Tyron had nere drawn him beyond the bouÌ„des of the sonne Memnon Tyron But the warres he had in hande being of much more momeÌ„t theÌ„ any such idle peregrinacion gaue him no time to fulfill his fantasie And therfore apointed Aestylus a Rodyan Aestylus Pewcestes and Pewcestes a Macedon the gouernaÌ„s of Egipt And assigning to the .iiii. thousaÌ„d souldiers for defeÌ„ce of the Region gaue TolomaÌ„ .xxx. galles to keape the mouthe of Nile He made Posomus ruler of that parte of Afrik which ioyneth vnto Egipt and Cliomenes receyuer of the Tributes in both Contreis Clyomenes This newe Cytye was sone replenished wyth a great multitude for commandiment was giuen to all the Cyties theraboutes to send inhabiters vnto Alexandrey It is saide that when the kynge occordinge to the Macedones custume vsede the kyng according to the Macedons custome vsed the ceremony of steping barley at the making of the walles that the birdes came fed thereupon which being takeÌ„ of many for an vnlucky token it was aunswered by their deuiners that ther shuld be great resort of strauÌ„gers to that citie that it should giue norishement to many landes The Ryuer of Nyle As the king went down the riuer of Nile Hector Parmenio his soÌ„ne desirous to folowe him was drowned For the vessel sonke that caried him being pestred with ouer many meÌ„ He striued loÌ„g with the streame but his garmentes gaue impediment to his swimming so that his breath was nere gone before he could recouer the banke The death of Hector Parmenâ—os sonne wherfore want of succour he died Whose vnfortunate chauÌ„ce AlexaÌ„der toke greuously as one that did beare him speciall fauour therfore caused his body to be honorably buried The death of Andromachus lieutenaunt of Siria Andromachus burnid by the Samaritans whoÌ„ the SamaritaÌ„s had burned was encrease of AlexaÌ„ders sorow for the reuengemeÌ„t wherof he made al the halfe he might at his coÌ„ming into Samaria had the auctours of the acte deliuered into his handes whom he put to death then placed NemnoÌ„ in Andromachus rowme Methinians He deliuered into the MethiniaÌ„s handes Aristonicus Crisolaus that had vsurped amonges them whoÌ„ they after many greuous tormeÌ„tes did haÌ„g ouer their walles That done he gaue audieÌ„ce to the Embassadours of the Athenians the Rodians the Sciottis The Athenians did gratefie vnto hym his victory and required that such Grekes as were takeÌ„ prisoners might be restored to libertie The RodiaÌ„s and the Sciotes demaunded assistaunce of some guarrison he graunted to them all their requestes and restoryng to the Mytelens their pledges encreased their territorie and dominion in respecte of the fidelitie they shewed vnto hym and the money that they employed in the warres He gaue honour also according to their deseruinges vnto he kynges of Cipres whiche reuolted from Darius vnto him and had aided him with shippes at the siege of Tyre Amphoterus his admiral had coÌ„mission to driue the Percians out of the Isle Crete but specially that he shuld ridde the seas of the pirates whiche troubled and spoiled all the IlaÌ„des whiles these two princes conuerted their powers one against another When he had geuen order to all these thinges he did dedicate to Hercules at Tyre a greate standing pece and .xxx. bowles of gold Alexander Darius prepared to fight another battel That done he set his hole mynde and care vpon Darius causing it to be proclaimed that euery man should set forwardes towardes Euphrates But Darius vnderstanding that his enemy was gone through Egipt into Affrick stode in doubte whether he shuld stay about Mesopotania or withdrawe into the inward partes of his kyngdome iudging that he should be hable to worcke with those farre nacions in bringing of them forwardes to the warres that his lieftenaunt should not be able to doe yet when the fame had published and he vnderstode by assured aduertisement that Alexander was retourned out of Egipt and fully resolued to folowe him with all his power into what countrey soeuer he should go he then gaue order that the force of all the farre nations should drawe towardes BabiloÌ„ knowing the stoutnes of his enemy he had to match withal Thither resorted both Bactrians Scythians and Indians for the power of other countreys were come thether before And hauing the double nombre of men that he had before in Cilicia prepared much armour for them with diligeÌ„ce wherof many of them had want Both the horsemen and the horses were armed with plates of stele And such as before had no weapoÌ„s but dartes had swordes and bucklers geuen to them more And to encrease the power of his horsemeÌ„ deliuered many horses to be broken amoÌ„ges the footemen He had prepared also CC. wagons set with