sette his whole imagination vpon the warre of Inde whiche was counted to be a very ryche countrey and to habound bothe with gold perles and precious stones thynges more appertenent to voluptuousnes then to magnificence and it was sayde that the Souldiers there had their targettes made of Iuery and of gold And therfore lest he whiche thought hym selfe to excell the rest should be passed in any poynt caused his souldiers to set their targettes with plates of syluer the horsemen to make their brydels of gold and their corseletes to be bewtefied some with gold and some with syluer There a were huÌ„dred .xx. thousaÌ„d armed men that folowed Alexander to that warre When all thinges were in redines for the purpose he long before conceyued in his euell disposed mynd Alexander coueteth to be honored as a god thought it tyme to compasse how he might vsurpe the name and honor of a god and so willed him selfe not only to be called but also beleaued to be the sonne of Iuppiter asthough his powre had bene aswell to restranie mens thoughtes as their tonges His entent was that the Macedons shoulde fall grouelinges vpon the grouÌ„de and worship him after the like maner the Parcians did their kinges And to such his desire there wanted not Parnicious flatterye the parpetuall poyson of princes â–ª whose estat hath had more often ouerthroues by flattery then by any force of enemies The MacedoÌ„s were not in blame of this for non of them suffred gladly ther countrey custumes to be subuerted But it was the fault of the Greakes whiche with ther naughty condicions corrupted the profession of honeste sciences Hagys Chyrillus Cleo. There was one Hagys of Argiue as euell a poet as was since Chirillus daies and another called Cleo a CiciliaÌ„ geueÌ„ to flatterie both of nature and by the cusâ—uÌ„e of his countrey They with other the dredge and refuse of their countreys whoÌ„ AlexaÌ„der reputed more then any of his captaines or his kinsemen wold haue made it apere to the world that heauen had layen open for AlexaÌ„der and stiked not openly to pronownce that both Herculus and Bacchus Chaster and Posâ—ux shoulde all giue place to his newe godhed For the bringing of this thing to passe the kyng commaunded vpon a lolempne day a feast to be prepared with great pompe inuiting ther vnto al the great lords and gentlemen bosh of the Macedons and the Greakes with whom wheÌ„ he had sitten and eatyng a whyle he departed from them out of the feast Then Cleo as was before determined set furth his talk with great praise wonder of the kings vertues rehersing his exceding benefites towardes them al which to requite he saied ther was but one waye and that was if they woulde acknowleg him a god whoÌ„ they knew to be one For it is a smal
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
nâ—t honor the doers for then sample sake nor punishe them bicause they serued his purpose From thence by .xvi. remouinges he came to that parte of the Riuer of Indus where Ephestion had prepared al thynges in such sort as he had commission One Omphis was king of that countrey Omphis on of the kinges of Iuda which before had persuaded his father to submyt him selfe vnto AlexaÌ„der Who in meadiatly vpon his fathers death sent Embassadours vnto hym to know his pleasure whither he shoulde take vpon hym as a kynge before his comming or els liue priuately in the meane season And although it was permitted him to gouerne as a king yet he would not vse the auctoritie that was graunted him He had caused Ephestion to be receiued in the beaste sort he could deuise but notwythstandyng had not visited him by cause he would not commit his parsone to any mans fidelitie but to the kinges But when he vnder stode of Alexanders comming he wente against him wyth his holle power whose Eliphantes by small distauÌ„ce myxed in battell amonges his fotemen shewed afarre of like castelles At the fyrste Alexander did not take him as a frend but as an enemye and therefore set his men in ordre of battell and hys horsemen in winges in redynes for to fight When Omphis vnderstode the errour of the Macedons he commauÌ„ded his men to staye and puttinge his spores to his horse ridde forwardes alone AlexaÌ„der did the like making no doubt whither he were afrend or an enemie but thought him selfe sure eyther through his owne manhode or the others fidelity Theyr meâ—ing as it apered by their couÌ„tenaunces was very frendely but for want of an interpretor they could not speake togithers Therefore after they had called one vnto them the Indian king declared vnto Alexander that the cause he met