before any durst utter what they thought because they were uncertain how the King was inclined at length Parmenio spake and said My opinion was ever that the prisoners taken at Damascus should have been delivered to such as would redeem them whereby a great sum of money might have been made of them who now remaining in captivity trouble the hands of many a man of service And now I think most necessary of all that you exchange for thirty Talents of Gold this old Woman and the two young Damzels which be but impediments and disturbance to your marches Here is a rich Realm to be gotten by Treaty without any hazard of Battel For there was never any before you quoth he that was Lord of all the Countries in length and bredth lying between Ister and Euphrates He willed him therefore rather to have respect towards Macedonia then to look forward towards Bactria and the Indians These words liked not the King and therefore so soon as Parmenio had made an end of his Speech he made this answer And if I were Parmenio I would rather desire Money then Glory But now seeing I am Alexander I am not in any doubt of poverty and have in consideration that I am a King and no Merchant I have nothing whereof I will make Sale I will much less sell my Fortune If I were in minde to deliver the Prisoners it were much better to give them freely then to ransome them for money Hereupon he called the Embassadours and answered them in this sort Shew you to Darius that giving of thanks is needless to an enemy and let him not think that I have had any respect to his friendship in those things that I have done of mine own clemency and liberality Nor let him impute the same in any wise towards himself but to the inclination of mine own nature and that I contend not against mens calamities but against the force of mine Enemies I use not to make war with women and prisoners for he must be armed to whom I shall owe my hatred And though it were so indeed that he meant good faith in his peace asking yet peradventure I would take advice before I would consent But seeing that at one time he hath provoked my Souldiers to betray me and at other times stirred up my friends with money to destroy me I must pursue him to the uttermost not as a righteous enemy but as one that worketh his ends by treason If I should accept the condition of peace that you do bring I should acknowledge him to be Conquerour His liberality doth give me all that is behinde the River of Euphrates not considering in what place I speak now unto you Have you forgotten that I am passed the River of Euphrates and incamped beyond the bounds ye prâ—ffer me in Dowry Drive me from hence that I may know the same to be yours wherewith you would infeoff me He proffereth me his Daughter with no greater liberality then he would do to one of his Servants Doth he think to do me a pleasure in preferring me to be his Son-in-law before Mazeus Go and shew this to your King that both what he hath lost and what he hath yet in possession shall be unto me the rewards of the War which shall determine the bounds of both our Empires and by the fortune of the battel which we shall fight to morrow appoint to each of us our limits Let him know that I came not into Asia to receive but to give If he would have been content to have been the second person and not coveted to be equal with me I would peradventure have granted his request But as two Suns cannot shine on the Earth at once so likewise two such great Kingdoms cannot be at one time without the subversion of the world Therefore let him either this day yield himself or else prepare against the morrows fight nor let him perswade himself to have any other fortune then what he hath proved already The Embassadours replied That seeing he was resolved to proceed with War he did Royally that he was plain unto them and did not feed them with hope of peace Their request was therefore that they might be dispatched to their Prince to warn him to prepare himself likewise When they returned there was no way but to prepare for the fight Wherefore Darius sent for Mazeus with three thousand horsemen to keep the passages by which the Macedons should pass When Alexander had performed the Funerals of Darius wife leaving a small guard behinde with all such as were unprofitable for the fight he set forward towards his Enemies His footmen were divided into two Battels empaled with horsemen on both sides and his carriages were placed in the midst He sent Medinas with horsemen upon the spurs to discover where Darius was but he not daring to adventure far because Mazeus was there strongly quartered returned back and reported that there was nothing to be heard but the noyse of men and the neighing of horses Mazeus also the Scouts of Alexander being discovered gave intelligence to Darius of the approach of the enemy Darius who desired to try the event of the Battel in the open Plains commanded his Souldiers to be armed and put his Army in array of Battel Two thousand of the Bactrian and the Dahan horse and four thousand of the Arachosians and Susians did make the left Wing These were followed by a hundred hooked Chariots Next unto them was Bessus with a thousand Bactrian horse and two thousand of the Massagetae did back him on his rear To these the foot of many Nations not mixed but in distinct Regiments did joyn their formidable power after them Ariobarzanes and Oriobates with the Mardians and Sogdians did bring up the Army of the Persians This part of Darius Army was commanded in chief by Orsines descended from seven Persian Kings and deriving also his Original from the noble King Cyrus There were other Nations that followed these but hardly known to their own Neighbours After whom Cradates having fifty hooked Chariots placed a Band of Caspian horsemen before them and behinde them were the Indians and the other inhabiters of the red Sea rather names of men then good assistance This square was also empaled with the other fifty Chariots unto the which the mercenary Souldiers were joyned after them followed the men of Armenia the less then the Babylonians and next the Bellicans with such as inhabit the Cossean Mountains The Gortuans came next who sometime followed the Medians out of Euboia but at those days degenerated from their Country-customs The Pâ—â—ygians Cathonians and Parthians did close the rear In the Battel on the right hand were the people of the greater Armenia the Cadusians Cappadocians and Medians who had fifty hooked Chariots the sum of his whole Army was forty five thousand horsemen and two hundred thousand footmen When they were placed in order of Battel they marched forward ten furlongs and then were
Prisoners amongst whom Darius Mother was one were set in the top of an Hill with a small Guard about them The charge of the left Battel was committed unto Parmenio as was accustomed before-time and Alexander himself was in the Main Body When they were drawn near to one another one Byon came flying from the Persian Hoast in a full gallop and declared unto the King that Darius had planted iron Galtops where he thought his Horsemen should pass and by a certain signe shewed him the place because it might be avoided Alexander willed the Fugitive to be kept safe and assembled all his Captains together declaring the matter and exhorting them to make their Souldiers privy to the danger for eschewing the place pointed out to them But all that were in so great an Army could not hear the warning given the noise of both Armies taking away the use of the ears But Alexander riding betwixt the Battels gave Exhortation to the Captains and to all other that were within hearing He declared that there was but one hazard remaining to them that had passed through so many Countries in hope of the Victory which they were now ready to fight for Thereupon he reduced to their memory the Battels they had fought at the River of Granike in the Mountains of Cilicia and with what speed they had passed over both Syria and Egypt The rehearsal whereof put them in great hope and did intice them forwards to the desire of glory He shewed that the Persians being withdrawn from their former flying were now compelled to fight of necessity because they could fly no further and how that three days together amazed for fear they had remained still in one place with their Armour on their backs of whose despair he said there could be no greater argument then that they had set on fire their own Country confessing all to be their Enemies that they destroyed not He exhorted them not to fear the vain name of unknown Nations for it was a thing nothing pertinent which were called Scythians or which Caducians for being unknown Nations it was a sure token that they were men of no valour because such as be valiant could never be unknown in the world And contrariwise Dastards when they come forth of their Dâ—ns bring nothing with them but names of men whereas you quoth he that be Macedons have obtained by your Vertue and Manhood that there is no Country in the world ignorant of your Acts. He willed them to behold the evil order that was in their Enemies Host of whom some had no weapon but a Dart others a Sling to cast stones and very few had such Armour as they ought to have So that though there was a great number on the other part yet he said they had more on their side when they should come to fight hand to hand and that for his part he would not require any man to adventure himself except he were an example to him of Fortitude and Courage for he assured them that he would be seen fighting with the foremost knowing that so many wounds as he should get should be so many ornaments to his person He said they themselves knew that he would be no partaker of the prey but that it was ever his custom to bestow the rewards of his Victory upon the Souldiers His former words he shewed to be spoken to men of courage but if any were of another temper he was to inform them that they were come unto the place from whence they could not fly having left so many Countries behinde them which they had passed over and so many Rivers and Mountains at their backs so that now there was no way to their own houses and Native Country but such as they must make open with their own hands This was the Exhortation he gave unto the Captains and to such of the Souldiers as were next unto him Darius that was in his left-hand Battel accompanied with a choice Band of Horsemen and of Footmen despised the small number of his Enemies their Battels appearing to him thin and void of men when he saw their Wings stretched so far abroad He stood therefore on his Chariot on high and turning himself both on the right hand and the left he spake in this manner to such as were about him We that were not long since Lords of all the Countries lying between Hellespont and the Ocean Sea are compelled now to fight not for Fame and Glory but for our Safeguard and our Liberty which chiefly is to be esteemed This day shall either establish or make an end of the greatest Empire that hath been in any Age. At the River of Granike we fought with a small part of our Power When we were vanquished in Cilicia Syria was able to receive us and the Rivers of Tygris and Euphrates were as Bull-warks to defend our Kingdom But now we are come to that extremity that we have no place to fly unto if we be put to flight All things behinde our backs are wasted with this long War neither Cities are inhabited nor men left to till the ground Our Wives and our Children do follow this Army a prey ready for our Enemies except we put our bodies for the defence of such as be dear unto us So much as hath concerned me I have performed preparing such an Army as this huge Plain is able to receive I have distributed amongst you Horse and Armour providing that Victuals should not be wanting for such a multitude and have chosen an apt place to arange our Battels in All the rest remaineth in your hands do but dare to fight and the Victory is yours and despise you the Fame of the Enemy which is but a weak weapon against men of Valour It is rashness which hitherto ye have feared as a Vertue whereof when the first brunt is spent it waxeth dull as are Drones having once lost their stings This Plain hath disclosed their small number which the Mountains of Cilicia did hide You see how empty their Ranks are how thin their Wings be extended abroad how their Battels be empty and void of men and such as are in the Rear have already turned their backs They may be overthrown with your Horses feet though I send none against them but the Hooked Waggons And if we win the Battel we make an end of the War for they have no place to fly to They are shut in with Tygris on the one side and with Euphrates on the other and such things as before made for their purpose now are turned and do make clear against them Our Army is light and without much Baggage and they are laden with preys and booties we shall kill them as they are wrapt in spoils And the same one thing shall be both our gain and the cause of our Victory If any of you be moved with the Fame of the Nation you must think that the Armour with the outward shew and not the bodies of the
security for the money they had imployed in the Wars He gave honour also according to their deservings unto the Kings of Cyprus who revolted from Darius unto him and had aided him with Ships at the Siege of Tyre Amphoterus his Admiral had Commission to drive the Persians out of the Isle of Creet but especially that he should rid the Seas of Pyrates who troubled and spoiled all the Islands whilest these two Princes Alexander and Darius converted their Powers the one against the other Having ordered these things he did dedicate to Hercules at Tyre a great standing Goblet and thirty Bowls of Gold That done he set his whole minde and care upon Darius causing it to be proclaimed that every man should set forwards towards Euphrates But Darius understanding that his Enemy was gone through Egypt into Africa stood in doubt whether he should stay about Mesopotamia or withdraw into the inner parts of his Kingdom judging that he in person should prevail with those remote Nations in bringing of them forwards to the War which his Lieutenants should not be so well able to effect Yet when Fame had published and he understood by assured advertisement that Alexander was returned out of Egypt and fully resolved to follow him with all his power into what Country soever he should go he then gave order that the force of all the furthest Nations should draw towards Babylon knowing the resolution of his Enemy he had to match withal Thither resorted both Bactrians Scythians and Indians for the power of other Countries were come thither before and having the double number of men that he had before in Cilicia he prepared Armour for them with diligence of which many of them wanted both Horsemen and Horses were armed with plates of Steel such as before had no Weapons but Darts had Swords and Bucklers given unto them and to increase the power of his Horsemen he delivered many Horses to be managed and broken by the Footmen He had prepared also two hundred Waggons set with Hooks which in those Countries were esteemed things of great force and judged to be of a wonderful terrour to the Enemy they were made with great long Spikes sticking out before and with Swords set overthwart on both sides The Wheels were also full of Iron Pikes right forth and of great Hooks both upward and downward wherewith all things were cut in sunder that came in their way When his people were thus furnished with Armour and provided sufficiently for the Wars he removed from Babylon keeping the River of Tygris on his right hand and Euphrates on his left hand He overspread with his Army all the Plains of Mesopotamia after that he had passed the River of Tygris and understanding that his Enemy was approaching he sent Satropaces before with a thousand chosen Horsemen and afterwards appointed six thousand to Mazeus to stop Alexander in the passage over the River who had also Commission to waste and burn all the Country where he judged his enemies should come thinking to famish them for want of victuals considering that they had no other provisions but what they got by plundering and by stealth they themselves having plenty brought of all things both by Land and the River Tygris At length he came to a village called Arbella which afterwards was famous by reason of his overthrow There he left the greatest part of his Victuals and Carriage and made a Bridge over the River of Licus and in five days conveyed over his Army as he had done before over Euphrates passing forwards from thence about fourscore furlongs he came to another City called Boumello and there encamped This Country served wonderful well for aranging of his Battels in the large Plains passable for Horses every-where and without shrubs or short brush to cover the ground withal having so free a prospect that the eye might discern things a great way off And if there appeared any Hills within the Plain Darius caused the same to be cast down and to be made level to the ground Such as by conjecture made report to Alexander of Darius power could not be credited for he could not think after so many slain there could be a greater power gathered together then he had before But he that doubted not any peril much less the multitude of them after the eleventh encamping came to the River of Euphrates over the which he made Bridges passing over his horsemen and afterwards his footmen For Mazeus that was sent against him with six thousand horsemen to hinder his passage durst not encounter him When he had continued there a few days not only to rest his Souldiers but also to confirm their mindes and to encourage them he set forwards resolutely against his enemies fearing that they would have retired back into the inward parts of Persia where he should have been inforced to follow them by waste places and desarts Therefore the fourth day he passed by Arbella and came to the River of Tygris All the Country beyond the River was on a smoak newly set on fire by Mazeus who burned all things where he came even as he had been an enemy Alexander at the first by reason of the darkness of the smoak stayed for fear of Ambushments But when they which were sent to scour the Country reported that all things were clear he appointed a few horsemen to prove the passage of the River who found the deepness at the first entry to come to the horse breast and in the midst of the stream to the horse neck There is no River in all the East-part of the world that runneth so violently which besides that the waters of other Rivers do run into it driveth down stones with the stream so that of its swiftness it is called Tygris which in the Persian tongue is to say an Arrow The footmen thereof divided into two Bands and holding their Armour over their heads were inclosed on both sides with the horsemen and so passed till they came to the deep of the channel without any great difficulty The King was the first amongst the footmen that passed over to the further side who with his hand seeing his voice could not be heard shewed the shallow places unto the Souldiers But they had much to do to keep their footing by reason of the stones whereupon they stumbled and of the violence of the water that took their feet away Such as carried burthens on their backs had the greatest travel not being able to stay themselves by reason of the trouble of their carriage were born down by violence of the stream And whilest every man went about to recover again his own there â—ell greater strife amongst themselves then they had with the stream and the heaps of fardels that every where flowed upon the water bare down many of them The King cryed to them that it was sufficient to keep their arms and let the rest go promising to recompence every man but they neither followed his counsel nor