hokes whiche in those couÌ„treys were estemed thynges of great force and iudged to be a woÌ„derfull terrour to the ennemie they were made with greate loÌ„g pykes styking out before and with swordes set ouerwhart on both sydes The wheales were also full of Iron pikes ryght forth and of great hokes both vpward and downward wherewith all thyng was cutte a sondre that came in their waye When his people were thus furnysshed of armour and had prouided sufficiently for the warres he remoued from Babilon and kepyng the ryuer of Tygre on his ryght hand â–ª Tygre Euphrates and Euphrates on his lefte hand ouerspredde with his army all the playnes of Mesopotania After that he passed Tigre and vnderstandyng that his enemy was commyng at hand sent first Satrapaces before with a thousand chosen horsemen Satrapaces and afterwardes appointed syx thousand to Mascens to stop Alexander the passage of the Ryuer Masens Who had also in commission to waste burne all the couÌ„trey where he iudged that his enemies should come thynking to famyshe them with wante of victualles consyderyng that they had no other prouision but suche as they got by rauyne and by stelthe they themselues hauyng plenty brought them both by lande and by the ryuer of Tigre At length he came vnto a village called Arbella Arbella whiche was afterwardes famous by reason of his ouerthrowe There he lefte the chief furniture of his victualles and cariage Licus and made a brydge ouer the Ryuer of Licus and in fyue dayes conueyed ouer his army as he had done before ouer Euphrates passyng forewardes from thence about foure store forloÌ„ges He came vnto an other ryuer called Bowmello Bowmello and there encamped The countrey serued wonderfull well for the arrangyng of his battailles in the large playnes passable for horses euery where and without stubbes or shorte brushe to couer the ground withall but so free a prospect that the eye might decerne thynges a great waye of And if there appeared any hilles within the playne Darius caused thesame to be caste downe and the ground to be made smothe Suche as by coniecture made reporte to Alexander of Darius power coulde not be
before Philotas also who with Policarpō Cenos and Amyntas were gone the other waye arriued at the same tyme and gaue a further terror vnto their enemies Whē the Perciēs sawe ther enemies agreing in al partes at on s though they were so opprest wyth their sodaine inuasion that at the fyrst they were in doubt what to do yet at length they assembled to githers and fought notably Necessitie styring vp the faintnes of theyr hartes For oftentymes dispaire is cause of mennes good hope They being vnarmed closed with them that were armed and wyth the weyght of their bodies drewe their enemies to the earth and killed diuers with their owne weapōs Arriobarzanes with fourty horsemen fiue thousand footemē that kept about his persone brake through the battaill of the Macedons to the great slaughter both of his owne men and of his enemies by makyng of haste recouered Persepolis the chief citie of the countrey But when he was excluded from thence by them that were within he renued againe the fight with such as were with him so was slayne by the time Craterus that made all the spede he could deuise was come vnto them Alexander fortefied his campe in thesame place where he did disconfite his enemies For though they were all fled and he certaine of the victory yet because he found his way stopped in many places with great and deape diches he thought good to vse circumspection and not to make ouer great haste not so muche for feare of his enemies force as of the nature of the ground whiche he sawe apt for them to worke policie against hym As he was passing forwardes he receyued letters from Tyrydates the keaper of Darius treasure Tyrydates sygnifieng that the inhabiters of Percepolis hearyng of his cōmyng were about to spoyle the treasure and therfore he should make haste to preuent the matter for the way was ready enough notwithstāding that the ryuer of Araxes was in his way There was no vertue in Alexander more commendable then his celeritie whiche he shewed in this matter for leuyng his footemen behynd trauayled all nyght with his horsemen and by the daylyght came to the ryuer of Arapos There he found villages at hande wherof the tymber they brake downe of the houses a brydge was made in a moment by the helpe of stones whiche were layde in the foundacion When Alexander was passed the riuer and came nere vnto the cytie a company met him so miserable as seldome haue bene found in any memory the same were Grekes to the nombre of .iiii. thousande whome the Percians before time had taken prisoners afflicted with diuers kyndes of tormētes