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.
commyng of his enemies Whiles AlexaÌ„der was busied about these thinges he receiued plesaunt newes how his men had wonne a battaille of the Percians at Halicarnassus and that the Myndians and Cawnians Myndians Cawnians with diuers other nacions in those partes were brought vnder his obedieÌ„ce This triumphe ones ended he remoued and by a brydge made ouer the ryuer of Piramus he came to the Cytie of Malon Malon Castabulon and from thence with an other remoue came to a towne called Castabulon There Parmenio returned to the kyng whiche had bene sent to searche the strayte that lay betwene them and the Cytie of Isson He had preuented the Percians at the passage and so leuyng men for the defence therof toke the Citie of Isson that was lefte desolate Isson he departed from thence and did driue the PerciaÌ„s out of the mouÌ„taynes serched all the waies So that hauing made all thinges clere for tharmy to passe he returned again both the aucthour of the acte the reporter of the thing done Alexander encamped within the Citie debated there in couÌ„sail whether it were better to passe on further or els to tary there for a more power whiche was coÌ„ming to him out of Macedon Parmenios opinion Parmenio was of opinion that this place was moste metest to abide Dariê° in and geue him battaille where both tharmies should be of like force by reasoÌ„ of the straytes wherein no great multitude could fight at once He shewed reasons why thei ought to eschue the plaines wherein their enemies shoud haue great auantage through their great noÌ„bre that might enclose theÌ„ about Wherin he said he doubted not his enemies stoutnes but only feared that their own men might be ouercoÌ„me with werenes where a multitude should fight with a fewe freshe men succede in the place of them that fainted This counsaill was receiued for good and Alexander determined in that place to abide his enemies There was in the host of the Macedons one Sysenes a persone sent before tyme from the gouernour of Egipt vnto kyng Philip Sysenes who being aduaunced with rewarde and promocioÌ„s choyse to lyue out of his own conÌ„trey so folowing AlexaÌ„der into Asia was estemed among those that the kyng trusted well A souldier of Create deliuered hym a letter from Nabazzanes Darius Lieutenaunt wherin he exhorted him to do some notable enterprise wherby he might wynne fauour reputacioÌ„ with Darius Sysenes innoceÌ„t of this matter was about diuers times to present the letter to the king but seing him occupied with weyghty affaires of prouision for the battaille prolonged the matter And whiles he wayted for a more conuenient time he brought himself in suspicioÌ„ of treason for the letter was brought to the kinges handes before it was deliuered vnto him who readyng it did seale the same with a strong seale and caused it to be deliuered to Sysenes to proue therby his fidelite but because he counsealed the thyng many dayes and opened not the matter to the kyng it semed that he consented thereunto And therefore by the kynges commaundement he was put to death by the band of the CreteÌ„sians The Greke souldiers whiche Tymodes had receyued of Pharnabasus beyng those that Darius trusted moste were come vnto him The grekes adâ—ise They perswaded muche Darius to retire backe into the playnes of Mesopotania and if he would not do so that at the leste he should deuide his power and not commyt the hole force of his estate to one stroke of fortune This counsaill was not so displesaunt vnto the Kyng as it was to suche that were about hym For they sayd mercinary souldiours were alwayes full of treason and were to be doubted the more for that they counsayled the Army to be deuided whiche was for no other purpose but only that they myght haue commoditie to flee vnto Alexander when they should haue any charge committed vnto them There is nothyng therefore more sure for vs quod they then to enclose them round about with our army and to cut them in peces to be an ensample to the worlde that treason should neuer be vnreuenged But Darius whiche was of a meke and good disposicion Darius clemency refused to commit so cruell an acte in sleyng suche as had betaken themselues to his truste Darmes answere vnto his counsail For if we should fyle oure handes quod he with their bloude what straunge nacion would euer then committe them selues into our handes alledgyng that there ought no man to lose his lyfe for geuyng folyshe counsayll For who would be bolde to geue Counsaylle yf in counsayllyng there should be any peryll For I call you quod he to counsaill daily and heare the diuersitie of your opinions yet mistruste not theÌ„ that geue me not always the best counsaill He caused the Grekes to be aunswered that he gaue them thaÌ„kes for their good will But in retourning backe he saied he should geue vp him his countrey into his enemies haÌ„des whiche were not conuenient And considering the force that fame is of in the warre in going backe he shuld appeare to flee But to deferre the fight he thought it worste of al seing so great an army as he had the winter theÌ„ approching could not be victailed in a desolate couÌ„trey that had bene wasted both by them selues by their ennemies And for the deuiding of his power he shewed that he could not do it obseruing the customes of his predecessours which were not wont to hasard the battaille but with their hole power He declared that AlexaÌ„der before his coÌ„ming semed terrible to the worlde and through his absence was brought in a vaine presumption But after he sawe him come became ware wel aduised hiding him in the straytes of the mountaines like those coward beastes that hearing the noyse of coÌ„mers by do hide them selues in the deÌ„s of the woddes He hath blynded his souldiers qd he with his couÌ„terfeit sicknes but nowe I will not suffer him to proloÌ„ge the fyght any longer whiche if he will refuse I wyll oppresse hym in his lurkyng hole These wordes he spake with greater auaunte then truthe And sent his treasure and Iuelles with a smalle conuoye to Damasco in Syria and entred with his Army into Cilicia bryngyng with hym accordyng to hys Countrey maner both his mother his wyfe his little sonne and his doughters It chaunsed thesame night that AlexaÌ„der was come to the strayte entryng into Siria Darius came vnto the place which thei cal Pylae AmaÌ„icae Pylae Amanicae The PerciaÌ„s not doubtiÌ„g at al but that the MacedoÌ„s would haue forsaken the Citie of Isson and fled away for feare for certayne of theÌ„ that were weke and could not folowe were taken the whiche Darius through instigacion of the great men about him raging in barbarouse crueltie caused their handes to be cut of and to be lead about his campe to the enteÌ„t they might behold the multitude
Alexander remoued to the cytie of Marathon where he receyued letters from Darius that put him in great coller Letters froÌ„ Darius vnto Alexand because they were so arrogantly written the speciall poincte that moued AlexaÌ„der was for that Darius writing himself king did not vouchsaue to geue him that title but dyd write rather by way of coÌ„maundement then of request proffering for the ransom of his wife childreÌ„ somuch money as Macedon could receiue For the superioritie he said he put it to his choise to trie it by the sworde if he liste but if he would be better aduised he willed him to be content with his owne enheritauÌ„ce so he would ioyne in amitie with him become his frend in whiche poinct he was redy to enter into treatie â–ª Alexanders aunswere to Darius letters Alexander did wryte to him againe after this maner Darius whose name thou hast vsurped did great destruction vpon the Grekes inhabiting on the coast of Hellespont and vpoÌ„ the Iomans whiche be Greke cyties and from thence did passe the sea with a great army to make warre agaiÌ„st Grece and Macedon And also king zerxes the predecessour came to subdue vs with infinitie noÌ„bres which being vanquished in a battel on the sea left notwithstaÌ„ding Mardonius behind him in Grece to destroy their cities and burne their couÌ„treis It is manifest besides that Philip my father was slayne by such as were corrupted theruÌ„to with your money ye vndertake always vniust warres and occupyeng armes go about for all that to circumuent men with treason As thou of late hauing suche noÌ„bre of men in thine army diddest procure my death with the promis of a thousand talentes I am not therfore the beginner of the warres but repulce such iniuries as be proffered me In doing wherof through the help of the Goddes which fauour alway the right haue brought the more parte of Asia vnder my subiectioÌ„ hauing ouercoÌ„me the in battail by force of armes there is no cause that I should graunt the any thyng whiche haste not obserued towardes me the lawe of armes yet if thou wilt come and submit thyself I promis the that I will deliuer frely both thy mother wife and childreÌ„ for both I knowe howe to get the victory and howe to vse suche as I ouercome but if thou fearest to commit thy self to vs. I will geue the saufeconduite to come frely In the reste when thou writest vnto me remembre that thou writest not only to a king but also vnto hym that is thy kyng He sent this letter by Thersippus and went from thence into Phenicia Phenicia Biblon Sydon where the Cytie of Biblon was youlden vnto him And so came vnto Sydon which was a Cytie of great nobilitie by reason of the antiquitie and fame of the builders The same was vnder Stratos dominioÌ„ supported by the power of Darius who yeldyng more by the constreinte of the people then of his own good will was thought vnworthy to reigne there Alexand made a graunt to Ephestion that he should make suche one kyng whome the Sidons thought moste worthy that place There were diuerse noble yong men in that cytie that had familiaritie with Ephestion of whome he purposed to haue chosen one kynge but they refused his offre affirming that none myght enioye that dignitie except he were descended of the bloud roiall Ephestion wondred at the magnaminitie that was in them in despisyng the thyng whiche other sought for by sworde and fier and therfore sayd continewe you still in that vertuous mynde whiche be the firste that haue vnderstande howe muche more better it is to refuse then to receyue a kyngdome Chouse ye therefore suche one of the bloud royall that may remembre that he hath receyued the rule at your handes But when they sawe that diuers gaped for it and for the gredines they had to reigne fell to flatteryng such as were nere about Alexander resolued that there was none more mete for that dignitie then one Abdolominus who being of the auncient bloud of the kynges Abdolominus was made kyng for pouertie was enforced to dwell in a smale grange without the Cytie His honestie was the cause of his pouertie as it is to many other and beyng occupied in his daily labour harde no noyse of the warres that troubled all Asia They of whome we spake of before came into his gardein with garmentes to apparell hym lyke a kyng and found him weding of his ground whome they saluted as kyng and sayd vnto hym you muste make exchaunge of the vilenes of your apparell with these ryche robes we here ê‘sent you washe the body that is now foull and filthe take vpon you the harte of a kyng and in the fortune you be worthy to haue shewe the same moderacion and continencie you do vse presently And when you shall sit in your regall seate hauing in your handes power of the life and death of your people do in no wyse forget the estate ye were in when ye toke the kyngdom vpon you nor yet for what purpose ye did receiue it The matter seamed to Abdolominus lyke a dreame and asked them if they were madde that would mocke him after that manner But when he sawe theÌ„ affirme by othes the thyng to be in earnest he washed himself receiued the garment which was of purple gold so went with the into the palaice The fame as is wont in such a case did notably ronne abrode of this matter Some fauored the cause some did disdain it but suche as were riche did reproue his pouertie base estate to such as were nere about AlexaÌ„d which caused the king to send for him when he had loÌ„g beholdeÌ„ his behauour saied your personage doth not disagre to the fame of your lynage But I desire much to know with what pacience you did sustain your pouertie I would to God qd he I could beare my prosperitie in like case now when I am a kyng These handes did get that I desired hauing nothing I lacked nothing His wordes caused Alexander to conceiue of him a maruelous opinion so that he gaue vnto him not only the ryches stuf and furnimentes that appertained to the king before but also many thinges that were takeÌ„ froÌ„ the Percians adding to his dominion all the countrey nere about the citie In the meane season Amyntas with .iiii M. Grekes that escaped with him out of the field fled to Tripolis where he enbarcked them sailed vnto Cipres Tripolis thinking the world to be such then that euery one might enioy that he could get like as it had bene his owne enheritauÌ„ce His purpose was to go into Egipt so he thought to becoÌ„me enemy both to Darius Alexander waying with the worlde according as the tyme should alter Amintas ê‘swasion to his souldiours To briÌ„g therfore his souldiers to hope wel of his enterprice he declared how the gouernour of Egipt was slaine in
as were of the Macedons faccion and committed the cytie with a small guarrison to Appollodines and Athenagoras that were enclined to the Percians Alexanders captaines for al this continued the siege of the citie still not so muche in truste of their own strength as they did in hope of the facciō they had within the citie In whiche poinct they were not deceiued for through a sedicion whiche did aryse betwene Apollodines and the captaines of the men of warre occasion was ministred vnto the Macedons to breake into the Cytie When the gate was broken vp and a band of Macedons entred Scio taken then the cytesens whiche before had deuised to rebell against the Percians toke parte with Amphiterus and Egilochus so that the guarrison of the Percians were slaine and Pharnabasus with Apolloindes and Anathogoras were takē prisoners There were .xii. galies takē with their souldiers and rowers besides .xxx. shippes and vessels of Pirates with thre thousand Grekes that were in wages with the Percians with the Grekes they furnyshed vp their owne bandes and put the pyrotes to death bestowyng the rowers in their owne galeis Aristonicus It chaunsed that Aristonicus the vsurper of Methina ignoraunt of any suche matter as was chaunsed in the first parte of the night came with certayn piraters shippes to enter into the hauen whome when the watche demaunded what he was he sayd he was Aristonicus and came to the succour of Pharnabasus they said he was at reste could not then be spoken with all but it should be laufull for hym beyng their frende to enter into the hauē for that night and speake with hym when it was day Aristonicus was the first that entred and the pirates folowed him But whiles they placed their shyppes the watchemen drewe the chayne againe ouer the hauen and then called vp suche as lay there nere about so that none of them durst resist but were al taken prisoners and so deliuered to Amphiterus and Egilocus Mytelene From thence the Macedons passed to Mytelene whiche was kept by Chares of Athens with a guarison of two thousand Perciās but when he was not able to endure the siege he yelded vp the Cytie with conposicion to haue their liues saued and to departe in sauegarde vnto Imbros Imbros Darius dispairing of peace which he had procured both by his lettres and Embassadours gaue his mynd to assemble a new power and freshely to renue the warre Therfore he commaunded the Capitaines and rulers of his men to assemble at Babilon and that Bessus gouernour of the Bactrians Bactrians should come thether with al the power he could make The Bactrians be the moste hardie people amōges those nacions vnciuill men and much abhorring from the delicatnes of the Percians for by reason that they border vpō the Scithians whiche be a warlicke people they are accustomed to lyue by thefte and be conuersant continually in armes But Bessus that was suspect of treason that he would not be content with the second place put Darius in great doubte Who hauing an inckling that he compassed to be kyng feared only his treason hauyng no other way to bryng his purpose to passe Alexander wrought all the wayes he could obtayne to knoweledge where Darius was become and into what coūtrey he was gone And yet could not get any intelligence by reason of a custome amonges the Percians whiche are wont with a marueylous fidelitie to kepe close their princes secretes in the vtteryng wherof neither feare of death nor hope of rewarde can cause them bryng forth a worde This was a goodly discipline that the kinges ther had of olde time vsed emōges their subiectes in ponishing with losse of lief the lavesnes of the tounge which is there more greuosly chastysed then any other cryme The lauesnes of the tounge ponyshed with the Perciās Nor ther is not in those partes any goodnes loked for at any mans handes that hath not the gifte of secretnes wherof nature hath giuen a facilitye in mā Thys was the cause that Alexander was ingnorant of all thinges that his enemies did and therefore continued his siege before Gaza The Siege of Gaza Beties was Captayne there who was a man of a notable fidelitie towardes hys prince which with a small guarison defended the Cytie that was of a large compasse Wherfore Alexander perceyuing the aduauntage of the Scituacion set maney mynes in hande For the lightnes of the ground made the worcke easye hauinge nether rockes nor stones to gyue any impediment They began their mines on that side wher thei within could not destroy them And to auoyde the suspcion of any such worck in hande caused an aproche to be made to the wales wyth Towres that he had made of Tymbre But the ground woulde not serue for their carieng and remouing by reason of the losenes of the sande whereinto the wheles sonk and was cause that the ioyntes of the towres bracke a sonder About the conuoyans of them many were hurte and as muche truble they had in wythdrawinge of them as in setting them forwardes When he perceyued he could not preuail by that meanes he retired againe his mē for that time But the next daye he enuironed the Citie round about to gyue thassaulte in euerye parte at ones and before he remoued out of his campte made sacrifice after his contrey maner requiring the aide of the goddes It chaunsed as he was so doing that a Rauen flieng by let falle a clodde which she caried in hir clawes vpon the kinges Hede where it bracke resolued in peces And the rauen flewe vnto the next towre wher hir fethers were so entangled with Piche that she lighted vpon that she coulde not flee away but was taken of the standers theraboutes This was thought a matter worthye whereupon the deuyners should consulte for he him selfe was not free from the supersticon of such thynges Therefore Aristander to whom he gaue moste credite did interprete the same to be a signe of the distrucion of that Cytie but yet there was some parill apearing towardes the kynges person For which cause he perswaded Alexander that he shoulde not go about any enterpryse that daye Whyche though it greued hym muche that one Cytie shoulde be a staye and impedient vnto hym for hys free passage into Egipt yet he obeied the pronosticator caused all his men to returne Thennemies toke courage of their departure and thinkinge feare to haue bene the cause whie they came not forwardes sayled out of the Cytie and set vpon their tayle But they were more fierse in the beginnyng of the skyrmishe then constante in maintaining of the same For when they sawe the Macedons turne about they stayed and pursued no further Alexander hering the larume and remembring nothing the parill that was prophesied vnto hym at hys frendes requeste put on hys harnys which he was seldom accustmued to do resorted thether where the skyrmushe was moste hote There he
was it no meruaill though he could not obstayne He turned towardes him and said thou vile slaue hast thou now found out a time mete to disclose the treason that lyeth in thy harte and therwyth all pulled out hys sworde to haue slaine him if Bessus had not straight waye come and the other Bactrians about him and letted his purpose they pretendyd to be sory for the matter But mindid in very dede to bind him if he had continued in his purpose In the meane season Nabazzanes escaped away and Bessus folowed after who imedialy dyd seperate the bandes they had charge of from the rest of the armye bicause they would vse them apart to their purpose Whē thei were departed Artabazus framed his talke according to thestate of the time then present and beganne to pacifie Darius wyth wordes putting him in remembraunce howe hys case was suche that it behoued hym to beare quietly the folishnes or rather the error of hys own men For asmuch as Alexander was at hande ouer sore an enemy for thē though there were no discord nor disobedience But if we shal be at variaunce qd he when he doth pursue vs our matters shal stand in very euil plight Thereupō Darius enclyned some what to Artabasus aduise though he was determined to remoue yet bicause he parceiued euery man to be troubled in mind remained still in the same place But he him selfe was so astoined with sorowe and disperaciō that he kept him self close and came not forth of his pauilion Wherupon the campe being without gouerment the hedes not consulting togither as they did before there rose amonges them great diuersitie of opynions and mocions of mynd Which thing when Patron sawe that was capetaine of the Greake souldiers he wylled his men to put on their armour to be in a redines to do as they should be apointed The Percyans encampyd by them selues and Bessus remained amonges the Bactrians practising to cary away the Percians into Bactria and to leue Darius signifieng to them the riches of that region yet vntouched and the perell they were in if they remayned styl But they were al in maner of one opynion that it was ouer great an offence for them to forsake their prince In the meane season Artabasus executed the kinges offence and went amongs the Percians in their lodginges admonishing and exorting them sometyme aparte and otherwhile all togithers and lefte them not before it apeared that they would do as the king would haue them That done with great paine difficulte he parsuaded Darius to take hys meate and to set hys mynd vpon hys busines But Bessus and Nabarzanes were so gredy to get the gouernement into their handes that they resolued to put in excution the thing they had longe conspired betwyxt them For so longe as Darius was in sauegard thei could not hope to cōpasse nor atteine so great powre and auctoritie The maiestie of a king is had in so great veneraciō amōges those nacions that at hys verie name they vse to assemble togither And the reuerens of Darius former fortune caused them to beare the like obedience to him in his aduersitie The greatnes and powre of the countreies whereof Bessus and Nabarzanes had the rule not being inferior to any other nacions in that parte of the world either in armour men or largenes of their territory gaue a great encourage vnto their wicked disposicions in attempting of this matter Which possessing the third part of Asia were able to make as great nombre of men as Darius before had loste In confidence wherof they not only dispised Darius but Alexander purposing when they were once become lordes of that countrey to reenforce from thence againe the powre of thempire mainteine the warres against the Macedōs Whē they had long deuised debated these thinges they determined to take Darius by the Bactriā souldiers which were at there cōmandiment then to send word to Alexander that they reserued him on liue to deliuer him vnto his hādes And if so be that Alexāder should nor accept their doing whiche in dede they doubted then ther purpose was to kill Darius and with their powre to flie into Bactria But for somuche as they sawe that Darius could not be taken openly seing there were so many thousādes redy to aide him And fearinge also the fidelitye of the Greakes determined to work by sleight the thing that they could not bring to passe by force Their deuise was lo coūterfeit a repentance of their former doinges in excusing vnto the king the feare they were in And in the mean season they sent certaine to practise with the Percians to proue their mindes The souldiers were tossed to fro with hope and feare Sometime thei thought that by leauing of ther king they should cōmit them selues to manifeste ruyne and destruccion and againe they remembred what entertaynment was promised them in Bactria that lay open for them where they should be receyued with such giftes and riches as they coulde not wel imagien Whiles Bessus Nabarzanes were bearīg of these thīges in their heades Artabasus came vnto them declaring howe Darius was wel pacefied and that they might of they would be in the same estate and degre with him that they were in before Therupon thei fel to weaping and purging of them selues requiring Artabasus that he would take vpon him the defence of there cause and cary their requeste and submissiō vnto the king The night was cōsumed in this kind of busines When it was day Nabarzanes wyth the Bactriā souldiers stode at the entrey of the kinges lodging colouring hys preuy treason with a solempne pretence of doing his dutye Darius caused warnyng to be giuen for his remoue and so mounted vpon hys chariot after his accustumed manner Nabarzanes and the other traytores fell vpon the ground to worshipe him and shed teares in token of repentaunce notwithstanding that they determined shortly after to put him in fetters mens nature is so apart to dissymulacion Darius being of a simple and gentle nature was enforced through their behauor not only to beleue that they pretēded but also caused him to weape for ioie yet that could not cause the traitors to alter ther porpose Whē they parceiued what kynd of man and what maner of prince they went about to deceiue Darius doubting nothing of his peril that was next at hand made al the haste he could to escape Alexander whom he only doubted Patron Patron that was captaine of the Grecians commaunded his souldiers to put on their harneys which they caried before in trusses and to be ready and attēt to euery thing that should be appointed thē For he vnderstanding the treason that Bessus went about folowed the kinges chariot seking occasiō to speake with him And Bessus doubting the same thing would not departe frō the chariot but folowed rather as a watche then a wayter Patron therefore hauing taried long interrupted oftentimes as he