were able to conceive any tokens or signes of the gods favour or assistance it was no doubt but that they were bent on their side having already stricken a sudden fear amongst the Macedons which he said might be seen by their running here and there by the carrying and casting off their Armour and that the gods which took care of the Persians Empire were now determined to punish 〈◊〉 Cowards whose Captains quoth he being of no other sort then the rest are like unto those wilde Beasts which through the greediness of the 〈…〉 they do covet do fall into the snares that are set for them The like care was amongst the Macedons for as though the matter should have been tryed that night they passed it over in doubt and fear Alexander himself that was never seen in such fear before that time called for Aristander to make vows and prayers who in a white Garment carrying Verbenes in his hand with his head covered went before the King calling upon Jupiter Minerva and Victoria When he had thus performed his Sacrifice according to their Religion he returned into his Pavilion to rest the residue of the night yet he could neither rest nor sleep but continually debated with himself which way he should assail his Enemies One while he was of Opinion to give his first On-set upon that Battel of the Persians that should come on his right hand sometimes he determined to meet his Enemies in the very front and otherwhile whether it were better to encounter them on their left Battel At length his body became heavy with the travel of his minde and he fell into a sound sleep When the day appeared the Captains assembled about the Kings Pavilion to receive their charge where they stood amazed at the unaccustomed silence For they could not but wonder that he who was ever wont to call upon other men and to reprove such as were slow or negligent not to be then stirring in the extremity of the utmost danger And many were of opinion that he slept not but shrunk for fear yet for all that none of them that were about his person durst attempt to wake him In the mean seasonâ— the morning past away and the Souldiers might neither put on their Armour nor stand in order of Battel without commandment of their Chief When they had thus tarried a great while Parmenio gave commandment that they should fall to meat At length when the time came that of necessity the Army must be drawn into Battel he entred into the Kings lodging and called upon him divers times by his name but when he could not awake him with his voice he stirred him with his hand and said It is far forth day and your Enemies come forwards in order of Battel and your Souldiers being yet unarmed have not commandment given them what they should do Where is that chearfulness and courage of yours become which were wont to stir up even those who were most watchful Alexander made answer unto him Think you that I could sleep before that I had rid my self of the care that hindred me to take my rest And thereupon caused the Trumpet to sound to the Battel But when Parmenio continued still in his admiration that he in such a time could sleep so quietly It is no marvel quoth Alexander when Darius burned the Country wasted the Villages and destroyed the Victuals I could then in no wise be quiet But now what cause have I to fear seeing he now prepareth himself to fight He hath now fulfilled my desire resort you where your charge lieth and I will straightway come to give order amongst you and we will dispute this business afterwards He used seldom to take his friends advice when any doubt or danger was at hand When Parmenio was gone he armed himself and came forwards amongst his Souldiers They seeing him look so chearfully as they had not seen before time conceived by the courage of his countenance a certain hope of the Victory Then he caused the Trenches of his Camp to be cast down that the Souldiers might have free passage forth and in this manner did set his Battels in order The Horsemen of whom Clitus was Captain were set in the wing on his right-hand Battel to whom he joyned Philotas and other Captains The last Band of Horsemen was Meleagers which were next unto the square Battel of Footmen that the Macedons name Phalanx After the Phalanx followed the Agaraspides of whom Nicanor the Son of Parmenia was Captain Cenus with his Band was appointed to be a Relief Horestes and Lincestes advanced next and after them Polipercon that had the Rule of the Strangers and Phylagus who had the Rule of the Balacrons And this was the order of Alexanders Battel in the right wing whereof Amintas was Chief In the left Battel Craterus had the charge of the Peloponnesian Horsemen and with him also were the Bands of the Achaians Locrensians and Malaeans and the hindmost Troops were the Horsemen of Thessaly under Philip their Captain Thus the Horsemen covering the Foot made the Front of the Battel And lest their Enemies through their multitude should inclose the Battel about he planted a great Force behinde for a Reserve and set a Relief also upon the Wings not in Front with the rest but upon the sides to the intent that if the Enemies attempted to compass round about the Battels they should be ready to keep them in action Those that maintained the places of Reserves were the Agrians of whom Attalus was Captain and the Archers of Creet were joyned unto them Such as stood in the Rear of the Battel were ordered to turn their faces from the Frontwards because that being in a readiness every way the Battels in every place should be of an equal force They which stood with their faces contrariwise were the Illyrians and the Mercenary Souldiers with the Thâ—acians that were light armed These his Battels were so aptly set to move every way that such as stood in the hinder parts could not be inclosed about but might every way make their Front so the Front the Flanks and the Rear were all of like force When he had set his men in order after this manner he gave Commandment that if the Persians should attempt upon them with their Hooked Waggons with a cry or noise that then they should open their Battels and receive them with silence not doubting but that they should pass through without any harm if no man did resist them But if they should come without any shout or clamour that then they themselves should make a cry to fear the Horses withal and so with Pikes thrust them through on every side They which had the charge of Battels were commanded to extend them so much in bredth as possible they might lest by standing over-close they might be environed and yet not to stretch them so far out as to leave the Ranks void and thin in the midst The Carriage and the
of the Spearmen that were nam'd Saâ—ssopherii against the Scythians By this time the Hooked Waggons which had before troubled the fore-front were come within the square which the Macedons call Phalanx yet the Souldiers never shrunk at the matter but received them into the midst of their Battel whereas joyning themselves close together they stood like a wall on both sides thrusting their Pikes into the Bowels of the Horses and ran about the Waggons throwing down such as stood in them at defence The whole Battel was intangled and troubled with the ruine and killing of the Horses with such as governed them They could not rule their Horses when they were once galled or hurt who with much leaping and strugling not only brake out of their Traces but also overthrew the Waggons drawing at their Tails the men that were slain neither being able to stand still for the fear they were in nor yet go forwards being so faint of their wounds Yet a few of them passed through the Battel whereby such as the Waggons did light upon were miserably slain lying upon the ground with their Members cut in sunder Yet because that through the greenness of their wounds they felt little pain they kept their Weapons still notwithstanding they were maimed and without strength till such time as by continual bleeding they sunk down dead Aretes in the mean time had slain the Captain of the Scythians that were spoiling of the Carriages and repulsed them back But straightway came the Bactrians by Darius sending and turned the fortune of the Field again Many Macedons were slain at the first encounter but more fled unto Alexander Then the Persians made such a shout as men are wont to do that win the Victory and fiercely assailed their Enemies thinking they had in evey place been put to flight When Alexander perceived his men shrink and begin to faint and give ground he rebuked such as he saw afraid and encouraged many that withdrew from the fight so that he alone restored the Battel again When he had put them in heart he required them to press forwards and go freely against their Enemies Alexander perceiving that the Bactrians were departed to the defeating of the Carriages and by their going had left the right-hand Battel of Darius thin and naked he bent his force wholly that way and there made a wonderful slaughter and destruction of his Enemies who by reason of their loose Array were not able to withstand him which the Persians in the left wing observing were in hope to have inclosed Alexander round and came forwards to set upon his Rear whereby great danger had ensued to him being invironed both before and behinde if the Agrians had not put their Spurs to their Horses and given a gallant Charge to their Enemies that were invironing the King about and so compelled the Persians to turn their faces again towards them The Battels thus were sore travelled on both sides Alexander had his Foes both before and behinde and his Enemies that come on his back were sore oppressed by the Agrians The Bactrians also that had spoiled the Carriages were excluded from their own company and could not recover their place again Thus the Battels were divided in divers parts and fought one against another as their chance fell out The two Kings that joyned their Battel hard to one another renewed again the fight There were most of the Persians slain but the number of the wounded were liâ—â—e on both sides Darius did ride in a Chariot and Alexander upon a Horse They both had a choice Band about them which were careless of their own lives for if their Kings should miscarry they neither could be safe nor yet desire to live Wherefore every one of them thought it a Noble thing to adventure themselves before the face of their Prince and he that coveted most to defend his Master was in most peril for each man desired the honour to kill the King of the contrary part There whether it were an imagination of the eyes or visible indeed such as were about Alexander believed that they saw an Eagle fluttering above his head which neither feared with the clashing of their Harness nor by the crying of them that were dying hovered still in the Air a little above him Then Aristander who did wear a white garment and carried Lawrel in his hand shewed this sight unto the Soaldiers being busie in the fight as a certain token of Victory This sight caused them which before were in some doubt chearfully and with great confidence to assail their Enemies The fight continued after this sort until the time that he was slain who governed the Horse that drew Darius Chariot Then neither the Persians nor Macedons doubted but thaâ— Darius had been slain And the Persians upon that imagination made a bâ—rbarous noise and a sorrowful howling wherewith they sore troubled and astonied their whole Hoast that were yet fighting with equal Victory Darius Kinsmen and the Squires of his Body that were on his left hand left him and fled away with a main flight but such as stood in his defence on his right hand conveyed him into the heart of the Battel It was said that Darius drew out his Sword and was determined divers times to kill himself rather then to sustain the shame of flying away But when he saw as he sate aloft on his Chariot that a great part of his Army remained yet fighting he was ashamed to leave them in such sort And while he thus wavered in his own minde the Persians by little and little gave ground and shrunk from their order Alexander that had tyred many Horses did at that instant change his Horse anew and strake at the faces of them that did oppose there was none then that made resistance any longer but a manifest slaughter fell on the Persians and Darius turned his Chariot to fly away The Macedans pursued hard after them that fled and the dust that flew up to the Sky took away their prospect so that they wandred as in darkness and ever drew together when they heard any voice they knew only the ratling and noise of the Chariots was a taken for the Macedons to follow in the pursuit As Fortune was prosperous to the Macedons on this part and contrary unto their 〈◊〉 so on the other side where Parmenio in the left wing incountred with the Persians they had the better and the Macedons the worse Mazeus with his whole Band gave a violent charge and put the Horsemen that stood in the wings to a sore distress and thereupon by reason he abounded with multitude he began to inclose the Footmen round Then Parmenio sent word to Alexander in what danger they were which he signified to be such that except they had succour in time they could not resist but be inforced to fly away Alexander was gone far in the Chase when this sorrowful message was brought him wherefore he commanded his Horsemen to stand and chafed
reward was truly given them And the rule of the Rock with the Countrey thereabouts was committed to Sisocostus he himself going forwards with his Army from thence to Echâ—lima Alexander understanding that certain straights through the which he should pass were kept by one Erix with twenty thousand armed men he committed that part of his Army that were heavy laden to Cenon to be brought on by soft journeys and going before in person with the Slingers and Archers he put his Enemies to flight making the way clear for his Army to pass that followed after The Indians whether it were for the hatred they did bear unto their Captain or else to get the favour of the Conquerour killed Erix as he fled away and brought his head and his armour unto Alexander He considering the foulness of the act would not honour the doers for their example sake nor punish them because they served his purpose From thence by sixteen encampings he came to that part of the River called Indus where Ephestion had prepared all things in such sort as he had commission One Omphis was King of that Countrey who before had perswaded his Father to submit himself unto Alexander and immediately upon his Fathers death sent Embassadors unto him to know his pleasure whether he should take upon him as a King before his coming or else live privately in the mean season And although he was permitted to govern as a King yet he would not use the authority granted him until the King came He had caused Ephestion to be received in the best sort he could devise but notwithstanding he had not visited him because he would not commit his person to any mans fidelity but to the Kings When he understood of Alexanders coming he went towards him with his whole Power whose Elephants by small distances mixed in Battel amongst his Footmen shewed afar off like Castles At the first Alexander did not take him a Friend but as an Enemy and therefore set his Men in order of Battel and his Horsemen in wings in readiness to Fight When Omphis understood the errour of the Macedons he commanded his men to stay and putting his spurs to his Horse he rode forwards alone Alexander did the like not questioning whether he were a Friend or an Enemy but thought himself secure either through his own manhood or the others fidelity Their meeting as it appeared by their countenances was very friendly but for want of an Interpreter they could not speak together therefore after they had called one unto them the Indian King declared unto Alexander that the cause he met him with an Army was to put immediately his whole power into his hands and tarried not to intreat for any assurance by Messengers but upon trust only had committed both his Person and his Kingdom to him whom he knew to make War for the winning of Glory and Fame and therefore could not fear in him any perfidiousness Alexander rejoyced to see his simplicity and proffered him his right hand as a pledge of his promise and restored unto him again his Kingdom He presented unto Alexander fifty and six Elephants with many other Beasts of exceeding greatness and three thousand Bulls which is a Cattel of great value in those Countries and mâ—â—h esteemed by Kings Alexander enquired of 〈◊〉 whether he had under his Dominion more Souldiers 〈…〉 of the ground He answered that he was driven of necessity to have more Souldiers because he was at War with two Kings whose Kingdoms lay beyond the River of Hydaspis their names were Abiasares and Porus but the authority remained in Porus. He said that he was prepared and resolved to adventure the hazard of the Battel with such of them as should invade him first Hereupon Alexander granted unto Omphis both to take upon him the Diadem and the name of his Father that was called Taxiles the custom of the Countrey being such that the Name ever followed the Kingdom whosoever enjoyed it When he had received Alexander honourably in hospitality three days the fourth day he declared how much Corn he had delivered to Ephestion and to his Army presenting to the King and to all his Friends Crowns of Gold and besides of Coined Silver fourscore talents Alexander rejoyced so much in his good will that he both returned again to him his Gifts and gave him besides a thousand Talents of the spoil he brought with him with much Plate of gold and silver many garments after the Persian manner and thirty of his own Horses with the same furniture they did wear when he did ride upon them which liberality as it obliged Omphis so it greatly offended the minde of the Macedons For Meleager at Supper when he had well drunk said He was very glad that Alexander had yet found one in India whom he judged worthy to receive the Gift of a thousand Talents The King bearing in minde how much he had repented the slaying of Clitus for the rashness of his tongue refrained his anger but yet told him That envious men were ever Tormentors to themselves The next day the Embassadors of King Abiasares came unto Alexander who according to their Commission offered all things unto his will whereupon assurance being confirmed they returned again to their Master Alexander therefore thinking that through the greatness of his name Porus might be brought to do the like sent Cleochares to him to demand tribute and to summon him to come and do homage when he should enter the bounds of his Kingdom Porus made answer That of those two requests he would perform one which was to meet him at the entry of his Kingdom but that should be in Arms and with a Power Alexander therefore being determined to pass the River of Hydaspis Burzantes that had been Author of the Rebellion amongst the Arachosians was taken and brought to him bound with thirty Elephants an apt assistance against the Indians that are wont to put more trust in those beasts than in the trust of their own Nation Gamaxus King of a small portion oâ— India which had confederated with Barzantes was brought likewise bound unto him Wherefore committing them both to prison and the Elephants to Omphis he came unto the River of Hydaspis But Porus lay encamped on the further side to hinder his passage having fourscore and â—ive Elephants of huge strength oâ— body three hundred Waggons of War thirty thousand â—ootmen amongst whom there were many Archers whose shafâ—s as hath been said before were more heavy than they could wield Porus himself did ride upon an Elephant greater than all the rest who also being of a big stature appeared notable in his Armour that was garnished with gold and silver having also a courage equal to the strength of his body and so great a wisdom as was possible to be found amongst so rude a Nation The Macedons were not so much afraid with the sight of their Enemies as they were with the greatness of the River they had to