For of them some had their feete cut of some their handes other their eares but all were marked in the flesh with hote yrons Whō the Percians mayming deforming after this maner had kept reserued amōges them as a memory of the despite towardes the nacion But when thei sawe that they should become vnder the obediēce of another prince they suffred the Grekes to mete Alexāder Thei appeared rather to be the Images of some straunge mōsters then of mē For nothing could be decerned or knowen in them but their voice The compassion of their wretched estate caused the beholders to let fall no fewer teares then they did thēselues For it could not appeare whiche of thē were moste miserable though their afflictions were diuers But whē they cried out before Alexāder that Iupiter the reuēger of Grece had opened their eies in beholding him that shuld deliuer thē they iudged then all their grefes as one Alexander wiped the teares from his eyes and willed them to be of good chere for that they shuld both see their countrey and their frendes he encamped in thesame place where he mette thē being two forlōges from Persepolis Persepolis The Grekes drue themselues together to consult what was beste for them to demaūde of Alexander and when some were of opiniō to aske dwelling places within Asia others had more minde to retourne vnto their coūtreis Entemeons oracion Entemeon Cimeus spake thus vnto them We that were euen nowe ashamed to shew our heades out of the prison darkenes we were in to make suite for our own aide and relief or become of such simplicitie that we presently desire to shew vnto Grece as a pleasant spectacle our infirmities maimes wherof we haue as much cause to be ashamed as to be sorowfull you must thinke that suche beare their miseries best which can finde the meanes to hide them moste that there is none so familier a countrey to mē that be vnfortunate as solitarines and forgetfulnes of their former estate For they whiche make an accōpt of their frendes pitie compassion know not howe sone their teares wil drie vp no creature can loue faythfully whome they abhorre For as calamitie of his nature is querelous so felicitie is always proude euery one doth vse to cōsider his own fortune when he determineth of an other mans For except we had all bene in mysery one of vs long ago had bene wery of an other What meruayle is it then though men infelicitie seke always their equalies My opinion is therfore that we as mē whiche long ago were as dead in this lyfe seke vs a place wherein we may hyde our maymed members and where exyle may hyde our horryble scarres For if we shall retourne vnto our countrey beyng in this case we cannot be but vngrateful to our wyues whom we maried young shall our chyldren shall our brethren acknowledge vs beyng prison slaues and though all thynges should there succede as we would wyshe yet there be but a small nombre of vs able to trauayll through so many countreys Howe is it possible for vs that be here banysshed into the vttermoste bondes of the Orient aged impotent and maymed to suffre those thynges whiche haue tyred men then were in force and victorious It is to be axed what shal become of our wyues whome chaunce and necessitie hathe gotten vnto vs here for the only comforte of our prisonement what shall we do with our children we haue begotten here take them with vs or leue them behinde vs If we returne with suche as we haue here none of those in Grece will acknowledge vs and shall we then be so madde to leue those comfortes we haue already being vncertayne whether we shall come to those that we seke or no Verely muche better it were for vs to hyde our selues amonges them whiche haue bene acquainted with vs in our mysery These were Eutemon wordes Theatus wordes But Theatus of Athens reasoned to the contrary There is no creature qd he in whome remaineth any sparke of goodnes that will esteme vs by our outward shape seyng that our calamitie is not come of nature or by our own deseruyng but through misfortune and our enemies crueltie and suche as be ashamed of fortunes chaunses are well