them selues in their flieng And so Nabarzanes toke the waye to Hircania and Bessus to Bactria with a few horsemen that eche of them had in their company When their souldiers were forsaken of theyr Captaines they scatered here and there where hope and feare did lead thē There were only fiue hundred horsmen which assembled them self togither and stode in a māmoryng whither it were better to resiste or to flee Alexander vnderstanding the feare his enemies were in sent Nycanor before wyth parte of hys horsemen by keping of them occupied and he with the rest folowed after Where were slayn about the nombre of .iii. thousand that stode at their defence and they dyd dryue before them the reste of the army like beastes from killyng of whome the kyng gaue commaundement to abstaine Amonges all the prisoners there was none that was able to shewe which was the cart that caried Darius for euery one was so desirous to fynd him that as they sawe any carte thei sought Darius therin and yet they could perceyue by no meanes where he was become Alexander made suche haste that scarsely thre thousand horsemen folowed hym of all his nombre but the whole army of the Percians fell into their lappes that folowed behynde It is scarsely credible to be beleued that there should be more prisoners taken then there were men to take thē But fortune in that feare had so taken away their sence that they could not consyder their owne multitude nor the smale nombre of their enemies In the meane season the beastes that drewe Darius wagon hauing no man to gouerne thē were swarued out of the hyghe way and wanderyng here and there had drawen Darius four furlonges frō the place he was woūded into a valley where they fainted by reason of their heate and their hurtes There was a spring there at hand whiche certaine that knew the countrey Polistratus had shewed to Polistratus a Macedon that was ouercome for thrust And whiles he was drinking water out of his helmet he spyed the beastes that were thrust in with darres and marueilyng that they were not rather caried away then hurt after that maner He loked foūd in the foule cart the body of a mā haulf aliue and at length perceiued it was Darius that lay there sore wounded drawing of his breath Then Polistratus drought to hym a Percian whome he had taken prisone◠Whome when Darius knewe by his voyce to be of his countrey sayde he toke that for a cōfort of his present fortune that he should speake before he died to one that vnderstode hym The message that Darius sent to Alexand before his death and not vtter his last wordes in vayne He required hym to declare vnto Alexāder that though he had neuer deserued any thing at his handes yet it was his chaunce to die greatly his debtour and had great thankes to geue hym for the fauour and goodnes that he had shewed towardes his mother his wife and his children to whome he had not only graūted lyfe but also the reuerēce of their former estate dignitie where as he of his kinsmen frendes to whome he had geuen both life and landes was now by thē bereaued of al. He praied therefore that he might alwayes be victor and that the Empire of the whole worlde myght come vnto his handes requiring that he would not neglecte to take reuengaunce of so foull an act not only for his cause but for ensample and the loue of other princes which should be a thing honorable vnto hym and proffitable in tyme cōmyng When he had spoken these wordes he fainted and called for water after he had dronke said to Polystratus that presented it vnto hym Whatsoeuer thou art this is vnto me the last mysery in all my aduerse chaunce that I am not able to requite the this benefite But Alexander shal rewarde the the goddes shall requite him for his great humanite clemency shewed towardes mine Vnto whome in my behalfe thou shalt geue my hande as a pledge of a kinges promise When he had spoken these wordes and geuen Polistratus his hand he died Whē these thinges were reported to Alexander he repayred where the dead corse lay there be wayled with teares that it was his chaunce to dye a death so vnworthy for so great an estate and taking of his owne clooke to couer the dead coorse withall adorned thesame with all thinges that pertayned to a kyng and sent it to his mother Sisigambis to be buried in suche sorte as the countrey maner was to bury kynges and to be layde amonges the rest of his predecessours ☞ Here the first parte of the syxt booke doth want wherin was conteyned the cause of the warre betwixt the Lacedemonians and Macedons with the preparacion of both nacions to the battaill that was fought betwixt Antipater Alexanders lieutenaunt in Macedonia and Agis kyng of the Lacedemonians ¶ The sixte boke of Quintus Curtius of the actes of the great Alexander Kyng of Macedonie HE preassed forwardes where the fyght was moste daungerous The batail betwyxt Agys kynge of Lacedemon and Antipater laeutenāt in Macedonia and sleyng suche as made moste resistaunce put the greater parte of his enemies to flyght Then suche as were victorers before began to flye till they had drawe◠their enemies gredely folowyng them out of the streyte into a more playne ground In the retire many of them were slayne but when they had once recouered suche a ground where as they might staye and fall in ordre the battailes ioyned equally againe on both sides Amonges them all the kyng of the Lacedemonians appeared moste notable in all mens eyes not so muche by the beawty of his armour and goodly personage as through the greatnes of his courage wherein only he could not be ouercome He was layde to on all partes both nere hande and a farre of ye◠for all that he endured long in armes against his enemies auoiding their strokes parte with his target and parte with his body til suche tyme as he was thrust through both thies with a spere when by great effusion of bloud he was not able any lōger to endure the fyght Then the esquiers for his body toke hym vp vpon his target and caried hym into their campe that with great payne endured the slurring of his woundes The Lacedemoniās for all their kynges departure gaue not ouer the fyght but assone as they could recouer any ground of aduauntage they cloosed them selues in battaylle togither and receyued stowtly ther enemies that came ful vpon them Their is not found in any memorie of a battayl more vehemētly fought then that was where the armies of two nacions that were moste excellent in the warres contended togithers the victory not yet enclyning to any part The Lacedemonians called to mynde ther aunciente manhode and prowes and the Macedons considred ther present estymacion they had in the world The Lacedemonians striued for their libertie
bodies will leaue no humour that maye hurt so lykewyse we must cut away whatsoeuer shall be impediment vnto our Empire Haue you not sene great fiers risen of small sparkes not regarded We may not neglect any thiÌ„g in our enemies whom the more we dispise the more stroÌ„g we make them And because you shal not thinke it such an impossibilitie for Bessus to make him self kyng where as a kyng wanteth you shall vnderstande that Darius came not to his Empire by enheritaunce but got into the seate of Cirus by the benefite of Bagoas his Enuche We commit an heinous offence my souldiers if we made warre to Darius and put him downe for the entent to geue his kyngdome vnto his seruaunt yea and to suche one as attempted so vyle an acte against his maister at suche a tyme as he had moste neade of helpe and whoÌ„ we being his enemies would haue spared he being his subiect put him in chaynes as a captiue and finally slewe him because he should not be preserued by vs. Shall you suffre this kynd of man to reigne no let vs make all the spede we may to see him crucified and so to shewe vnto all kynges and nacions a iustice done vpon one that so vilely falsefied his fayth If the reporte should come vnto you beyng in your own countreis that thesame man were distroyeng of the Greke cities about Helespont O God howe sorye would you be then and howe muche would you lamente that Bessus should enioye that you haue gotten and vsurpe the rewardes of your victory Then would you make haste to recouer your own theÌ„ would you bend your selues to the warres But how muche better is it nowe to oppresse him whiles he remaineth in suche feare and is vncertayne what way to take Shal we spare to speÌ„d .iiii. score daies iourney to come to hym that haue ouertroden suche snowes that haue passed so many ryuers that haue clymed so many mouÌ„taines to whose iourney the flowyng sea could be no impediment nor the streyte of Cilicia could shut vp our way Nowe all thinges are made playne and open and we stande in the entrey of our victory There be but a fewe fugitiues and killers of their maisters that do remaine What more notable worcke can you leaue vnto your posteritie to be regesâ—red by fame vnto your glory then in reuenging such as were traitours to Darius you shal therby shewe that wheÌ„ you were enemies vnto him yet your hatred ended with his death that no wicked person could escape your handes Which thing if you bring to passe howe muche more obedient do you thinke the PerciaÌ„s shal be vnto you wheÌ„ they perceiue that you take iust warres in hand and it was not Bessus name wherewith ye were offended but with his faultes and euill doinges His oracion was receiued of the souldiers with such gladnes that thei streightwaies desired him to cary them whether he would And he that could vse the occasion of their good mode passed through Parthenia and came to the boundes of Hircania Hircania leuyng Craterus with the band wherof he had the rule and six thousand horsemen of whome Amyntas had the charge with the like nombre of archers to defend Parthenia from the incursion of the barberous nacioÌ„s He appointed Erigonus a smal power to atteÌ„d vpoÌ„ his cariages willing him to passe with theÌ„ through the plaine countrey And he himself with his fotemen and with the reste of his horsemen marched forwardes C. fyfty furlonges and encamped in a valley at the entrey of Hircania In thesame place be greate woodes full of hyghe and thyck trees and the botome of the valey is very frutefull by reason of the sprynges that come forth of the rockes Out of the foote of the mountaynes there ryseth a ryuer called zioberis zioberis which with in thre furlonges of the head is deuided by a rocke staÌ„dyng in the middes of the streame causyng the water to go two sondrie wayes Whiche afterwardes comming again into one chanell ronneth more violently then before by reason of the fall of the rockes And sodenly it sinketh into the ground and so roÌ„neth hidden by the space of .ccc. furlonges and then coÌ„meth furthe againe as it were out of a newe spring the same being then in bredth .xiii. furlonges and as it ronneth forewardes drawith more narow and falleth into an other streame named Rhydago Rhydago The inhabiters of the countrey affirmed that al thinges caste in where the streme sunk into the ground would apeare come out again at the next issue For the prouing of which conclusion AlexaÌ„der caused two bulles to be cast in where the water entered whose bodies were found by such as were apoynted for the purpose where the streame brake out againe In this place he refreshed his army .iiii. daies during which time Nabarzanes which was confederat with Bessus in killing of the king did write lâ—es to him in effect The effecte of Nabarzanes letters to AlexaÌ„der howe that he was no enemie vnto Darius but counseiled hym euer to doe suche thynges as he iudged moste proffitable and for his faithfull counsell was put in daunger of his life by him who went about against al reason to commit the custodie of his person to straungers condemning therby the fidelitie of hys owne nacion which they had kept vnspotted towards theyr kinges by the space of .ccxxx. yeares Wherefore seing himself in that perill and daunger toke counsel of his present necessite And alledged that it was allwaies admitted lauful for a man to kil such one whom he knewe to imagyn his death which was an excuse he said wherwith Darius satisfied the people when he had slain Bagoas He alledged that nothing was more deare to mortal creatures then life for the loue wherof he was driuen to this extremytie in committing an act which necessity rather coÌ„pelled him to do then his own disposion For in a generall calamitie eueri man hath his fortune If he would commaund hym to come to his presence he said he woulde not refuse to doe it for he coulde not feare that so great a kyng would violat his promis seing one God is not wont to deceiue an other But if he shoulde seame vnworthy to whom he would giue his assuraunce ther were many countries for him to fle vnto For al men hauing vertue in them counte alwaies that for their couÌ„trey where they make their dwelling place Alexander made no stay in giuing him his faith after such sorte as the Parcians vsed to receiue it which was to do him no harme if he came to him Notwithstanding he marched in ordre of battell sending euer scourers before to discouer the ground The light armed were apointed to the voward the phalanx folowed after the baggage behind For by reasoÌ„ the same was a warlik nacion the countrey harde to entre vpon caused the kinge to loke ernestly vpon the matter The same valley stretcheth out to the Caspian
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
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
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
thing qd he to recoÌ„pence such great benefites towards you al with the cost of alitel fraÌ„kinsence He shewed the Percians custume to be both religious and wyse in worshipping there kinges as gods thinking ther defence saueguard to consiste in the maiestie of ther prince He said that Hercules bacchus wer defied wheÌ„ they had once ouercome the enuie of such as liued â— ther time And meÌ„ that come after do easely beleue such thinges as haue bene confyrmed by there predecessours And if any of you qd he will sticke at this matter ye shal se me the fyrste that at the kinges comming in shall fall downe grâ—ueling on the earth and worship him Which president others ought to folow spicially men of moste wysdome that should alwayes be ensample to others in doing their duities towards their Prince His tale tended direcly agaist Calistenes whose grauitye and prompte libertye of speaking was hatefull vnto the Kinge for he thoutht him the man which only had stayed the Macedones that ells would redely haue done to hym that honor Herupon euery manes eies were inurned towardes Calistenes The worde of Calisâ—enes which â—â—ter silence made said in this wise If the king were present Cleo to heare thes thy words yt shuld not be nedeful then to auÌ„swer the for he him self wold make request that he might not thus swarue out of his kind into the custumes of straungiers Nor he would not suffre that thou shouldest deface bring in the obloquie enuye of men with such thy parnicious flattery hys noble actes brought to passe with suche fâ—â—icetyâ— and good fortune But because he is away I for hym will thus aunswere the. There is no frute sone rype that will continew long This I meane by the deuine honours whiche whiles thou goest about to geue vnto the kyng thou takest his honour from hym There is a time required that men shoulde beleue hym to be a god for that gift hath alwayes bene geueÌ„ to great meÌ„ When they are once dead by suche as came after theÌ„ I wyshe vnto the kyng immortalitie after his death that his life may be long and his estate continual But sanctifieng is a thing that sometime doth followe â— man but it doth neuer accompany him Thou diddest reherse ensamples of the defyeng of Hercules and Bacchus Thinkest thou that thei were madde goddes vpoÌ„ drinke and by the decre of one dynner the nature of Alexanders manhode must be remoued from our mortall eyes before the fame can bring hym into heauen Are not they goodly goddes Cleo that thou and I can make Would the kyng trowest thou be content to receiue of vs the aucthoritie of his godhedde I haue great desire to proue thy power If thou canst make a good first make a kynge It is muche more easy to geue a worldly kingdome then the possession of heauen Thinkest thou Cleo that the immortall goddes will heare the without disdayne or suffre these thy wicked deuises to take effecte they would we shouâ—â— holde vs coÌ„tent with the customes of our fore fathers and for my part I am not ashamed of my couÌ„trey nor I requiâ—e not to learne after what maner I should honour my prince For in mine opinion we acknowledge him sufficiently to be king and victorer of whome we receiue lawes to liue vnder Calistenes was fauourably hard of all men as the persone whom they counted the recouerer of their vniuersall libertie He did not only in his tale paynte out suche flatterers but also liuely expressed the opinion of the Macedons specially of suche as were auncient men to whome the exchaunge of their olde vsages were greuous The kyng was nothyng ignoraunt of the wordes that had passed betwyxt them for he stode behynde a particion of the hall and heard all the matter He sent word therfore to Hages and Cleo that at his comming in they should moue the straungers only to fall downe and worship hym after their countrey custome And after a whyle the kyng as though he had bene about some matters of importaunce returned agayne into the feaste then the Percians fell downe and worshypped him after suche sorte as was deuised But Policarpon that sat aboue the kyng at the boâ—de Polycarpon asked one in skorne that touched the grounde with his chyrine why he kyssed no harder With whiche wordes he moued Alexander to yre wherof he was euer vnpacient So that he sayd vnto Polycarpon It is thou that disdaynest to honour me shall I be mocked of the alone He aunswered that it was not seamely that a kynge should be skorned nor yet a subiect be dispysed With whiche worde the kyng plucked hym from the table and threwe him downe to whome he sayd failyng grouelynges vpon the earth Loo hast thou not done thy self that before thou diddest skorne in an other man therupon he commaunded him toward so brake vp the feast Polycarpon being thus punished was afterwardes pardoned But Calistenes whose contempt stobburnes the kyng had long grudged at grounded his displeasure then more deaper vpon whome there chaunsed shortly after an apt occasion to be reuenged It was a custome as it hath bene sayd before amonges the noble men of Macedon to put their sonnes when they were past their childhode in seruice to the king as pages to doe necessary busines about his persone Their vsage was to watche nightly by course at the chambre dore where the kyng lay The concubines were brought in by them by an other way then where the guarde watched Thei likewise receiued the horses of the gromes of the stable and brought them to the king when he leped on They alwayes were about the kyng both in hunting and in battail and were brought vp in the study of liberall sciences The chiefest honour was geuen vnto them because they might sitte and eate with the kyng none had power to correct theÌ„ with stripes but only the king himself This company was like a masse or store from wheÌ„ce al the capitaines and gouernours of the Macedons did come From thence came their latter kynges whose lynage the power of the Romaynes long after did extinct A treason conspired against Alexander Harmalaus one of that nombre because he had striken a hore whome the kyng had thought to haue striken him self was by his commaundement beaten and scourged with roddes whiche rebuke he toke greuously and coÌ„playned to Sostrates his frende that was one of the same company Sostrates Whiche seing the body torne wherunto he had so great affeccion and peraduenture offeÌ„ded also with the kyng before for some other cause Stirred so Harmolaus whiche was prouoked sufficiently alredy that eche gaue faith to other to find a way to destroye the kyng Whiche they executed not with any chyldishe proceding but wysely agreed to bring Nycostratus Antipater Asclepiodorus and Philotas into the felowship of their coÌ„spiracie And afteawards they ioyned vnto them more Anticles Elaptonius Phimanes But the
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
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
of Alexander the great Kyng of Macedon ABout the same time Cleandre Scytalces Agathon Eracion which by the kinges apoyntment had put Parmenio to deathe returned to hym brynging wyth them .v. thousand fotemen and a thousand horsemen There were many accusers that folowed them out of the prouince whereof they had the gouernaunce Whose behauor there was such that the acceptable seruice they had done to Alexander in killing of Parmento coulde be no satisfaccion for the multitude of the offence they had committed They vsed such an vniuersall spoyle not abstayning from the Temples nor from sacred thinges The virgins also and great Ladies of the countrey whom they had rauished complained of theÌ„ lamentyng the shame they had susteined They vsed so ther couetousnes and inordinat lust in there authoritye that it caused the name of the Macedons to be hated amonges those nacions And yet amonges al the reste Cleanders offence was moste horrible which rauishing a virgyn of noble bloode gaue hyr to hys slaue to vse as his Concubine The more part of Alexanders frendes were not so much offended with ther crueltye and fowle actes whereof they were accused as wyth the remembraunce of Parmenios deathe whiche they kept in silence leste the rehersall thereof myght haue procured them fauour with the Kynge reioysing that the kinges wrath was fallen vpon the minysters of hys Ire that no powre nor auctorytye gotten by euell meanes could haue any longe contynuans Alexander hearing the cause sayd that thatcusers ouerslipt the geatest offence which was the dispaire of hys saueguard For if they had eyther hoped or beleaued that he should euer haue returned out of India A notable Iustice they durste neuer haue committed any suche offences He commaunded therefore them to pryson and put .vi.. C. souldiers to death that had bene the mynisters of there crueltye and they also were executed the same daye which Craterus had brought for auctors of the rebellion out of Perci Within a while after Nearchus and Onesiccitus which had bene commaunded by the king to serche the Occean Sea returned vnto him declaring some thinges by reporte They shewed of an Ilande not farre from the mouth of Indus whyche habounded with golde and had no breed of horses amonges them wherefore the inhabytors would giue a taleÌ„t of gold for euery horse brought from the mayne land They also told of great monsterous fysshes wherof those Seas were full whyche caried downe with the tide would shewe there bodies aboue the water as bigge as a great ship and folowe ther nauye wyth a terrible noise And when they diued vnderneth the water they troubled the Seas as it had bene in a shypwâ—ack Thes were thinges they had sene the rest they had receyued by reporte of thinhabiters as howe that the redde Sea toke hys name of kinge Erithrus and not of the couler of the water They shewed also of an other Iland not fare from the mayne lande growing full of palme trees Wher was a great wood in the middes whereof stode a piller where as king Erithrus was buried with inscripcioÌ„ of such lettres as be vsed in the countrey They added besids that such mariners as caried the marchantes the durdges of th armie through couetousnes of the gold which had ben reported vnto them laÌ„ded in that Iland and were neuer sene after There wordes moued Alexander much and put in hym a great desire to get more certayne knowlege of those partyes therefore he coÌ„mauÌ„ded them againe to tha Sea willing that they should cost the land tyll they come wtin the riuer of Euphrates froÌ„ thence to come vp to BabiloÌ„ against the streame The thinges were infinite that he compassed in his head The enterprises that Alexander determined For he determined after he had brought the Sea coost of the Orient vnder his subieccion to go out of Siria into Affrick for the euytie he bare to the Carthagens His purpose was froÌ„ thence to passe ouer the desertes of Numidia towardes Gades wher he vnderstode by the fame that Hercules had plaÌ„ted his pillers so directing his iourney through Spaine the which the Greakes of the riuer Iberus call Iberia to go ouer the Alpes so into Italie tyll he should come to that part therof were the next passage was into Epyrus For thys intent he gaue commaundement to hys officers in Mesopotamia that they should cut downe tymber in the mount Lybanus Tapsagas and conuey the same to Tapsagas a Cytye in Syria And ther to make galeis of such greatnes that euerye one of them myght be hable to carye .vi. Ores vpon abanke and from thence he wylled them to be conuayed vnto Babylone He sent commaundement to the kynges of Cipres to furnishe them of Iren hempe and sayles Whyles thes thinges were in doing he receyued letteres from Porus and Taxiles signifieng that Abyasares was deade of a disease and that Phelix hys lieutenaunt in those parties was slayne and they put to death that were the doers therof Alexandr therefore in the place of Phelix apointed Endemon that was captaine of the Thracians Eudemon and gaue Abyasares kingdome vnto hys sonne Pasargadas From thence he came to Pasargadas beyng a countrey of the Percians the Prynce wherof was called Orsines which both in nobilytie and ryches Orsynes exceded all other men in those parties and conueyed hys pedigre froÌ„ Cirus that sometime was king of Perce The riches his predecessours left him was greate and he by a long continuauÌ„ce in his enheritaunce and auctorytie had much encreased the same He mett AlexaÌ„der comming thitherwardes and presented bothe hym and his freendes with gyftes of sondery fortes which were a multitude of horses redye to be ridden vpon Charyotes wrought with golde and siluer precious stuf excellent pearles and precious stones weighti vessel of gold robes of purple and foure thousand talents of coyned siluer But that his liberalitie was occasion of hys death For when he had presented al the kinges frendes with giftes aboue there desire he honoured not with anye giftes at all Bagoas the Enuke Bagone ther Enuke whom AlexaÌ„der specially fauoured of the vsage he had of him There were therefore that gaue him admonition how much Alexander estemed Bagoas But he aunsewred them that hys custume was to honour the kynges freendes and no harlottes Nor that it was not the Percians maner to haue any in estimacion which did effeminate them selfes with so shamefull an abuse When hys wordes were reported to the Enuke he vsed the powre whiche he had gotten with dishoneste meanes to the distruction of that noble and innocent man For he did subornat certayne leud parsones of Orcynes countrey to brynge in false accusacons againste him whiche he willed them to present at suche tyme as he should apoynt vnto them In the meane season whensoeuer Bagoas got the kyng alone he would fil his credulous eares wyth tales agaynst Orcynes euer dessimulinge the cause of