the body and all men judging him to be slain the Booty was lost As soon as he was recovered of his wound his dissembled grudge against the Athenians burst out so far that he made open War against them by reason whereof the Thebans seeing the danger so near at hand gave succour to their Neighbours fearing if the Athenians were overcome the last fury of the Wars would turn upon them Wherefore the Cities that a little before were mortal Enemies one to another combined together in one League and sent their Embassadours through all Greece holding it most expedient with a common Aid to withstand a common Enemy Some considering the peril to be universal stuck to the Athenians and some observing Philip's power increasing and the other decreasing took part with Philip. In this War Alexander had the charge of one of the Wings committed to him wherein his Noble Courage did well appear for he deported himself so valiantly that he seemed nothing inferiour to his Father nor any else but by most just desert got the honour of the Victory yet he was defrauded thereof by the envy and sleight of his Father as he himself complained afterwards This Battel was fought at Cheronaea wherein though the Athenians were the greater number yet were they overcome by the Macedonians who were the fewer but expert Souldiers by reason of their long and continual practise in Wars Nevertheless the Athenians as men not unmindful of their former honour lost their lives valiantly That day made an end of all the Grecians glory as well of their large Rule and Government as of their most Ancient Freedom and Liberty which being hardly won and long time kept was thus lost in a moment For these things and many other experiments of Valour and Prowess in young Alexander although the King his Father did bear him singular affection and favour yet nevertheless by certain occasions ensuing that love was unhappily broken For Philip being married to Olympias Mother of Alexander as is said before took to Wife besides her a Lady called Cleopatra whereupon fell great discord and unkindness between the Father and the Son The occasion was given by one Attalus Uncle to Cleopatra who being at the new Marriage exhorted the Macedons to make prayers to the gods to send the King and new Queen a lawful Heir to succeed in the Kingdom of Macedon Whereat Alexander being moved Vile man as thou art said he dost thou count me a Bastard And with that word flung the Cup at his head The King hearing this rose up and with his Sword drawn ran at his Son who by the nimbleness of his body avoided the stroke so that it did him no harm Hereupon Alexander inveighing against him with many sharp and despiteful words departed and went with his Mother into Epirus Nevertheless soon after by the means of one Demoratus a Corinthian who perswaded the King that this discord was nothing for his Honour Alexander was sent for again and much solicitation was used before they could be well reconciled Wherefore to confirm this Attonement there was a Marriage made between Alexander the Brother of Olympias whom Philip by the expulsion of Acisba had made King of Epirus and Cleopatra the new Queens Daughter The Triumph of the day was remarkable according to the State and Magnificence of such two Princes the one bestowing his Daughter and the other marrying a Wife There were set forth sundry Interludes and Inventions pleasant to behold And as King Philip between the two Alexanders the one his Natural Son the other his Son-in-law was passing through the press without any Guard one Pausanias a young man of the Nobility of Macedon when no man suspected any such thing suddenly slew him making the day dedicated to joy and triumph to be heavy with lamentation This Pausanias being a Boy one Attalus inforced to the unlawful use of his Body and not content to do so himself at another Feast he caused divers of his Familiars to abuse him likewise which shame and villany grieved the young man so sore that he complained to the King whom although the foulness of the fact moved much yet for the love he bare to Attalus and for the respect of his service he did forbear to animadvert against him This Attalus was very near unto the King and in special favour by reason he was Kinsman unto the Queen Cleopatra whom Philip had lately married He was also Elected Captain General of the Kings Army prepared to pass into Asia being one that was both valiant in his person and no less politick in the discipline of War Upon these respects the King endeavoured by all the means he could to pacifie Pausanias incensed with indignation and revenge as well by giving him great gifts as by placing him honourably among those Gentlemen that were for the Guard of his Person But all this could not appease the rage of his implacable anger which wrought so in him that he determined to be revenged not only upon Attalus that did the villany but also upon the King that would not administer Justice which determination he put in effect as is said before Many things might be said more of the doings and sayings of this Philip but one thing above all others is to be noted that although for the most part he was exercised in the travel of the Wars and in Victorious Actions yet had he ever such affection to the Studies of Humanity and good Learning that he both did and spake many things worthy of Memory which were both witty and pleasant He lived 47 years and Reigned 25 being the three and twentieth King of the Macedons THE SECOND BOOK OF QVINTVS CVRTIVS Of the Acts of Alexander the Great King of Macedon WHen Philip was dead his Son who for the greatness of his Acts was afterwards called Alexander the Great took upon him the Kingdom the 426 year after the building of Rome being of the age of twenty years His state stood at that time subject to much envy hatred and hazard from all parts for the Nations and Provinces bordering upon him could not well endure their present bondage and every one of them sought how to recover again their ancient Dominions and Principalities The first thing he undertook after he was King was the severe punishment of as many as had conspired his Fathers death which performed he celebrated his Funerals with great solemnity As for his Estate he soon established it and that much better then any man could have imagined in one of so young and tender years For being of some had in contempt and by some others suspected to be cruel towards the one he deported himself so gallantly that he took from them all contempt and to the other so gently that their imagined fear of his cruel disposition was clean taken away He granted unto the Macedons freedom and priviledge from all Exactions and Bondage except from the service of War By which act he got so great favour
from thence against the Agrians and the Peans he was advertised that Clitus Bardelius had rebelled and had confederated with Glaucius the King of the Thaulaunts He had also intelligence that the people of Anteri would give him battel in his passage wherefore he committed to Lagarus King of the Agrians who was well beloved of King Philip and no less in the favour of Alexander the charge to go against the Anterians and promised him upon his return to give him his Sister Cyna in Marriage and Alexander himself with great celerity marched against Clitus and Glaucius whom in sundry battels he overcame Whiles Alexander was about these things he received intelligence that divers Cities in Greece and specially the Thebans had rebelled which thing moved him much and was the cause that he returned with speed to suppress these Commotions The Thebans in the mean season besieged the Castle of Thebes wherein was a Garrison of Macedons and endeavoured by all means to be Masters of it Alexander by great journeys advanced to their rescue and encamped with his Hoast near to the City Such as 〈◊〉 rule amongst the Thebans when they saw him come contrary to their expectation and doubting whether such aid should come to them from other Cities as was promised began to consult how to proceed At length by a general consent they determined to abide the adventure and extremity of the War The King in the mean season stood at a stay giving them space to be better advised and alter their resolution For he was of opinion that no one City would have made resistance against so great a Power as he had being above 30000 Footmen and 3000 Horsemen all old Souldiers and expert in the travels of War The trust of their experience and valour had caused him to undertake the War against the Persians Truly if the Thebans had given place to Fortune and time and would have required Peace they might easily have obtained his desire was so great to pass into Asia against the Persians But the Thebans being determined to try their force and not to make any suit fought against the Macedons far exceeding them in number with great resolution but whilest the Battels were joyning the Garrison of the Castle issued out upon the Thebans backs whereby being inclosed they were vanquished their City taken spoiled and utterly razed Which extremity Alexander used of purpose because he thought the rest of the Grecians being afraid by their example would be the more quiet while he should be in the Wars of Asia To gratifie the Phâ—â—eans and Plataeâ—ns his Confederates which brought many accusations against the Thebans he slew six thousand of them and sold thirty thousand as slaves the money thereof amounted to the sum of four hundred and forty Talents yet he spared all the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 the Poet whereby he would witness unto the world the favour he did bear unto learned men In this City of Thebes was a notable Woman called Timâ—â—lea whom when a Captain of Thrace did ravish and would have inforced her to confess her money she brought him to a Well where she said all her precious Treasure was hidden and whilest he stooped down to look into the Well she thrust him in and threw many great stones after him whereby he was slain For this Fact she being committed to Prison and afterwards brought before Alexander he asked her what she was She answered without fear that she was Sister to Thâ—â—genes who being Elected Captain General against King Philip his Father manfully died for the Liberty of Greece whose stoutness and 〈◊〉 the King marvelled so much that he caused her wiâ—h her Children to be set at liberty The Athenians had so great pity and compâ—ssiâ—n of the Estate of the Thebâ—ns that contrary to the Commandment of Alexander they received into their City such of them as escaped which King Alexander took in such displeasure that when they sent Embassadours the second time to demand peace he would not grant atonement upon any other conditions but that such Orators and Captains which had stirred them to Rebellion should be delivered unto his hands But at length it was so carried that the Orators were reserved and the Captains banished who straight fled to Darius King of Persia At such time as Alexander assembled the Grecians in Isthmos for the determination of his journey into Persia many Orators and Philosophers came to visit him Diogenes only that remained about Corinth kept himself away as one that esteemed Alexander nothing at all whereat he marvelled much and went himself to visit him as he was warming of himself in the Sun He asked Diogenes if he had need of any thing that he might do for him To whom Diogenes gave neither reverence nor thanks but willed him to stand out of his Sun-shine In whose behaviour and words Alexander took so great delight that turning to those that were with him he said If he were not Alexander he should wish to be Diogenes When he had put in order the affairs of Greece committing the Rule thereof together with the Realm of Macedon to the Government of Antipater whom he most trusted In the beginning of the Spring he marched to Hellespont with his whole Army which he transported into Asia with incredible speed and diligence When they were come to 〈◊〉 further shore Alexander with great force threw a Dart into the Enemies Land and as he was armed leaped out of the Ships with great joy and there sacrificed making petition unto the gods that they would vouchsafe to admit him King of that Land From thence he marched towards his Enemies and â—orbad his Souldiers to make any spoil of the Country perswading them to spare that which was their own and not to destroy that Land which they came to possess He had not in this Army above the number of 32000 Footmen and 5000 Horsemen and but 180 Ships wherefore it is hard to judge whether it be more wonderful that he conquered the World or that he durst attempt the conquest thereof with so small a power To such a dangerous Enterprize he chose not out the young men in the first slower of their Age but the old Souldiers of whom the most part for their long continuance in Wars should according to the Custom â—e set at liberty and excused from the service of the wars saving at their own pleasure And there was no Captain nor any other that did bear Oâ—fice in his Army under the age of sixty years so that the Souldiers seemed to be School-masters of the Wars and the Captains for their gravity appeared to be Senators in some Ancient Commonwealth which was the occasion that in the Fight none of them minded flying but every one confident of the Victory did not trust to his feet but to his hands Alexander who every where made Sacrifice did 〈◊〉 most solemnity at Troy upon Achilles Tomb of whom he was descended by the Mothers side He judged him most happy of
Land that doth lye betwixt those Seas they would joyn both together Alexander having brought this City under his obeysance entred into the Temple of Jupiter where he saw the Chariot wherein Mydas the Builder of the City was accustomed to ride The same in the furniture and outward appearance differed little from other common Chariots but there was in it a thing notable which was a Cord folded and knit with many knots one so intricate within another that no man could perceive the manner of it neither where the knots began nor where they ended Hereupon the Country men had a Prophecy That he should be Lord of all Asia that could undo that endless Knot This possest the King with a marvellous desire to become the fulfiller of the Prophecy there stood a great number about him both of Phrygians and of Macedons the one part of them expecting the event and the other fearing the rash presumption of their King for as much as they could perceive by no reason how the Knot should be undone The King himself also doubting that the failing of his purpose in that matter might be taken as a token of his evil Fortune to come after he had considered the thing What is the matter quoth he which way it be undone and striving no longer how to unknit it he with his Sword cut the Cords asunder thereby either illuding or else fulfilling the effect of the Prophecy This being done Alexander purposed to finde out Darius wheresoever he went and to the intent to leave all things clear behinde his back he made Amphitorus Captain of his Navy upon the Coast of Hellespont committing the charge of the Field-Army to Egilochus They two had Commission to deliver the Islands of Lesbos Scios and Coos from the hands of the Persians and for the provision of their charges had appointed to them fifty Talents and sent to Antipater and such others who had the Governance of the Cities of Greece sixty Talents He gave order that such as were his Confederates should with their own power of Ships defend the Seas of Hellespont according to the League betwixt them It was not yet come to his knowledge that Memnon was dead whom he most suspected well knowing that if he moved not against him no man should be his stop before he came to Darius Alexander came to the City of Ancira where he made his Musters and so entred into Paphlagonia whereunto the Grecians border of whom it is said the Veneti in Germany are descended all this Country submitted to him and gave him Pledge being excused from Tribute seeing they never paid any to the Persians Calas was Captain there who taking with him the Band of Souldiers that were lately come out of Macedon marched into Cappadocia but Darius hearing of the death of Memnon was no less moved therewith then the case required for then all other hope set apart he determined to try the matter in person for he condemned all things that had been done by his Deputies believing Courage and Conduct to be wanting in many of them and that Fortune had failed in them all He came therefore to Babylon where he encamped and assembled all his Forces together in sight of the City because he would shew the greater Courage and using the ensample of Xerxes in taking of his Musters he entrenched so much ground about as was able to receive ten thousand men within the which he lodged in the night such as had been mustered in the day and from thence they were bestowed abroad in the plain Country of Mesopotamia The number of his Horsemen and Footmen were innumerable and they yet seemed in sight to be more then they were There were of the Persians an hundred thousand of whom thirty thousand were Horsemen of the Medians ten thousand Horsemen and thirty thousand Footmen of the Bactrians two thousand Horsemen with broad Swords and light Bucklers and ten thousand Footmen with like weapons There were of the Armenians forty thousand Footmen and seven thousand Horsemen The Hircanians of great estimation amongst those Nations had six thousand Horsemen The Dervicens were forty thousand Footmen armed with Pikes whereof part had no heads of Iron but the points of them dried in the fire There were also of the same Nation two thousand Horsemen There came from the Gaspian Sea eight thousand Footmen and two hundred Horsemen And with them of the rude Nations of Asia two thousand Footmen and four thousand Horsemen To the increase of these numbers there were thirty thousand Mercenary Souldiers that were Greeks Haste would not suffer to call for the Arachosians Sogdians and Indians with others the Inhabitants of the Red Sea Nations which had names scarcely known to their own King Thus Darius wanting nothing less then the multitude of men greatly rejoyced to behold them and puffed up with the vanity and flattery of the great men which were about him turned to Charidemus of Athens an expert Man of War who for the displeasure that Alexander did bear him was banished the Country and asked him if he thought not that company sufficient to overthrow the Macedons Whereat Charidemus without respect of the Kings pride or of his own Estate answered Peradventure Sir you will not be content to hear the truth and except I tell it presently it shall be too late hereafter This great preparation and mighty Army of yours gathered of the multitudes of so many Nations raised up from all parts of the Orient is more fearful to the Inhabiters hereabouts then terrible to your Enemies Your men shine in Colours and glister in Armour of Gold exceeding so much in riches that they which have not seen them with their eyes cannot conceive any such thing in their mindes But contrariwise the Macedons being rough Souldiers without any such excess be terrible to behold The Fronts of their Battels stand close together always in strength furnished with Pikes and Targets for defence That which they call the Phalanx is an immoveable square of Foot wherein every Band stand close to each other joyning weapon to weapon Every Souldier is obedient to that which is commanded ready at his Captains call whether it be to follow his Ensigne to keep his Array to stand still to run to fetch a compass to change the order of the Battel to fight on this side or that side every Souldier can do these things as well as the Captains And because you shall not think Gold and Silver to be so effectual to this matter they began and observed this Discipline Poverty being Master when they be weary the ground is their bed they are satisfied with such meat as they finde by chance and they measure not their sleep by the length of the night Think you the Horsemen of Thessaly the Achaians and Aetolians which be invincible Men of War will be repulsed with Slings or Staves burned in the fire It behoveth you to have like Force to oppose and to be served of the same