abrode to returne home in the habite of prisoners They began to be ashamed of their king that was more like to suche as were subdued then to them that were victorious and that of a kyng of Macedon was become a prince of Perce one of Darius courtiers When he vnderstode that the chefe of his frendes and his men of warre were greuously offended with his doynges he went about to recouer fauour againe with giftes and liberalitie but it is to be thought that the rewardes of seruitude be vngratefull to fre men And therfore lest this matter might turne into a sedicion he thought good to breake the imaginacioÌ„s encreased by idlenes with the exercise of warres wherof an apt occasioÌ„ was geuen For Bessus inuesting him selfe as a kyng Bessus toke vpon him as kyng toke vpon hym the name of Artaxerses drawing to his parte the Scithians and other that were the inhabiters of the Ryuer of Tanais whiche thinges were reported to hym by Nabarzanes whome he had receiued into his fauour geuen the rule of the countrey that he had before When he had determined this new expedicioÌ„ he found his army so ouercharged and laden with spoyle other furnimeÌ„tes of voluptuousnes that they could not scarsly moue Wherfore he commaunded the baggage and stuf of the whole army to be brought together in one place excepting only such thinges as were very necessary The place was large and playne whether the cartes were brought laden and when euery one stode wayting and musing what he woulde commaunde them to doe he caused the beastes to be remoued first out of the way and then set his owne fardels on fyer and after all the reste Whiles these thynges were burning the owners were on fyer to see those thinges consumed for the sauing wherof they had oft quenched the flambes in Cyties of their enemies yet no man durste lament the price of his owne bloud seing they sawe the fyer consume the kynges ryches as well as their owne but the rather to pacefie them the kyng did mytigate their dolour with a briefe oracion Whereupon they that were euer apt for the warres and redy to doe all thynges began to be ioyfull that with the losse of their baggage they had saued their discipline accustomed in the warres As they were settyng forwardes towardes Bactria Nycanour Nycanour the sonne of Parmenio died sodainly whome euery man greatly lamented but chefely the kyng was so sorowefull desiring to haue stayed for the celebracion of his buriall but that want of vitayles caused hym to haste forwardes Philotas therfore was left behynde with two thousand and syx hundred souldiers to perfourme the ceremonis apperteining to his brothers buriall and he hym selfe marched towardes Bessus In the way letters were brought to Alexander from the lordes there about that Bessus was comming towardes hym with a great army Satribarzanes adding thereunto that Satribarzanes whome he had made prince of the Arians was newely rebelled agaynste hym For that cause notwythstandynge he was come nere vnto Bessus yet he thought it best first to oppresse Satribarzanes and for that entent brought forwardes his horsemen and footemen that were lyght armed to come sodaynly vpon his enemies His comming was not so pryuye but Satribarzanes knewe and fled into Bactria with two thousand horsemen For by reason he was not able to assemble any more in so shorte a tyme the reste toke the next mountaynes for their refuge The siege of a rocke There was a rock whiche towardes the west was hyghe and steape but towardes the east more lowe and easye to be clymbed vpon whiche parte it was full of trees The same rock had a fountayne that ran continually with great plenty of water and was in compasse two and thirty furlonges In the toppe was a grene plaine full of grasse where they placed the weaker multitude but the rest that were apt for defence beyng to the noÌ„bre of thirtene thousand got them selues to the eggies of the rock and there threwe downe stones and stockes of trees againste the Macedonians that came to assayle them He left Craterus to besyege this rocke going him self to pursue Satribarzanes And because he vnderstode that he was gone farre on his waye returned backe agayne to the siege of them that were vpon the rocke Fyrst he caused all thynges to be taken away that myght be any impediment to them in the assault therof But wheÌ„ they came to the bare and steape rock the labour semed waste where nature had wrought against them But he that was of a disposicioÌ„ alwayes to striue agaynst difficulties consideryng howe hard a matter it was to go forwardes and daungerous to returne backe agayne did caste in his head all the wayes and deuises that could be Imagined and nowe fantesied one thing and then an other as men be wont wheÌ„ the waies they haue found out first do not please them As he stode in a stay in doubt what to doe fortune did minister vnto him a meane which neither wit nor reason could inuente It chaunsed that the wynde blewe sore at the southwest what tyme the souldiers had felled great plenty of wood wherof thei thought to make them selues away vp against the rocke and the heat of the sonne had made thesame drye When Alexander perceiued the wynd to blowe after that sorte and the woode lieng in that place coÌ„ceiued by and by his purpose and willed more trees to be cut downe laid vpoÌ„ them putting all other thinges to it that were