discorde conceiued a suspicion that the horsemen ment them no good Wherfore they stode a while in a doubt whether they should retire into the cytie or no by reason that the fieldes serued best for the horsemen But left without cause they myght condempne the fidelity of their companions they stode still with a determinate mynde to fight if any would proffer them violence When the battailles were almoste mette together and only a smalle distaunce left betwixt them wherby the one parte was deuided from the other the kyng by the prouocation of Perdicas with one bande of horsemen did ride along the footemen requiring the deliuery of those to be executed which wer the aucthors of the discorde whome in very dede he ought to haue defended whiche if thei refused to deliuer he threatened to bring against them both the horsemen and the Elephantes The footemen were amased with the sodeines of the mischief whiche they loked not for and there was no more counsell nor courage in Meleager then in the rest but they all iudged it moste expedient for them rather to abyde the adueÌ„ture of that matter then further to hasard fortune When Perdicas sawe them astonied and in feare he seuered out to the nombre of three hundred of such as folowed Meleager when he brake out of the assemble that was first made after Alexanders death whiche in the sight of all the armye were caste to the Elephantes and there trampled to death with their feete Of which matter Philippe was neither the author nor the forbidder but thought to claime that for his owne doing whiche should appeare best in the ende This was a signification and a beginning vnto the Macedons of ciuill warre that ensued Meleager vnderstanding ouerlâ—te the sleyght of that deuise because there was no violence offred to his persone stode at the firste quietly within the square but shortly after when he sawe his enemies abusing the name of him whome he had made king to his destruccion he dispaired of his own saueguarde fled into a temple But the religion of the place could not defend him but that he was there slayne The deuisioÌ„ of TheÌ„pire Perdicas hereupon brought againe the army into the citie and called counsell of all the principall personages wherin it was agreed so to deuide thempire that the kyng should remayne as chief of the whole Ptolomeus to be lieutenaunt in Egipt and Affricke and to haue the rule of the nacions there that were vnder the Macedons dominion Siria and Phenices were appointed to Laomedon Cylicia to Philotas Licia with Pamphilia the greater Phrigia were assigned to Antigonus Cassander was sent into Caria and Menander into Lydia The lesser Phrigia that ioyned vnto Hellespont was Leonatus prouince Emmenes had Cappadotia and Paphlagonia who was commaunded to defende that countrey so farre as Trapezunt and make warre to Arbates whiche only remained enemy to the Empire Arbates Media was apointed to Python and Thrace to Lysmachus with other nacions there about borderyng vpon the sea of Ponte It was ordeined also that suche as should be presidentes amonges the Indians Bactrians Sogdians and other nacioÌ„s lieng vpon the Occean and read seas should in matters of iustice vse regall iurisdictioÌ„ It was decceed that Perdicas should remaine with the kyng and haue the gouernaunce of the men of warre that folowed him Some beleue that these prouinces were distributed by AlexaÌ„ders testament but we haue found that same to be false though some authors do witnes the same The Empire being deuided into partes euerye one might well haue defended his portion if any boundes could conteine mens immoderate desires Or if they whiche being but ministers vnto a kyng when vnder the colour of the administracion of an others dominioÌ„ had encroched into great kingdomes could haue auoyded the occasions of warre seing they were all of one nacion and had their couÌ„treis by limittes But it was hard for them to be contented with that they had in possession when occasion was proffered them of more For the first thynges alwayes appeare of no valure when men be in hope of greater thynges to come So that euery one of them thought it an easier matter to encrease his kyngdome then it was to come by it at the firste Alexanders body had layen seuen dayes vnburied for whyles euery man had care vpon the establyshing of the state their myndes were drawen from doing of that solempne office There is no countrey that haue more feruent heat then Mesopotamia For the sonne there burneth so hote that it killeth the beastes that be without couert and burne vp all thynges as it were with the fyer And to the encrease therof there be fewe springes of water and the inhabiters vse suche policy in hiding of those they haue that strauÌ„gers can haue no vse of theÌ„ This notwithstandinge when Alexanders frendes had gotten leasure to take care of the deade corse and came to visite the same they founde it wythout infeccion corruption or chaunge of coloure the same cherefulnes whiche consisteth of the spirite not beynge yet departed out of his countenaunce Then the Egipcians and the Caldeis were commaunded to dresse hys bodye after their maner who at the firste as though he had bene aliue durst not put their handes to him But afterwardes makyng their prayers that it might be lawfull for mortall men to touche him they purged his bodye and filled it wyth swete odours And afterwardes layed him vpon a hearse of golde and set a diademe vpon his heade Many thought that he dyed of poyson that Iolla Antipaters soÌ„ne beyng one of his ministers had geueÌ„ him the same Alexander oftentimes woulde saye that Antipater coueted the estate of a kinge affecting more greatnes then parteined to a LiuetenauÌ„t and through glorie of the victory he had gotten of the Lacedemonians was become so proude that he claymed al thinges committed vnto him as his owne It is thought also that Craterus was sente to kyll him with those olde souldiours that were dismissed It is certayne that there is a poyson in Macedon founde in a water called Stiges Stiges of suche force that it consumeth yron and will not be conteined in any thinge sauing in the houe of an horse or mule which poison was brought by Cassander and deliuered to his brother Iolle whiche presented it in the drinke that the kinge last dronke Howsoeuer these thinges be reported the power of them of whoÌ„ the rumour weÌ„t shortly after oppressed the infamy For Antipater betame Kynge bothe of Macedon and of Greace and his chyldren after him that did cut to death all suche as were anye thynge neare of kinne vnto Alexander Ptolomeus whiche had the rule of Egipte conueyed Alexanders bodye to Memphis whiche within fewe yeares after was remoued to Alexandria where as all honoure is geuen to the memorye of him and to his name Finis ⧠IMPRYNTED at London by Richarde Tottell dwellynge in Fletestrete at the signe of the hande and starre within Temple barre Anno domini 1553. ¶ Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum per septennium
for the greatnes of the actes done in those daies and for the excellencie of the writers haue much maiestye and many ensamples of vertue I therfore hauyng alwayes desired that we englishmeÌ„ might be founde as forwarde in that behalfe as other nations which haue brought all worthie histories into their naturall language did a fewe yeares paste attempte the translacion of Quintus Curtius and lately vpon an occasion performed accomplished the same Whych auctour treating of thactes of the great AlexaÌ„der being figured in the Prophetes Ieremie Danyel mencioned in the first boke of the Machabies seme to haue bene borne and brought forth into the world not with out a mooste speciall prouidence and predestinacion of god who prospered so his procedinges that as Iustine writeth he neuer encountred with eny enemyes whoÌ„ he ouercame not he beseiged no citye that he wanne not nor assailed nation that he subdued not Thys so worthie a matter I thoughte good to dedicate vnto youre grace folowyng their ensample that haue traueyled in the like studye whiche are wonte to declare their good willes by bestowing of their labours Therunto I was also moued that rather by considering the qualities of your grace which seme to haue certeine affinitie and resemblaunce wyth such as were the very vertues in Alexander For Arianus writeth of hym that he was of a semelie stature bolde in his enterprises stowte of stomack moderate in pleasures wise in couÌ„sayle and prouident to forsee thynges That he was excellent in conductyng of an armye moste pollitique in orderyng hys battailes that he could encourage his souldiers wyth apt wordes and when neade requyred take part of their peril What partes of this be in your grace let them iudge that haue knowen your actes in the warres and your excellent seruice done both in the time of the kinges maiestie that nowe is and also in his fathers dayes of most famous memorye Although in doing hereof I haue not parauenture satisfied al mens expectacyoÌ„s yet my trust is that your grace will accept the same in good part and consider that in a translacion a man can not alwayes vse is owne vaine but shal be coÌ„pelled to tread in the aucthores steppis Whyche is harder and a more difficulte thynge to do then to walke his owne pace ¶ The firste boke of Quintus Curtius supplied of the actes of the greete Alexander Kyng of Macedonie PHilip of Macedonie whiche by subduynge of Grece Amyntas king of Macedon dyd first bryng his countrey in reputation was the sonne of Amintas a man endued with wisdome hardines all other vertues of a noble capitaine Thesame Amintas had by Euridice his wife thre sonnes Alexander Perdicas and Philip who was the father of great AlexaÌ„der with a doughter also called Euriones Euridice The Quene Euridice being in amoures with one that had maried her doughter conspired the death of the Kyng her husband to thintent to haue maried with her sonne in lawe and to make him king whiche thing she had brought to effect had not the treason and whordom of the mother ben opened by the doughter in tyme. Alexâ— the 〈…〉 Aâ— After the death of Amyntas Alexander the eldest sonne enioyed his fathers kyngdome whiche in the beginning of his raigne was so assailed on all sides that he was driuen of force to purchase peace of Thillyrians with money by geuing his brother Philip in hostage And afterwardes by thesame pledge made a like peace with the Thebans whiche was thoccasioÌ„ that Philip dyd atteine to suche excellency of knowledge and wisdome for by reason that he was committed to the custodie of Epimanundas Epymanundas beyng both a valiant capteyn and an excellent philosopher he was brought vp in the trade of honest disciplines and Princely maners wherin he greatly proffited vnder a philosopher of Pythagoras schole whom Epymanundas keapt in his house for thenstruccion of his sonne In the meane season Alexander was slaine by the meanes of Euridice his mother whose former treason kyng Amyntas her husband had pardoned in respecte of the chyldren had betwene them little thinkyng that she would afterwardes haue bene their distruccion For when Alexander was dead she caused in like maner her other sonne Perdicas to be slayne Perdicas whiche Perdicas lefte behinde hym one sonne being a young babe About thesame tyme Philip the yongest brother being by good happe escaped out of prison retorned into Macedon Philip and not taking vpon hym the name of Kyng remayned a great while no otherwise but as Gouernour or tutor to his yoÌ„g neuewe Neuertheles afterwardes by occasion of sundry myschefes growing in the state thesame being suche as might not well hang till the yong kyng should come to his age for that he apered to be a man of singuler actiuitie and of no lesse skylle in feates of warre than in knowledge of philosophie was compelled by the people to take vpon hym the kingdomÌ„ of Macedon whiche as than stode in hard plight and great daunger of ruyne This was done .400 yeare â—fter the building of Rome and the .105 Olympiade In the beginning of his raigne he was combred with â—â—finite troubles for all the contries nere about as it were by a generall conspiracie moued warre against him and at one tyme sondrie nacions swarmyd together out of sondrie partes to ouerronne his kyngdom Wherfore considering that it stode hym vpon to worke warely being not able to mache them all at ones pacyfied some with fayre promyses other with money â–ª and the weakest he withstode with force whereby he bothe made his enemies afrayed and confirmed the hertes of his people whiche he found discouraged and in great doubte These thinges he wrought with great sleight and fynenes of wytte in suche sorte that he mynysshed not any parte of his honour estate or reputacion determinyng neuerthelesse as tyme should serue to deale with euery one aparte Philips first warre was with the Atheniene His first warre was with the Atheniens whome he ouercame by sleyght and policie And where it laye in his power to haue put them all to the sworde he let them all at libertie without raunsome By whiche poinct of elemencie though it was but conterfaite for it was done for feare of a greater warre at hand yet it gat hym great good will and estimacion vniuersally After that he subdued the Peons Peons· Illyrians and from thence turned his power against the Illyrians of whome he slewe many thousandes and wanne the noble Cytie of Larissa That done he moued warre against the Tessalians Tessalians not for any desire of their goodes or spoyle of their Countrey but of a policie to adde to his strength the force of their horsmen whiche at those dayes were counted the chiefe of the worlde whiche his purpose he brought to passe for beyng sodeinly assailed they were sone brought to subieccion So Philip ioyned the force of their horsemen vnto his footemen whereby he
made his powre inuincible After all these thinges beyng happely brought to passe he toke to wyfe Olympias one of the daughters of Neoptolenius Kyng of the Molossons Olimpias Philippes wyfe whiche mariage was coÌ„cluded by the meanes of Arisba Arisba who hauiÌ„g the gouernemeÌ„t of Olympias was become king by the mariage of her other sister called Troada Troada This mariage whiche he thought to haue made for his suertie turned afterwardes to his subuercion For thynking to haue made him self strong by thaffinitie of Philip he was at length by hym depryued of the hole kyngdome ending his life myserably in exile Not long after this mariage Kyng Philip dreamed that he sawe his wiues wombe wonderfully swollen Philippes dreame and to his seming a liuely Image of a lion thereuppoÌ„ by whiche dreame the deuyners dreame readers did enterprete that his wyfe was coÌ„ceiued of a chylde that should be of a lions hert and courage with whiche interpretacioÌ„ he was mitch pleased Methron Afterwardes at thassault of a citie called Methron by shot of an arrowe he loste his right eie Wherof though the displeasure was great yet was he conteÌ„t vpon their submissioÌ„ to take them to mercy He wanne also the cytie of Pagus and annexed the same vnto his kingdome Pagus He inuaded the lande of the Triballes Tryballes and at one instant conquered it with all the contreis thereaboute Thus hauyng made his kyngdome strong by subduing his neighbours at his retournyng home his wyfe Olympias was deliuered of his sonne Alexander The byrthe of Alexand the .8 daye of Aprill Of these good fortunes the kyng reioysed no lesse than reason was hauyng stablyshed his contrey at home subdued his enemies abrode â–ª and gotten an heire to succede in his kyngdome He coulde haue desired no more of God if the mynde of man could euer be satisfied whiche the more it hath the more it coueteth And as the dominion encreaseth so doth also the desire to haue more Which was wel seen in Philip that still did compasse howe to growe great by taking from his neighbours and laye alwayes like a spie awayting tyme and occasion howe to catche froÌ„ euerie man whereunto he had occasion mynistred by the Cyties of Greace for whiles one did couet to subdue an other and through ambition were at strife who should be chief by one and one at laste he brought all to subiection firste persuadyng the smaler states to moue warre agaynste the greater and to serue his purpose contcyued the wayes to set them all together by the eares but at lenght when his practizes were perceyued dyuers Cyties fearyng his encrease confeadered agaynste hym as their commen ennemye and namely the Thebans Neuertheles in a necessitie when they were dryuen to wage men of warre they chose hym to be there generall Capitaine agaynste the Lacedemonians and the Phoceans Philip chosen Captain agaynst the Phoceans and the LacedemoniaÌ„s whiche had spoyled the temple of Apollo This warre he honorablie acheued so that by pounysshement of their sacryledge he gat hym self great honour in all those places But in th ende espyeng either of those Countreis to be brought lowe with warre he founde the meanes to subdue both the one and the other compellyng as well the ouercommers as the ouercomme to be his Tributaries and subiectes Then made he a voyage into Cappadoce where killyng and takyng all the Princes there aboutes prisoners reducede the hole prouince to the subiection of Macedon He conquered Olinthus and within a while put his fote in Thrace For where the two Kynges of that countrey were at variaunce aboute the limites of ther kyngdomes and choyse hym to be Arbitrer he gladly toke it vpon hym but at the daye aâ—oynted for the Iugement he came not thither like a Iudge in a Counsell but like a warrier with an army and to parte the strife expulsid both the partes from their kyngdomes By this time yong Alexander was of twelue yeares of age The towardnes of Alexander and began to take great delyght in the feates of warre shewyng moste manifeste signes â—f noble harte and Princely courage He was very swifte of foote and one daie at a solempne game of ronnyng called Olimpiacum beyng demaunded by some of his Companions whether he would ronne a rase with them gladly quod he If I had kynges sonnes to ronne withall Another tyme when certayne Embassadours of the Percians came into Macedon Alexander whiche in his fathers absence toke vpon hym their entertaynement and deuisyng with them of diuers thinges and in all his communication there neuer passed from him one chyldishe or vaine worde but either he enquired the state of their Countrey the maners of the people the distance of the waies the powre of their kyng or the order of his warres and suche other like So that the Embassadours hauing meruaill the rat esteamed the prouffe of the father to be muche lesse theÌ„ the towardnes of the sonne and that his courage was muche more then was to be loked for in one of his yeres As ofteÌ„ as tidinges came that the kyng his father had wonne any stronge or ryche Towne or obteyned any notable victory He neuer seamed greatly ioyfull but would saye to his playe fellowes my father doth so many great actes that he will leaue no occasion of any notable thing for vs to do together Suche were his wordes suche was his talke whereby it was easy to coÌ„iecture what a maÌ„ he would after proue in age whiche so begaÌ„ in youth His delight was not set in any kynde of pleasure or gredines of gayne but in the only exercise of vertue and desire of honoure And the more aucthoritie that he receiued of his father the lesse he would seame to beare And although by the great encrease of his fathers dominion it semed that he should haue the lesse occasion to vse the warres yet he did not set his delight in vayne pleasure or heapyng vp of treasure but sought all the meanes he could to vse mercial feates and exercises of warre coueting suche a kingdome wherein for his vertue and proues he might purchase fame and immortalitie whiche hope neuer deceiued Alexander nor any other when it happeneth in a maÌ„ of vertue and noble hert that hath wille or occasion to put the same in vre Alexander was coÌ„mitted to the gouernementes of Aristotle The charge and gouernaunce of this young Prince was committed to sondrie excelleÌ„t Maisters and Gouernours but chiefly to the greate Philosopher Aristotle whose vertue learnyng and knowledge Kynge Philip so muche estemed that he would often saye he toke no greater comforte in the byrthe of his sonne then in that he was prouided of suche a Maister for hym as Aristotle vnder whose tuicion he remayned ten yeares Many thynges there chaunsed besydes whereby it was coniectured that Alexander should proue a man of greate valoure The oracle at Delphos For when his father sent to Delphos
Plateans that were confederat with hym through the manifold accusations that they brought in agaynste the Thebanes he slewe of them Six thousande â–ª and solde thirte thousand as Slaues the money wherof coming amouÌ„ted to the som of foure huÌ„dred and forty talentes yet he spared al the linage of Pindarus the Poete Pindarus the Poet. wherbye he woulde wytnes vnto the worlde the fauour he did beate vnto learned men In this Citie of Thebes was a notable woman called Timoclea â–ª Tymoclea whome when A capteyne of Thrace did rauishe wold haue enforced her to confes her monye she brought him to a well where she saide all her precious gere was hydden And whiles he stouped downe to loke into the wel she thrust him in and threwe stones after â–ª wherby he was slaine For this facte she being comitted to prysone and afterwardes brought before Alexander he asked her what she was she auÌ„swered with out feare that she was Suster to Theogenes whych beind elected general Captayne against kiÌ„g Philip his father maÌ„fully died for the libertie of Grece At wose stowtnes coÌ„staÌ„cy the King merueled so much that he caused her w e her childreÌ„ to be set at liberte The Athenians had so greate pitie and compassion of the estate of the Thebanes that contrarye to the commaundement of Alexander they receyued into theyr Citie such of them as escaped Whiche thing Alexander toke in such displeasure that when thei sente Embassadours the second tyme to demaunde peace he would not graunte atonement vpon any other condicion but that such Oratours Captaines which had sturred theÌ„ to rebellioÌ„ shuld be deliuered vnto his handes But at length the matter was brought to that poynet that the Oratours were reserued the Captayne 's banished which straight fled to Darius Kyng of Percia At such tyme as AlexaÌ„der assembled the GreciaÌ„s in Isthmos for the determinacioÌ„ of his iourney into Percia many Oratours Philosophers came to visite him Diogenes only Diogenes that remayned about Corinthe kept hym selfe away as one that estemed Alexander nothyng at all wherat he marueiled much weÌ„t to visit him wher he was beking of him selfe in the soÌ„ He asked Diogenes if he had nede of any thiÌ„ge that he might do To whoÌ„ Diogenes nether gaue reuereÌ„ce nor thaÌ„ks but willed hym to staÌ„d out of his son shine With whose behauour and wordes AlexaÌ„der was so delited that turning to those that were with hym said if he were not Alexander he would wysh to be Diogenes WheÌ„ he had put in ordre thaffaires of Grece comitting the rule therof togither with the Realme of MacedoÌ„ to the gouernemeÌ„t of Antipater Antipater whoÌ„ he most trusted in the begiÌ„ning of the spring came to Hellespont with his hole Armye Hellespont which he transported into Asia with incredible spede diligeÌ„s WheÌ„ they were come to the furder shore AlexaÌ„der threwe a darte to thennemies land and as he was armed lepyd out of the ship wyth great chetefulnes and their sacrified making peticioÌ„ vnto the gods that thei wold voucsafe towardes his enemies and forbad his Souldiers to make eny spoyle vpon the contrey persuadinge theÌ„ to spare that was ther owne and that thei shuld not destroyt the thinge which they came to possesse He not had in his Army aboue the nombre of .xxxii. M. The number of Alexander Armye fotemen v. M. horsemen and but Clxxx. ships wherfore yt is harde to iudge whither yt be more wonderful that he conquered the worde or that he dursd attempte the conqueste therof wyth so small a powre he chase not out to suche a dangerus enterpryse the yonge men whych were in the firste floure of there age but thold souldiers of whom the more parte for there longe contiunans in warres were by the custome at lyberty whither they wold go to the warres any more or no sauing at there owne pleasure And there was none of the captaynes nor of ani other that bare office in the Army that was vnder the age of .lx. yeares So that the souldiers for their experieÌ„ce semed to be Scolemastres of the warres And the captayns for there grauitie apered to be Senators in some auncient comon welth That was the couse that in the fighte none of the minded any flieng but everie one conceyued the victorie in his hedde nor any put trust in his fete but in his handes Alexander that euery where made sacrifice did vse moste solempnitie at Troye vpoÌ„ Achilles Tombe Achylles of whom he was discended by his mothers side He iudged hym moste happye of all men that had bene before because in suche glory he died yonge and had hys actes set forthe of such one as Homer was Homer From thence he passed forewardes into the domynions of Diarus Kynge of Perce which beinge the sonne of Arsanus Darius king of Perce and the fourtene Kyng after Cirus had gotten the possession of the Monarchie of the hole easte parte of the worlde The chiefe cause that moued Alexander too inuade hiÌ„ was to be reueÌ„ged of the damgs distruccoÌ„s wherwith his predecessours had afflicted the contrei of Greace also for demaÌ„ding tribut of Philip his father for that wiche he sent a proude presumptious ambassad called hiÌ„self the King of kiÌ„ges KiusmaÌ„ of the gods lastly he had written to Alexander called him his seruant gaue commission to his lieutenants that thei shuld beat the mad boy the sonne of Philip with roddes afterwards bring him to his preseÌ„ce in kings aparaile And lasteli that they shuld drowne both ship mariners conuey al the Souldirs that shuld be lefte on liue beyond the rede seas theytherfore purposiÌ„g to execute the kings coÌ„maÌ„demeÌ„t Troye Propontydes assembled theyr powre at the riuer of GraÌ„ik which doth deuid the coÌ„trei of Troie from propoÌ„tidis thei had to the nombre of .xx. M. fotmen as many horsemeÌ„ with whoÌ„ thei had takeÌ„ the grouÌ„d on the further sid of the ryuer wher AlexaÌ„der must nedes passe ouer wherof he being advertisid though he sawe but pÌ„seÌ„t ê‘il in theÌ„terprise to fight in the water the ouse froÌ„ the lower grouÌ„d The battal vppn the Ryuer of Grauyk agaynst his enemyes which had thaduantage of the higher bank yet vpon a singuler truste of hys owne good fortune and the valiantnes of his soulders attempted the matter At the fyrst he was sore resisted put in great hasard of repulse but at length he vanqueshed and otuerthrewe his enemies In doing whereof there neither wanted polycie in him self nor yet singler manhode in his men Ther was slayne in that battell of the percians .xx. M. fotemen with .cc.l. horsmen And of the Macedones but .xxxiiii. Thys victorie was greatlye effectuall to Alexanders purpose for therby he wan the Cytie of Sardes Sardes beinge the cheyfe strength the percians had for the maistering of the seas Lydia Ephelos vnto the whyche
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.