he marched towards Euphrates with all the haste he could make in the conveyance of so multitudinous an Army He made there a Bridge and in fifteen days passed over it his people having a great desire to get into Cilicia before his Enemy Alexander had recovered his strength and was come to a City called Solos which the Inhabitants yielded unto him and for two hundred Talents obtained assurance Notwithstanding he put a Garrison into the Castle and there celebrated Plays and Triumphs which he had vowed to Aesculapius and Minerva for the recovery of his health where being so quietly given to his Sport he shewed how little he esteemed the coming of his Enemies Whilst Alexander was busied about these things he received pleasant news how his men won a Battel against the Persians at Halicarnassus and that the Mindians and Cawnians with divers other Nations in those parts were brought under his obedience These Sports being once ended he removed and by a Bridge made over the River of Pyramus he came to the City of Malon and from thence with another motion came to a Town called Castabulum There Parmenio returned to the King who had been sent to search the Streights that lay between them and the City of Issum He had prevented the Persians at that Passage and so leaving men for the defence thereof he possessed himself of the City of Issum that was left desolate He departed from thence and did drive the Persians out of the Mountains searching and clearing all the ways so that having made all things sure for the Army to pass he returned again both the Author of the Act and the Reporter of the thing done Alexander incamped within the City of Issum and there debated in Councel whether it were better to pass on further or else to tarry there for a more sure power which was coming to him out of Macedon Parmenio was of Opinion that this place was most safe to abide Darius in and to give him Battel where both the Armies should be of like force by reason of the Streights wherein no great multitude can fight at once He shewed reasons why they ought to eschew the Plains wherein their Enemies should have great advantage through their great number by which they might close them about wherein he said he feared not his Enemies stoutness but feared their own men might be overcome with weariness where a multitude should fight with a few and fresh men succeed in the place of them that fainted This Counsel was received for good and Alexander determined in the same place to abide his Enemies There was in the Host of the Macedons one Sysenes a Persian sent before time from the Governour of Aegypt unto King Philip who being advanced with reward and promotions chose to live out of his own Country and so following Alexander into Asia was esteemed among those that the King trusted well A Souldier of Greece delivered him a Letter from Nabarzanes Darius Lieutenant he exhorted him to do some notable Enterprise whereby he might win favour and reputation with Darius Sysenes innocent of this matter was divers times about to present the Letter to the King but seeing him full of weighty affairs in providing for the Battel he prolonged the matter and whilest he waited for a more convenient time he brought himself in suspition of Treason for the Letter was brought to the Kings hands before it was delivered to him who reading it did seal the same with a strange Seal and caused it to be delivered to Sysenes to prove thereby his fidelity But because he concealed the thing many days and opened not the matter to the King it seemed that he consented thereunto and therefore by the Kings Commandment he was put to death by the hand of the Grecians The Greek Souldiers which Thimones had received of Pharnabasus being those that Darius trusted most were now come to him They perswaded much Darius to retire back into the Plains of Mesopotamia and if he would not do so that at the least he should divide his power and not commit the whole force of his Estate to one stroke of Fortune This Counsel was not so displeasant unto the King as to such as were about him For they said Mercenary Souldiers were alwayes full of Treason and were to be doubted the more for that they counselled the Army to be divided which was for no other purpose but only that they might have opportunity to fly to Alexander when they should have any charge committed unto them there is nothing therefore more sure for us quoth they than to inclose them round about with our Army and to cut them in pieces for an example to the world that Treason may never be left unrevenged but Darius who was of a meek and good disposition refused to commit so cruel an act in slaying such as had betaken themselves to his trust For he said If we should defile our hands with their blood what strange Nation would ever then commit themselves into our hands and alledged that there ought no man to lose his life for giving foolish Counsel for who would be bold to give counsel if in counselling there should be any peril I call you quoth he to counsel daily and hear the diversity of your opinions and mistrust not them that give me not alwaies the best counsel He caused the Greeks to be answered that he gave them thanks for their good will but in returning back he said that he should give up his Country into his Enemies hands which was not convenient and considering the force that Fame is of in War in going back he alledged he should appear to fly But to defer the fight he thought it worst of all seeing so great an Army as he had the Winter then approaching could not be victualled in a desolate Country that had been wasted both by themselves and by their enemies And for the dividing of his power he shewed that he could not do it observing the custom of his Predecessors who were not wont to hazard the Battel but with all their power He declared that Alexander before his coming seemed terrible to the world and through his absence was brought into a vain presumption but after he saw him come forwards he became wary and well advised hiding himself in the straights of the Mountains like those coward-Beasts who hearing the noise of the Passengers do hide themselves in the dens of the Woods He hath deluded his Souldiers quoth he with his counterfeit sickness but now I will not suffer him to prolong the fight any longer which if he will refuse I will oppress him in his lurking holes These words he spake with greater ostentation than truth and sent his Treasure and Jewels with a small Convoy to Damascus in Syria and entred with his Army into Cilicia bringing with him according to his Country manner both his Mother his Wife his little son and his daughter It so chanced that on the same night in
assigned to encounter with those that Darius had sent to take the top of the Mountain He willed Parmenio that as much as might be he should stretch out his Forces towards the Sea and withdraw as far as he could from the Hills which the Enemies had taken but such as had direction by Darius to take the Hills neither durst resist such as came against them nor yet compass about such as were passed by them but fled away at the first fight of the Slingers which thing chanced well for Alexander for it was the thing that he doubted most that they from the higher ground should invade the open side of his Battel which lay unslanked towards them The Macedons marched 32 in a rank for the streightness of the ground would not suffer them to move in a broader body but by little and little as the plain between the Mountains began to enlarge so they had liberty to make their Battels broader and also for the horsemen to march upon the sides When both the Battels were come within fight of each other the Persians first gave a terrible and rude shout which was again doubled by the Macedons not with their number which was far inferiour unto the Persians but with the râ—bound of the Hills and the Rocks which doubled every voice of theirs Alexander did ride up and down before the fronts of his Battels making a signe to his Souldiers with his hand that they should not make too much haste to joyn with their Enemies for bringing themselves out of breath and as he went by he used to every Nation sundry exhortations as he thought convenient for their dispositions and qualities He put the Macedons in remembrance of their ancient courage and the number of Battels that they had won in Europe that they were come thither by his conduct not only to subdue Asia but the uttermost bounds of the Orient He shewed them to be the people that were ordained to conquer the world and to pass the bounds of Hercules and Bacchus he declared that both Bactria and India should be theirs in respect of which the countries that they had yet seen were but trifles and these were to be gotten all with one Victory Their Travel he said should not now be in vain as it was in the barren Rocks of Illyria or in the Mountains of Thrace but in this Conquest the Spoil of the whole Orient was offered unto them for the getting whereof they should scarcely need to handle their Swords since the Battels of their Enemies wavered so already for fear that with their approach only they had almost put them to flight He recalled his Father Philip unto their memory how he conquered the Athenians with the Country of Boetia how he rased to the ground the noble City of Thebes he made rehearsal to them of the Battel won at the River of Granike and of all the Cities that he had taken or that had been yielded unto him with the Countries they had passed through and subdued When he came unto the Greeks he desired them to call to miâ—d the great Wars that had been made against their Country in times past by the Persians first by the pride of Xerxes and after by Darius who made destruction both by Sea and Land in such 〈◊〉 that the Rivers could not serve them for Drink 〈◊〉 the Earth furnish them with Victuals for Food He rehearsed also how the Temples of their gods had been by them polluted and consumed their Cities overthrown and all Truces broken which ought to be confirmed both by divine and humane Law when he passed by the Illyrians and Thracians which were accustomed always to theft and spoil he invited them to behold their enemies which glistered with gold and bare no armour but spoil for them to take he incouraged them to go forwards like men and pluck the prcy from those effeminate women and to make exchange of their craggy Rocks and Mountains full of snow for the plentiful grounds and lands of Persia By this time both Armies were advanced within the throw of their Darts and Darius Horsemen gave a fierce charge upon the right-hand-Battel of the Macedons For Darius desire was to try the Battel by Horsemen rightly judging that the chiefest power of his Enemies consisted in their square Battel of Footmen So that the Battel where Alexander remained was brought to the point of being inclosed round if he had not perceived the same in time and commanding two Bodies of his Horse to keep the top of the Hill he brought all the rest of them to the incounter of his Enemies Having then drawn the Thessalian Horsemen where they stood to fight he commanded their Capt. to bring them about behinde the Battels and there to joyn with Parmenio to perform with courage what he should appoint them By this time the Phalanx of the Macedons in manner inclosed about with their Enemies fought notably on all parts but they stood so thick and were so joyned one to another that they wanted 〈◊〉 to wield their weapons They were so mingled that in casting their darts they one letted another few lighting on their enemies and the most part falling on the ground without harm and being forced to joyn hand to hand they valiantly used the sword Then there was great effusion of blood for both the Armies closed so near that their Harness clashed together weapon against weapon and foined at one anothers faces with their Swords There was no place for the fearful or the coward to fly back but each set his foot to other and by fighting kept still their place till they could make their way by force and so always passed forwards as they had overthrown their Enemies As they were wearied and travelled thus with fighting they were ever received with fresh Enemies and such as were wounded might not depart out of the Battel as it had been seen elsewhere their Enemies assailed them so fiercely before and their fellows thrust on so hard behind Alexander that day did not only such things as pertained to a Captain but adventured himself as far as any private Souldier coveting by all means to kill Darius which he esteemed the greatest honour Darius rode aloft upon his Chariot giving great provocations both for his Enemies to assail him and for his own Men to defend him As Oxatres his brother appeared most notable amongst them all in his furniture and personage so in affection towards the King he exceeded far the rest especially in that case of necessity for when Alexander approached near he thrust in before Darius with the band of Horsemen whereof he had the charge and overthrowing divers he put many more to flight But the Macedons swarmed so about the King and were in such a courage by the Exhortation that each made to other that they charged again upon the Band of Horsemen Then the slaughter was great and the overthrow manifest about the Chariot of Darius the noblest of his Captains lay
dying honourably in the sight of their Prince For just as they received their deaths wounds so they fell without turning their backs Amongst them Atycies Romithres and Sabaces Governour of Aegypt having the charge of great numbers of men were overthrown and slain and about them there lay by heaps a huge number of the vulgar sort both of horsemen and footmen Of the Macedons also some were slain specially such as pressed most forward among whom the right shoulder of Alexander was lightly hurt with a sword In this throng the horses that drew Darius Chariot were thrust in with Pikes and growing outragious with the sense of pain began to struggle and overthrow their Master He fearing therefore to be taken alive leaped from the Chariot and was set upon a lâ—d Horse and so fled away casting his Diadem from his Head that he might escape unknown Then the rest of his Army were dispersed by fear and flying by such ways as were open for them they threw away the Armour which before they had taken for their defence of such a nature is fear that it refuseth the thing that should be its safeguard When Parmenio saw them fly he straight commanded the Horsemen to pursue them and put all his Enemies to flight that were on that part But on the other hand the Persians did put the Thessalian Horsemen to a fore distress for at the first shock they had broken one of their Troops yet for all that they wheeled about and rallying themselves they charged again the Persians with so much courage that they soon brake their Order and overthrew them with a great slaughter The Thessalians had herein a great advantage by reason that the Persians besides that they are armed themselves have their horses also barbed with Plates of Steel which was the cause they could not on the Charge or on the Retreat be so quick as the Thessalians were for the Thessalians by their celerity wherein the force of Horsemen chiefly consisteth had overthrown many of them before they could turn their horses about When Alexander understood that his men prevailed on their Enemies on that Wing likewise he adventured to follow in the Chase which he durst not do before he knew the Battel to be clearly won and the Enemies repelled on all sides Alexander had not about him above a thousand Horsemen with whom he slew many thousands of his Enemies for who is he that in an overthrow or Chase can number men Those few Macedons drove the multitude of their Enemies before them like sheep and the same fear that caused them to fly stayed them likewise in their flying The Grecians that were on Darius side under their Captain Amintas who sometime had been in great Authority with Alexander but then against him brake out from the rest and marched away in order of Battel but the Persians fled divers ways some directly towards Persia and some by unfrequented ways escaped by the Mountains and the Woods A few there were that recovered their former Camp which they could not defend any time against the Macedons who were Conquerours but the same immediately was won abounding with gold and silver and most rich Moveables appertaining not only to the Wars but to all voluptuousness and excess which riches whiles the Souldiers violently spoiled they strowed the ways full of Packs and Fardels in respect of the covetous desire they had to things of greater value But when they came unto the Women as their habiliments were more precious so the more violently they plucked them away Their bodies also were not free from their lust and inforcement the Camp every where being full of tumult and lamentation as chance befel every one The licentiousness of the Victors was such that their cruelty raged upon all Ages and Creatures and no kinde of mischief was wanting amongst them There might have been seen the variableness of Fortune when they which had prepared Darius Pavilion did now reserve and keep the same for Alexander as for their old Master For the Macedons had left that unspoiled according to their Ancient Custom which are ever wont to receive their King when he is Victorious into the Kings Pavilion that he hath vanquished The Mother and Wife of Darius that there were taken Prisoners moved all men to cast their eyes and inward contemplations towards them whereof the one deserved to be Reverenced for the Majesty that was in her and for her Age and the other for the excellency of her Beauty which through her misadventure was nothing stained She was found imbracing her little Son in her arms not yet of the age of six years born as an Inheritour to the Dominion which his Father had lost There lay also two young Virgins in his Grand-mothers lap even then marriageable who languished and lamented not so much through their own private sorrow as for the dolorousness of the old woman About the mother and the wife were a great number of noble Women that pulled their hair and tore their cloaths without respect of what appertained to their estate and unmindful of the calamity which Darius wife and his mother were come unto called them still by the name of Queens with such other titles of honour as they did before They all forgetting their own misery were diligent to enquire after the fortune of the field and what success the Battel had in which Darius was in person for if he were alive they could in no wise think themselves Prisoners But he by the changing of many horses was by that time fled far away There were slain of the Persian Army one hundred thousand footmen and ten thousand horsemen and of Alexanders Company only 504 hurt and 32 footmen and 150 horsemen killed So great a Victory was gotten with so small a loss Alexander that was wearied with pursuing of Darius when he perceived the night to draw on and that there was no hope to overtake him whom he followed returned into the Persians Camp which a little before his coming was taken by his men That night he made a banquet to such of his friends as he was accustomed to invite for the hurt on his shoulder whereof the skin was but smally perished did not hinder him from keeping company As they sate at meat suddenly they heard a pitiful cry with a strange howling and lamentation that put them all in great fear insomuch that they who kept the Watch about the Kings Pavilion fearing it to be the beginning of some great matter began to arm themselves The wife and mother of Darius with the other Noble women newly taken prisoners were the cause of this sudden fear by lamenting of Darius whom they supposed had been slain which suspition they conceived by one of the Eunuches who standing before their Tent-door saw a Souldier carry a parcel of Darius Diadem which he a little before had cast from his head When Alexander understood their errour he wept as it was said to consider Darius misfortune and the
commanded to make a halt Whilest the Persians after that manner tarried for their Enemies there fell a sudden fear amongst the Macedons whereof there appeared no cause and yet every man was amazed and a secret dread entred into their hearts The lightning that fell out of the air it being in the Summer-season seemed like fire and the flames suddenly appearing were thought to come from Darius Camp If Mazeus who was sent out to observe their coming had set upon them while they were in this fear he might have performed some notable act But he was slow in the enterprize and remained upon the top of an Hill contented that he was not assailed Alexander perceiving the terrour that invaded his Souldiers made a signe for them to slay and gave order that they should unarm themselves and refresh their bodies giving them to understand that there was not any cause why they should entertain so vain a fear seeing their Enemies were yet a good distance from them At length when he perceived they had recovered their spirits he exhorted them to receive courage and put on their armour but yet he thought nothing more expedient then to fortifie his Camp in the same place The next day Mazeus who had planted himself on a high Hill from whence he might behold his Enemies Camp either for fear or else because his Commission was but only to discover the motion of his Enemies returned again unto Darius Upon his departure the Macedons immediately possessed themselves of the Hill which he had forsaken the same being of more strength then the Plain where they remained before from whence they might behold their Enemies Camp And though the Mist which the moist Hills did cast forth took not away clearly the use of their prospect yet it hindred them to discern the division of their Enemies Battels and their order their multitude overspread the fields and the noise of their number did fill their ears though they were far off Then Alexander begun to revolve in his minde and to debate with himself one while Parmenio's Opinion and another time his own for he was come so far forth that he could not retire except he were Victorious without the great destruction of his Army The multitude of his Enemies moved him much in respect of his small numbers Yet on the other part remembred what great Acts he had done with them and how many Nations he had vanquished So that his hope surmounting his fear he thought it of all most dangerous to defer the Battel any longer lest desperation should grow amongst his men and therefore dissembling the matter he caused the Mercenary Horsemen and the Peons to pass on before and divided his Phalanx as it hath been said into two Battels and impaled the same with Horsemen on both sides By that time the Mist vanished and it waxing clear the order of his Enemies manifestly appeâ—red The Macedons then whether it were of courage or for that they were impatient to tarry any longer made such a shout as men of War use when they joyn in Battel The like was also made by the Persians Then the Woods and Valleys rebounded with the terrible sound The Macedons could not abstain any longer but would have gone forwards