him with an army was to put in mediatly his hole powre into his handes nor that he had not taried to treate for any assuraunce by messengers but vpoÌ„ trust only had committed both his parson and his kingdome to hym whom he knewe to make warre for the wynning of of glory and fame and therfore could not feare in him any parfidye Alexander reioysed to se hys simplicitie and prouffred hym his righthand as pledg of hys promise and restoring to him agayne his kyngdome he presented vnto AlexaÌ„der .lvi. Elephantes with many other beastes of exceding greatnes and .iii thousande bulles which is a cattell of great value in those countreys and much estemed of kinges Alexander enquited of hym whither he had vnder hys dominion more souldiers or tyllers of the grounde He aunswered that he was driuen of necessity to haue more souldiers bicause he was at warre with two kinges whose kingdoms lay beyond the riuer of Hidaspis There names were Abyassares and Porus but the auctoritie remayned in Porus. And sayed that he was prepared and resolued to aduenture the hasard of the battell wyth such of them as should inuade him fyrst Hereupon Alexander graunted vnto Omphis both to take vpon him the Diadeame and the name of hys father that was called Taxiles the custome of the countrey being such that the name euer folowed the kingdome whosoeuer enioyed it When he had receyued Alexander honorablye in hospitalitie thre dayes the fourth daye declaring howe much corne he had deliuered to Ephestion and to his army presented to the kyng and to all his frendes Crownes af gold and besides of coyned siluer .lxxx. talentes Alexander reioysed so much in hys good will that he bothe returned agayne to hym hys giftes and gaue him besydes a thousands talentes of the pray he brought with him with much plate of gold and siluer many garments after the Parcian maner and .xxx. of his owne horses with the same furnymentes they warre when he did ride vpon them Which lyberalytie as it bound Omphis so it greatlye offended the mynds of the Macedones For Meleager at supper when he had well dronk saied he was verie glad that Alexander had yet found one in India whome he iudged worthy to receiue the gyfte of a thousand talentes The kyng bearing in mynd howe much he had repented the sâ—eaing of Clitus for the rashenes of his tounge refrayned his anger but yet â—old him That inuious men were euer tormenters to themselfes The next day the Imbasseadours of king Abyasares came King Abyasares vnto AlexaÌ„der who according to there commission offred all thinges vnto hys wyll Whervpon promise and assuraunce being confirmed Kynge Porus they retorned againe to their Master Alexander therfore thinking that through the greatnes of hys name Porus might be brought to do the like sent Cleochares to him for to demaunde tribute and to somone him to come and make his homage when he should entre the boundes of hys kingdome Porus made aunswer that of those two requests he would parforme on which was to mete him at the entrey of his kingdome but that should be in armes with a powre Alexander therfore being determined to passe the riuer of Hidaspes Barzentes Barzentes that had bene author of the rebellion amonges the Arachosias was taken brought to him bound with .xxx. Elephantes which was an apt assistance againste the IndiaÌ„s that were wont to put more trust in those beasts then in the force of there own nacion Gamaxus Gamaxus king of a smale porcion of India which had coÌ„federat with Barzentes was brought likewise bounde vnto him Wherfore coÌ„mitting theÌ„ bothe to prison the ElephaÌ„tes to Omphs came vnto the riuer of Hidaspes But Porus lay in camp on the further side to let his passag hauing .iiii. score v. ElephaÌ„tes of huge strength of body CCC wagoÌ„s of war .xxx. M. fotemen amoÌ„ges whoÌ„ there were many archers whose shaftes as hath bene said before were more heuie then they could wel weld Porus him self did ride vpoÌ„ an ElephaÌ„t greater then all the rest who also being of a big stature apeared notable in his armour that was garnyshed wyth golde and syluer hauinge also a courage equall to the strength of his body and so great a wysedome as was possible to be found amonges such rude nacions The Macedons were not so muche afrayed wyth the sight of ther enemies The Riuer of Hydaâ—â—is as they were with the greatnes of the riuer that they had to passe which beinge .iiii. thousand furlonges in bredth and so depe that no ford could be found apeared to them lyke a great Sea And yet the largenes thereof mitigated nothing the violence of the streame but ranne wyth no lesse furye then if it had bene narowe apering by the reparcussioÌ„ of the water in many places to be ful of great stones in in the bottome This riuer being sufficient to feare them of it self the sight of the further banck ful of horse and men was an encrease of there terror Where the Elephantes that had bodies of vnreasonable greatenes stode in there sight being prouoked to