taleÌ„ts And sent to Antipater such as had the gouernans of the Cities of Greac threscore taleÌ„ts He gaue order the suchas wer his coÌ„federats shuld with ther own powre of ships defed the seas of HellespoÌ„t according to the leage betwixt theÌ„ It was not yet come to his knowledg how MenoÌ„ was deade vpoÌ„ whoÌ„ he set his hole regard Menon knowing if that he moued not against hiÌ„ nomaÌ„ shuld enterrupt his passage before he cam to Darius The Cytye of Ancire Alexander came to the cytye Ancyre where he made hys musteres and so entred into Paphlagomya wherunto the Grecians be borderers of whome it is said the venetians be discended Rhaphlagomya Al this Contrey yealdid vnto him gaue him pledgs obteining to be free of tribute seing they neuer paid any â—â— the percians Calas was captayne there who taking with him the band of Souldirs that were lately come out of Macedon went vnto Capadocea Calas But Darius hearing of the deathe of Menon Capadocia was noles moued therwyth then the case required for then allother hope set apert he determyned to trye the matter in person coÌ„dempnyng all thynges that had ben don by hys deputies hauing opinion that good gouerment wanted in many of them and that fortune had fayled in them all He came therefore to Babylon wher he encamped Assembling al his force togithers in sight bicause he wold shewe the greater courage And vsing the ensample of Xrexes in takiÌ„g of his musters entrenched so much ground abut as was able to receiue .x. thousand men within the whych he lodged in the night suche as had bene mustred in the daye And from thens they were bestowed abrode in the plaine contrey of Mesepotanya the numbre of his horsmen fotemeÌ„ were innumerable and yet seamed to the syght to be more then they were There were of the Percyans an C. thousand of whom .xxx. thousand were horsemen Of the Medeans .x. thousand horsemeÌ„ .xxx. thousand fotemen Of the Barcanyts two thousand horsemen Themnubre of Darius men of warre with brode swordes light bucklers and .x. M. fotmeÌ„ with like weapoÌ„s Ther were of the ArmeÌ„ians .xl. thousand fotemen .vii. thousand horsemen The hircanyans of great estymacioÌ„ emongeste those nacioÌ„s had .vi. thousand horsemeÌ„ The deruicens were .xl. thousand fotemeÌ„ armed with pikes wherof parte had no hedes of IroÌ„ but dried the poiÌ„ts of theÌ„ in the fiere therwer also of the same nacioÌ„ .ii. M. horsmeÌ„ Ther caÌ„e froÌ„ the CaspiaÌ„ sea viii M. fotmeÌ„ .cc. horsmeÌ„ And with theÌ„ of the rude nacions of Asia .ii. M. fotemen and .iiii. M. hosemen To the increase af thes numbres there were .xxx. M Mercenary sauldiers that were Greaks Hast wold not suffer to cal for the BactriaÌ„s Sogdians Indians with other thinhabiters of the red sea nacioÌ„s which had naÌ„es scarsely knowen to ther owne kynge Thus Darius wanting nothing lesse theÌ„ the mullitud of meÌ„ greatly reiossed to behold them And puffed vp with the vanitye flattery of the greate men that were aboute hym turned to Charidemus of AtheÌ„s an experte maÌ„ of warre which for the displeasure that AlexaÌ„der did bere him was baÌ„ished his coÌ„trey asked him if he thought not this coÌ„pany sufficient to ouerthrowe the Macedons WheriuÌ„to Charidemus without resptte of the kinges pride or of hys owne estate aunswered Charidemus words â—nto Drius Peraduenture six qd he ye will not be content to heare the truth excepte I tell yt nowe it shal be to late hereafter This great preparatoÌ„ hiughe army of yours gathered of the multitud of somany nacioÌ„s that you haue raised vp froÌ„ al pies of Thorient is more fearfull to theinhabiturs hereabouts then terrible to your enemies your meÌ„ shine in colors and glister in armure of gold exceding so much in ryches that they which haue not sene theÌ„ which ther eies caÌ„not coÌ„ceiue any such thiÌ„g in their minds But coÌ„trariwise the MacedoÌ„es being rough souldiers wtout any such excesse be terrible to behold the froÌ„ts of ther batailes staÌ„d close togethers alwais in streÌ„gth furnished with pikes targets for defeÌ„ce The Phalant of the Macedons that which thei call ther Phallant is an immouable square of fotemen wherin euery one staÌ„d close to other ioyning weapoÌ„ to weapon euery souldier obedieÌ„t toy t whych is commauÌ„ded him redy at his captaines beck whyther it be tofolowe his ensigne to kepe hys armye to stand stil to ruÌ„ne to fetche a coÌ„pas to chang thorder of the battell to fight on this side or that side euery souldier can do thes thinges aswel as the captaines And because you shal not thinke gold siluer to be effectuall to thys matier they began and obserued this discipline pouerty beiÌ„g Maystres WheÌ„ they be werye the ground is there bed they are sattsfiedfied with suche meate as thei find by chaunce and thei measure not their sleape by the lengthe of the nyght Thinke you the horsmen of Thessaly the Alcharnans and Etolians whych be inuincible men of warre wil be repulsed with â—lynges or staues hardned in the fire It behoueth you to haue a like force to repulce theÌ„ and to be serued of the same kind of men Mi counsel is therfore that you seÌ„d this gold and siluer to wage souldiers out of those countreis from whence thei come Darius was a man of a meke and tractable dysposicion if the heighte of his estate had not altered the goodnes of hys nature which made hym so vnpatyent to here the truthe that he commaunded Charydemus to bee put streight wayes to death being a man that was fled to his proteccion and that gaue hym right profitable couÌ„sel When he was going towards his death he left not his libertye to speake but saide there is one at hande that shal reuenge my deathe For he againste whome I haue geuen the counsell shall punyshe the for not folowinge of the same And thou being thus altered with the libertye thou haste being a King shalt be an ensample to suche as shal come after that when they commit their doinges to fortune they clerely forget theÌ„ selues whiles Charidemus was speaking these wordes they which had the charge committed vnto them put him to death whereof afterwardes the Kynge toke ouer late repeÌ„tance for he confessed that he had spokeÌ„ the truth caused him to be buried Thymones Ther was one Thymones the soÌ„ne of Menter a yoÌ„g maÌ„ of great actiuite to whoÌ„ Darius gaue the charge of al the souldiers straungers in whom he had great coÌ„fidence and willed hym to receyue theÌ„ at Pharnabasus handes And gaue to Pharnabasus that rule the MenoÌ„ had before Thus Dariê° beiÌ„g careful of the busines he had in hand whither it were through pensiuenes of mind or that his fancie did deuine thiÌ„ges to coÌ„e was coÌ„tinually troubled with visioÌ„s in his sleape Dâ—riue dreame He dreamed that the MacedoÌ„s caÌ„pe was al on fire And shortly after yt
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
supposed had bene slayne Which opinioÌ„ they conceiued through one of the Enuches whiche standing before their tent dore sawe a souldier cary a parcel of Dariê° diademe which he a litle before had cast from his head When Alexander vnderstode their errour wept as it was said to coÌ„sider Darius mysfortune and the womens affectioÌ„ towardes him And for their comforte sent to them one Mythrenes that betrayed Sardes who was expecte in the Percian tonge â—ythrenes but yet coÌ„sidering that the sight of him beiÌ„g a traitour should but encrease their sorow sent a noble maÌ„ called Leonatus to declare to theÌ„ how they were deceiued Leonatus that Darius was a liue He came towardes the tent where the womeÌ„ were with certain men in harnes sent worde before that he was come thether froÌ„ the kyng but when such as stode at the tent dore sawe armed men coÌ„ming supposing their errand had bene to murther their mestresses ran into them cried out that their laste houre was come for the men were at hand that were sent to kill theÌ„ The seruauÌ„tes therfore that neither durst let Leonatus in nor kepe him out brought him no aunswere but remained quietly to se what he would do When Leonatus had long taried at the dore sawe none came fourth to call him in left â—is men without entred amoÌ„ges the women Whose â—omming vnto them before he was admitted was the â—hing that feared theÌ„ moste of al. The mother therfore wyfe of Darius fell down at his fete requiring hym â—hat before thei were slaine he would suffer theÌ„ to bury Darius after his countrey manner â–ª whiche laste obserâ—aunce perfourmed they were coÌ„tent they said gladly â—o suffer death Leonatus assured them that both Darius was aliue that there was no harme towardes â—hem but should remaine in thesame estate thei were in â—efore When SiligaÌ„bis heard those wordes she was content to be lift vp from the grouÌ„d to receiue some comforte The next day Alexander with great diligeÌ„ce buried the bodies of such of his owne men as could be founde and willed thesame to be done to the noble meÌ„ of the Percians geuing licence to Darius mother to bury so many as she liste after the custume of her coÌ„trey whiche thing she perfourmed to a fewe that were next of her kynne â–ª according to the habilitie of her presente fortune for if she should haue vsed the Percians poÌ„pe therin the Macedons might haue enuied it which being victours vsed no great curiositie in the matter WheÌ„ the due was perfourmed to the dead AlexaÌ„der signified to â—he women prisoners that he himself would come to visitie them and causing such as came with hym to tarie without he only with Ephestion entred in amonges theÌ„ Ephestion Thesame Ephestion of all men was moste dere vnto Alexander brought vp in his companie from his yougth â–ª moste preuie with him in al thinges There was none that had such libertie to speake his mynde plainlye to the kinge as he had Which he vsed after suche sorte that he seamed to do it by no authoritie but by suffraunce and as he was of like yeares vnto him so in makiÌ„g and personage he did somwhat excel hym Wherfore the women thinking Ephestion to be the kinge did falle downe and worshyp hym as there contrey maner was to do to kinges till such tyme as one of the Enukes that was takeÌ„ prysoner shewed which of them was Alexander Then Sisigambis fell downe at his fete requiring pardon of her ignorauÌ„ce forsomuche as she did neuer se him before The king toke her vp by the hand and saied mother you be not deceyued for this is Alexandar also Whiche his humilitie contineÌ„cy of mind if he had continually obserued to this latter daies A disgrssion I would haue thought him muche more hapier then he was wheÌ„ that he hauing subdued all Asia from Hellispont to the OcciaÌ„ see would counterfiet the triuÌ„phes of Bacchus Or if that amonges the reste of hys conqueste he woulde haue labored to conquere his pride and his Ire which be vices inuincible Or if that in his dronkenes he would haue abstayned from the slaughter of his nobilitie and not to haue put to deathe those excellent men of warre without iudgemeÌ„t that helped him to coÌ„quere so many nacioÌ„s At this time the greatnes of his fortune had not yet altered his nature but afterwardes he coulde not beare his victories whith that vertue that he did winne theÌ„ TheÌ„ he behaued him self after suche a manner that he exceded in continencie and coÌ„passion all the kinges that had bene before his time Alexanders coÌ„â—ynuance and ClemeÌ„cye Entreating the two Quenes with those Virgines that were of excellent bewtye so reuerently as if thei had bene his siesters He not only absteyned from all violacion of Darius wief with in beuty excelled all the women of her time but also toke great care and diligence that none other should procure her to any dishonour And to all the womeÌ„ he coÌ„mauÌ„ded their ornementes and apparell to be restored So that thei waÌ„ted nothing of the magnificeÌ„ce of their former estate sauing only that assured coÌ„fideÌ„ce that creatures want in myserye Whiche thinges considred by Sisigambis she said vnto the king Sisigambis words vnto Alexander Sir your goodnes towardes vs doth deserue that we shuld make yesame praier for you that we did somtyme for Darius and we perceiue yow worthye to passe so greate a kyng as he was in felicitie and good fortune that habound so in iustice and clemencie you vouchsaue to cal me by the name of mother and of Quene but I confesse my selfe to be your hand maide For bothe I conceiue the greatnes of my estate paste and feale that I can beare this present seruitude It lieth only in your handes how we shall be delt with all and whether ye wyll make vs notable to the worlde through your clemencie or crueltie The kynge comforted them all he myght and willing them to be of good chere toke Darius sonne in hys armes Wherat the childe was nothinge afrayde hauyng neuer sene him before but toke and embrased him about the necke He was so moued with the constancy of the child that he beheld Ephestron and saied oh I would that Darius had had some part of thys gontle disposiicon When he was deperted from thence he caused .iii. aultars to be made vpon the Ryuer of Piramus and there did sacrifice to Iupiter Hercules and Mynerua and so went forewardes into Siria Syria Damasco He sent Parmenio before to Damasco wheras Darius treasure did remayne who vnderstanding by the way that Darius had sent one of his nobles thether fearing that for the smalnes of his owne nombre the DamasceÌ„s would kepe him out determined to send for a greater power Mardus but by chaunce one Mardus fell into the handes of the horsemeÌ„ that he had sent before to score the Countrey whiche beyng brought before
the battell that the PerciaÌ„s left their enguarrison were but of smale noÌ„bre of littel force without any head He shewed how the EgipciaÌ„s vsed to rebel against their gouernours wherfore they were sure to be receiued as frendes For since necessitie qd he hath enforced vs to proue our fortunes which failiÌ„g vs in our first hope we must now thinck the thiÌ„ges to come shal be much better theÌ„ our pÌ„sent estat They al agreed with one voice that he shuld leade theÌ„ where he liste wherupoÌ„ thinking good not to pretermit thoccasioÌ„ whiles the hope was hote in their hartes coÌ„ueied theÌ„ into Egipt entred the haueÌ„ at PelusiuÌ„ vnder pretence that he had bene sent thether by Darius Pelusium WheÌ„ he had gotteÌ„ PelusiuÌ„ he set forwardes towards MeÌ„phis Memphis at the fame of wose coming the Egiptians beyng a lyght nation and more apt to make a store then to maintayne it when it is oure begonne ran to hym out of al townes and villages with entent to destroy all the Percians who notwithstanding for all the feare they were in did not leaue the defence of the countrey but fought with the Grekes and were put to flyght After that victory Amintas beseged Memphis and his men destroyed so all the countrey there aboutes that they left nothing vnspoiled Wherupon Mareches though he perceiued his souldiers much amased with the feare of their late ouerthrowe Mazeches yet when he sawe his enemies scatered abrode without ordre for the pride they had conciued of their victory at length persuaded his men to issue out of the cytie and in setting vpon their enemies to recouer again that they had lost Whiche aduise being good of it selfe toke by good handling moste fortunate â—esse for thei sâ—ewe at that tyme both Aâ—â—intas and all his company This punishement he suffred for the offence committed to both princes Being neither faithfull to Alexander whome he forsake nor to Darius to whom he fled Darius capitaines whiche escaped from the battaille at Isson gathering together such meÌ„ as wer scattered after the battaille with such power besides as they could leuie in Capaducea and Paphlagonia did attempte to recouer again the countrey of Lidia Antigonus was gouernour for Alexander there who notwithstanding that he had take many souldiers out of the guarrisones to send vnto Alexander yet he so litle estemed his enemies that he doubted not to aduenture the battaille Where the Percians receiued the like fortune they did in other places Whiche attempting the fyght in thre sondry countreis were vainguisshed in them all At the same time the nauie of the Macedons whiche Alexander had sent for out of Grece met Aristomeues whom Darius had apoincted to make warre vpoÌ„ the coast of Hellespont where they did take and drowne all his ships aristomenes Farnabazus Darius admirall hauing exacted money at Nulesium Nulesium and set guarison in Sio passed into the I le of Andros with a hundred shippes Andros Syphuns And from thence he went to Syphuns puttyng men of warre into all the Ilandes exacted of them money The greatnes of the warre that was in hand betwene two of the moste puissant princes of Asia and Europe did drawe both Grece and Crete to armes Agys the kyng of Lacedenon gathered together .viii. thousand Grekes that were come home out of Cilicia and moued warre to Antipater that was gouernour of Macedonia The Cretians folowing sometime one parte sometyme another receiued one while guarrisoners of Macedons and an other while of Lacedemonians to lie amonges them But those warres were of no great importunaunce For all mens eies were fixed vpon the warres that were in vâ—e betwene AlexaÌ„der Darius wherupon all the rest did depend The Macedons had sudbued all Siria Phenices The Citie of Tyre Tire only except which being the greatest moste notable cytie of all that couÌ„trey shewed that they estemed themselues worthy rather to ioyne with AlexaÌ„der as frendes then to become his subiectes For when he was come nere vnto them and encamped vpon the the mayn land whiche is deuided from their Cytie with a small arme of the Sea They sent to hym by their Embassadours a crowne of gold for a present with great plenty besides of victuals for his army He receiued their giftes as froÌ„ his freÌ„des and gaue gentle aunsweres vnto the Embassadours but he shewed theÌ„ that he desired to make sacrifice vnto Hercules whom the Cirians specially worshipped for the Macedons opinion was that they were desceÌ„ded of him whiche to do he saied he was admonished by an Oracle the Embassadours aunswered that there was a temple of Hercules without their Cytie in the place whiche they call PaleterioÌ„ where as he might do sacrifice at his pleasure At those wordes Alexand could not refraine his Ire whereunto he was much subiect but fell in a rage I perceiue nowe qd he because ye dwell in an Iland ye truste so muche in the Cituacion of your citie that ye despise my land power But I wil shortly do you to vnderstande that ye dwell vpon the mayne land and bring you to suche case as your Iland shal not helpe you and therfore truste to it that if ye receiue me not in I will enter by force When the Embassadours were dismissed with this aunswere suche as were nere about the king persuaded them that they should not exclude him whome all Siria and Phenises had receiued But they had conceiued such a confidence for that their Cytie stode in the sea deuyded .lxxx. furlonges from the mayn land that they vtterly determined to abyde the siege That Sea of theirs was so muche subiecte to the southwest wynd whiche made at euery storme the waues beate so highe against the Shore that it would not suffer the MacedoÌ„s to make any worcke for the ioynyng of the mayn land to the cytie it being scarsely possible to worcke any thyng there when the wether was moste caulme The Siege of Tyre The first worke that the MacedoÌ„s began was by by throweÌ„ down with the vehemens of the seas that were driueÌ„ by the wynd Nor thei could make no mole so stroÌ„g within the sea but that it was washed awaie and brought downe by beating of the waues And when the wynd blewe strenth able it wold bring the Seas clene ouer the work Ther was an other difficultie no les then this For by reasone that the walles were enuironed about wyth the deapnes of the Sea they could rayse no engine to shote but a far of out of shippes nor ther was not ani grouÌ„d about the Cytie wherupon ladders mought haue bene raised againste the walles or aproche made vpon the land Alexander had no shippes and though he had had some and would haue coueted to bryng them to the walles yet by reason of the water might with shotte easely haue bene keapt of But emonges the reste of other thinges the Tyrians were woÌ„derfully encouraged by the
commynge of the Embassadores that were sent from Cartage to celebrat there yearly sacrifice according to rhere custome Carthage For the Tyrians being the builders of Cartage were since that tyme had in veneracion as there parentes and furste founders Those Embassadores exorted theÌ„ in any wise to abide the siege and promysed them shortly and which they alleged might eselye and sone be done forsomuche as that tyme al the Seas were ful of the Cartage fletes vpon this hatâ—ing they determyned to abide thextremitie and placed ther engynes vpon the towers and the walles deuyding ther armour emoÌ„ges the yought of the Cytie The Artificers wherof that Citie had great pleÌ„ty were deuided into worcke houses to make all suche thinges as were necissarye for the warres There were deuised certaine instrimentes wherwith thei might pull downe the workes that ther ennemies made called Harpagones and also crowes of Iron which be named corui with al other thiÌ„ges that might be inuented for the defence of Cyties But a straunge thinge is reported Pâ—odigous lighted that wheÌ„ the Iron was put in the forge blowne in the fire the same was sene to be full of droppes of bloud Whiche wonder the Tirians did interprete as a token of good fortune towardes them selues as significatioÌ„ of destructioÌ„ towardes their ennemies A like thing was sene amonges the Macedons for when a certayn souldier was breakyng of his breade droppes of bloud appeared therin Whereat Alexander being astonied Aristander Aristander that was moste connyng of all the deuiners of their Religon Did enterprete thus the matter If the bloud had apered outwardly then it had signified il fortune to the Macedons but in asmuch as it was found within it betokened destruction to the Cytie they went about to wynne The lawe of nacions bryken Alexander considering his nauie to be farre from him and that a longe siege â–ª should be great impedyment to his other affaires Sent officers of Armes vnto the Citie to perswade them vnto peace whoÌ„ the Tirians against the lawe of Nacoues did drowne in the sea There vniuste death stored Alexander so muche that he then vtterly determined to go forwardes with the siege but before he could make his aproche it was of necessitie for him to make a Pers or a Mole whereby they might passe from the mayne land to the Citie But in the making therof ther entered great despaire into all mens hartes considering the deapnes of the sea which they sawe not possible to be filled sâ—arcly by any deuine powre For thei thought no stones so great any trees so highe nor any contrey to haue such pleÌ„tie as mighte suffise for the building of a bank in suche a place considring the Sea was alwaies troubled And narowes the place was betweÌ„e the Citie and the land so much more greater was the rage But Alexander that had the way to allure his souldiers to what effect hiÌ„ pleased declared how that Hercules apered vnto him in his slepe and gaue him his hand proffering to be his captaine and him giude for the entraunce of the Citie Therunto he added the killing of his Embassadours and howe that they had violated and broken the lawe that all nacions obserued and that there remayned but only one Cytie whiche staied his victorie Wherupon he deuided the worcke amonges his capteines that euerye one might applye his owne band And so put the worck in vre Mounte Libanus when he had oues sufficientlye encouraged his men There were great plentye of stones had of the mynes of thould Cytie where Tite stode before and for the making of bores and Towres tymber was brought from the mount Libanus The worcke did growe from the bottom of the Sea like a mountayne but not yet brought to the highe wartee marke And the further the Pere was wrought from the land vnto the Sea ward so muche the soner the Sea did swallowe vp the substance of thinges wherof the same was made Whiles the Macedons were thus about their worcke the TiriaÌ„s would roÌ„ne about them in smale vessels and giue the wordes of reproche and scorne as that they were nowe become goodly meÌ„ of warre that would be made pioners cary burdens like beastes vpon ther backes And they asked them also If they thought Alexander to be greater then the god of the Sea But ther reproffe did not hynder but encrease the cherefulnes of the souldiers in there payne and trauaile In so muche the mole in a short space surmounted aboue the water encreasing much in bredth aproched nere vnto the Cytie Then the Tyrians seinge the hugenes of the worcke whereof they before had bene diseiued in there opynion littell thinking that it woulde haue growen to suche a passe they in littell vessels came rowynge aboute the Pere and did driue the soulders with shote from ther woreking and bicause it lay in them to bryng there boats sodeinly forwardes and returne sone ageine they hurte many of the Macedons without any daunger to them selues which enforsed them to leue ther worck and fall to ther owne defence For remedie wherof to auoyde ther enemies shote they were compelled to streach out beastes skynes vpon poles like sayles and set those betwene theÌ„ and their enemies And besides at the hedde of the Peace they raysed vp two Towres from whence with shote and castinge of dartes they keapt of the boates that came aboutes them On the other side the Tirians would lande with ther boates farre out of the sight of the Campt kill such as were carrieÌ„g of stones The peasants besides of Arabie did set vpon certayne Macedons that were sâ—atred abrod in the mount Libanus where they slewe and toke diuers That was one cause whith moued Alexander to deuide his army And lest he might seme to remaine idely about the siege of one citie he apointed Perdicas and Craterus to take the charge of the worcke he had in hande and went into Arabia with such parte of his powre as was most apte for his porpose Arabia In the meane season the Tyrians prepared agreat shyppe laden with stones and grauell behind so that the fore patte flotid aboue the water which ship anoynted ouer with pitche brymstone they brought sodenly by sailinge and force of oers vnto the pere and there remaining the mariners set the shippe on fier and then leaped into boates which folowed after for the purpose The ship thus set on fire so enflamed the wood worcke perteining to the pere that before any rescue could come the fire had taken the towers and al the rest of the workes that were made in the head thereof When they that were leaped into the boates sawe the matter take suche effect they put betwixt the timbre and other voide places both fire brandes and all suche thinges as might geue noryshement and encrease the fire So that the towers and al the rest being on a flame many of the MacedoÌ„s were consumed therewith and