towards their Enemies But Alexander thought it better to fortifie his Camp upon that Hill and so commanded it to be intrenched about Which work being speedily performed he entred into his Tent from whence he might behold the Field Marshalled and the whole Army of his Enemies embattelled then the fashion and form of the danger that was at hand was presented before his eyes both Horsemen and Footmen glistered in their bright Armour and all things were prepared with extraordinary diligence He beheld the care of the Captains in his Enemies Camp how they did ride up and down to set things in order And many things that were but vain indeed as the noise of Men the neighing of Horses and the glistering of their Armour troubled yet the minde that was careful in expectation of the event Therefore whether it were that he was not fully resolved in his minde or else to prove the resolutions of such as were about him a Councel of War was called to advise what was best to do Parmenio who was the most experienced among all the Captains in the feats of War thought it good not to give his Enemies open Battel but rather to set upon them in the dead time of the night whereby he thought they might easily be discomfited supposing that they among whom there was such diversity of Customs and alteration of Language could never rally well together especially when in the dead of night they should have their quarters beaten up whereas in the day time the shape of the Scythians and Bactrians with their rough faces and long hair beside the hugeness of their bodies should appear terrible He alledged how Souldiers were more moved with the vain causes of fear and such as were of no moment then with such as were just causes indeed He declared also how their Enemies by reason of their great multitude should be able to inclose their small number round about and that they should not now fight in the Streights and narrow passages of Cilicia but in an open and large Plain They all in a manner agreed to Parmenio and Polipercon was directly of Opinion that the Victory consisted on the following of that counsel The King that before had upbraided Parmenio more bitterly then was expedient would not check him again but beheld Polipercon and said That Policy that you advise me pertaineth to Robbers and Felons for it is their propriety to work by darkness and deceit I will no more suffer that either Darius absence the streightness of the ground or the stealth in the night shall be an hinderance to my glory I am plainly determined to fight with him in the open day and had rather repent me of my Fortune then he ashamed of my Victory Besides this is to be considered that the Persians keep good Watch and stand armed always in a readiness to receive us whereof I have advertisement so that they cannot be deceived that way therefore there doth remain no more but that you prepare your selves to the Battel When he had by these words put them into courage he dismissed them from Counsel to refresh their bodies Darius conjecturing that his Enemies would have done that which Parmenio did perswade caused the Horses to stand ready bridled the whole night and the most part of his Host to continue armed and to keep good watch His Camp shone bright with the fires that were made and he himself with his Captains and Kinsfolks went about his Souldiers that stood in order and in Arms making invocation to the Sun to Mars and to the Everlasting Fire that they would inspire into them a fortitude of minde that might answer to the Ancient Glory and the Acts of their Predecessors And declared if the minde of man
wonderfully that the Victory should be thus taken out of his hands and that Darius had better fortune in flying then he in following In the mean sâ—ason the fame of Darius overthrow was brought unto Mazeus wherefore though before he had the upper hand yet he was so stricken with fear at his Fellows misfortune that he made a slack pursuit upon their Enemies Parmenio was ignorant of the cause why the fight did slack so willingly on their part and boldly using the occasion called the Thessalian Horsemen unto him and said See you not how our Enemies that even now gave us a fierce onâ—set suddenly be afraid I see the fortune of our King doth give us the Victory All the Field is strowed with the Persians that be slain Why do you therefore stay Are you not good enough for men that fly They saw that his words had some appearance of truth and therefore by and by they took courage and putting their Spurs to their Horses gave a full charge upon their Enemies who retired not by little and little but marched away a great pace and they wanted nothing of flying saving that they had not yet directly turned their backs yet for all that in so much as Parmenio knew not what was become of the King nor of his Battel he stayed and would not pursue after them Mazeus having liberty given him to fly at his leisure passed the River of Tire not the next way but by a further compass about with more surety and recovered the City of Babylon with the remainder of that vanquished Army In the mean season Darius with a few that accompanied him in his slight came to the River of Licus where passing over he stood in doubt whether he should break the Bridge or no for it was shewed him that his Enemies were at hand but considering how many thousands of his men by the breaking thereof should become a prey to his Enemies he left the Bridge standing and at his departure said That he had rather open the way to them that pursued him then to shut it against them that fled after him But Darius left not his flying till he came to Arbella where he arrived about mid-night Who is able to conceive in his minde or express in words the manifold chance in this discomfiture the slaughter that fell both upon Captains and Souldiers the chasing of them that were put to flight and the destruction in general and in particular Fortune heaped together in that one day the chances of the whole world Some took the way that came next to hand others fled into the Woods and sought out by-ways to escape such as had them in the chase There was a confusion of Horsemen and Footmen mixed together withouâ— any head the armed with the unarmed and the whole with the hurt At length the compassion that one had of another was turned into fear and they that could not follow were left bewailing themselves one to another But Thirst chiefly afflicted the wounded and wearied who lay along every where in the ways where any water was gasping after it with open mouth and when for greediness they had gulled in the troubled water they began to swell when the Mud once entred into their Intrails and being thus not in case to move the Enemy came and stirred them up with fresh wounds Some when the Brooks near hand were taken up by others sought out for Springs in every secret place Nor were there any Puddles so dry or so far out of the way that could be hidden from the thirst of them that searched them out The old men and women were heard howling and crying in all the Villages near the way side how Darius was yet their King Alexander as it hath been said before pursuing the Chase was come to the River of Licus at which the multitude of the Flyers were more then could pass the Bridge so that many when their Enemies pursued them leaped into the water and there laden with their Armour and wearied with sighting and flying were consumed in the stream But within a while neither the Bridge nor the River were able to receive the throung that continually increased by their indiscreet flying For when fear had once entred into their hearts they doubted only that which put them first in fear The Macedons were very eager in pursuit of their Enemies and required Alexander that he would not suffer his Enemies to escape free away But he to stay them alledged that their weapons were dull their hands wearied their bodies faint in the long pursuit and the night besides fast approached on them But in very deed the care of his other Battel which he thought to be yet fighting caused him to return to their succour He had not so soon turned his Ensignes but that certain Horsemen brought him word from Parmenio that he likewise had put his Enemies to flight He was not in so great danger all that day as when he was coming towards his Camp for there were but few that followed him and they were out of order as men that rejoycing of the Victory judged all their Enemies either to be fled or slain in the Field Suddenly there appeared a Band of Persian Horsemen coming against them which at the first stayed but afterwards perceiving the small number of the Macedons gave a charge upon them The King rode foremost rather dissembling then despising the peril he was in But his perpetual felicity never failed him in his extremities for at the first encounter he strake the Captain of the Persians who in eagerness of the fight unadvisedly came against him through with a Spear When he with that blow was stricken to the ground Alexander slew the next unto him with the same Staff and after him divers others When his Company saw their Enemies amazed with his doings they brake upon them and threw many to the earth yet they for their parts were not unrevenged for the whole Battel did not so earnestly fight as that small Band assembled so by chance But at length when they saw flying in the dark to be more safe unto them then fighting they fled away in divers Companies Alexander having escaped this extraordinary peril brought his men in safeguard unto his Camp There were slain of the Persians which came to the knowledge of them that had the Victory forty thousand and of the Macedons less then three hundred which Victory Alexander won more by his own Vertue then by any fortune and with hardiness and courage more then through any advantage of the ground for he both ordered his Battels politickly and fought manfully With great wisdom he contemned the loss of the Baggage considering the weight of the whole matter to consist in the Battel it self Whilest the fortune of the Field remained doubtful he used himself as assured of the Victory and when he had put his Enemies in fear he ceased not till he had set them flying and that which scarcely can be
of their terrour seeing they could not enjoy any benefit of the Stars for if any gave light the same was taken away by the shadow of the trees And the use of the ear could not serve for one to receive counsel and comfort from another the winde whirling amongst the leaves and the shaking of the boughs making an amazing noise But at length the day increasing in its light diminished the terrours that the darkness of the night had made Then by fetching a little compass about they passed the hollow gull and every man began to be a guide to himself At last they got up on the top of the Hill from whence they might behold their Enemies in their Camp Then the Macedons shewed themselves stoutly in their Armour appearing suddenly on their backs when they mistrusted no such thing and there slew such as came first to encounter with them So that on the one part the grievous noise of them that were slain and the miserable shrick of such as ran in for succour amongst their own company put the rest to slight without making any resistance When the Alarm was once heard in the Camp where Craterus lay the Army by and by passed forward to go through the Streights in the which they were repulsed the day before Philotas also with Polipercon Cenos and Amintas who were gone the other way arrived at the same time and gave a further terrour unto their Enemies When the Persians saw their Enemies assailing them in all parts at once though they were so opprest with their sudden invasion that at the first they were in doubt what to do yet at length they assembled together and fought notably necessity stirring up the faintness of their hearts for often-times despair is the cause of good hope They being unarmed closed with them that were armed and with the weight of their bodies pulled their Enemies to the Earth and killed divers with their own Weapons Ariobarzanes with forty Horsemen and five thousand Footmen that kept about his person brake through the Battel of the Macedons to the great slaughter of his own men and his Enemies and by making haste recovered Persepolis the chief City of the Countrey But when he was excluded from thence by such as were within he renewed again the Fight with such as were with him and so was slain By that time Craterus that made all the speed he could was come unto them Alexander fortified his Camp in the same place where he did discomfite his Enemies For though they were all fled and he certain of the Victory yet because he found his way stopped in many places with great and deep Ditches he thought good to use circumspection and not to make too great a speed not so much by fear of his Enemies Force as by reason of the nature of the ground which he found apt for them to lay ambushments against him As he was passing forwards he received Letters from Tyridates the keeper of Darius Treasure signifying that the inhabiters of Persepolis hearing of his coming were about to spoil the Treasure and that therefore he should haste to prevent it for the way was ready enough notwithstanding the River of Araxes interposed There was no vertue in Alexander more commendable then his celerity which he shewed specially in this for leaving his footmen behinde he travelled all night with his horsemen and by day-light came to the River of Araxes there he found many Villages and Houses whose Timber being taken down a Bridge was raised in a moment by the help of stones which were found in the bottom of the River When Alexander had passed the River and came near unto the City a company met him so miserable as seldom have been found in any memory They were Greeks to the number of four thousand whom the Persians heretofore had taken prisoners and afflicted with divers kindes of torments For some of them had their feet cut off some their hands and others their ears but all were marked in the flesh with hot Irons The Persians having maimed and deformed them after this manner kept and reserved them still as a memory of their despite towards the Nation But when they saw they should come under the obedience of another Prince they suffered the Greeks to meet Alexander They seemed rather to be Specters then men for nothing could be discerned or known but their voice The compassion of their wretched estate caused the beholders to let fall no fewer tears then they did themselves For it could not appear which of them were most miserable though their afflictions were divers But when they had cried out before Alexander that Jupiter the revenger of Greece had opened their eyes in beholding him that should deliver them they judged then all their gifts as one Alexander wiped the tears from his eyes and willed them to be of good chear for that they should both see their Countrey and their Friends and he encamped at the same place where he met them being two furlongs from Persepolis The Greeks drew themselves together to consult what was best for them to demand of Alexander and when some were of opinion to ask dwelling places within Asia and others had more minde to return into their Countries Euctemon the Cymaean spake thus unto them We that even now were ashamed to put our heads out of the prison and darkness we were in to make suit for our own aid and relief are become of such simplicity that we presently desire to shew unto Greece as a pleasant spectacle our deformities and maims whereof we have as much cause to be ashamed as to be grieved You must think that such bear their miseries best who can finde the means to hide them most and that there is no Countrey so familiar to men that be unfortunate as solitariness and forgetfulness of their former estate For they which make an account of their Friends pity and compassion know not how soon their tears may dry up no Creatures can love those faithfully whom they abhor For as calamity of her own Nature is full of complaint so Felicity is always proud and every one doth use to think of his own Fortune when he judgeth of his Neighbours For except we had all been in misery one of us long ago had been weary of another What marvel is it then though men in felicity seek alwaies their equals My opinion is therefore that we who as men long ago were as dead in this life seek us a place wherein we may hide our maimed members and whereas exile may conceal our horrible deformities If we shall return into our Countrey being in this case how can we but be unwelcome to our Wives whom we married young Or shall our Children or our Brethren now acknowledge us being the vomits of so many Prisons and though all things should there succeed as we could wish yet how small a number of us are able to travel through so many Countries How is it possible for
us that are here banished into the uttermost bounds of the Orient being aged impotent and maimed to endure those travels which have wearied men who have been both armed and Conquerours It is to be asked what shall become of our Wives whom Chance and Necessity hath here procured us for the only comfort of our imprisonment what shall we do with our Children Shall we take them with us or leave them behinde us If we return with such as we have here none of those in Greece will acknowledge us and shall we then be so mad to leave those comforts we have already being uncertain whether we shall arrive at those which we desire or not Verily much better it were for us to conceal our selves amongst them who have been acquainted with us in our misery These were Euctemon his words but Theatus the Athenian reasoned to the contrary There is no wise man quoth he that will esteem us by our outward shape seeing that our calamity is not come by Nature but by the cruelty of our Enemies Such as are ashamed of the injuries of Fortune are well worthy to suffer misadventures They give a grievous sentence upon the state of mans Mortality and despair much of mercy who deny their compassion to men in misery Now therefore since the gods have offered to you what ye durst never have wished for that is your Country your Wives and your Childre being 〈◊〉 things which men esteem more then life and redeem oftentimes with death Why do you doubt for the enjoyment of those things to break out of this imprisonment I judge the Air of our own Country most natural to us where there is another manner of living other Customs other Religion and another tongue which for the pleasantness of it is coveted of the Barbarous Nations What great things then be those which ye would willingly leave the want of which onely is the cause of your misery My Opinion is plain that we visit our Countrey and our Home and not to refuse so great a benefit as Alexander hath proffered us If any be detained with the love of such wives and children as they have gotten here in servitude let such be no impediment to others that esteem most their natural Countrey There were but few of this opinion for custome that is of greater force then nature prevailed in that point They agreed therefore to demand of Alexander the gift of some place to inhabit in and chose out a hundred to be Petitioners to him in that behalf When Alexander perceived them coming towards him thinking that they would have required what he had conceived he said unto them I have appointed to every one of you Beasts to carry you and a thousand Deniers and when you shall come to Greece I will so well provide for you that excepting your misfortune no man shall think himself in better case then you But when he saw them looking still toward the ground and that they neither lifted up their eyes nor spake one word he enquired the cause of their heaviness Then Euctemon rehearsed again those words in effect which he had spoken before in Councel The King therefore pitying no less their demand then he did their misfortune commanded three thousand Deniers to be given to every one of them and ten suits of apparel with Cattel and Corn whereby they might Till and Sow the Land that should be appointed to them The next day he assembled all the Captains of his Army together and represented to them that there was no City more enemy to the Greeks then the same that was the chief Seat of the ancient Kings of Persia from whence all the great Enemies had been sent into Greece how Darius first and after him Xerxes had come out of that place to move their unâ—ust War against Europe with the destruction of which City he thought good to revenge the blood of their Predecessours The Inhabitants had abandoned that City and fled where their fear did drive them Whereupon the King straightways brought in all the Phalanx to the spoil thereof He had before that time won many Cities some by force and some by composition that were full of riches and of Princes Treasure but the abundance of that City did exceed all the rest as being the place where the Persians had laid up all their substance Gold and Silver was found in heaps and great plenty of rich habiliments and furniture of houses not only for necessary use but for excess and ostentation which was so great that it gave the Conquerours occasion to fight for it amongst themselves each taking other for their enemies that had gotten the richest spoil The abundance there was such that they could not imploy the riches which they found but when they saw things of value they esteemed them rather then took them away At last every one of them coveting to have a part of every thing did tear and break asunder the Princely Robes and the precious Plate of curious workmanship with the Images of Gold and Silver which were plucked in pieces as every one caught hold nothing was left untouched nor any thing carried away whole cruelty bearing no less rule then covetousness every one was so laden with gold and silver that they esteemed not the keeping of their prisoners but killed such as at first they spared in hope of gain There were many therefore that prevented their Enemies by a voluntary death and divers cloathing themselves in their most precious apparel leaped down from the walls with their wives and children Certain there were that set their own houses on fire which they judged their Enemies would else have done and burned themselves with their Family together At length the King did forbid any violence to be done to women and that no man should meddle with any thing pertaining to them The sum of money taken within this City was greater then any man can well credit but either we must doubt with others or else believe what hath been left in memory that the Treasure there found amounted to a hundred and twenty thousand Talents which Treasure because Alexander would employ in his Wars he caused Horses and Camels to be brought from Susae and Babylon to convey the same The taking of the City of Persagadis wherein were found six thousand Talents was an increase to this sum which City being built by Cyrus was yielded up by Gobates who had the Government thereof Alexander left in the Castle of Persepolis three thousand Macedons in Garrison under Nicâ—rides Captain of the same and reserved to Tyridates that delivered him the Treasure the same honour that he enjoyed with Darius Leaving in this City the greater part of his Army with his Carriages under the Rule of Parmenio and Craterus he with a thousand Horsemen and a Band of Footmen without any Baggage went to visit in the Winâ—â—â—â—â—â—son the inward parts of Persâ—a There he was 〈…〉 ed with Storms and Tempests that were in a manner