was nothynge more daungerous then the poyson that proceaded from theim for immediatlye vpon the stingynge Death folowed tyll suche tyme as the inhabitours of the Countrey shewed a remedye Frome thence throughe Desertes they came vnto the great Ryuer of Hyraotys Hyraotys wherevnto there ioyned a great wood Whiche hauing such trees as are not wont to be sene in other places was also full of wilde pecokes Alexander remouing his campe from theÌ„ce wan a towne by assault and taking pledges appointed them to pay tribute After that he came to a great cytie after the maner of that couÌ„trey which was both wel walled and also enuyroned about with a marisse The inhabitaunce came furth against Alexander and ioyning their cartes together in a froÌ„t wherin their custome was to fight thei proffered him the battaill Some occupied dartes some speares and other axes and with greate agilitie leaped to and fro their cartes when either they woulde relieue their fellowes that were wery of fighting or els succour or rescue such as were in distresse This vnwonted kind of fighting put the Macedons at the first in feare specially beyng hurt a farre of by their enemies and not able to come to hande stripes with theÌ„ But after they had coÌ„sidered their disordred maner they esteamed not their force but enclosed their enemies about thurst theÌ„ in with pikes the soner to defeate them they cut the bandes wherwith the cartes were tied to seperate them asonder When they had after that maner lost eight hundred of their men they fled again into the cytie whiche the next day the Macedons did wynne by assault Certayne there were that saued them selues by flieng whiche seing the cytie lost swomme ouer the water and filled al the townes thereabout with feare They declared of what inuincible force their enemies were of iudging them in respecte of their power rather goddes then men When Alexander had gotten that cytie he sent Perdicas with a parte of his army to destroy the countrey and committing another parte to Emnenes for the subduing of suche as would not become obedient Emnenes he with the rest of his power came vnto a strong cytie whiche was the refuge of all the countrey thereabout Notwithstanding that the inhabitauÌ„tes sent to Alexander for peace yet they prepared neuertheles for the warre by reason of a sedicion which rose amonges them that made them to be of diuers opinions Some wold rather haue endured any extremitie then to yelde and other thought they were not able to make resistaunce and whiles they differred so in opinions and made no commen consultacion amoÌ„ges them Suche as helde opinion to yelde vp the cytie â–ª opened the gates and receyued in their enemies And notwithstanding that Alexander had iuste cause of displeasure against the countrey faccion yet he pardoned them all and receyuing their pledges remoued towardes the next cytie When the Indians that stoode vpon the walles sawe the pledges that were brought before the army whome they perceyued to be of the same nacion desyred communicacion with theÌ„ who declaring bothe the kynges clemencye and his force dyd moue them to rendre vp their cytie whose ensample the rest of the cytie dyd folowe Sophytes From thence he came into the cytie of Sophites whiche is a nacion as the Indians thynke moste excellyng in wisdome best gouerned and that haue the best customes amonges them The chyldren that be there gotten are not norysshed and brought vp accordyng to the wyll of their parentes but by the ordre of suche as haue the charge committed vnto them to viewe the state of the infantes If they perceyue any not apt to be come actiue or els wantyng any of their lymmes they cause them streyght wayes to be killed They vse to mary without any respect of the kyndred they come of or the greatnes of paâ—entage makyng no chose but in the shape of the body whiche is the shyng that is only estemed amonges them The kyng hym self was within the chief citie of the countrey against the which Alexander brought his power The gates were shut and no man appeared in armes vpon the walles to make any defence wherefore he stode in doubte a great while whether the cytie was abandoned or els that the inhabiters