apt to kyndle and noryshe fier So that trees heaped vpon trees became as it were a mountaine so hyghe as the top of the rocke The same being set a fire in al partes at once the wynde caried the flambe into the face of their enemies the smoke couered ouer the sky The noise was then great that the fier made which burned not only the trees that were fired of purpose but also the rest of the woode growing nere there about The enemies were so tormented with the flambe heate of the fire that they were enforced to forsake their place of strength attempted to escape away where the fyer gaue them lest impediment But where the fier gaue place the Macedons stode in redines to receiue them so that they were consumed slayne diuers kynde of wayes Some threwe them selues downe the rockes some ran into the middes of the fier other fell into their enemies haÌ„des and a fewe haulf consumed with fier were takeÌ„ prisoners WheÌ„ AlexaÌ„der had done this act he returned to Craterê° which besieged Artacnan Artâ—cnan who hauing prepared all thinges in redines taried only for the kinges coÌ„ming to giue him the honour of the winning of the Cytie When Alexander was come he approched nere the walles with the towres of timbre that he had prepared for the assault at the syght whereof the inhabitaunts were so afrayed that they held vp their handes from the walles requiring hym to spare
credited for he could not thinke after so many slayne there coulde be a greater power gathered together that he had before But he that neuer doubted any perill and muche lesse the multitude of men after the eleuēth encāping came to the riuer of Euphrates ouer the whiche he made brudges and passed ouer his horsemen and afterwardes his footemen For Mazeus that was sent against him with six thousand horsemen to let his passage durst not encoūter with him When he had continued there a fewe dayes not only to reste his souldiers but also to confirme their myndes and encourage them he sette forewardes stoutly against his enemy fearyng that he would haue retired back into the inwarde partes of his coūtrey whether he should haue bene enforced to folowe by waste places and desertes Therefore the fourth daye he passed by Arbella and came vnto the ryuer of Tigre All the countrey beyond the Ryuer was on a smoke newely sette on fier by Mazeus who burned all thynges where he came euen as he had bene an enemy Alexander at the fyrste by reason of the darcknes of the smoke stayed for feare of embushementes But when they which were sent to scoure the contrey reported that all thing was clere he apoynted a fewe horsemen to proue the passage of the Riuer who founde the deapnes at the fyrst entre to come to the horse breaste and in the middes of the streame to the horse neckes There is no Riuer in all the east partes of the worlde that ronneth so violētly which besides the waters of other riuers that do rōne into it driueth downe stones with the streame so that of his swiftnes it is called Tigre whiche in the percian tonge is so much to say as an arrowe The footemē therfore deuided into two bādes holdīg there armour ouer ther heades were enclosed on both sydes with the horsemen and so passed till they came in the deape of the chanell without anye great difficultye The kinge was the firste amonge the fotemen that passed ouer to the furtherside who with his hande seinge his voyre could not be harde shewed the shallowe places vnto the souldiers But they had muche paine to kepe their footing by reason of stones whervpon they stumbled and of the violence of the water that toke their feete away Suche as caried burthens on their backes had the greatest trauaill whyche not beinge able to staye them selues by reason of the troble of their carriage were borne downe by violence of the streame And whiles euery man went about to recouer agayne his owne ther fel greater strife amōges themselues then they had with the streame And the heapes of fardelles that fleted euery where vpon the water bare downe many The king cried to them that it was sufficyent to keape their armour and lette the rest go promysing to recompence euery man But they nether folowed his counsell nor did as he commaunded them besides the noyse that was emonges them feare so fissed their eares in ther swimming and wading through the water Atlēgth where the streame was most shallow thei came furth there being nothing mys caried or wantinge emonges them all sauinge afew fardelles If their enemies had made but a proffer againste them they might easely haue put them to distresse But Alexanders continuall good fortune turned then his enemyes away from hym Wyth whiche fortune he passed the Ryuer of Granyk when so many thousandes both of