filled both the Kings lodging and also the whole Camp with mourning and lamentation and divers brake into the place where Darius was and tearing their cloaths bewailed his case with a great lamentation When the cry came unto the Persians they were so amazed with fear that they durst neither put on their Armour lest they might give occasion to the Bactrians to set upon them nor could they remain quiet lest they might so wickedly leave their King Then were clamours heard throughout the Camp of divers sorts without any Head and without any appointment Such as pertained to Nabarzanes and Bessus deceived by such lamentation as they heard brought tydings to the rest that the King had killed himself Whereupon they repaired thither so fast as they could gallop and such Followed after as were chosen to be Ministers of their Mischief When they were entred into the Kings Pavilion because the Eunuchs declared that he was alive they commanded him to be bound Thus he who before was carried in a Chariot and honoured of his men like a god was made a prisoner by his own Servants without any Forreign Power and put into a vile Cart and covered over with Beasts skins and spoil was made of the Kings Stuff in such sort as if it had been taken in the Wars When they had laden themselves with the Prey got after so soul a manner they conveyed themselves into their Countries But Artabasus with those of whom he had the charge and with the Greek Souldiers took their way towards Parthina thinking to be more sure any where then in the Fellowship of those Traytors The Persians whom Bessus had overcome with so many fair promises specially because they had no other man to follow joyned themselves to the Bactrians and the third day overtook them But to the intent Darius should not want such honour as was due to his Estate Bessus caused him to be bound with Golden Fetters such were the despites that his Fortune made him subject unto And for that he should not be known by his Apparel they covered the Cart with foul Hides of Beasts and caused unknown men to drive it forwards and lest by enquiry in the Army he might be discovered such as had the charge of him followed afar off When Alexander heard that Darius was removed to Ecbatana he left the way that he was in and with all the speed he could make followed after Darius who was said to be gone into Media But when Alexander was come to Taba which is the Chief City of Paratacene it was there shewed him by Fugitives that came out of Darius Camp how he was fled with all speed into Bactria and afterward understood the matter more certainly by Bagistines of Babylon who could not say directly that Darius was used as a prisoner but said that either he was in danger of death or of captivity Alexander upon that intelligence called his Captains together and shewed them that he had a great Enterprize but such a one as the travel was very short Darius he said was not far off forsaken of his own men and either taken as a prisoner or else slain in whose person he shewed the whole Victory to consist and the greatness of the matter to be a reward of their haste making They all cryed with one voice that they were ready to follow him wheresoever he should go and that he should not spare their labour nor their peril Whereupon he conveyed his Army forwards with marvellous speed rather in Post then after the common order of Marching neither resting day nor night till they passed five hundred furlongs and came to the Bridge where Darius was taken There Melun Darius Interpreter who by reason of his sickness could not follow the Army was taken by Alexanders celerity who feigning that he fled from his Master declared the whole matter But how great soever his desire was to overtake his Enemies it was necessary for him to give his men rest in their travel So that determining to leave the rest of his Army behinde he did chuse out six thousand Horsemen and added to them three hundred called Dimichas that were Footmen heavy harnessed but yet riding on Horseback and when the occasion required alighted and fought on foot When Alexander was taking order about these things Orsellus and Mithracenes who for the hatred they bare to Bessus for his Treason fled from him declared to the King that the Persâ—ans were but five hundred furlongs off and proffered to guide him by a nearer way Their coming was grateful to the King for by their Conduct in the beginning of the night he took his journey with such Horsemen as he had appointed willing his Foot-Battel to follow after with all speed possible He marched forwards in a square Battel and kept such an order that the first might joyn with the last and such as came behinde relieve them that went before When they had passed three hundred furlongs on their way Broculus the Son of Mazeus that sometime had been Governour of Syria met Alexander and declared that Bessus was within two hundred furlongs marching with his men out of all order as one that did cast no doubts It seemed to him he said that they went towards Hircania wherefore if haste were made they might soon be overtaken and found dispersed out of all Array And by reason he affirmed also that Darius was yet alive Alexander that was hot before in the pursuit was with his words much more quickned forwards so that he caused them to put Spurs to their Horses and in a gallop followed so fast that they might hear the noise of their Enemies as they marched but the dust that did rise obsured their sight and therefore he stayed a while till the dust was vanished away Then both Bessus perceived the Macedons and they saw the Persians as they fled notwithstanding they had not been able to have marched with them if Bessus had had as great courage to fight as he had to betray his Master For besides that they exceeded the Macedons in number and power the Macedons fore-wearied and over-travelled should have had to do with them that were lusty and fresh But the Name of Alexander and his Fame which was of great moment in the Wars put them in such fear that they could not stay themselves Then Bessus and others that were Partners in this Conspiracy came to the Cart where Darius was and perswaded him to leap on Horseback and fly from his Enemies that were at hand But he cryed out that the gods were come to his revenge and calling for the assistance of Alexander said That in no wise he would go with Traytors Whereat they were so stirred to wrath that they threw darts at him and left him wounded in many places of his body They thrust the Beasts into their bodies that drew the Cart to the intent they should not be able to pass forwards and slew his two Servants that did attend upon
Darius and put him down for the intent to give his Kingdom unto his servants yea and to such a one as attempted so vile an act against his Master at such a time as he had most need of help and whom we being his Enemies would have spared He being his subject put him in chains as a Captive and finally slew him because he should not be preserved by us Shall you suffer such a man as this to reign No let us make all the speed we may to see him crucified 〈◊〉 to shew unto all Kings and Nations a Justice done 〈◊〉 one that so vilely falsified his faith If the report should come unto you in your own Countries that the same man was destroying of the Greek Cities about Hellespont how sorry would you then be and how much would you lament that Bessus should enjoy that which you have got and usurp the rewards of your Victory Then would you make haste to recover your own then would you bend your selves to the Wars But how much better is it now to oppress him while he remaineth in such fear and is uncertain what way to take Shall we forbear to spend four days to come to him that have marched over such Snows that have passed so many Rivers that have climbed so many Mountains to whose journey the flowing-Sea could be no impediment nor the Streights of Cilicia could shut up our way Now all things are made plain and open and we stand in the entry of our Victory There are but a few Fugitives and Killers of their Master that do remain What more notable work can you leave unto your Posterity to be registred by Fame unto your glory then to revenge such as were Traytors to Darius You shall thereby shew that when you were Enemies unto him yet your hatred ended with his death and that no wicked man can escape your hands Which thing if you bring to pass how much more obedient do you think the Persians will be unto you when they perceive you to take just Wars in hand and that it was not with Bessus name whereat ye are offended but with his sins and treacheries His Oration was received of the Souldiers with such gladness that they straightways desire him to lead them whither he would And he that knew well enough how to make use of this opportunity immediately advanced into Parthenia and came to the bounds of Hircania leaving Craterus with those Regiments whereof he had the Rule and six thousand Horsemen of whom Amintas had the charge with the like number of Archers to defend Parthenia from the incursion of the barbarous Nations He appointed Erigonus with a small power to attend upon his Carriages willing him to pass with them through the plain Country and he himself with his Footmen and with the rest of his Horsemen marched forwards a hundred and fifty furlongs and incamped in a Valley at the entry into Hircania In the same place are great woods full of high and thick Trees and the bottom of the Valley is very fruitful by reason of the Springs that come forth of the Rocks Out of the foot of the Mountains there ariseth a River called Zieberis which within three furlongs of the head is divided by a Rock standing in the midst of the Stream causing the water to go two sundry ways which afterwards coming into one Channel runneth more violently then before by reason of the fall from the Rocks And suddenly it sinketh into the ground and so runneth hidden by the space of three hundred furlongs and then cometh forth again as it were out of a new Spring being then in bredth thirteen furlongs and as it runneth forwards groweth more narrow and falleth into another stream named Rhydago The Inhabitants of the Country affirm that any thing cast in where the Stream sinks into the ground will appear and come out at the next Mouth of the River For the proving of which conclusion Alexander caused two Bulls to be cast in where the water sank down whose bodies were found by such as were appointed for the purpose to appear where the Stream brake out again In this place he refreshed his Army four days during which time Nabarzanes who was Confederate with Bessus in killing of the King did write Letters to him to this effect How that he was no Enemy to Darius but counselled him ever to do such things as he judged most profitable and for his faithful counsel was put in danger of his life by him who against all reason intended to commit the custody of his person to Strangers condemning thereby the fidelity of his own Nation which they had kept unspotted towards their Kings the space of two hundred and thirty years Therefore seeing himself in that danger he took counsel of the present necessity and alledged that nothing was more dear to miserable Mortality then life for the love whereof he was driven to this extremity in committing an act which necessity rather compelled him to do then his own disposition For in a general Calamity every man seeks after his own Fortune If he would command him to come to his presence he said he would not refuse to do it for he could not fear that so great a King would violate his promise seeing one god is not used to deceive another But if he should seem unworthy of his assurance there were many Countries for him to fly unto for all men having vertue in them count always that for their Country where they make their residence Alexander made no stay to give him his word after such sort as the Persians used to receive promise which was safely to come and go Notwithstanding he marched in order of Battel sending ever Scouts before to discover the Country The light armed were appointed to the Vaward the Phalaux followed after and the Baggage behinde For by reason they were a warlike Nation and the Country hard to enter upon it caused the King to be circumspect The same Valley stretcheth to the Caspian Sea the Banks thereof resembling the Horns of the Moon before it cometh to the full the Sea lying betwixt them like a great Bay Upon the left hand the people inhabit that are called Cercetes which lye open towards the North and upon the other part the Leucosirians Mossynes and Chalibes and the Plains of the Amazons lye towards the West The Sea which some call the Caspian Sea and some the Hircanian being more sweet then any other bringeth forth Serpents of a wonderful bigness and Fishes differing in colour much from all the rest There be divers of opinion that the Lake of Meotis should run into this Sea which they conjecture by the water thinking the same to receive its sweetness of the Lake Towards the North the Sea groweth into a Beach and shooteth forth his waters far upon the Land which rising high make many Mears and Plashes And as by a constant course of the Planets they flow out so at a certain time by
remained in Camp till such time as the Souldiers that were left behinde did overtake their Fellows Then he went forwards with his Army to the Mount Caucasus which divideâ—â— all Asia into two parts For on the one side 〈◊〉 stretcheth towards the Sea of Cilicia and on the other side to the Caspian Sea to the River of Araxes and the Desarts of Scythia To this Mount Caucasus there joyneth another Mountain called Taurus next unto it in bignesâ— which riseth from Cappadocia and passing by Ciâ—â—cia closeth with the Mountains of Armenia Out of these Mountains joyning thus together as it were in one continual ridge all the Rivers in Asia do descend some of them running into the Red Sea some into the Caspian and Hircanian Sea and other unto the Sea of Pontus In seventeen days Alexander with his Armies passed Mount Caucasus where in a Rock that is ten furlongs in compass Antiquity fained that Prometheus lay bound At the foot of this Mountain Alexander chose out a place to build a City wherein he placed seven thousand of the most Ancient Macedons and such others whose service he would not use any more in the Wars and called the same Alexandria But Bessus that was put in fear with Alexanders celerity made sacrifice unto the gods of his Country and according to the custom of those in the midst of his Banquets he consulted with his friends and his Captains for the maintenance of the Wars And when they were well charged with Wine they extolled greatly their own power despising the rashness of their Enemies and their small number But chiefly Bessus was most arrogant in his words who puffed up with pride by reason of the Kingdom he had newly got by Treason began to declare How that Darius by his folly had increased his Enemies Fame who would needs fight with them in the Streights of Cilicia when by retiring back he might have drawn them before they had been aware into Desart places and there have put Rivers and Mountains between his Enemies and him and amongst the same so inclosed them that they could by no possibility have fled away and much less make any resistance Wherefore he said he was resolved to retire back amongst the Sogdiâ—â—â— where the River of Oxus should be as a Wall betwixt him and his Enemies till such time as he might assemble a strong power of the Nations thereabout knowing very well that the Chorismians the Dahans and Sacans the Indians and Scythians inhabiting beyond the River of Tanais would come to his assistance of whom there was none so low that any Macedon with the top of his head could reach to his shoulders They all in their drunkenness assented to him affirming that only to be the wisest way whereupon Bessus caused the Wine to be carried about plentifully as if by a Sea of Drink he intended to arrive to Victory There was at that Feast one Cobares a Median who in the Art Magick if it be an Art and not rather a deceit of some vain man was more notable by his profession then by his knowledge but otherwise a moderate and an honest man he making a preamble before his discourse said He was not ignorant how much better it were to be obedient to others counsel then to be a counsel-giver For such as are followers of other mens judgments are sure to have no worse fortune then the rest but such as are Authors and perswaders of any matter commonly prepare their own peril and therewith delivered the Cup he had in his hand and proceeded thus The Nature of Man in this respect may be called perverse because every one can see better into other mens affairs then into his own Their counsels must needs be always full of perturbations who take their own advice for fear is an impediment to some desire unto other and to many a self-love of the thing that they have devised I will not speak of pride nor impute it unto any man ye have seen by experience how every one doth esteem that thing only to be best which he himself hath invented The Diadem of a King that you wear upon your head is a great burthen which though it be born moderately the weight thereof will oppress the bearer It is not fury can avail in this case but wise and prudent counsel When he had spoken those words he rehearsed a Proverb commonly used amongst the Bactrians which is That a fearful Dog doth bark more then bite and that the deepest Rivers do run with least noise which things I have rehearsed because such prudence may appear as remained amongst the Barbarous As he talked after this manner such as heard him wondred to what end his discourse would tend Then he began to shew his advice which was more profitable to Bessus then grateful Alexanders celerity quoth he is such that he is come in a manner to the entry of your Court he can remove his Army before you can remove this Table You say that you will draw your assistance from his River of Tanais and that you will put Rivers betwixt you and your Enemies I would know if he be not able to follow wheresoever you shall fly If the way be indifferent it must needs be mâ—st easie and assured to the Conquerour And though you think fear doth make much speed yet hope is more swift It were therefore methinks expedient to procure the favour of him that is the Mightiest and yield your self to the Stronger Howsoever he shall accept it your Fortune is more like to be better that way then to remain still an Enemy Consider that you possess another mans Kingdom and therefore you may the better depart therewith For ye cannot be a just King till ye receive the Kingdom of him that is able to give it and take it away This is faithful counsel wherefore it is not necessary to delay the execution thereof The Horse that is of Noble courage will be governed by the shadow of a Rod but the dull beast is not pricked forwards with the Spur. Bessus that was fierce of nature and well set forwards with drink became in such a fury at his words that he could scarcely be withheld by his Friend from slaying Cobares for he pulled out his Sword to have done the deed and departed out of the Feast in a great rage But Cobares in the tumult escaped away and came unto Alexander Bessus had eight thousand Bactrians armed attending upon him who so long as they judged by the intemperateness of the Air in these parts the Macedons would rather have gone into India then into Bactria were very obedient to his Commandment But when they understood that Alexander was coming towards them every one shrunk away and forsook Bessus Then he with a Band of his own Family who were yet faithful unto him passed the River of Oxus burning such Boats as carried him over because the same should not serve his Enemy in following him and assembled a new