had kepte them selues secrete for some policy Whiles he remained in that expectacion sodainly the gate was opened the king which in good lines of personage excelled al the rest came furth with his two sonnes he ware a garmeÌ„t of gold and purple enpaled that couered the caulf of his legge the soles he ware on his feete were set with pricious stones All his armes were garnyshed with pearles and had hangyng at his eares two precious stones whiche were excelleÌ„t both for bignes and brightnes there he had a scepter of gold set with precious stones called Berillis which he after his salutacion made with huÌ„ble submission deliuered vnto Alexander yelding both him selfe his chyldren and his kyngdome into hys handes There were in that countrey very notable dogges for the huntyng of wylde beastes whiche specially were geuen to be egre vpon the lyon The kyng therfore to shewe their force and propertie vnto AlexaÌ„der put foure of them vnto a great lyon which steight wayes caught hym faste Then one whiche was accustomed to that office toke one of those dogges by the legge to plucke hym of the lyon and because he woulde not loose hys holde cut of his legge wiâ—h a sworde But when the dogge sticked neuer thelesse vnto his game he was cut a sondre in peace meale till suche tyme as he died hauing his teath stil fastened in the lyons fleshe Suche a feruentnes nature had wrought in those beastes as we vnderstode by the reporte Some tyme I am enforced to write thynges that I can scarsely beleue For I neither dare affirme the thinges wherof I doubt nor counceale suche thinges as I haue receiued for truthe Alexander leuing this kyng within his owne kingdome came vnto the ryuer of Hipasis Hyspasis kyng Phegelas and there ioyned with Ephestion whiche had subdued the countrey thereabout One Phegelas was kyng of the next nacion whiche commaunding his subiectes to continue in tilling of the ground as thei were wont to do mette Alexander with riche presentes refusing nothing that was commaunded him When he had taried with him two dayes and was determined the third daye to haue passed the ryuer he found therin great difficultie by reason that the streame was so large and full of great stones He staied therfore a while to be more fully aduertised of the estate of those couÌ„treis of all suche thinges as were necessary for him to knowe He vnderstode by Phegelas howe beyonde that ryuer theâ—e lay a desert of ten dayes iourney next to that desert the ryuer of Ganges which was the greatest ryuer in al the Orient He shewed that beionde Ganges there inhabited two nacions called Gangaridans Gangaridans PharrasiaÌ„s
Agramenes and Pharrasians whose kyng was called Agramenes whiche vsed to come to the field with .xx. thousand horsemeÌ„ CC. thousand footemen two thousand armed wagons and thre M. Elephantes whiche were couÌ„ted the greatest terrour Those thinges semed incredible vnto Alexander and therfore enquired of Porus if the thinges were true that had bene told him He coÌ„firmed Phegelas reporte concernyng the force of the nacion â–ª But he sayde their king was come of no noble bloud but of the basest sorte of men whose father being a Barbour and with great payne getting his daily liuyng came in fauour with the quene by reason of his personage who brought him to haue al the doinges about the king her husband which was afterwardes sâ—ayn by their treason and vnder colour to be come tutor vnto the chyldren vsurped the kyngdome to him selfe and puttyng the childreÌ„ to death did beget him that was now king whiche was in hatred and disgrace of the people folowyng more the maners of his fathers former estate theÌ„ such as did beseme the dignitie he was come to wheÌ„ Alexander harde Porus affirme this matter he became in great trouble of minde not that he regarded the multitude of his enemies nor the force of their Elephantes But he feared the greatnes of the riuers and the scituacion of the couÌ„trey so difficult to entre vpoÌ„ He thought it a hard enterprise to seke out nacions so farre inhabityng in the vttermoste boundes of the worlde Yet on the other syde the gredines of glory the vnsaciable desire of fame made no place to sâ—me to far nor no aduenture to be ouerharde He doubted also that the Macedons whiche had passed so many countreys and were waxed daged with warres would not be content to folow hym ouer so many ryuers and against so many difficulties of nature lyeng in their way For he iudged that since they habounded were so laden with spoyle they would rather seke to enioye suche thynges as they had gotten then to