was knowne by a certayne Arabiane that was one of Darius souldiers which toke vpon him a desperate entterprise of the sleainge of Alexander and therfore makyng his pretencs to haue bene fugitiue from the Percians keapt his sword secret vnder nethe his targat and fell downe on his knees before him Who iudging that he had fled to him forsocore willed him to be receyued amonges his owne men But tharrabian therwithall stracke at the kinge wyth his sword which he by little steppinge aside auoyded it from his throte and cutte of the Arabians hand that missed of hys strocke Alexander then iudged that he had cleane escaped the perill that should haue chaunsed to him that daie but as I thincke desteyn cannot be auoyded for whiles he was egre to fight amongss the formoste he was striken with an arrowe wich passed throughe his Corselet and did sticke in his shoulder Philip his PhisicioÌ„ did plucke it out and great haboundaunce of blood did folowe wherof euery man was afraied in so much as they neuer sawe an arrowe passe so farre through any Armore before But he neuer chaunged countenance nor couller but causinge the blood to be stanched and his wound to be wrapt vp continued stil in the skyrmishe amonges the foremoste either suffring or dissimuling his paine and dolore but when the bloode that was staied for the tyme braste out againe And the wound whiche for the greues greued hym not muche beganne to swell and rancâ—e as the bloode waxed coulde then he began to faynt and fall downe and was taken vp by suche as were next him and caried into his tent Betis that perceyued thys supposyng him to be slaine retorned bnto the Citie agayne with great ioye and triumphe But AlexaÌ„ders wound being yet vnhealed he caused a mounte to be caste vp as highe as the toppe of the walles and the walles to be cast downe in diuers places by the Myners But they within made a countermure as highe as the olde wall but that coulde not stretche to the heyghte of the towres made vpon the Mounte so that the inner partes of the citie were subiecte to shotte But a mine wherby the waâ—le was ouerthrown and a breach made wherby the Macedones did enter was the vtter losse of the towne wher as Alexander pressing on amoÌ„ges the foremoste aduenterously The winning of Gaza had his legge hurte with a stone Whiche notwithstanding he mounted vp by help of his weapon his former wound yet vnclosed and fought emongs the formost being in a great furie that in the siege of that one Citie he had receyued two wounds Betis that had fought notably and receyued many woundes was forsaken of his owne men yet not withstanding he mainteyned still the fight and had all his Armour embrued with his owne blood and his ennemies But when he was enclosed round about theÌ„ Alexander which was wount to wonder at the vertue of his enemies puffed vp with a ioyful pride saide vnto him Betis thou shalt not die as thou wouldest thy selfe but whatsoeuer tormeÌ„tes may be inuented thiÌ„ck that thou shalt suffre them For all his wordes ther apeared in Betis no token of feare but beheld the king with an arrogant countenance and would not aunswere him one worde Then Alexander saide se you not howe obstynat he is to hold his peace he would not knele nor ones desire mercye But I will breke his silence with groning if nothing els can do it Thus his fortune alteringe hys nature chaunged hym into straunge maners and turned his wrath into wodnes The death of Betys For causing cordes to be putte throughe Betys feate whyles he was a lyue did drawe hym about the Citye with horses glorieng in that he did couÌ„terfiet Achilles of whom he was descendid in afflyctyng of his enymye There were slaine of the Percians and Arabies ten thousand and the victorye was not vnblodye vnto the Macedones This siege was not so famous by the Nobylitie of the Cytie as it was by the double daungier the kynge was in Whiche makynge haste to passe into Egypt sent Amyntas wyth ten Galies into Macedonia to leuie more souldiers For though he were alwyes victorer in prosperous battayles yet hys men were deminished and he trusted not so muche to the souldiers of those contries he had subdued as he did to his own nacion Egyptians be a nacion that alwaies were offeÌ„ded with thencrese and good fortune of the Percians Egipcyans who in there gouerment ouer them vsed muche pride and couetousnes And therefore sekinge all occasions to reuolt had receyued Amyntas whiche came to them rather by way of treaty then by any force but nowe specially at Alexanders comming plucked vp ther sprightes and assembled a great nombre to mete hym at PelusiuÌ„ where they iudged he woulde enter Alexander entred into Egipte The .vii. daye he remoued from Gaza and came to that place in Egipte which nowe is called Alexanders campe from whence he sent hys Armye vnto pelluzium by the land way and he him self with a choise band of meÌ„ was conueyed thether vpon the Riuer of Nile The Percians durste not abide his comming being in doubt that the EgiptiaÌ„s would reuolt Memphys And therfore wheÌ„ Alexander drewe nere vnto Memphis where Astaces Darius lieutennant was wyth a powre of men of warre he came ouer the Ryuer to mete Alexander and yealdinge hym selfe delyuered hym .viii. C. talentes with all the Riches belonging to the kynge of Perce From Memphis he passed vpon the same Ryuer vnto the inwarde partes of Egypt and set a staie and order of the gouerment of the countrey in suche sorte that he chaunged nothing of theyr lawes and custumes Which thing ones brought to passe he had a great desire to visite the Oracle of Iupiter Hammon But it was declared vnto him that the waye he had to go was not passable wyth anye great nombre and those ought to be light and trimmed mete to iourney without bagage or much cariage The countrey he had to trauaill throughe was sayde to be spread ouer all wyth bareyn sande which ones put in an heate wyth the Sonne woulde burne there feate in suche forte that it should be intollerable for them to iourney And had to contend not only wyth the heate and want of water but also wyth the rowlynge sande whych was so deape and woulde so sink vnder there feet that it should be great empediment vnto ther trauaile All whiche difficulties the Egiptians set forth to be greater then they were indede But Alexander for the desire he had to excede mans estate was so fervently bent to visite that famous Oracle of Iupiter whome ether he beleued or coueted that other should beleue to be his father that nothing could staye him in performinge of that enterprise Therefore with such as he had apointed The Cyrenians to accompany him in that iourny passed by water vpon Nile til he came to the Meare of Meotes The Embassadours of
therupon caused the â—â—ompettes to blowe to the battaille But when Parmenio continued â—â—ll in admiracion that he in suche a tyme could slepe so quietly It is no marueile quod Alexander when Darius burned the countrey â—â—sted the vyllages and destroyed the victualles I could then in no wyse be quiet But now what cause haue I of feare seyng he prepareth hymself to fyght He hath nowe fulfilled my desire resâ—â—te now where your charge lye and I wyll streyght â—lyes come to geâ—â—e ordre amonges you and reason this matter afterwardes He vse â— seldome to take his frendes aâ—uâ—e when my 〈◊〉 â—â— daunger was at hande when Parmenio was gone he armed himself and came forwardes amonges the souldiers Who seing him loke so thereful as they had not done before 〈◊〉 yued by the boldnes of his couÌ„tenaunce a certayne hope of the victory Then he caused the trenches of heâ— campe 〈◊〉 caste downe that the souldiers myght haue free passage forth and so did set his battailles in ordre The horsemen whiche they call Ageâ—a of whome Cliâ—us was Capitaine were set in the wynge of his ryght hand battaylle to whome he ioyned Philotas and other Capitaines The order that AlexaÌ„der vsed at the battaill of Arbella The laste hande of horsemen was Meâ—eâ—gers whiche went next vnto the square battaylle of footemen that the Macedons name Phalanx After the Phalanx those footemen went that he called Argyraspides Argiraspidâ— of whome Nycanour the sonne of Parmenio was Capitaine Cenâ—s with his hand was appoincted to be a relief â–ª Horestes and Lâ—ta 〈◊〉 next â—n ordre and after them Polyâ—arpâ—n that had the rule of the straungers Phâ—lagâ—â— had the rule of the Balacrâ—us And this was the ordre of Alexanders battaylle in the right hand wherof Amiâ—tas was chief In the left battaille Crâ—terus had the charge of the Peloperension horsemen and had with hâ—m also the bandes of the AtheiaÌ„s Locrensians and Moleâ—â—â—sians and the last trops were the horsemen of Lassalia vnder Philip their Capitaine Thus the horsemen couering the foote men made the front of the left battaylle And lefte thennemies through their multitude should enclose the battell about he planted a great force behinde for the relief of that matter and set a relief also vpon the winges not to front with the rest but vpon the sides to th entent that if the enemies atempted to compasse about the battailles that there should be redy to kepe them doing Those that occupied the places of relief were the Agrians of whome Attalus was capitayne and the archers of Crete ioyned vnto them suche as stode in the hinder partes of the battailles were ordred to turne their faces froÌ„ the frontwardes because that being in a redines euery waye the battailles in euery place should be of like force They whiche stode with their faces coÌ„trariwyse were the Illicians the mercinary souldiers with the ThraciaÌ„s that were lightly armed These his battailles were set so aptly to be turned euery way that such as stode in the hinder partes could not be enclosed about but myghte towardes eche parte make their front So the front the flankes and the hinder partes were also of like force When he had set his men in ordre after this maner he gaue commauÌ„dement that if the PerciaÌ„s should put forwardes vpoÌ„ them their hoked wagons with a crie or noyse that theÌ„ they should open their battailles and receyue theÌ„ with silence not doubting but that they should passe through without harme doing if no man did resiste them But if they should come without any shout or 〈◊〉 that then they themselues should make a crye 〈◊〉 fearâ— the horse withal and so with pâ—kes thrust them in on euery syde They which had the charge of the battailles were commaunded to extende them so muche in breadth as they myght leste by standing ouer close the myght be enuironed and yet not to stretche them so farre out to leue the places voyde or thinne in the middes The cariage and the prisoners amonges whom Darius mother was were set in the toppe of an hill wyth a small guarde about them The charge of the left battel was coÌ„mitted to Parmenio as was accustomed before time and Alexander him self was in thother When they were come nere together one Bion came flieng from the Percian campe in all the haste he could make and declared vnto the king that Darius had planted IroÌ„ galtroppes Where as he thought hys horsemen shoulde passe and by a certaine signe shewed him the place bicause it might be auoyded Alexander wylled the fugitiue to be keapt sauffe and assembled all hys captains together declaring the matter and exorting them to make their souldiers priuie to the daunger for eschewyng the place poynted out to them But all that were in so great an army could not hear the warning giuen the noyse of both armies takyng away the vse of the eares Alexanders exortacion to hys men But AlexaÌ„der riding betwixt the battels gaue exortacion to the Capitains and to all other that were within hearing He declared that ther was but one hasarde remayninge to them that had passed through so many couÌ„treis in hope of the vitorie which they were now ready to fight for TherupoÌ„ he reduced to their memorie the battelles they had fought at the Ryuer of Granike in the mountaynes of Cilicia and with what spede they had passed ouer both Siria and Egipt the rehersal wherof put them in great hope and pricked them forwardes to the desire of glory He shewed that the Percians being withdrawen again from their former flieng were now coÌ„pelled to fight of nesessitie bicause they could fle no further and how that thre days together amased for feare thei had remained still in one place wyth their armor on their backes Of whose dispaire he sayd there coulde be no greater argument then that they had set on fire their owne contrey confessing all to be their ennemies that they distroyed not He exhorted them not to feare the vaine names of vnknown nacioÌ„s as a thing nothing pertinent to the warre whych were called Scythians or Cadusians For that they were vnknown nacioÌ„s was the greatest tokeÌ„ that they were meÌ„ of no valour For that such as be valiaÌ„t meÌ„ could neuer be vnknown in the world And contrariwise dastards when they come forth of ther deÌ„nes bring nothing with them but names of men wher as you that be Macedons haue obtained by your vertue manhod that ther is no Contrey in the world ignoraÌ„t of your artes He willed theÌ„ to behold the euil order that was in their enemies host of whom some had no weapoÌ„ but a darte other a slinge to cast stones very few had such armour as thei ought to haue So that though there were a great nombre on the other parte yet he said thei had more on their side that should coÌ„e to hand strippes And that for his ê‘te he would not require any maÌ„ to adueÌ„ture hym self except
shall cause both the same and them also to be a pray vnto vs. For he had learned he said by experiēce that the haboudance and excesse of ther preciouse furniture ▪ their flockes of Concubines Eunukes were nothing els but burdens and impedimentes Whych Alexander possessing and carieng about should make him inferior vnto them of whom before he was victorius His oracion semed to all men to be full of desperacion For they sawe therby that the riche Citie of babilon should be geuen vp vnto the Macedōs Susa shortly after wyth all other ornamentes of the realme that were cause of the warre But he procedid in persuading them howe that men in aduersitie ought not do thinges that should seame goodly in the speaking but necessary in thexperiēce That warres were made wyth iron and not with gold wyth men and not wyth the walles of Cities For all thinges folowe them that be armed and in strength He shewed that his auntetors were afflicted after this maner in the begining yet recouered againe quickly their former estate After he had spoken these wordes either for that they were therby encouraged or els that they rather obeid his autoritie then liked his counsell folowed hym into the bondes of Media Arbella yeldid vnto Alexander Shortly after Arbella was geuen vp vnto Alexander which was full of the kynges ryches and treasure of precious stuf and appariell And besides in that towne the substāce of the hole army was lesse The siknes that began in Alexanders campe rising of the sauor of the deade bodies scatered ouer all the fieldes was the cause that he did the soner remoue Arabye The champion contrey of Arabia very notable with the haboundāce of swete odoers there growyng lay vpon the right hand as they marched And so passed through the coūtrey lieng betwen Tigre and. Euphrates whyche is so fat and plentyfull a ground that the inhabiters be fayne to dryue their bestes from feading leaste they should kill them selues by eating ouer muche The cause of thys fertilitie commeth of the moister that issueth from both riuers Tygre distilling by vaines through the grounde Both these riuer haue their beginning in the mountaynes of Armenia Euphrates wher they be distaunt .v. thousand thousand .v. C. fuclonges and so runne forwardes keaping their distāce till they come nere the boundes of Media and Gordia For thē by little and little the further they go they draue more nere together leuing les space betwixte them They enclose of both sids the coūtrey that is called Mesopotania Mesopotamia from whence they runne through the bonds of Babilō in the redde sea After Alexāder had chaunged hys campe foure tymes Mennium he came to a citie called Mennium wher as there is a fountaine within a caue that boyleth out great plenty of pycche so it apeareth that the Babilonians had there cement from thence which they employed about the making of their huge walles As Alexāder was going frō thence towardes Babilō Mazeus which was said before to haue fled from the battell came to mete hym in moste humble maner where cōmitting hys children into his hands yelded him self and rendred vp the cytie Hys comming was very greate full vnto the kynge considering what trauayll he shoulde haue susteyned in the syege of so strong a Citie if it had bene keapte agaynst hym And besides forsomuchas Mazeus was a mā both famous and valient much noted for his doing in the last battel thought his ensamble should much prouoke others do to the like For that cause he receyued both hym and hys childrē wyth gentil maner and yet gaue ordre to hys men that they should enter into the Cytye in suche array of battaill as if they should fight A great nōbre of the Babilonians stoode vpon the walles desirous to behold him that was ther new king But the more parte went forthe to mete hym Bagistenes Bagistenes that was captayne of the castle and keaper of the kynges treasour because he would shewe hym selfe to be no lesse affectionate towardes Alexander than Mazeus was strowed all the waies where he should passe with flowers and garlādes and set aulters of siluer on both sides the waye wherupon frankensence was burning and all other kinde of swete odours Next vnto hym came flockes of beastes great nombres of horses wyth Lyons and Pardalies caried in cages which he brought to geue as presentes vnto Alexander And after them the Magies singing according to their contrey manner Caldees went next with their deuiners and prophetes and then musicians wyth their kindes of instrumētes their propertie was to singe the praises of kinges And the Caldeis vsed to declare the mociōs of the planetes The distruccion of Babilon with the course reuolucion of the time Laste in ordre came the Babilonian horsemen whose sumptuous furniture both for them selues and their horses tendid more to voluptuousnes and delicacy thē to any magnificence Alexander that was enclosed about wyth armed men willed that the Babilonians should come behind his footemen and he riding alofte in his chariot entred into the cytie and afterwardes into the palace where the next daye he surueyed Darius threasure and riches The beuty and plesauntnes of that Citie gaue iuste occasion to Alexander and such as were with him to wonder much vpon it Semiramis was the builder therof and according to some mens opinion Belus Semiramis Belus whose palaice is to be sene their The walles be made all of brick set with pitche whiche is called bytumen And they be .xxxii. foote in bredth so that two cartes may easely go vpō them afront They be in height C. cubites the towers be .x. foote higher then the reste of the walles The compasse of thē about is CCClxviii furlonges being builded as it is left in memory in so many dayes The houses stand the brede of an acre distaūt from the walles not builded through out the cytie but only by the space of .iiii. score .x. forlōges and those not ioyned nere one to another but for some consideracion deuided a sondre The rest of the ground is sowed and tilled to thintēt that if any forein powre cometh against them thei should be able to be releued by the frute therof comyng The ryuer of Euphrates doth ronne through the middes of the citie and is kept in on both sides with walles of a wounderfull worckmanship but the great caues made of bricke and in pitche in steade of morter wrought lowe within the ground to receiue the violence of the streame do excede all the relle of the worckes there made for except thesame were of quantitie and largenes to receiue the water when the streame floweth ouer the bankes that be made to kepe it in the violēce therof shuld beare down the houses of the citie There is also ouer that ryuer a stone brydge whiche ioyneth both partes of the citie togethers counted amonges the marueilous workes of