up some white Cloath You shall see me then come forwards with my power and turn the Enemies from you towards me He shall have ten Talents for a reward who doth recover the top first and he that getteth up next shall have one less and the like order shall be observed with Ten of the first I am assured you regard not so much my liberalitie as my favour When they had heard the King speak after that manner they imagined the thing done and departing out of his presence they prepared strong Ropes and iron Hooks which they fastened to the Rocks and so climbed up The King brought them about the Rock whereas it seemed least steep and most plain to mount upon and in the second Watch willed them to pass forwards with good speed They being furnished with two days Victuals and armed only with Swords and Spears at first went forwards without any great difficulty but when they came to the steepness of the Rock some took hold of the broken crags to lift up themselves and some fastening their Hooks on the Rocks climbed up by the Ropes They were compelled to rest and stay divers times and so consumed that day in travel and fear When they had passed many difficult places further labours appeared the height of the Rock seeming to grow more and more When they failed either of their hold or of their footing it was a miserable thing to see how they fell down headlong shewing by their mis-fortune an example to others what was likely to come of them Notwithstanding at length through all these difficulties they got up unto the top where wearied with the travel of their continual labour and some with the hurts and maims they had received they slept all that night amongst the wild and rough Rocks unmindful of the peril they were in When it was day they awaked out of their deep sleep and beholding the valleys underneath them they were ignorant in what part of the Rock so great a multitude of their Enemies should lie But at length when they perceived by the smoke in what place they were they upon the points of two spears set up the signe that was appointed them and found that in their coming up they had lost two and thirty The King being careful not so much for the desire he had to win the Rocks as to save those whom he had exposed to so manifest a danger stood all day beholding the top of the Mountain and when the darkness of the night took away the prospect of the eyes he departed to refresh his body The next day before it was full light he perceived the white Cloth set up on the top of the Rock but the variety of the Air the Sun beginning to arise and yet clouded caused him to doubt a while whether his sight had failed him or not But when it was full and open day it was manifestly apparent and all doubt was removed Then he called Cophes by whom he had attempted their mindes before willing him once again to exhort them to be better advised and if so be that in the trust of their strength they would not submit themselves that then he should shew to them those Souldiers that had taken the Rock over their heads When Cophes came thither he began to perswade Arimazes to give up his strength thereby to win the Kings favour and not inforce Alexander to stay in the Siege of a Rock having so many weighty affairs in hand But he found him more obstinate and proud then he did before and willed Cophes to depart and move him no more on that subject Then he took Arimazes by the hand and required him to go with him out of the Cave When they were come where they might look about he shewed him those that were gotten to the top of the Rock and scorning then his pride he asked of him whether Alexanders Souldiers had gotten wings or no By that time the Trumpets were blown in the Macedons Camp they might hear the Alarm that was made in the Army which as many vain and trifling things are wont in the Wars to grow to great effect so it was the cause that they yeilded themselves for fear so troubled them that they could not consider the small number that were over their heads but called Cophes again in great haste who was departed away and sent with him unto Alexander thirty of the chief men authorized to yeild up the Rock with composition to depart in safety But Alexander notwithstanding that he doubted lest his Enemies discovering the fewness of his men might put them to distress yet trusting in the felicity of his own Fortune and offended with the pride of Arimazes would agree to no condition but that they should yeild simply Arimazes thereupon despairing more of his state then he had cause descended down to the Camp with the chiefest of the Nation that were of Kin to him All whom Alexander caused to be scourged with Rods and then to be crucified at the foot of the Rock The multitude that yielded with the money that there was taken were given in gift to the Inhabitants of the new Cities and the Rule of the said Rock was committed unto Artabasus with the Charge of the Country thereabouts THE EIGHTH BOOK OF QVINTVS CVRTIVS Of the Acts of Alexander the Great King of Macedon ALexander having won this Rock with greater Fame then Glory because his Enemies remained in no place certain it was necessary for him to separate his Power and so he divided his Army into three parts He gave the Charge of the one part to Ephestion to Cenon the other and took the third part unto himself His Enemies were not all of one Opinion for some of them seeing their opposition could not avail yielded themselves before the Fight to whom he gave the Cities and the Lands of those that continued still his Enemies But the Outlawries of Bactria with eight hundred Horsemen wasted the Villages of the Massagetes For the redress whereof Attinas Governour of that Country went against them with three hundred Horsemen not knowing that his Enemies lay in wait for him who planting their Ambushment in a Wood joyning to a great Plain had appointed some men to drive Cattel thereby to draw their Enemies with the greediness of the prey within danger of the Ambush When the Souldiers of Attinas saw the Drivers of the Cattel they pursued them without order so that when they were passed the Wood where the Ambushment lay their Enemies brake out upon them not fearing any such danger and slew them every one The fame of this Overthrow came immediately to Craterus who drew thither with the Horsemen But the Massagetes being fled before his coming he flew a thousand of the Dahans that took their part whereby the Rebellion of all the Country ceased Thus Alexander having subdued the Sogdians returned to Maracanda whither Berdes whom he had sent to the Scythians inhabiting about Bosphorus came to him with
that were of kin to Traytors All the Conspirators except Calisthenes by the Kings commandment were brought forth who immediately confessed the whole Treason they had devised Then every man present reviled them and the King demanded what he had done to them that they should conspire his death When all the other stood still and held their peace Hermolaus answered thus Ye demand this thing of us as though you knew not the matter We began to kill you because you began to reign over us as if we were slaves and not free born As he was speaking these words his Father Persepolis called him Traytor and Murtherer of his Parents stopping his mouth with his hand because he should speak no further Then the King plucked his Father back and willed Hermolaus to speak such things as he had learned of his Master Calisthenes Then Hermolaus proceeded I will use your benefit and declare those things which I have learned to the great mischief of us all How small is the number of the Macedons remaining that have escaped your cruelty Attalus Philotas Parmenio Lincestes Alexander and Clitus are now dead but to our Enemies behoof they be alive They stood in the Fight and defended you with their Swords receiving wounds for your glory and victory which now are very well rewarded The one besprinkled your Table with his bloud and the other could not be suffered to die an ordinary death Thus the Captains of your people are tormented and put to death a pleasant spectacle to the Persians of whom they were Conquerours Parmenio by whom you slew your Enemy Attalus was put to death without judgement Thus use you the hands of us wretches as instruments to kill one another and such as even now were to be your Tormentors straightways you command to be tormented by others At those words the multitude began to shout against Hermolaus and his father drew his sword to have slain him if he had not been hindred by the King who commanded Hermolaus to speak requiring the rest to hear him plead for himself who he said enforced the cause of his own punishment At length with great labour they held their peace and then Hermolaus began again How liberal is he to suffer boys to speak when the voice of Calisthenes is shut up in prison because he alone is able to declare himself and why because he feareth the free speech of an innocent and cannot endure to behold his face and yet I will justifie he is not privy to this matter But others that are here present who contrived with me a noble Enterprise of whom there is not any that can accuse Calisthenes of consent and yet our so patient and so righteous a King hath determined here his death These be the rewards of the Macedons whose bloud is disesteemed as of no value He hath 30000 Mules carrying spoil and treasure and yet the poor Souldiers carry nothing with them but unrewarded skars and wounds all which things we did easily suffer before he did betray us to the Barbarians and by a new trade of conquest made us his own Souldiers Slaves He alloweth the apparel and discipline of the Persians and despiseth the manners of his own Countrey and therefore we determined to kill him not as King of Macedon but as King of Persia and as a turn-coat to be persecuted by the law of arms He would have the Macedons kneel to him and worship him as a god He refused Philip for his Father and if any god had been before Jupiter he would have refused him likewise Do you marvel if freemen cannot bear this his pride What can we hope for at his hands seeing we must either die as innocents or else what is worse than death live and remain in bondage as slaves He is greatly in my debt if by this proof he could amend for he may learn of me the thing that free hearts cannot endure Spare them whose age shall be sufficiently tormented with the loss of their children but upon as cause execution to be done to the intent we may obtain by our own death the liberty which we sought for by thine When Hermolaus had spoken these words the King answered after this manner How false these things are which he hath learned of his Instructor my patience doth declare For notwithstanding he before confessed this Treason yet my minde was that you should hear what he could say knowing very well that when I give liberty to this Villain to speak that he would use the same rage fury in his discourse which before mov'd him to have kill'd me whom he ought to have loved as his father Of late when he used a great presumption I commanded him to be chastised after the custome of our Countrey used by the Kings of Macedon which chastisement we must grant needful to be done as the pupils are chastised by their tutors and wives by their husbands and servants by their masters This was all the cruelty I used towards him which he would have revenged with murder and Treason But how gentle I am to all that suffer me to use mine own disposition since you your selves do know it it were superfluous for me to rehearse I cannot marvel at all though punishment of traytors be displeasant to Hermolaus who is himself so great a traytor when he commendeth Parmenio and Philotas it maketh for his own purpose I pardoned Lyncestes Alexander being accused by two witnesses that he twice conspired Treason against me and being again convicted yet deferred I his punishment two years till you your selves required he might have his desert Touching Attalus you remember very well how he wrought Treason against me before I was King And for Clitus I would he had not moved me to wrath whose rash tongue speaking the rebuke and shame both of me and you I suffered longer than he would have done me speaking the like The clemency of Kings and Princes consisteth not only in their own disposition but in theirs also who are under their subjection for the rigour of such as are Rulers is mitigated with humility But when mens mindes are void of reverence and high and low are confounded all alike then it is necessary with violence to expel violence But why do I marvel that he laid cruelty to my charge that durst object against me covetousness I will not call you to witness one by one lest I should upbraid you with my liberalitie by making declaration what I have bestowed upon you Behold the whole Army who a little while ago had nothing else but this bare Armour do they not lie in silver Beds are not their Tables charged with Plate and possess they not whole flocks of Slaves They are not able to sustain the spoils of their Enemies But it is said the Persians are honoured of me whom we have conquered Truly they are so and yet what greater proof can there be of my moderation than that I do not reign proudly over such whom I have
hand and cut down the Wood to make them great fires the flame whereof took hold of the Sepulchres belonging to the City which by reason they were made of Cedar they were soon set on fire and never left burning till they were all consumed The fire made both an Alarm in the City and in the Camp for the Citizens thereby judged that their Enemies would make some attempt against them and the Macedons perceived by the barking of the Dogs and the noise of the men that the Indians would salley out upon them Wherefore Alexander issuing out of his Camp in order to Battel â—lew such as attempted the Fight Thereupon they within the City became of divers opinions some were minded to yield and others thought good to adventure the extremity When Alexander understood of their division he caused his men to abstain from slaughter and only to maintain the Siege At length they were so wearied with the discommodities of the War that they yielded themselves They affirmed their original to be from Bacchus who indeed builded their City at the foot of a Mountain called Meroe the quality of which Mountain being reported to Alexander by the Inhabitants he sent Victuals before and passed thither with his whole Army incamping upon the top thereof The Mountain grew full of Vines and Ivy abounding with Springs that flowed out in every place The same was also plentiful of many kinds of Apples of most pleasant taste the ground also brought forth Corn without cultivation There grew plenty of Lawrel-trees with many kindes of wilde fruit I cannot impute it unto any motion of religion but rather to plenty and wantonness that caused Alexander to repair thither where of the Ivy and the Vine-leaves were made Garlands by the Souldiers who ran up and down the Hills after a dissolute manner all the hollows and valleys thereabout rebounding with the voice of so many thousands of men calling upon Bacchus to whom that place was dedicate which license and liberty being begun of a few was spread so suddenly through the whole Army that the Souldiers scattered abroad without order lay here and there reposing themselves upon the grass and leaves that they had gathered together as it had been a time of quiet and most assured peace which licentiousness of the Souldiers rising by chance Alexander did not withstand but ten days together made Feasts to Bacchus during which time he plentifully banqueted his whole Army Who can therefore deny but that greatness of fame and glory is oftentimes a benefit rather of fortune than of vertue for their Enemies had no heart to set upon them whiles they were drowned in this excess of banqueting drunkenness and sloth but were as much afraid of their drunkenness as if they had heard their cry encounting with them in Battel which felicity preserving them here did afterwards defend them after the same manner in the middest of their Enemies returning as it were in triumph from the Ocean Sea when they were given all to feasting and to drunkenness When Alexander descended from the Mountain he went to a Countrey called Dedala which the inhabitants forsook and fled to the Woods and wilde Mountains and therefore he passed from thence into Acadera which he found both burned and abandoned likewise of the inhabitants whereby of necessity he was compelled to use the War after another manner For he divided his Army into divers parts and shewed his power in many places at once By which means he oppressed them before they could provide for themselves and subdued them to their utter ruine Ptolomeus took most Cities but Alexander won the greatest and afterwards joyned again his Army together which he had thus divided That done he went forwards and passed a River called Choaspe where he left Cenon to besiege a rich City called Bezira and he himself went to Mazage where Aassacanus being dead had left the Dominion both of the Countrey and the City to his Mother Cleophes There were three hundred thousand Footmen to defend that City which was both well fortified and strong of scituation being inclosed upon the East with a swift River having steep Banks defending the City that it could not be approached on that side Upon the South and the West parts nature as it were for the once had planted high Rocks lying betwixt them and deep hollows and pits made many hundred years before where the Rocks ceased there began a Ditch of Wonderful depth and wideness The Wall wherewith the City was inclosed was 35 Furlongs in compass whereof the nether parts were builded of stone and the upper parts of clay yet the stones were mixed with the clay to the intent that the frail substance clinging to the harder the one should binde the other and lest the Earth washed upon with the rain might fall all together there were stanchings of Timber put betwixt to stay the whole work which covered over with boards was a way for men to go upon Alexander beholding this kinde of fortification was uncertain what to do For he saw he could not approach to the Walls but by filling of those Ditches and hollow places and that he could not otherwise fill them than by making of a Mount which was the only way he had to bring his Engines to the Walls but whiles he was viewing the Town after that manner he was struck from the wall with an Arrow on the thigh which he pulled out and without wrapping of his wound he called for his horse and letted not for his hurt to give order for such things as he thought expedient But at length when by hanging of his leg the bloud drew from the wound and waxed cold whereby his hurt began to pain him he then said he was called the son of Jupiter but yet he felt in himself the infirmities of a diseased body Notwithstanding he would not return into the Camp before he had viewed what was necessary and gave order for all things he would have done After the Souldiers had received their orders by plucking down of Houses without the Town they got great plenty of stuff to make the Mount withal and by casting stocks of trees on heaps into the ditches and hollow places the Mount within nine days was raised up to the top of the walls and the Towers were planted upon the same such was the labour and diligence that the Souldiers used in this business The King before his wound was closed up took the pains to see how the Works went forwards and when he perceived them in such height he commended the Souldiers for their diligence and caused things to be brought to the walls by reason of which they that defended the walls were sore afflicted with shot and by reason they had not seen any such kinde of work before they were wonderfully amazed especially when they beheld the towers of such bigness to come forwards and yet could not perceive by what means they were moved they therefore judged it to be done