trauaill any further in getting of more He could not thinke the same appetite to be in his souldiers that was in himselfe For he coÌ„passed in his mynd how to get the Empire of the hole worlde into which matter he had but made his entre where as they weried with trauail and thinking to haue past all perill loked now to enioy with spede the frute of all their labour yet for all that his assertion ouercame reason For he assembled his army together spake vnto them after this maner Alexanders Oracion to his souldiers I am not ignorant my souldiers howe that there be now many rumores sowed amonges you by the Indians of purpose to put you in feare But the vanitie of their lieng is not so newe a thing that it is able nowe to deceiâ—e you The PerciaÌ„s after that maner would haue made both the streytes of Ciliâ—ia and the plaines of Mesopotamy terrible vnto you yea put you in feare of the ryuers of Tigre Euphrates yet we wadyd ouer th one of theÌ„ and passed the other by a brydge The fame neuer reporte thinges truly but maketh al thinges greater theÌ„ thei be in dede Euen our glory though it be growen to certain perfectioÌ„ yet it is more in fame then in effect Whiche of you of late did thinke that you should haue bene able to endure the ElephaÌ„tes shewing afarre of like castels Who thought I could haue passed the ryuer of Hydaspis when I hard it reported to be muche greather then it was We should long ago my souldiers haue fled out of Asia if tales could haue caused vs to turne our backes Thinke you that the noÌ„bre of the Elephantes be greater then you haue sene herdes of beastes in other places seing thei be so rare in the world and being hard to be taken are muche harder to be tamed Thesame vanitie that hath reported them to you to be of suche nombre haue nombred also their horsemen and their footemen Concernyng the ryuers the more broder they be the more gently they must runne For suche as be narowe and of smalle brede runne alwayes with moste vehement streme Where as contrariwise the brode ryuer passe their course more mildly But you will peraduenture saye that all the perill is at the shore where youre enemies shall wayte for your arriuall Whatsoeuer the ryuer be the hasard is all one at the landing But ymagen that al those thinges were true Whether is it the greatnes of the beastes or the multitude of the men that put you in feare As concerning the Elephantes we haue had experieÌ„ce of them of late howe muche more vigorously the rage against their owne party then against vs. What should we esteme theÌ„ but only abate the greatnes of their bodies with suche weapons as we haue prepared for the purpose What matter is it whether they be of the like noÌ„bre that Porus had or whether thei be .iii. M. seing that we perceiue that when two or thre be once wounded the rest bende them selues to â—le away And forasmuche as thei cannot well be gouerned when they be but fewe when there be so many thousandes together they must then nedes be an impedimeÌ„t one to another and brede a confusion amonges them selues they be so vnweldy by reason of their huge bodies that they be neither apt to passe forwardes nor yet to fle I haue alwayes so litle estemed theÌ„ that when I haue had pleÌ„ty of that kynd I wold neuer vse theÌ„ knowing very well that they be more dauÌ„gerous to such as occupie theÌ„ theÌ„ thei be to their enemies But peraduenture it is the multitude of their horsemeÌ„ fotemeÌ„ that do moue you haue you bene accustomed to fight against smalle nombres or is it the first tyme that you haue encountred with disordred multitudes The ryuers of Granick is a witnes howe inuincible the power of the Macedons is against any multitude And so is Cilicia the flowed with the Percians bloud and Arbella whose playnes be strewed with their bones It is ouer late to counte the nombre of your enemies after that with your victory ye haue made Asia desert When ye passed ouer Hellespont you should then haue considered your smalle nombre Nowe the Scythians do folowe vs we haue ayde at hande from the Bactrians we supply our power with the Sogdians Yet for all that it is not in them I put my confidence I haue a regarde vnto your force I reserue your manhode about me as a pledge and assuraunce of my actes and doinges So long as I may stande in the field amonges you I wil neither way my self nor myne enemies Doe you but shewe an apparaunce that there is hope in you cherefulnes We are not nowe newly entred into our trauailes but haue passed all our labours being come to the rising of the sonne and to the Occean sea except our owne slougthe be our impediment From thence hauing subdued the worlde we shall returne as