the Orient For by reason that Euphrates is so full of mudde and owse ground can scarsely there be found to lay the foundacioÌ„ vpon and the streame besides casteth vp such heapes of sande against the brydge that it is an impediment for the water frely to passe and therfore beateth vpon the brydge with greater force The Castel of Babilon then if it had his fre recourse There is also a castle that is xx forlonges about the towres wherof be .xxx. foote depe within the ground and .iiii. score foote in height aboue the ground Where also the woÌ„ders are to be sene that are so often mencioned in the Greke poesis For in the same be whole groues of trees set by wounderful arte aboue the ground so highe as the toppes of the towres whiche be marueilous beuteful and pleasaunt through their height and shadowe that they make The whole weight of them is susteined and borne by huge pillers made of stone vpon whiche pillers there is a floure of square stone that both vphold the earth that lieth deape vpoÌ„ the same also the humour wherewith it is watred The trees that growe therupon be of eight cubites about and as fruteful as though they grew in natural earth And though proces of time is wont by little little not only to destroy thinges made with hande but also the very worckes of nature yet this worcke for all it is oppressed with the rootes of so many trees and burdened with the weight of so much earth of so great a wood yet it remaineth vnperisshed in any point being susteined vp with .xx. broade walles distaÌ„t .xi. foote one from another WheÌ„ these trees be sene afarre of they feame to be a wood growing vpon a mountaine It is said that aking of Siria raigning in BabiloÌ„ builded this worke for his wifes fansy who for the loue she had to woodes and shadowe places moued her husbaÌ„d in doing therof to counterfeit the plesauntnes of nature AlexaÌ„der taried lenger here then in any other citie whiche hurted more the discipline of the Macedons in their warres theÌ„ any other place The customes of the BabiloniaÌ„s For nothing was more corrupt theÌ„ the maners customes of that citie nor any other was more haboundantly furnisshed of al thinges wherwith men be allured and sturred to excessiue pleasures The parentes husbaÌ„des are conteÌ„ted for gaine that their children wâ—es haâ—tes company with such straungers as came amoÌ„ges theÌ„ The kinges nobilitie of Peâ—â—e delite much in banqueting pastime but the BablioniaÌ„s be specially geuen thereuÌ„to to wyne and to dronkenes wher the womeÌ„ vse such a custome that in the beginning of the feast their apparel semeth womaÌ„ly demure but afterwardes by little little they put of the vppermost garmentes and layeng a side al shamefastnes do discouer theÌ„selues naked Whiche vile custome is not vsed by harlottes only but by theÌ„ all in general whiche couÌ„te the making of their bodies comen but a ciuilitie good maner In this voluptuousnes and abhominacion the conquerour of Asia walowed by the space of .xxxiiii. dayes wherby he became muche the weaker to haue done other enterprises if he had had an enemy to stand against him But to thintent the harme he toke should be the lesse perceiued he encreased his power with a new supplie of meÌ„ Amyntas came to Alexander with a new supplie of men For Amintas the sonne of Andromenes brought him from Antipater syx thousand Macedons footemen and .v. C. horsemen with them .v. C. Tracian horsemen with .iii. M.v. C. footemen of the same nacion He had also out of Peloponese .iiii. M. footemeÌ„ .iiii. C.iiii. score horsmeÌ„ being Mercenary souldiers Amintas also brought with hym L. young men of the nobilitie of Macedonia to atteÌ„de vpon AlexaÌ„ders person whose office was to serue the king at meat to briÌ„g him his horse when he weÌ„t to battel They accustomed to be aboute hym when he hunted and kept the watche by course at his chambre dore These were they whiche afterwardes proued greate capitaines and that was the race out of the whiche the rulers of their men of warre dyd come Agathon Alexander appoincted Agathon capitaine of the castel of Babilon with .vii. hundred Macedons and .iii. C. mercenary souldiers Mynetas â–ª Appollydorus left Minetas Apollidorus gouernours of the citie and the countrey to whome he assigned two M. footemen and a M. talentes geuing them in commission to wage more souldiers He made Mazeus that gaue the citie into his haÌ„des lieutenaunt of the whole and caused Bagistanes that yelded vp the castle to folowe hym in his warres Armenia was geuen to Methrenes that betraied the citie of Sardos Armenia and to encourage his souldiers to the enterprising of other thynges gaue out of the treasure of Babilon to euery Macedon horsemaÌ„ .v. C. deneres to euery horseman of the straungers .v. C. and to euery footeman two C. When he had set ordre in all these thinges The countrey of Atrapene he came into the couÌ„trey called Atrapene which being plentifull of all thinges and haboundaunt of vitayle caused the kyng to tary the lenger there And lest idlenes should be any abatement of his mennes courages deuised to slurre vp their spirites and kepe them occupied by appoincting iudges to trye out such as had shewed themselues moste valiaunt in the warres to whom he assigned rewardes due to their deseruinges There were eight found out whose doinges appeared aboue the rest and euery one of theÌ„ was appointed the charge of a M. men and were called Chiliarchi that was the first time that the souldiers were deuided into suche noÌ„bres for before they vsed .v. C. in a baÌ„d which was not as they reputed for any preferment or reward of valiauntnes The nombre of souldiers was greate that came to pleade their right in this behalf and that before the iudges that gaue senteÌ„ce brought in testimony of their doinges So that it could not be knoweÌ„ which of theÌ„ had deserued iustly such honor or not the first place was adiuged to old Adarchias Adarchias for his valiauÌ„tnes vsed in the battail at Alicarnasson where he chiefly did restore againe the fyght when the young souldiers had geuen it ouer the second place of honour was geuen Antigonus Philotas Angeus obteyned the third the fourth was adiudged to Amyntas The fifte to Antigonus Amintas the sonne of Lyncestes obtained the syxt Theodorus the seuenth and Hellacanicus the laste Hereupon to great purpose he altered many thynges that were vsed by his predecessours in the discipline of warre For where as before the horsemen of euery couÌ„trey were in seueral bandes by themselues he without respect of any nacion apointed to them suche capitains as he thought expedieÌ„t And where as at the remouing of his campe warning was accustomed to be geuen by a trompet the sound wherof in any noyse or tumulte could not be sufficiently harde
it the waâ—eds of many smale streames Whiche ryuer of Medus beyng muche lesse then thesame whiche it doth receyue runneth from thence towardes the south Sea No place could be more aboundant of grasse for euerery where nere vnto the water the grounde was couered ouer wyth flowres The riuer was shadowed ouer wyth plantyne and pople trees which by reason they stande somwhat highe and the water ronne lowe in a depe chanell seme to such as be a farre to be woodes adioynning to the Mountains He counted no contrey in al Asia to be more holsome or to haue more temperat ayer then thys both by reason of shadowing mouÌ„tein that euermore defendeth the heate and also of the sea which on the parte being at hand with a certeine temperature doth norishe the ground When the prisoner had made a descriptioÌ„ of the contrey after this maner the kinge enquired of hym whither he knewe those thinges by hearing say or els had sene them with hys eyes He sayde that he had bene an herdman knewe the contrey veraie well and al the wayes thither And that he had bene twise taken prisoner ones by PercaÌ„s in Licia and now the second time by hym Vpon those wordes Alexander called an oracle to memorye wherby it was signified to him that a Lician shouâ—d be hys guide into Perce Wherfore promising to him suche rewardes as the present necessitie required as hys estate was mete to receiue willed him to be armed after the Macedons maner and wyth good spede to go shewe on the waye Which though he had declared to be but streight and difficult yet AlexaÌ„der put no doubt to passe it wyth a fewe meÌ„ except any thought he said that Alexander would not attempte that thyng for to wynne glorye and perpetuall commendacion that the herdman had done often tymes in feading of his beastes TheÌ„ the prisoner left not to alledge the difficulties of the waye specially for such as ware armour Then the kinge said Take me for suertie that neuer one of them that be appoynted to the shall refuce to go where thou shalt passe Craterus That done he left Craterus with the charge of his campe and he hym self passed forwardes with suche fotemen as were accustomed to his person with those haÌ„des of whom Meleager had charge Meleager and a thousaÌ„d Archers on horsback taking first ordre with Crateus that he should kepe his caÌ„pe in such forme as it had bene vsed before cause many fiers to be made of purpose that the enemies might that rather think hym to be there stil present aduising him further that if Ariobarzanes shuld get knowlege of his enterprise send part of his powre to stop his passage that theÌ„ Craterus should shew al the terror they could to cause him coÌ„uert theÌ„ self to the defence of the daunger that was next at hand But if he should deceiue his enemye recouer the hil vpon hym that then vpon the hearing of the alarome in the Percians campe preparing theÌ„ selues to his resistauÌ„ce he should not doubt to passe that way from which they wer repulced the day before wher he iudged thei should find no resistaunce the enemies being conuerted towards him In the third watch he set forwardes in great sileÌ„ce without blowyng of trompet passed on by such way as was shewed him by the guide Euery souldier that was lyght armed carieng thre dayes vitaile But when he was on his way besides the wild rockes and sharpe stones that caused them oft fayle their foting the snowe also driuen wyth the wynd was a great impediment to them in their iourney For they fell diuers tymes downe into pittes and suche as coueted to pull them out were oft times drawen after The night also wyth the countrey vnknowne and the guide of whose fidelitye they doubted encreased muche their feare considering â—hat if they should not deceiue their enemies watch they should be taken like beastes they wayed also that both the sauegard of them and of the king lay in the handes of one that was a prisoner At length they came to a mounteyne wher as the way towards Ariobarzanes lay on the right haÌ„d TheÌ„ he sent before by the guiding of such as they had taken prisoners Philotas Cenon Amintas Policarpon wyth a band of the lighteste Armed whom he aduised that forasmuch as they had both horsemeÌ„ and fotemen and the couÌ„trey fertell and habound of fodder that they should make no haste but passe forwardes faire easely And he with the esquiers of his body the band of horsemeÌ„ that they called Agema was guided by another bipath farre of froÌ„ that place wher his enemies kept their watch But the way was so streight and so depe that thei suffred great trouble vexacioÌ„ in passing therof It was middaie they were so weried that of necessitie they must take reste for they had so farre to go as they had trauailed all redy sauing that the waye was not so difficult nor so roughe He refreshed therefore his men with meat with sleape in the secoÌ„d watche did rise vp passed the reste of hys iourney without any great difficultie Sauing in the part where the mouÌ„tayne begaÌ„ne to fall aslope towards the plaine their passage was sodeinly stopped by a great gull made with the violence of the streames that ranne downe the mouÌ„tains by wearing away of the earth And besids the trees staÌ„ding so thick the bowes that grewe one within another appeared before theÌ„ as a coÌ„tinual hedge WheÌ„ they saw theÌ„selues staied after this maner such desperacioÌ„ fel amoÌ„ges theÌ„ that thei could sâ—arsly abstain froÌ„ teares The darknes being a great encrease of their terror seing thei could not enioy any benefit of the statres For if any gaue light the same was takeÌ„ away by the shadow of the trees And the vse of the eares could not serue for one to receiue counsel and comforte at an other the wynd whyrlid so amoÌ„ges the leaues and the shakyng of the bowes made such a noyse But at length the daie which they so much desired demynished wyth his lighte the terrors that the darknes of the night did make For by fetching of a little compasse about they passed the holow gylle and euery man began to be aguide Finally they got vp in the toppe of the hille from whence they might beholde their enemies lieng in campe TheÌ„ the macedons shewed them selues stoutly in their Armour appering sodeinly on their backes when they mistrusted no suche thyng and there slewe suche as came fyrste to encountre wyth them So that on the one parte the greuous noyse of them that were slayne and the miserable showt of suche as ran in for succour amonges their owne companye put the rest to flyght without making any resistaunce When the alarome was once hard in the camp wher Craterus lay the Army by and by passed forwards to go through the streightes in the which they were repulsed the day
before Philotas also who with Policarpō Cenos and Amyntas were gone the other waye arriued at the same tyme and gaue a further terror vnto their enemies Whē the Perciēs sawe ther enemies agreing in al partes at on s though they were so opprest wyth their sodaine inuasion that at the fyrst they were in doubt what to do yet at length they assembled to githers and fought notably Necessitie styring vp the faintnes of theyr hartes For oftentymes dispaire is cause of mennes good hope They being vnarmed closed with them that were armed and wyth the weyght of their bodies drewe their enemies to the earth and killed diuers with their owne weapōs Arriobarzanes with fourty horsemen fiue thousand footemē that kept about his persone brake through the battaill of the Macedons to the great slaughter both of his owne men and of his enemies by makyng of haste recouered Persepolis the chief citie of the countrey But when he was excluded from thence by them that were within he renued againe the fight with such as were with him so was slayne by the time Craterus that made all the spede he could deuise was come vnto them Alexander fortefied his campe in thesame place where he did disconfite his enemies For though they were all fled and he certaine of the victory yet because he found his way stopped in many places with great and deape diches he thought good to vse circumspection and not to make ouer great haste not so muche for feare of his enemies force as of the nature of the ground whiche he sawe apt for them to worke policie against hym As he was passing forwardes he receyued letters from Tyrydates the keaper of Darius treasure Tyrydates sygnifieng that the inhabiters of Percepolis hearyng of his cōmyng were about to spoyle the treasure and therfore he should make haste to preuent the matter for the way was ready enough notwithstāding that the ryuer of Araxes was in his way There was no vertue in Alexander more commendable then his celeritie whiche he shewed in this matter for leuyng his footemen behynd trauayled all nyght with his horsemen and by the daylyght came to the ryuer of Arapos There he found villages at hande wherof the tymber they brake downe of the houses a brydge was made in a moment by the helpe of stones whiche were layde in the foundacion When Alexander was passed the riuer and came nere vnto the cytie a company met him so miserable as seldome haue bene found in any memory the same were Grekes to the nombre of .iiii. thousande whome the Percians before time had taken prisoners afflicted with diuers kyndes of tormētes For of them some had their feete cut of some their handes other their eares but all were marked in the flesh with hote yrons Whō the Percians mayming deforming after this maner had kept reserued amōges them as a memory of the despite towardes the nacion But when thei sawe that they should become vnder the obediēce of another prince they suffred the Grekes to mete Alexāder Thei appeared rather to be the Images of some straunge mōsters then of mē For nothing could be decerned or knowen in them but their voice The compassion of their wretched estate caused the beholders to let fall no fewer teares then they did thēselues For it could not appeare whiche of thē were moste miserable though their afflictions were diuers But whē they cried out before Alexāder that Iupiter the reuēger of Grece had opened their eies in beholding him that shuld deliuer thē they iudged then all their grefes as one Alexander wiped the teares from his eyes and willed them to be of good chere for that they shuld both see their countrey and their frendes he encamped in thesame place where he mette thē being two forlōges from Persepolis Persepolis The Grekes drue themselues together to consult what was beste for them to demaūde of Alexander and when some were of opiniō to aske dwelling places within Asia others had more minde to retourne vnto their coūtreis Entemeons oracion Entemeon Cimeus spake thus vnto them We that were euen nowe ashamed to shew our heades out of the prison darkenes we were in to make suite for our own aide and relief or become of such simplicitie that we presently desire to shew vnto Grece as a pleasant spectacle our infirmities maimes wherof we haue as much cause to be ashamed as to be sorowfull you must thinke that suche beare their miseries best which can finde the meanes to hide them moste that there is none so familier a countrey to mē that be vnfortunate as solitarines and forgetfulnes of their former estate For they whiche make an accōpt of their frendes pitie compassion know not howe sone their teares wil drie vp no creature can loue faythfully whome they abhorre For as calamitie of his nature is querelous so felicitie is always proude euery one doth vse to cōsider his own fortune when he determineth of an other mans For except we had all bene in mysery one of vs long ago had bene wery of an other What meruayle is it then though men infelicitie seke always their equalies My opinion is therfore that we as mē whiche long ago were as dead in this lyfe seke vs a place wherein we may hyde our maymed members and where exyle may hyde our horryble scarres For if we shall retourne vnto our countrey beyng in this case we cannot be but vngrateful to our wyues whom we maried young shall our chyldren shall our brethren acknowledge vs beyng prison slaues and though all thynges should there succede as we would wyshe yet there be but a small nombre of vs able to trauayll through so many countreys Howe is it possible for vs that be here banysshed into the vttermoste bondes of the Orient aged impotent and maymed to suffre those thynges whiche haue tyred men then were in force and victorious It is to be axed what shal become of our wyues whome chaunce and necessitie hathe gotten vnto vs here for the only comforte of our prisonement what shall we do with our children we haue begotten here take them with vs or leue them behinde vs If we returne with suche as we haue here none of those in Grece will acknowledge vs and shall we then be so madde to leue those comfortes we haue already being vncertayne whether we shall come to those that we seke or no Verely muche better it were for vs to hyde our selues amonges them whiche haue bene acquainted with vs in our mysery These were Eutemon wordes Theatus wordes But Theatus of Athens reasoned to the contrary There is no creature qd he in whome remaineth any sparke of goodnes that will esteme vs by our outward shape seyng that our calamitie is not come of nature or by our own deseruyng but through misfortune and our enemies crueltie and suche as be ashamed of fortunes chaunses are well
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
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
sea the baÌ„kes therof resembling the hornes of the mone before it coÌ„meth to the full the sea lieng betwyxt them like a great bay vpon the lefte hand the people inhabite that be called Cercetes Cercetes whyche lye open towardes the north and vpon the other parte the Leucosyrians LeucosiriaÌ„s Mossynes Mossynes Chalybes and Chalibes and the plaines of the Amazones lye towardes the weste This sea whiche some call the Caspion and some the Hyrcanian sea The caspyoÌ„ sea being more sweater then anie other bringeth forth Serpentes of a wonderfull bignes and fyshes differinge in colour much from all the reste Theyr be dyuers of opynion that the lake of Meotis shoulde ronne into thys sea whiche they coniecture of the water thinkyng the same to receyue hys sweatnes of the lake Towardes the north the sea groweth into a fleat shore and putteth furth his waters farre vpoÌ„ the laÌ„d which rising high make many meares and plashes And as by certaine course of the planets they flowe out so at certaine time by an ebbe they returne in againe restoring the grouÌ„d to his former estate Some beleue those waters to be no parcel of the Caspian sea but that they come out of Inde and roÌ„ne into Hyrcania which lieth low in the forsaid vailey The king being remoued froÌ„ that place marched forwardes .xx. furlonge in a wylde desert way Where great woodes honge continually ner their heades and brokes of water and myer gaue great impediment to ther iourney But at length with out any impedimeÌ„t of his enemies he passed those difficulties and came vnto a more faire countrei wherin besides other vittells whereof it dyd habound grewe great plenty of appulles and the ground was veray apt for vynes There were also plenty of a certayne kynd of trees much like vnto okes whose leaues were couered with hony which the inhabitors gather before the sonne rising for els the moister would be drie vp with the heate When Alexander had passed .xxx. furlonges more forwardes Phrataphernes mette him yeldinge both him selfe such other as fled away after Darius death whom he receyued gentely and came to a towne called Aruas Aruas Phradates Thether came Craterus and Erigonus bringing with theÌ„ Phradates that had the rule of the Tapurians Tapurians whose frendly receyuing and gentle entertainment was the cause that many folowed his ensample in committing themselues to Alexanders mercy Menape was made their prince of Hitcania Menape who being a banished man in the tyme of Occhus came to king Philipp for refuge Phradates also was restored to the office he had before When Alexander was come to the vttermost bouÌ„des of Hiâ—cania Artabasus Artabayus yelded to Aâ—exander whom we declared to shewe hym selfe faithfull alway to hys Master met AlexaÌ„der with Darius kinsmen and children and with a smalle bande of Greake souldiers The kyng at his comming proffered him his hand bicause he had byn entertayned before by king Philippe when he was banished by Occhus but the chief cause that he accepted him so well was for the coÌ„tinual fidelitie that he obserued towardes his prince He beinge thus gentlye receyued by Alexander sayd vnto him Sir long may you florishe and reigne in perpetuall felicitie I that reioyce in all other thinges with one ani chiefly greuid that by reason of myne olde age I shall not be hable long to reioyse your goodnes He was iiii score .v. yeares of age brought with him .ix. sonnes borne of one mother whoÌ„ he presented before the king prayeng god to continewe their liues so long as their seruice might be acceptable vnto him Alexander was accustomed much to walk on fote but then left he the olde man might be ashamed to ride he goinge on fote called for horses for them bothe When he was encaÌ„ped he sent for the Grekes that Artabasus brought But they made requeste firste that he woulde giue assurance to the LacedemoniaÌ„s that were amoÌ„ges theÌ„ or els they would take aduise amonges them selues what were beste to do The same were the Embasseadours that the LacedemoniaÌ„s had sent vnto Darius After whose ouerthrowe they ioyned them selues to the Greakes that were in his wages The king willed theÌ„ to leue al assurauÌ„ces coÌ„posicioÌ„s come to receiue such apointment as he would gyue them They stode long in a staye vareing in openions but at length they agreed so to do Sauing Democrates of AtheÌ„ce which chefly had euer oppugned the successe of the Mace dons dispairing of pardon flewe him self But thother as they had determyned submitted them selues to AlexaÌ„ders wil being .x. M. vc in nuÌ„bre besides .iiii score .x of such as were seÌ„t Embassadores vnto Darius The more parte of the souldiers were distrubuted amongs the bandes to fyll vp the nombres that waÌ„ted and the rest were sent home except the Lacedemonians which he commaunded to be put in prison Ther was a nacion called Mardons bounding next to Hircania The Mardons rude in their manners and vsagies accustumed to lyue by theft They neither sent Embassadores nor gaue anye significacion that they woulde be at Alexanders commauÌ„diment he toke therat great indingnacioÌ„ that any one people should giue impediment to his victory And therfore leuing a guard for his cariages went against them with a strong powre He merched forwardes in the night and by the tyme that the day appeared his enemies were in sight But the matter came rather to a larom then to any fyght For thennemies were sone driuen from the hilles Who flieng away left their villagies to be sacked by the Macedons But the armye could not passe into the inward partes of the countrey without great trouble veracion the same being compassed about with high montains great woodes desert rockes â–ª the partes which were plaine were defended with a straung kind of fortificacion that is to say with tres set thick of purpose the bowes whereof wheÌ„ they were yong were wreathed one wythin an other The toppes bowed downe were put into the grouÌ„d againe from whence as out of an other rote ther sprong new bâ—aunches Which they would not suffre to growe as nature brought furth but did knit them so one with an other that when they were full of leaues they couered clene the earth The trees thus wreathed one with an other enclosed in the countrey as it were with a continuall hedge and were as snares to entangle suche as would go about to entre ther was no way could be deuised to passe through the same but onliby cutting down of the wood And therin they found a great difficultie and much trauail by reason that the wreathing wrappinge togither of the bowes kept them of from the bodies of the tres And the weaknes of the bowes so yelded to the strokes that they could not wel be cut a sonder The inhabiters of the countrey were accusâ—umed to creape amonges the brush like wilde bestes and by pryuie salies