pass which being four Furlongs in bredth and so deep that no footing could be found appeared to them like a great Sea and yet the largeness thereof nothing mitigated the violence of the stream but it ran with no less â—ury than if it had been narrow appearing by the repercussion of the water in many places to be full of great stones in the bottom This River being sufficient to affright them of it self the sight of the further bank full of Horse and Men was an increase to their terrour where the Elephants that had bodies of an unreasonable greatness stood in their sight being provoked to bray of purpose to the intent that with their terrible noise they should fill their Enemies ears with fear Though the Macedons were couragious and their hearts full of good hope as they who oftentimâ—s had experience of their own acts yet their Enemies and the River both together made them wonderfully amazed for they could not think how to keep a stedfast course to the further shore in so weak and uncertain Boats nor when they were there could they see how to arrive with success There were many Islands in the middest of the River into the which both the Indians and the Macedons did swim holding their weapons above their heads Thâ—re they skirmished together in the sight of both Kings who by experience of this small bickering made trial of the success of the Battel to come But amongst the Macedons there were two noble young men called Sisimachus and Nicanor excelling in courage and in hardy attempts and through their continual good fortune had got a resolution to despise all peril Other young men took them for their Captains and without any other armour saving their Pikes swom over into an Island which was full of their Enemies where through their boldness only they slew many of them and so might have returned with glory if rashness where it findeth prosperous success could ever be content with measure But while with scorn and pride they tarried for their Enemies they were suddenly inclosed by such as did swim over the River and were killed with Darts which they cast at them from afar Such as escaped their Enemies were drowned in depth of water or eddies of the stream This fight put Porus in great courage who saw all their doings from the further shore And though Alexander was long uncertain what way to take yet at length he deceived his Enemies by this policy There was an Island in the River greater than the rest and apt to hide his designe by reason it was full of Wood and had a great â—ampiâ—r cast upon that bank which was towards his Enemies there both his Footmen and Hosemen might stand covered from the sight of the Indians and the rather to turn their eyes another way from looking towards the Island he caused Ptolomy with a great number of Horsemen to shew themselves against their Enemies far off from the Island and to put the Indians in fear of them making ever a shew as though they would swim over the River which thing Ptolomy did many days together to the intent that Porus should be inforced to remove his Army to that part to withstand him and thereby brought them out of sight of the Island Alexander also caused his own Pavilion to be set upon the Rivers side over against his Enemies and all the pomp that pertained to the state of a King to be set forth within their view with his Lifeguard standing in sight the same which was wont to attend his person Furthermore Attalus who was equal with Alexander in years and like unto him both in face and personage stood there openly apparelled like the King that it might appear to Porus that Alexander was still remaining there and went not about to pass the River The execution of this designe was first letted by a tempest whereby afterwards it was furthered and brought to good effect fortune ever using to turn her discommodities into good success towards him For when the Enemies were thus attent to observe Ptolomy who lay upon the river against him and Alexander with the rest of his Army was busie about the passing of his men into the Island before mentioned there fell suddenly a great storm scarcely tolerable to such as lay within their Cabines which so much afflicted the Souldiers abroad that they forsook their Boats and fled again to land And yet for all this their busling and noise was not heard of their Enemies through the vehemency of the shower As this Tempest began suddenly so it suddenly ceased but the clouds remained so dark that there appeared not so much light as the Souldiers might know one another by the face when they spake together which darkness might have feared some other men considering that they had to row in a River that they knew not their Enemies peradventure waiting for them at their landing whither they went as blinde men that for glory fought in peril But Alexander used that which put other men in terrour to serve for his desire and willed that every man upon a signe given should enter into their Boats with silence his Boat was the first that lanched from the shore towards the further side of his Enemies Porus only keeping his Watch against Ptolomy There was but one Boat that stuck fast by the way upon a Rock and all the other recovered the land Alexander then commanded the Souldiers to prepare their armour and fall into array and whilest he was dividing his men to put them in order of Battel and to march towards his Enemies it was reported to Porus that a great number of men of War were come over the River and landed which would straightway give him Battel But he at the first according to the fault that is in mans nature through overmuch confidence in himself believed it not but thought that Abiasares who was confederate with him had come to his assistance Yet when the day appeared and the truth was manifest Porus put forth a hundred armed Waggons and four thousand Horsemen under the leading of Hagis his brother to keep Alexander in action They counted those Waggons their principal Force for every one of them carried six men two Archers two with Targets and two that ruled the Horses which were not unarmed but when it came to the Fight they let their reins loose and bestowed their Darts among their Enemies But the use of those Waggons served to small purpose for the shower that had fallen more violently than was accustomed had made the fields wet and slabby that the Waggons could not stir but stuck in the mire and became immoveable whereas Alexander being without baggage or any thing that might be an impediment unto him fiercely invaded his Enemies The Scythians and the Dahans were the first that gave the onset and Perdicas was appointed with the Horsemen to charge upon the right-hand-Battel of the Indians Then the Battels beginning to joyn on all parts
they that had the charge of the Waggons counting them their last refuge let loose the reins and rushed forward into the midst of the Fight The coming of these Waggons appeared to be a matter doubtful and dangerous to both Parties for at the first brunt the Macedons were born over and overthrown by them and when the Waggons came in any rough or miry place the Indians were thrown out of them For when the Horses that drew them were once galled and put in fear they carried the Waggons without government and tumbled part of them in the mire and part into the River a few traversed the fields and fled for succour unto Porus who seeing his Waggons scattered all over the Fields and to wander about with their Rulers he distributed the charge of his Elephants amongst his Friends and placed his Footmen and Archers behinde them He had many that sounded upon Timbrels being Instruments that the Indians used in the stead of Trumpets wherewith their Ears were so filled that the noise of their Enemies little moved them They did bear also the Image of Hercules in the front of their Foot-battel which was done for an encouragement for them to fight well and for a note of reproof and scandal to them that should â—ly from their Standard for it was loss of life to leave it in the Field So that the fear they conceived of Hercules who sometimes had been their Enemy was then turned into a Veneration and Religion The sight both of the Elephants and Porus himself astonied the Macedons and caused them a while to make a stand for the beasts being set in order amongst the armed men shewed afar off like high Towers and Porus himself exceeding the stature of most men the Elephant whereupon he did ride was an addition unto his height which excelled so much all the other Elephants as he himself excelled the rest of men So that Alexander beholding both Porus and his power said That at length he had found a Jewel equal unto his heart for we have to do quoth he both with terrible Beasts and with notable Men of War And thereupon he looked towards Cenon and said unto him When I with Ptolomy Perdicas and Ephestion shall set upon the left Battel of our Enemies and you shall see us in the heat of fight do you then set forwards my right Battel and freshly assail them when you see them begin to fall out of order Antigonus Leonatus and Tauron do you bend against their Main Battel and set upon the Front Our Pikes are long and strong and cannot serve to any better use then against the Elephants wherewith they may be thrust through and such overthrown as are carried upon their backs The Elephants are but an uncertain force which use to do most harm unto their own part for as they use to go against their Enemies so long as they are at command so when they are once put in fear they turn against their own men and shew most rage towards them He had not so soon spoken these words but he put Spurs to his Horse advancing against his Enemies and when according to his appointment he had given the Charge Cenon with a great Force brake upon the left Battel and the Phalanx at the same instant brake in amongst the midst of their Enemies When Porus saw the Horsemen give the Charge he put forwards his Elephants to encounter them but they being slow Beasts and not apt suddenly to move were prevented by the swiftness of the Horses and their Bows stood them not in any great stead for by reason their Arrows were so long and heavy they could not nock them on their Bows except they first staid their Bows upon the ground and the ground was so slippery that they could not have any perfect footing and while they were preparing themselvs to shoot their Enemies were come amongst them Then every man fled from the order that Porus had given as it chanceth oftentimes amongst troubled minds where Fear beareth more rule then the Captains appointment for in so many parts as their Army was divided so many Generals became among them Some would joyn all their Battels in one others would have them divided some willed to stay and others to go forwards and inclose their Enemies about there was no general consultation amongst them Porus notwithstanding accompanied with a few with whom shame prevailed more then fear assembled such of his Forces together as were dispersed abroad and advanced against his Enemies setting his Elephants in the front of the Battel They put the Macedons in fear troubling with their unwonted cry not only the Horse that naturally do fear them but also amazed the men and disturbed their order insomuch that they who a little before thought themselves Victors looked about which way to fly and save themselves which when Alexander perceived he sent against the Elephants the Agrians and Thracians who were men light armed and more apt to skirmish afar off then to fight hand to hand They bravely assaulted the Elephants and their Governours and sore afflicted them with the multitude of their Darts and Arrows that they bestowed amongst them and the Phalanx came constantly forwards against them who were already in fear but such as pressed over-forward in fighting with the Elephants procured their manifest destruction and being trampled to death with their feet they were an example to others not to be over-hasty in adventuring themselves The most terrible sight was when the Elephants with their long Trunks called Proboscis took the Macedons in their Armour from the ground and delivered them up to their Governours The Battel was prolonged doubtfully till the day was far spent the Souldiers sometimes flying from the Elephants and sometimes pursuing after them until that with a certain kinde of crooked weapons called Copidae prepared for the purpose they cut the Elephants upon the legs These the Macedons had right aptly divided for not only the fear of death but also the fear of a new kinde of torment in death caused them to leave nothing unattempted Finally the Elephants wearied with wounds with their violent strugling did cast their Governours to the earth and did tear them in pieces for they were put in such fear that they were no more hurtful to their Enemies but driven out of the Battel like sheep Porus being forsaken of the greater part of his men ceased not to cast Darts whereof he had plenty prepared upon his Elephant amongst them that surrounded him whereby he wounded many and by reason he lay open to every mans blow he was laid at on all parts till he received nine wounds behinde and before through which he bled so much that he had no power to cast any more Darts but for feebleness they fell out of his hands The Elephant also which he did ride upon pricked forwards with fury made a great disturbance amongst the Macedons until that his Governour seeing the King so faint that he let fall
rather made an exchange for a new labour being put forth amongst this wilde Nation to make the Ocean Sea open to him with their blood and to be drawn beyond the Sun and the Stars They were compelled they said to visit those places that Nature coveted to remove from mans knowledge They grudged that to their new Armour there were new Enemies raised up whom if they should vanquish and put to flight they could not see what benefit they should receive thereby but only darkness and obscurity of the Air which always covered the deep Sea replenished with multitudes of Monsters wallowing in those immoveable waters in which dying Nature did faint away The King little moved for himself was much troubled for these passions of his Souldiers wherefore he assembled them all together declaring of how feeble a force those Nations were whom they feared so much and who only remained and were an impediment to them having passed over so many Countries to attain to the period of their travels and to the end of the world He shewed how that in respect of their former fear he had left his Enterprise over Ganges with the Conquest of the Nations inhabiting beyond the same and had directed his journey this way whereas their glory shall be as great and their danger less seeing the Ocean was in a manner within sight the Air whereof he felt blowing in his face He required them therefore that they would not envy the glory he sought by passing the bounds of Hercules and Bacchus seeing that with so little pain they might give unto their King perpetual Fame and Immortality In doing whereof they should depart out of India as Conquerours whereas otherwise they should seem to â—ly away from thence It is the property of all multitudes and specially of Men of War to be drawn with every little motion amongst whom as sedition doth soon arise so it is soon pacified There was never a more chearful cry made of any Army before then the Souldiers now made to Alexander who willed him to lead them wheresoever he would and make himself equal in glory unto them whose Acts he did emulate Alexander rejoycing in the willingness that appeared in his Souldiers removed straight ways towards his Enemies who were the stoutest people of all the Indians They prepared themselves manfully for the Wars and chose for their Captain one of the Oxidracans who was of an approved Manhood he incamping at the foot of a Mountain made fires all abroad to cause his number to appear the greater and went about in vain to fear the Macedons when they were at rest by making of alarms with their cryes and manner of howling When the day appeared Alexander having an assured confidence to obtain the Victory commanded the Souldiers to put on their Armour and chearfully to fall in order of Battel But the Indians whether it were for fear or by reason of some sedition risen amongst them suddenly fled into the Desart Mountains whom Alexander followed in vain and not able to overtake them took their Carriage After this he came to the City of the Oxidracans whereunto great numbers were fled as well in trust of the strength of the place as of their own power As Alexander was about to make the approach Demophon his Diviner admonished him that he should either defer the assault or else not meddle with it at all for there appeared signes that his life should be in jeopardy When Alexander had heard his words he beheld him and said If any man should interrupt thee when thou art busie about thy Science or considering of the Entrails should not he seem unto thee to be troublesome and his coming to be ungrateful Yes truly said he So art thou now unto me said Alexander for having so great actions in hand of more moment then the Entrails of Beasts I finde no greater impediment then a Superstitious Diviner And as soon as he had spoken the word he caused them to rear up the Ladders and whilest other men sticked and stayed at the danger he mounted up the wall in his own person The same was very narrow on the top not divided with loops as is commonly used but inclosed with one whole and continual Battlement round about which caused it to be the more hard to scale Alexander therefore having no convenient place to stand for his defence stayed upon the wall receiving upon his Target the Darts that were cast at him from all parts His Souldiers could not get to him they were so beaten from the walls by the shot that came from above Yet at the last when they saw their King given up into their Enemies hands shame overcame their imminent danger But their overmuch haste became their hinderance and was the cause why they could not come to the rescue of their King For whiles every man coveted to ascend the Ladders they were so heavily laden that they brake asunder and such as were mounted upon them fell down again deceiving Alexander of his only hope so that in the sight of all the Army he stood destitute on the walls as in a Desart without any aid or succour and had wearied his left arm with which he held his Target in receiving the Darts thrown at him His friends cryed unto him to leap down unto them who stood in readiness to receive him But he giving no car unto them undertook an incredible enterprise and such a one as hath not been heard of before deserving rather the report of rashness then of any fame that might sound to his glory for with a desperate leap he cast himself into the City that was full of his Enemies For before he could recover his feet again it was likely either he should have been slain or taken alive But he by chance so conveyed his body that he fell upon his feet and fought with such as came against him Fortune so provided that he could not be enclosed about by reason of an old tree which as it had been of purpose stood near the wall whose broad boughs being full of leaves covered him from above and the greatness of the stock kept his enemies from coming at his back and upon the forefront he received the darts that were cast against him with his Target For though there were never so many that contended with him afar off yet durst there no man come near unto him and the boughs kept off the arrows and darts as well as his Target did In this extremity the greatness of Alexanders Fame chiefly fought for him and next of all desperation a great encouragement for a man to die honestly At length through the multitude of his enemies that continually flocked about him both his Target was laden with shot his Helmet was broken with stones and his legs fainted and failed under him by reason of his continual travel which when his enemies perceived they without fear drew more near unto him of whom he received two with his sword in such sort