horsemen and footemen kept the passage against him After that sort he ouercame the multitude of hys enemies in the streyghtes of Cilicia Though his bouldnes were suche that is some tyme wanted praise yet his felicitie euer deliuered hym out of all extreme perill If Mazeus had done his parte and set vpon them as they were passynge the Ryuer he myght easely haue put them to distresse being vnarmed and out of ordre But after the Macedones had Armed them selfes being then to late he began to shewe himselfe wyth a thousande horsemen When Alexander perceyued the small nombre that came against him he caused Ariston captayne of Peonians to giue a full charge vpon them The horsemen that daye notably behaued them selfes but in especiall Ariston Ariston which with his spece ran Satropaces the chief captayn through the throte pursuyng him into the middest of hys campe threw him from his horse and cut of his heade which to his great commendacion he brought and threw downe before the kynge Alexander taried there two dayes and against the morning caused warning to be giuen by proclamacion for his setting forwardes But in the first watche of the the mone suffred Ecclips whiche losing her brightnes afterwardes became as redde as bloud and therewith waxed dimme backe An Ecclips of the Moone The straūgenes of this matter did strike a religious feare amōges the Macedōs wherof proceded such a doubte feare that they fell into a murmur grudging that they shuld be brought forwardes after such a maner against the will of the goddes into the vttermost boundes of the earth wher as they were not hable to passe the Riuers nor could enioye the accustomed vse of the elementes finding nothing but waste groundes and wild desertes al which was done they sayed for the ambicion of one man for whose vainglory the bloude of so many thousandes should be shedde He despiseth qd they his countrey he hathe forsaken Philip for his father and affected heauen in his folish imaginacion When Alexander perceiued the matter to come to a mutterīg he that in al thinges was without feare cōmaunded the chief rulers capteins of his men of warre to assemble at his pauilion and there commaunded the Astronomers of the Egiptiane whom he iudged to haue moste vnderstandyng of the planettes to declare their opinions They vnderstanding very well the reuolucyons of the tyme their apointed courses knewe that the moone did euer eclipse when that either she went vnderneth the earth or elles when her light was blemished by opposiciō of the sōne which reason conceiued amōges them selfes they accustomed not to teache the people They affirmed also that the greakes were vnder the Regyon of the Sonne and the Percyans vnder the moone therfore so oftē as the moone fel of her light it signified great destruction to the naciōs vnder that cōstellaciō And to confirme that opyniō of theirs they brought in olde presidentes of the kynges of Perce to whō the eclips of the moone had signified that the goddes were agaīst thē in fighting of their battailles The force of supersticion to gouerne a multitude There is nothing more effectuall then supersticion to gouerne a multitude whiche otherwise is without rule fierse mutable But when they haue once cōceiued a religiō though it be but vaine they be more obedient to their deuynes then to their captaines whiche thing might be well perceiued when these aunsweres of the Egipcians were spread abrode amonges the people for they streight wayes were remoued from
geue If he would haue bene content to be second persone and not coueted to be equall with me I would peraduenture haue grauÌ„ted his request But as two sonnes cannot shyne on the earth at once so likewise two suche great kingdomes cannot be at one time in the world without the subuersion therof Therfore let him either this day yelde himself or els prepare himself against the morowes fight nor let him not ê‘suade himself to haue other fortune then he hath proued alredy The Embassadours replied that seing he was resolued to procede with warre he did royally in that he was plain and did not fode the furth with hope of peace their request was therefore that they might be dispatched to the kynge to warne him to prepare likewise for the warre When they returned they declared that Alexander was determined out of hand to trie the matter by battaille Wherefore Darius sent Mazeus out of hand with iii. M. horsemeÌ„ to kepe the passages whereby the Macedones should passe When AlexaÌ„der had perfourmed the funeralles of Darius wife leuyng with a small guarrison al such as were vnprofitable for the fight within the strength of his campe set forwardes towardes his enemies His footemen were deuided into two battailles empaled