thousand footemeÌ„ .x. M. horsemeÌ„ and .ix. C. armed wagons Wherof when the Macedons were aduertised whiche beleued that they had passed all perils seing a freshe warre arise with a new fierse nacion were amased with a sodayne feare and began agayne with sedicious wordes to reproue their kyng The â—uty â—â—s words of the souldiers They alledged that he would lately haue compelled them to passe the ryuer of Ganges for to make warre vpon those nacions lyeng beyonde the same Which enterpryse though it were left they had not for all that ended the warre neuer the more but rather made an exchaunge of a newe labour beyng put furthe amonges these wylde nacions to make the Occean sea open to hym with their bloud and to be drawen beyonde the sonne and sterres They were compelled they sayde to vysite those places whiche nature coueted to remoue from mans knowledge They grudged that to their newe armour thâ—â— were nowe enemies raysed vp whom if they should vanâ—â—ishe and put to flyght they coulde not see what benefite they shoulde receiue therby but onely darkenes and obscuritie of the ayre whiche alwayes couered the depe sea whyche sea was replenished wyth multitude of monsters wallowynge in those immoueable waters where as Nature decayinge fayled of her force The kynge little moued in his owne respecte was greatly troubled with those passions of his souldiours Alexander perswaded his souldiours Wherfore he assembled theim altogether declaring of howe feable a force those nacions were whom they feared so muche which only remayned and were impediment vnto them hauyng passed ouer so manye countreys to atteine both to the ende of their trauayle to the ende of the world He shewed howe that in respect of their former feare he had lefte his enterprice ouer Ganges with the conquest of the Nacions inhabitynge beyonde the same and had directed his iourney this waye where as their glorye should be as great and their peryll muche lesse and wherin they had not farre to trauayle seynge the Occean was in maner within sighte the ayre wherof he felt blowyng in his face He required them therfore that they woulde not enuye the glorye that he sought by passyng the boundes of Hercules and Bacchus seyng that with so little payne they myght geue vnto their kynge perpetuall fame and immortalitye In doynge wherof they shoulde departe out of India as victorers where as otherwise they shoulde seme to flye from thence It is the propertye of euerye multitude and specially of men of warre to be drawen with euery lyttle mocion amonges whom as sedition dothe sone rise so it is sone pacefied There was neuer a more cherefull crye made of any armye before theÌ„ the Souldiours then made vnto Alexander whiche willed him to leade them whether soeuer he would and make him selfe equall in glorye to them whose actes he dyd counterfeite Alexander reioysinge in the willyngnes that appeared in them remoued straightwayes towardes hys enemyes that were the stowtest people of all the Indians They prepared theim selues boldely for the warres and chose for their capitayne one of the Oxidracans that was of an approued manhode who encamped at the fote of a mountayne made fiers all abroade to cause his numbre appeare the greater and wente aboute in vayne to feare the Macedons when they were at reste by makynge of alaâ—oms with their cryes and maner of howlynge When the daye appeared Alexander hauynge an assured truste to winne the victorye commaunded the Souldiours to put on their armoure cherefully to fall in order of battayle But the Indians whether it were for feare or by reason of some sedition risen amonges them sodainelye fledde into the deserte mountaynes whom Alexander folowed in vaine and not able to ouertake them toke their cariage After this he came vnto a citye of the Oxidracans wherunto great numbre were fled The Oxidracans aswell in trust of the strength of the place as of their owne power As Alexander was about to make the approch Demophon his deuiner admonished him Demophon that he should eiher deferre the matter or els not meddle with it at all for that there appered signes that his life should be in perill When Alexander had hearde his wordes he behelde him and saide If any man should interrupt the when thou art busie about thy science or consideryng of the intrailes shoulde not he seme vnto the troublous and his coÌ„myng vngratefull Yes truely quod he So art thou nowe vnto me quod Alexander For hauynge so greate matters in hande whiche passe the