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
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
vile nature which could do no maner seruice but take away mēs horses geue thē to other What mischef is this that at one time I must purge my selfe both to Alexander and to Antiphanes But to the other poynte that your mother did write to you of vs as of your enemies I would god she had more wisely bene careful of hir sonnes safegarde thē doubtfully imagined such fained figures Why doth she not also expresse the cause of hir feare Besides she sheweth not hir aucthour nor yet signifieth one word wherby she was moued to write to you suche letters of feare O wretched estate of mine whiche standeth in lesse hasarde to howe my peace thē to speake Yet howsoeuer the matter shall passe I had rather mine excuse shoulde displease you then my cause If you remembre when ye sente me to fetche newe souldiours out of Macedon ye shewed me that in your mothers house there lurked many lusty yong gētlemen wherfore ye cōmaūded me that in executing your cōmissiō I should spare none but brynge with me perforce all suche as refused the warres Whyche thynge I did and fulfilled your will therin more largelye then was expedient for me For I brought vnto you Gorgeas Herateus and Gorgata whiche nowe minister vnto you right acceptable seruice What creature therfore is more wretched thē I which if I had not fulfilled your will should rightfully haue suffered and nowe peryshe because I obeyed you For truely there was none other cause that moued your Mother to persecute vs then that we preferred your vtilitie before a womans fauoure I brought vnto you of Macedons .vi. M. footemen .viii. hūdred horsemen of the which the more part woulde not haue folowed me If I hadde released suche as woulde not haue come It is reason therefore that in as muche as your mother is displeased wyth vs for your cause that ye mitigate her in whose displeasure ye haue put vs. Whiles Amyntas was thus pleadynge his cause thei that had pursued his brother Palemon of whō we spake before came leadyng him bounde into the place Palemon Then the rage of the people could scaresly be pacified but as the maner was in such causes thei would haue stoned Palemon to deathe Yet he boldelye spake to theim and saied I desire no fauoure for my selfe so that my fliynge be not hurteful to the innocency of my brethrē whom if ye can not thinke cleare let the faulte be layed to me For their matter appeareth the better because I whyche fled awaye am suspected Assone as he had spokē these wordes the whole assēble were inclined in his fauoure and resolued to teares beyng so sodainly cōtrary turned that now they were al conuerted on his parte whiche a litle before were al against him He was in the prime stoure of his youth through other mens feare fled away amōgest those horsemen which were amased at Philotas tormentes His cōpanye had left him behinde whiles he was in doubte whether he might turne againe or fle further forwardes was taken by theim whiche pursued after him He thē began to wepe and beate him selfe about the face not so much lamentyng his owne chaūce as the case of his brethren beyng in daūger for his cause with which his behauour he moued the kyng and al the cōpany there present Onely his brother Amintas coulde not be pacified but behelde him with a fierce countenaunce saied O madde creature then oughtest thou to haue wept when thou diddest put thy spores to thy horse as a traitour to thy brethren and a companion of traitours Thou wretche whether from whence didest thou flye Thou hast now brought to passe that bothe I am thought worthy of death also must become an accuser of other Palemon therupō confessed him selfe to haue offended in that pointe but more greuously against his brethren then towardes him selfe Thē the multitude coulde not abstaine from weaping showting being tokens wherby men in an assēble are wont to declare their affections and with one consent they cried all to the kyng with one voyce that he woulde spare innocentes and men of seruice his frendes also vpon that occasion did rise and with wepyng eyes required the kynge of mercye Amyntas pardoned Then he comman̄ded silence saied By mine owne iudgemente I do pardon bothe you Amyntas your brethren desirous that ye should be more myndfull of my benefite then of your owne ieopardy Come in fauour againe with me with that fidelitie I am reconsiled vnto you except those thinges which were brought in euidence had bene debated and tried to the vttermoste my dissimulacion might haue bene suspected in this matter better it is therfore to be clered then to remayne in Ielousy and thinke that no man can be acquited except he be first detected Thou Amintas pardon thy brother let that be a tokē of thy harte recōsiled vnto me This done the king dismissed the assēble sent for Poledamas Poledamas whō of all mē Parmenio loued best accustomed alwayes to stand next hym in battayll and though the clerenes of his conscience did assure him to come boldly yet after he was commaunded to bryng furth his brethren being but young vnknowē to the kyng his confidence was turned into feare and began to doubte imagening in his minde rather suche thinges as might hurte him then by what meanes he was thus circūuented In the meane seasō the guarde whiche had commaundemēt thereunto brought furth his brethrē When the kyng sawe Poledamas pale for feare he called hym nere and commaunding al men aparte sayd vnto hym Through Parmenios treason Alexanders wordes to Poledamas we were all in daunger but chiefly I and thou whome vnder colour of frendship he disceiued moste In the pursuyng and punishement of whome see howe much I trust thy fidelitie for I am determined to vse the as a minister therein and whiles thou goest about it thy brethrē shal be thy pledges Thou shalt go into Media and beare my letters to my officers writtē with mine owne hand It is necessary haste be made that the swiftnes of the fame may be preuented I will that ye come thether in the night and that the tenour of my writing be executed the day after ye shall cary letters likewise to Parmenio one from me and an other written in the name of Philotas I haue his signet in my custody So that when Parmenio shall see both the the letter sealed with his sonnes ringe he wil be without any suspition Polydamas being thus deliuered of his feare promised his diligence a great deale more ernestly then he was required When Alexāder sawe his promptnes in the matter bothe commended his good will and rewarded him accordingly And Polidamas chaunged his owne apparell and toke other after the Araby fashion with two men of the same countrey to be his guide for whose truth their wifes and children were pledges in the meane season And so they
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
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
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
though Alexanders chaunce was good herein yet the MacedoÌ„s knewe that by the custome of his countrey he shoulde not haue hunted on foote without the chiefest of his nobilitie and frendes about him He killed within that parke .iiii. M. wilde beastes and there did banket his army returning afterwardes to Macicanda Actabasus excusing himself there by his age that he was vnapt for the rule of that countrey AlexaÌ„der committed the same to Clitus Clytus whiche was he that defended him with his target when he was fighting bareheaded at the ryuer of Granick there cut of with his sworde Rosaceris hand that was in a redines to stryke the kyng He was an old souldier of Philippes his father notable in many feates of warre that he had done Hellanice his suster was Alexanders nurse Hellanice whome he loued no lesse then his owne mother For these causes he committed the strongest part of his Empire to his fidelititie The kyng that purposed to set forward in his iourney the next day Alexander offended his freÌ„des with ouermuche aduaunting of himself made that night a solempne banket wherin being ouergreat an aduaunter of him self when he was chafed with drinking began to set furth the actes that he had done in suche sort that his wordes offended the eares of suche as knewe them to be trewe The auncient men kept silence till such time as he began to deface the doynges of Philippe his father aduauntynge the notable victorye at Cheronese to be his dede The glorye wherof he saide was taken from him by the malice and enuy of his father For he alledged howe in the mutine whiche rose betwene the Macedons and the Greke souldiours when Philippe lay hurt of a wounde whiche he receiued at that fraye thought him selfe sure no otherwise then to counterfaite to be dead When he defended his body wyth his buckeler slewe them with his owne hand that ranne vpon Philip to haue killed him Which act he saied his father would neuer gladly coÌ„fesse nor neuer could abide to acknowlege his safegard to come by his soÌ„ne He also declared how after the iourney he made by him self into Illiria in writyng vnto his father he ascribed the victorye vnto him selfe whiche ouerthrew his enemies put them to flight when Philip was awaye He said that in his opinioÌ„ it deserued but small coÌ„mendation to make a iourney into Samothracia when Asia ought to haue bene spoyled brente Nor he thought no man worthy praise in dede but suche as do so great actes that thei excede all mens credite The yong men that were present were glad to heare these wordes and such other like but thei were vngrateful vnto the auncientes specially for Philips cause vnder whoÌ„ they had long serued Then Clitus which in like case was not very sober turned to such as sate beneth him rehearsinge verses of Euripides wherof the kyng myght rather heare the sounde then the wordes The effect of theÌ„ was that the Grekes did euil which in the monumeÌ„tes of their victories did subscribe only the names of their kyngê which vsurped the glory to theÌ„ selfes the other men did wynne by sheding of ther bloud Alexander therefore which iudged his wordes to bene worse then they were enquered of such as sat next him what Clitus said But wheÌ„ they keapt silence Clitus with a lowder voyce rehersed philips doinges warres he made in Greace one after an other prefarring them before any actes done since that time Wherupon ther did rise a contencion betwene the yong men and the old But the king enforcing a paciens in him self when he hard Clitus deface his prayse coÌ„ceiued a woÌ„derfull wrath in his mind Yet it semed that he wold haue bridled his affection if Clitus wold haue made ane and of his presumptuous talk But wheÌ„ he would not ceasse he gaue occasion to Alexander to be further moued Then Clitus did procede so fareforth that he durst defend Parmenio case and prefarred the victory that Philip waÌ„ne of the Athenyens before the distruccion of Thebes going further further not only through dronkenship but euen of a forwardnes of a contencious minde at length said If we must dye through the Clitus wordes Clitus is the first For they receyue greatest rewards of thy victory that can most shamefully deface thy fathers memory The couÌ„trey of SogdiaÌ„ is giuen vnto me that hath so often rebelled and now not onely vnsubdued but such one as by no meanes can be brought to subiectioÌ„ I am placed amoÌ„gs those wild beastes that be of such an vnciuil disposicion But I could passe ouer things parteyning to my self if the souldiers of Philip were not dispised forgetting that if the old Atharias had not turned againe the yong men â–ª that gaue ouer the fight we had yet styked about Alycarnasus How is it then that Asia is coÌ„quered with thes yong meÌ„ But I se it is true that your vncle said in Italy he chaunsed vpon men you vpoÌ„ womeÌ„ Ther was nothing that Clitus speak or did in his rashnes that moued more the king then the honorable mencion made of Parmenio yet for al that he kept in his greif was coÌ„tented to coÌ„maund hym only to depart out of the festnor speake eny euil words against Clitus Sauing that he said if he should talke a little lenger he would brayde me with the sauing of his life wherof in very dede he wold oftentymes proudly aduauÌ„ce him selfe But notwithstandinge that the king had willed hym to departe yet he taried stil and would not rise And therefore such as sat next him toke him by the armes to leade him away blaming and giuing him exhortacion for his better vsage When Clitus sawe him selfe drawn forth against his wyll Ire was added to his dronknes and declared then alowde howe that he with his breste defended the kinges backe but now when the good turne was past the very memory of his benefit was hated And therwyth layd to his charge the death of Attalus and fynally mocked the Oracle of Iupiter whom Alexander claymed to be his father and said that he told him better truth then his father did At those wordes the king was sturred to suche wrath as he could scarsly haue borne being sobre But hauing then his sences ouercome wyth drink leped sodeinly from the table His frendes were amased wyth throwing down the cups for hast risse to wayt the end of the thing they sawe hym go about in such a fury He toke a speare out of a squires hand and would haue striken Clitus that was yet raging with thintemperaunce of his toung But he was stopped by Ptolomeus and Perdicas who tooke him in theyr armes stayed him for all hys striuing And Lysimachus and Leonatus toke away the speare Then he called to hys souldiers for ayde crying out that he was taken by his next freÌ„des as Darius was of late willed the trumpet to be blowen that the armed men might
the playnes whyche be not knowen but to suche as be of the same countrey Though this straight was naturally strong and defeÌ„ded besides by a strong power that letted not Alexander to attempt it but brought engynes which they call Arietes to beate downe such fortificatioÌ„ as was made with hande and with slinges and shote of arrowes did beate his enemyes from the places of their defence When he had driuen them awaye he passed throughe the fortificatioÌ„s he had wonne and made approche vnto the rocke But the streame that grewe of the assemble of waters falling from the mountayne was an impedimente to him therin And it semed a wonderfull worke to fil the chanel of the riuer yet he caused trees and stones to be brought to the place and set the thing in hande When his enemyes that neuer had sene any suche worke before sawe the worke rise sodaynlye lyke a mountayne were put in a marueylous feare wherby the kynge supposyng they might haue bene brought to render it vp sent one Oxatres of the same nacion to persuade Sisymythres to render vp the rocke And in the meane season to put them in the more terrour he caused towers of woode to be brought forwardes and did shote wyth engynes so oute of the same that the enemies forsakynge all other strengthes retired into the toppe of the rocke Oxatres finding Sisymythres in this feare perswaded hym rather to proue Alexanders beneuolence then his force seynge that all creatures submitted theim selues vnto him that he onely should not be his let goynge with his victorious army into India wherby he should turne other mens plage vpon his owne necke Sisymythres would haue bene contented to folowe his aduise but that she whiche was both his mother and his wyfe affyrmed howe she woulde rather dye then commit hir selfe into anye mans handes And therfore beynge ashamed that the loue of libertye shoulde remayne more in a womanne then in him altered his purpose takinge that way whiche was more honest then sure and dismissed him that was the meane for peace determinyng vtterly to abide the extremitye of the siege Yet when he had weyghed well his enemies power and hys owne togethers began againe to repent him of his wiues counsail which was more rashe then necessarie made sute that Oxatres woulde returne proferinge then to commit hym selfe to the kinges will onely requirynge of Oxatres that he would not vtter hys wyues mynde and opinion for feare least she should not obteyne hir Pardon He sente therfore Oxatres before and he came after wyth his wyfe his children all his kynsfolke wythout tariynge for any assuraunce promised to hym by Oxatres Alexander hearynge of their commyng sent hys horsemen before to cause theim to staye and tarye for hys coÌ„myng And when he was come to the place wher they were he offered Sacrifice to Minerua and Victoria restorynge to Sysymythres his former rule and aucthoritie and put him in hope of a greater countrey if he would faythfully coÌ„tinue his frendship and toke his two sonnes presented to him by the father to serue in his warres Alexander lefte his fotemenne to subdue suche as were yet vnyelden and wente forwardes with hys horsemen into other partes The way was craggye and difficulte whyche at the firste they endured indifferentlye but afterwardes when their horse houes were torne asunder and they vtterly forweried manye were not able to folowe but rydde disperkled and out of order the werines of their trauaile so much ouercame shame The kyng notwithstandyng chaunged often horse and pursued wythout ceassyng his enemies that fledde before hym By reason wherof all the noble young men that were wonte to accompanye him were lefte behynde sauynge onelye Philippe Lysimachus brother Philip who then beynge in the floure of his youthe and of great likelihode to become an excellent manne folowed on fote the kynge that did ride on horsebacke by the space of fifty furloÌ„ges Lisymachus diuers times profring to him his horse But in no wise he would depart from the kyng notwithstandyng that he had on his corselet and all his armoure When the kinge passed through a woode where his enemies laye in embushement he fought notablye and rescued the kynge fightynge wyth hys enemyes But after they were â—ite to flyght and driuen out of the woodes the greatnes of his courage which hadde susteyned him in the heate of the fight faynted wyth his bodye and beyng all on a swette leaned him selfe to a tree whyche did not so staye him but that he fel to the earth and beynge taken vp againe by the Kinges handes shronke downe from hym and dyed The kynge beyng sorowfull for his deathe receiued an other tidynges no lesse to be lamented For before he came to his campe he was aduertised of the deathe of Erigius one of hys moste notable Capitaynes whose funerals were bothe celebrated wyth greate pompe and ceremonies of honoure From thence he determined to goo vnto the Dahans where he vnderstode that Spitamenes was But Fortune that neuer ceased to fauoure hym finished the iourney of his spitamenes as she did many other Spytamenes was enflamed wyth the ouermuche loue of his wife whom he caried wyth hym in al his hasardes and aduentures But she that coulde not well endure fliynge nor to chaunge places like an outlawe became so wery of trauayl that by flattery and fayre meanes she entised her husbande to leaue his fliyng and go about seyng he sawe no waye to escape to procure Alexanders fauoure of whose clemencye she saied he had sene so great experience And to moue him the more in the matter she brought before him their childreÌ„ begotteÌ„ betwixt them makyng request that at the least wayes he would take pity on theÌ„ wherin she thought her praier would be the more effectual bicause Alexander was so nere at hand But Spitamenes iudging her not to do this by way of couÌ„sail but of purpose to betray him and that she desiered to submit her selfe vnto Alexander in confidence of hir beuty drew out his swerde to haue strikeÌ„ her if he had not bene letted by his brethreÌ„ WheÌ„ they would not suffer him otherwise to hurt her he coÌ„maunded hir to auoyde hys syght threatenynge to kyll hir if she profered to come agayne to his presence And to mitigate his loue towardes hir he spente the nyght amonges hys concubynes But his loue that was so deapelye grounded thereby ceassed not but rather kyndeled the more towardes his wyfe Wherfore he reconciled him selfe agayne vnto hir makyng his continuall request that she would not counsayl nor moue hym anye more in the matter but be content wyth suche chaunces as Fortune woulde sende hym for he estemed death lyghter then to yeld him selfe She purged her selfe of her former perswasion which appered to her she saied to haue bene good and though it were after a womans maner yet it proceaded of a faithfull meanynge But from thence forth she was contented to do as it shoulde please