intrailes of Beastes I fynde no greater impedimente then a supersticious diuiner And as sone as he hadde spoken the worde he caused them to rere vp ladders and whiles other menne sticked and stayed at the matter he mounted vp the walle The same was verye narrowe in the toppe not deuided wyth lopes as is communely vsed but enclosed with one whole and continuall battilment rounde aboute which caused it to be the more hard to scale Alexander therfore hauyng no conuenient rowme to stande at his defence stayed vpon the walle receyuyng vpon his target the dartes whyche were caste at him from all partes His souldiours could not get vnto him they were so beaten from the walles by castyng of Dartes and multitude of shotte that came from aboue Yet at length when by their stayinge thei sawe their kyng geuen vp into their enemies hands shame ouercame their immaculate daunger But their ouermuche haste was ouer great a lette and the cause why they coulde not come to the rescue of their king For whyles euery manne coueted vp the ladders they were so sore laden that they brake asunder and suche as were mounted vpon theim fell downe agayne deceyuynge Alexander of hys onelye hope So that in the syght of all the armye he stode destitute as in a deserte wythout anye ayde or succoure and hadde weried hys lefte arme wyth the whyche he helde his Target in receiuynge the blowes His frendes cried vnto hym that he shoulde leape downe vnto theim who stode in readines to receyue hym But he geuynge no eare vnto theim vndertoke an incredible enterprice and such one as hath not bene hearde of before deseruynge rather fame of rashenes then of any commendation that might sounde to his glorye For with a ful leape he did caste him selfe into the citye that was full of his enemies wheras he coulde sâ—arselye haue anye hope to fyght for his life or in diynge to be reuenged vpon his enemyes For before he coulde recouer hys fete agayne it was likelye either he shoulde haue bene slayne or taken aliue But he by chaunce so conueied his bodye that he fell vpon his fete and standinge encountred with such as came againste him Fortune so prouidyng that he coulde not be enclosed about by reasoÌ„ of an olde tree which as it had bene of purpose stode neare vnto the wall whose broade boughes full of leaues couered him from aboue and the greatnes of the stocke kept his enemies
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
furnisshed with faire armour apt to do any enterprise of the warre which he called Epigoni that is to saie his successours The MacedoÌ„s at theyr comming semed to be somwhat apalled whych weried with long warre vsed often in assembles to murmur speake mutinous wordes against the king For the cause he had prepared these souldiers to restraine the arrogaÌ„cy of other gaue to them great benefites Harpalus Harpalus to whome the king had coÌ„mitted the charge of the treasure and reuenewes at Babilon hearing of the actes that AlexaÌ„der had done in subduing the more part of the kynges of India his successe to be so prosperous that nothing could withstand him Knowing the insaciable desire that was in Alexander to visite farre couÌ„treis to encrease his glory though it shold be a hard matter for him to returned to BabiloÌ„ again wherfore he gaue him self to delight to lust misusing many that were noble fâ—e women wallowing in al kind of voluptuousnes Insomuch that he sent vnto AtheÌ„s for a famous harlot called Patonice Patonice to whom he both gaue many great and princely giftes while she was aliue and also after her death spent .xxx. talentes vpon her tombe Hauing in these suche other like voluptuous vanities consumed a great part of the treasure When he vnderstode AlexaÌ„der to be come out of India to vse extreme iustice vpon his officers that misused them of whoÌ„ they had rule by reason he was priuy to his own fowle conscience feared the like might tome to himself And therfore gathering together .v. M. talentes .vi. M. mercenary souldiers toke the way towardes Athens no maÌ„ willing to receiue him by the way Tenaron When he came to Tenaâ—on where as a great nombre of the mercenary Grekes which had bene discharged out of Asia were assembled he left his souldiers there went to Athens with his money when he was come thether noÌ„bre of the citezens flocked about him more for loue of his money then for his own sake but specially the oratours suche as vsed to make their gaine by oracioÌ„s and persuading of the people whoÌ„ by small rewardes he easely corrupted to defeÌ„d his cause with the people But afterwardes at a generall