woundes for thy glory and victory whome thou haste very well rewarded The one be sprynckled thy table with his bloud and the other coulde not be suffred to dye a simple death Thus the capitaines of thy people be tormented and put to death a plesaunt spectacle to the Percians of whome they were victorers Parmenio by whome thou diddest sie thine enemy Attalus was put to death without iudgement Thus thou vsest thy handes of vs wretches as instrumentes one to kill another and whom thou diddest make thy tormentours alitle before straightwayes thou commaundest them to be tormented of others At those wordes the multitude began to shout against Harmolaus and his father drewe his sworde of purpose to haue slaine him if he had not bene letted by the kyng whiche cōmaunded Harmolaus to speake required the rest to heare him paciently whiche he said enforced the cause of his own punishemēt At lēgth with great labour thei held their peace then Harmolaus began again how liberall is he to suffre rude children to speake When the voice of Calistenes is shut vp in prison because he alone is able to tell his tale and why because thou fearest the frespeche of an innocent because thou canst not endure to behold his face yet I will iustifie he is not priuy to this matter But other there be here that purposed with me a noble enterprise of whom there is not any that can accuse Calistenes of consent and yet thou that art our pacient and rightuous king hast determined here his death These be the rewardes of the Macedons whose bloud thou doest misuse as vile and of no valeur Thou hast .xxx. M. mules carieng spoyle and treasure and yet the poore souldiers cary nothing with them but vnrewarded woundes and skarres All which thinges we did easely suffre before thou diddest betray vs to the barbarous and after a newe trade of victourers make vs slaues Thou allowest the apparell and disciplyne of the Percians and despysest the maners of thine own coūtrey And therfore we determined to kil the not king of Macedō but kyng of Perce and as a fugitiue we persecuted the by the lawe of armes Thou wouldest haue the Macedōs knele to the and worship the as a god Thou doest refuse Philip for thy father if any God had bene before Iupiter thou wouldest haue refused him likewyse Doest thou maruaille if free men can not beare this thy pryde what can we hope for at thy handes seyng we muste either dye as innocentes or els that is worse then death lyue and remayne in boundage as slaues Thou arte greatly in my debte if by this thou couldest amende for thou haste begunne to learne of me the thyng that free hartes cannot endure Spare them whose age shal be sufficiently tormented with the losse of their chyldren but vpon vs cause execution to be done to thintent we maye obtayne by our owne death the thynge we sought for by thyne When Harmolaus had spoken these wordes the kynge then aunswered after this maner The oraciō of Alexāder Howe false these thynges be whiche he hath learned of his instructour my pacience doth declare For notwithstanding he before confessed this treason Yet my mynde was ye should heare what he could saye Knowyng very well that when I gaue lybertie to this thief to speake that he woulde vse thesame rage and fury in his talke which before moued him to haue kylled me whome he ought to haue loued as his father Of late when that in huntyng he vsed a great presumption I commaunded hym to be chastised after the custome of our countrey vsed by the kynges of Macedon Whiche chastisement we must graunt nedefull to be done lyke as the people bee accustomed of their tutors the wyfes of their husbandes and seruauntes of their maisters This was all the crueltie I vsed towardes hym which he would haue reuenged with murther and treason But howe gentle I am to all persones that suffre me to vse myne owne disposicion synce you your selfe doe knowe it were superfluous for me to reherse I can not maruayll at all though the punyshement of traytours be displesaunt to Harmelaus since he hym selfe is in thesame case for when he commendeth Parmenio and Philotas it maketh for his owne purpose I pardoned Lyncestes Alexandre whiche was accused by two witnesses that he twise cōspired treason against me And againe conuicted yet deferred I his punishment twoo yeares tyll you your selues required he might haue his deseruing Towching Attalus ye remembre very well howe he wrought treason agaynste me before I was kyng And for Clytus I would God he had not moued me to yre whose rashe tounge speaking rebuke and shame both of me and you I suffred lenger then he would haue done me speaking the like The clemency of kynges and rulers cōsisteth not only in their owne disposicions but in theres that be vnder their subiection For the rigor of suche as be rulers is mitigated with humilitie But when mens mindes be voyd of reuerence high lowe be confounded as a like thē force is necessary to repulce violēce But why maruel I that he did lay cruelty against me that durst obiect towardes me couetousnes I wil not cal you to witnes one by one lest I shuld braide you with liberalitie by making declaraciō what I haue bestowed vpon you Behold the whole multitude which a litle while ago had nothing els but their bare armour doe they not lye in syluer beddes be not their tables charged with plate and possesse they not whole flockes of slaues They are not able to susteyne the spoyles of their enemies But it is sayd the Percians be honoured of me whom we haue conquered Truly they be so yet what greater proufcan there be of my moderaciō thē that I do not reigne proudely ouer suche as I haue subdued I came into Asia not vtterly to subuert the naciōs nor to make the one half of the worlde desert but to geue the cōquered cause not to repent them of our victory This is the occasion they gladly fight for you and for your kyngdome they spend their bloud which if they were proudly vsed would streight rebell against you The possession is not durable whiche is possessed by violence but the thankes of gentlenes receiued endureth euerlastingly If we purpose to enioye Asia and not to make a progresse through it we muste make them partakers of our clemency and then their fidelitie shal make our empire stable and perpetuall And truly we haue nowe more then we can well wyshe or desire Couetousnes is an vnsaciable thyng specially when men desire to fill the vessell that ronneth ouer But ye will saye that I myxe and brynge their customes amonges ours It is so and whie because I see in diuers nacions right many thynges whiche we nede not be ashamed to folowe And so greate an Empire as we haue gotten cannot otherwise be aptly gouerned except we deliuer some thynges to
thē and receiue likewise some again One thing is to be laught at that I should refuse Iupiter for my father being so acknowledged by his oracle as who saith the answere of the gods were in my power he proffered the name of his sōne vnto me which was not vnmete for the thinges we purposed I woulde wishe that the Indians beleued me to be a god for the successe in warre stand much by fame and that which is faulsely beleued somtyme worketh theffect of thinges true Do you me geue too excesse and prodigalyte bicause I garnished your armor with gold and siluer my purpose was to shewe to men accustumed with it nothing to be more vile then such kynd of mettell and to declare that the Macedōs inuincible in other thinges could not be ouercome with gold it self After this maner I shall blynd the eyes of the barbarous which are wont at the first sight to wonder at things be they neuer so base and wile And in that we shewe to make no estimacion of it We shal declare to euery one that we are not com for desire of gold nor siluer but to subdue the hole world From which glory thou traitour woldest haue bereued me and betraied the Macedons I being slaine to the barbarous nacions Thou doest exhorte me to spare your Parentes It is nedefull I should make him priuie what I haue determyned vpon them no and to that intent he might die wyth the greater dolour if he hath any care or memory of them It is long ago sins I did fordo the custume of putting thinnocent parentes and kinsfolkes of traytours to death with them And I now professe to pardon and haue them al in the same estymacion I had before I knowe whie thou wouldest haue thy Maister Calistenes brought furth whiche only estemeth the being of his sorte bicause thou desirest to he re pronoūced of his mouth those rayling wordes which euen nowe thou diddest spyt out agaynst me If he had bene a Macedon borne I had brought hym in wyth the a worthye mayster for such a desiple But being borne in another countrey he is subiect to an other lawe When he had spoken these wordes he dismissed the counsail commaunded all suche as were condempned to be deliuered to the souldioures of their owne bandes who bicause they woulde declare by some crueltye the loue they bare towardes their prince flew theim all by tormentes Calistenes also died vpon the racke innocent of the conspiracye against the kinges person but a mā not pliable to the custome of the courte and abhorring from the disposition of flatterers There was neuer thynge that brought the Grekes in greater indignation againste Alexander then that he not onelye kylled but caused to be tormented to death and that wythout iudgement a man endued with Godly maners good sciences by whom he was perswaded to liue when he purposed to haue died for sorowe that he hadde slayne Clitus with his cruelty repentaūce folowed that came to late But least he myght nourishe idlenes apte for sowynge of sedicious rumours he marched towarde India alwayes more glorious in warre then after his victorye The discriptiō of India The whole countrey of India lieth chiefely towardes the East conteyning more in length then it doth in breadth The North partes be full of mountaines and hilles but all the rest of the lande is plaine hauynge manye faire riuers whiche runninge out of mounte Caucasus do passe pleasauntlye throughe the countrey Indus Indus is more colde thē any of the other riuers whose water is not vnlike the coler of the sea But of al the riuers in the orient Ganges is most excellent Ganges which running frō the south passeth directly throughe many great moūtaines vntil that by the encountring of rockes his course is turned towarde the east where it is receiued into the red sea the violence of the streame breaketh downe his bakes swalowing in trees much of the grounde In many places the streme is kept in with rockes wherupō it beateth But where the groūd is more softe there the riuer becommeth more larger maketh many Ilandes The greatnes of Ganges is much encreased by Acesines Acesynes wherunto Acesines doth enter into the sea where these two riuers mete the water is violētly troubled whiles the one resisteth the others enter neither of them seme to geue place Diardenes is a riuer of the lesse fame Diardenes bicause it runneth in the vttermost bondes of India but yet it bryngeth forth Crocadiles as Nylus dothe also Dolphines with other monsters vnknowen to other nations Erimāthus Croked Erymanthus with his many turnynges and reflexiōs is consumed by the inhabitours with wateryng their grounde which is the cause that when it draweth nere the sea it becommeth very little and beareth no nāme There be many other riuers that do deuide the countrey but none of theim be so famous as these because they do not runne so farre The northe wynde dothe blast and harme most those partes that be nexte vnto the sea But those wyndes be so broken wyth the toppes of the mountaynes that they can not endomage the inwarde partes of the countrey wherfore fruites be very plentifull there and perfite But that region doth differ so much for thordinary course of time in other partes of the world that when other coūtries be burned most with the sunne India is couered ouer with snow And when other places be frosē the heat is there most intollerable yet there appeare not any natural cause why it should be so The couler of the Indian sea not differing much frō the water of other seas did take his name of king Erithrus wherof the ignoraunte toke opinion that the water of those Seas was redde The land is very haboūdant of flaxe whereof the more part of their garments be made The twygges of the trees be so tender that they receyue the prynt of letrs lyke waxe The byrdes by teaching counterfeit mens voyce There be manye beastes that are not bred amonges other nacions Rinocerities be there brought furth but not bredde The Elyphantes of that countrey be stronger then those that be made tame in Affrike and thre bignes do aunswer vnto there strenght The water of the Riuers do cary downe gold and ronne mildly without any great fall The Sea doth cast vpon the Shore both parles and precious stones Wherof proceded the cause of there great riches after ther Marchandise was once knowē to other nacions the purgings of the seas being then estemed as mans fansy would make the price The dissposysiōs of the men as in all other places be according to the scytuacion of the countreys they dwell in They make there garmentes of lynnyn cloth whych couer their bodyes downe to there fete They bynde soules vnder there fete of beastes skynnes wrappe roules of linnine aboute there heades Such as be in any degre either of nobilitie or riches haue precious stones hanging at
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
victorers into our countrey Doe not you as these negligeÌ„t husbandmen that lose their frute after it is once rype The rewardes of our iourney be greater then our perill The countrey that we go vnto is ryche and of no force thether I purpose to bryng you bothe to wynne glory to get you spoile for worthy you are to cary such riches in to your couÌ„trey whiche be so plentifull there that the sea doth cast them vp against the shore You be men of that vertue that ye ought to leaue not â—yng vnproued nor nothing vndone for feare I desire and praye you by the glory ye haue gotten in whiche ye excede the state of men and by all that I haue deserued of you and you of me wherewith ye remaine as inuincible that ye wil not forsake me purposing to visite the end of the worlde me I say that haue bene brought vp as a chyld amonges you I will make no mencioÌ„ howe I am your kyng In the rest of thinges I haue commaunded you let me nowe entreate you in this one point It is I that make this request vnto you whiche neuer commaunded you any thing but I put my selfe formost in thaduenture daunger and the which ofteÌ„ times in mine own persone haue bene the formoste in defence of the battaill take not the victory out of my handes with the whiche if enuy be not the let I shall become equal in glory both to Hercules and Bacchus Geue your assent to myne intercession and at length breake your obstinate silence Where is your showting become that was wont to be a declaratioÌ„ of your cherefulnes Where be the countenaunces of my couÌ„trey men I know you not my souldiers and it semeth that I am not knowen of you Me thinkes I crye to your defe eares in vayne and go about in waste to sturre vp your vnwilling and vnmoueable myndes Notwithstanding all these wordes they hong downe their heades towardes the earth and perseuered stil in silence Then he proceded I know not quod he wherin I haue vnwitting offended you that you will not once vouchesaue to loke me in the face I seme to be solitary and in a desert Is there none of you that I speake vnto will aunswere me Is there none at the lest wayes will deny my requeste What is the thyng that I require euen your owne glory and your owne greatnes Where be they nowe whome I sawe not long ago contending who should first take their kyng when he was wounded and nowe ye leaue me alone â–ª ye forsake me ye betraye me to myne enemies But I will not leaue mine enterprise though I go alone Put me forwardes to those ryuers to those beastes to those nacions the very names of whome ye feare so muche The Scythians and Bactrians shall go with me whiche of late were myne enemies and now be my souldiers I had rather dye then be a king to be ruled and at other mens appointment Departe you home go I say and triumphe of the habandoninge of your kyng For I will either obteine here the victory wherof you haue dispayred or els dye a death that shal be honorable Notwithstanding all that he had sayde there was not one souldier that would open his mouth to speake but stode wayting that some of the princes and great capitaynes shoulde declare vnto the kynge their estates and howe that there remayned not in them any obstinat refusall of the warres but that they were so exhausted with woundes and weried with continuall trauaill that they were not able to endure any lenger As they stode thus astonied and afrayed keping silence and lookyng vpon the grounde there beganne firste a whisperyng and a rumor and afterwardes a lamentacion amonges them and by lyttle and little thei beganne more manifestly to shewe their dolour the teares fallyng froÌ„ their eyes The kynges anger was then so turned into compassion that he was not able to keape hym selfe from weapyng At length the whole assemble brast out into an excessiue wepyng And when all the rest were at a stay to speake Cenus toke vpon hym to presse forwarde towardes the iudgement seate where Alexander stoode signifieng that he had somewhat to saye When the souldiers sawe he pulled his helmet from his head for so it was the custome to speake vnto the kyng they began to require hym that he woulde vtter the cause of the whole army Then Cenus beganne in this wyse â–ª Cenus wordes in the name of the whole army â–ª The Goddes defende our myndes from all wicked thoughtes as I doubt not but they wyll there is none of your souldiers but be of the same mynde towardes you that they haue bene in tymes past Whether it be your pleasure to commaunde them to go forwardes to fyght to hasarde them selues or with their bloud commend your name vnto the posteritie And if you will nedes perseuer in your opinion though we be vnarmed naked and without bloud we will either come after you or go before as you shall thynke expedient But if you wyll be content to heare the griefes and complayntes of your souldiers that be not fayned but expressed by force of very necessitie I humblie beseche you then that ye woulde vouchesaue fauourably to heare them that constantly haue folowed your authoritie and fortune and are yet redy to folow wheresoeuer you wil appoynte O Alexander with the greatnes of your actes ye haue not ouercome only your enemies but also your owne souldiers Whatsoeuer mans mortalitie is able to fulfyll that is perfourmed by vs hauing passed ouer so manye Seas and countreys better knowen to vs then to the very inhabiters nowe remayning in maner in the vttermoste ende of the worlde And yet for all this your purpose is to passe into an other worlde and seke out an Inde vnknowen to the Indians Ye couet to plucke out the wilde beastes and serpentes out of their dennes lurking places minding to serche further with your victory then the sonne hath visited with her beames which truly is an imaginacioÌ„ mete for your harte but farre exceding our capacitie and power Your manhode and courage is alwayes an encrease but our force groweth in declinacion Behold our bodies destitute of bloud perced with so many woundes and rotted with so many scarres Our weapons nowe be dulled and our armour is wasted consumed we weare our apparell after the PerciaÌ„s maner because our countrey garmentes do faill vs. We are degenerate out of our own fasshion growen into a strauÌ„ge habite What is he that hath his corselet or horse particuler to himselfe Cause it to be enquired how many seruauÌ„tes do folowe their maisters and what remaineth to euery maÌ„ of the spoyle Being the victorers of al meÌ„ of all men we are the poorest It is not hadoundaunce or excesse that trouble vs but the very warre it selfe Our municion is consumed and yet your will put furth this goodly army of yours naked vnto those beastes
bitter death But I whiche number not my yeres but my victories haue liued longe if I will weye the giftes of Fortune For beginnynge mine Empire in Macedonia I haue Greace in mine owne handes I haue subdued Thrace and the Illirians I raigne ouer the Triballes and the Medeans possessynge an Asia that lye betwixt Hellespont and the redde Sea and nowe am not farre from the ende of the worlde the whiche I determined to visite and to make open to men a newe nature and a newe worlde I passed out of Asia into Europe in the moment of an houre and beynge but .xxviii. yeres olde hauyng raigned but nine am become victorer of both regions Do you thinke it then mete that I should nowe ceasse from winning of that glorye wherunto I haue onelye addict my selfe No I wil neuer ceasse but whersoeuer I shall haue occasion to fyght I shall thinke my selfe to be in the Theatre where the whole worlde dothe beholde me I will geue nobilitye and fame to places that be obscure And will laye open to all Nacions those countreys that nature hath remoued furdest froÌ„ them In doynge wherof it shall be gratefull for me to ende my lyfe if Fortune will haue it so I am come of that stocke that I ought to desire many thinges before longe lyfe I praye you to remembre that we be come into those countreys where the name of a woman is muche celebrated for hir vertues What cityes did Semiramis builde what nacions did she subdue and what great workes did she accomplishe We are not yet become equal to a woman in glory and yet you woulde haue me to be satisfied of laude The Gods be fauourable vnto our purpose for there remaine for vs yet greater thinges to do And it is the next way to make those countreys we haue not yet touched to become ours if we esteme nothing to be of small valure where as there is anye occasion to winne glorye Let it be your care onelye to preserue me from ciuill conspiracie and treason of mine owne people then there be no aduentures of the warre shall put me in feare Philippe was more sure in the front of the battaile abroade then in quiet tarians at home He oftentimes auoyded the force of his enemies but he coulde not eschue the violeÌ„ce of his owne subiectes And if you coÌ„sider the ende of other Kynges you shall count more that haue bene slayne by their owne menne then by anye forayne power But bicause there is an occasion nowe offered me to vtter the thing I haue longe conceaued in my minde It shall be the greatest fruite I can receyue of my actes and of my trauayles if my trauailes if my Mother Olympiades when she departeth this lyfe might be consecrated to immortalitie If she departe in my tyme I wil do the thing my selfe But if I shall be preuented by Death remember you to perfourme that I haue determined And therupon he dismissed his frendes from him and continued manye dayes in the same place Whiles these thinges were a doynge in India the Greake souldiours that hadde lande and habitacion appoynted them at Catabactra throughe a sedicion that chaunsed amonges them A rebellion of the Grekes whiche Alexander had planted at Catabactâ—s rebelled againste Alexander Notsomuche for anye hatred they bare hym as for feare of punishemente For they kylled diuers of their chiefe rulers and assemblynge in force togethers toke the castle of Bactria that was negligentlye kepte and procured the Bactrians to rebell with them Athenodâ—rus Athenodorus was the chiefe amonges theim who toke vpon hym the name of a kynge not so muche for the desire of the kyngdome as by aucthoritye to make him selfe of power to conueye hym selfe and others home into his countrey Bycon But one Bycon of his owne nacion became his enemye and conspirynge agaynste him did bidde hym to a banquet where he was slayne by one Boxus Macerianus The nexte daye folowynge Bicon assembled the Greakes together perswadinge theim that he slewe Athenodorus but in hys owne defence whose purpose was to haue destroyed him But there were some that perceiued his policye and suspicion was spreade amonges the rest So that the Greakes fell to armes of purpose to slea Bycon But suche as were chiefe mitigated the wrathe of the multitude and contrary to his expectation was deliuered from that presente peryll Yet he coulde not be so contented but wythin a while after conspired againste them that saued his lyfe whose falsehode knowen they toke bothe hym and Boxus determinynge that Boxus shoulde be put to death out of hande and that Bycon shoulde ende hys lyfe by tormentes As they were tormentinge of him the Greake souldiours sodainelye in a furye for what cause it is vncertayne ranne to Armes the noyse of whom beynge hearde wyth them that had the charge of Bycon did let him at libertye fearynge that the rumoure hadde bene made for his deliuerye He as he was naked came runninge amonges the Grekes where as they were assembled whose miserable estate so sodainelye chaunged their minds that thei willed him immediatly to be set at liberty By thys meanes Bicon beynge twise deliuered from death returned into his countrey with the Grekes leauynge the Colonye wherunto he was appointed by Alexander These thinges were done in the coÌ„fynes of Bactria and Scythia In the meane season the kynge of the two nacions whyche we spake of before sent an hundred Embassadours vnto Alexander whiche beynge men of goodly personages ridde in wagons semely appaireled hauing garmentes of linnen clothe embroydred with golde and empaled with purple They declared that the cause of their commynge was to yeld them selues their citye their countrey and their libertye whiche thei had kepte inuiolatelye by so many ages to his wil appointmeÌ„t Of which their submission the Gods thei said were aucthours not any fear for thei were coÌ„teÌ„ted to yeld theÌ„ selues before thei had proued their power with him The kynge called a counsayle receiued theÌ„ vnder his protection appointing to theÌ„ to pay such tribute as they before paied to the ArachosiaÌ„s And besides to seÌ„d two thousand fiue hundred horsemen to serue hym in his warres all whiche thinges they perfourmed obedientlye This done he made a great feast wherunto he inuited those Embassadours and his Lordes He vsed therin sumptuous preparation ordeinynge C. beddes of golde to eate vpon which beyng set a small distaunce one from another were drawen about with curteynes garnished with golde and purple In that feast there was shewed and sette forthe all the excesse and voluptuousnes which either by long custome was vsed among the PerciaÌ„s or by corruption of their old vsages taken vp amonges the Macedons the vyces of both those nacions beynge there mingled myxed togethers Dioxippus There was at that feast one Dioxippus of Athens a notable champion by reason of his excellent force well knowen vnto the Kynge whome certayne enuiousse and malicious Persones
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