assemble vpoÌ„ the matter he was commaunded to depart the cytie and so returned againe amonges the Greke souldiers by whoÌ„ he was slayne Sunium Therfore with .xxx. shippes thei passed ouer to SuniuÌ„ whiche is a pointe of the land in the territory of AtheÌ„s from whence they determined to haue entred into Athens hauen These thinges being knowen AlexaÌ„der that was sore moued aswell againste the Athenians as against Harpalus prepared a nauy to make warre in persone immediatly against theÌ„ And as he was busied about the matter he vnderstode by secret letters both the Harpalus had bene in Athens corrupted with money the chief of the cytie And also that afterwardes by a counsel of the people he was coÌ„maunded to depart froÌ„ thence as he returned amoÌ„ges the Greke souldiers he was slayne by one of theÌ„ by treason The death of Harpalê° These newes greatly reioysed Alexander wherby he had occasion to leaue of his iourney into Europe but he sent coÌ„mauÌ„dement to all the cities of Grece that they shuld receyue againe all their banisshed men except such only as had committed any murther vpon their owne countrey men Although the Grekes knewe the same to be the breache of their liberties their lawes the beginniÌ„g of their bondage yet as men that durst not disobey his will they called home their banished men restored to theÌ„ such of their goodes as did remaine Only the Athenians which euer defended obstinatly the liberties of their comeÌ„ wealth which had not bene accustomed to liue vnder the obedieÌ„ce of any king but vnder the lawes customes of their couÌ„trey wold not agre that such dredge of men shuld liue amonges them but did driue theÌ„ out of their bouÌ„des redy to suffre any thing rather theÌ„ to receiue such againe as sometime were the rascall of al their citie then the refuse of al the outlawes The time was come that Alexander minded to dismisse his olde souldiers sende them into their countrey but he willed first .xiii. M. fotemeÌ„ .ii. M. horsemeÌ„ to be chosen out to remaine still in Asia which he iudged might be kept with a small army because he thought the guarrisons he had plaÌ„ted in many places the cities which he had newly builded filled with inhabiters shuld be able to stay such as wold atteÌ„pt any rebellion Alexander paide al his souldiers debtes But before he would make any deuision of such as should depart remaine He caused a proclamacioÌ„ to be made that all souldiers should declare their debtes wherwith he perceiued many of them sore burdened though their debte did rise through their own disordre excesse yet he was determined to discharge euery man But the souldiers thinking it had bene but a deuise to find out the prodigall froÌ„ the rest delaied the time brought not in their declaracions The king perceiued shame to be the let therof no disobedieÌ„ce or self wil. And therfore caused tables to be set vp throughout his caÌ„pe .x. M talentes to be brought fuâ—th Of all whiche treasure when their debtes were payd accordyng to the iust declaracion there remayned no more but Cxxx. taleÌ„tes Wherby it appeared that thei whiche were the conquerours of so many riche nacions A mutine amonges the souldiers brought out of Asia more glory then spoyle But after it was once knowen that some should be dispached and some remayne still they thought the kynge would haue establyshed his kingdome perpetually in Asia Wherfore like madde men and vnmyndfull of all disciplyne of warre fylled the campe full of sedicious wordes and came to the kyng more arrogantly and with greater rygour then euer they did before al with one voyce requiring to be discharged shewyng furth the hortnes of their heete and their faces disformed with scarres and herein thei could not be staied eithâ—â— by chastisement of their officers or by any râ—uerence of their kynge but when he would haue spoken vnto them they would not suffre hym to be heard but disturbed his tale with their tumultuous crye violent thronge protesting opeÌ„ly that they would neuer moue one foote forwardes to any place except it were towardes their owne countrey After a great space because they thought that Alexander would enclyne to their purpose they kept silence stode in expectacion what he would do Alexanders wordes vnto his souldiers Then Alexander spake vnto them what meaneth this sodain trouble of mynde this so malypart and vnlaufull libertie I am afraied to speake vnto you you haue so manifestly broken your obedience towardes me I am now become a kyng at the appointmeÌ„t of my people you haue neither lefte me the libertie to knowe you to