with horsemen on both sydes and his cariage went in the myddes Then he sent Medinas with horsemen vpon the spores to discouer where Darius was Who commyng within the viewe of Mazeus durst not passe any further but brought reporte that he could here nothing els but the noyse of men and neying of horses Mazeus likewyse discouered them and returned back to Darius declaring that his enemies were commyng Then Darius whose desire was to encounter his enemies in the playne and open fieldes The ordre of Darius battilles commaunded his men to armour and deuided them into two partes wherof the one marched on the left hand and the other on the ryght In the battaille on the left hande a M. of the Bactrian horsemen had the first place with the like noÌ„bre of Dahans and .iiii. M. Aracâ—osians and Susians after whiche band of horsemeÌ„ there folowed Bessus C. hoked wagons and behind theÌ„ Bessus with an other band of .viii. M. Bactrians horsemeÌ„ .ii. M. Massagetes The footemen of diuers nacioÌ„s came next in ordre of battaille not mixed together but eche contreymeÌ„ by themselues Ariobarzanes Ariobarâ—anes and Oribates had the gouernement of the Percians MardiaÌ„s and SogdiaÌ„s But their charge was deuided and Orsines that was come of the .vii. PerciaÌ„s of the bloud of noble king Cyrus had the rule of the whole Other nacions folowed whose names were scarsely knowen to their owne company Cradates Cradates was the next whiche hauing also fiftie hoked wagons placed a band of Caspians horsemen before them and behind them the Indians and other the inhabiters of the redde sea rather names of men then good assistauÌ„ce This square was empaled with fiftie wagons vnto the whiche the mercenary souldiers were ioyned After them folowed the men of Armeny the lesse then the Babilonians and next the Bellitans with suche as inhabite the Cossean mountaynes The Gortuans came next whiche sometyme folowed the MediaÌ„s out of Euboia but at those dayes degenerated from their countrey customes The Phrigians Cathonians and Parthians enclosed the tayle This was the battaille on the left hand In the battaille on the ryght hand were the people of the greater army the Cadusians CapadociaÌ„s SiriaÌ„s and medians who had fifty hoked wagons The some of his whole army was .xlv. M. horsemeÌ„ CC. thousand footemeÌ„ When they were placed in ordre of battaille they marched forewardes ten furloÌ„ges and they were commaunded to stay Whiles the PerciaÌ„s after that maner taried for their enemies theâ— fell a sodain feare amonges the Macedons wherof there apeared no cause yet euery maÌ„ was amased a certain bread entred into their hertes The lightening that fel out of the ayer being in the somer season semed like fier and the flames sodainly appearing were thought to come from Darius campe If Mezeus whiche was sent to obserue their comming had set vpon them whileâ— they were in this feare he might haue done theÌ„ some notable domage But he was â—lack to do his enterprice remained vpon the toppe of an hille coÌ„tentâ— that he was not assailed AlexaÌ„der perceiuing the terrour that was come amonges his men made a signe for them is stay and gaue ordre that they should warme themselues â–ª refreshe their bodies geuing them to vnderstand that there was no cause why they should so sodainly conceiue a feare seing their enemies were yet a good distaunce from them At length when he perceiued they had recouered their spirites he exhorted them both to receiue courage and to put on their armour But yet he thoughte nothing more expedient for the case present then to fortifie his campe in the same place The next daye Mazeus whiche had planted himselfe on a hygh hill from whence he might beholde his enemies campe either for feare or els because his commission was but only to discouer returned agayne vnto Darius Vpon his departure the MacedoÌ„s by and by tâ—ke the hille whiche he had forsaken the same being of more strength then the playne where they remayned before from whence he might beholde their enemies campe And though the miste whiche the moiste hilles did caste forth toke not away clerely the vse of the prospeâ— yet it letted them to deserue the deuision of their enemies barteles and ther ordre the multitude of whom ouerspreade the fyldes and the noyse of suche a nombre fylled there eares thoughe they wepe farre of Then Alexander began to reuolue in his heade and debase wyth hym selfe one while Peâ—menyos opynion and a nother tyme his owne For he was come so farforth that he could not retire excepte he were victoret with out the great destruccyon of hys Armye The multytude of hys enemyes moued hym muche in respect of hys small noumbre yet on the other parte he remembred what great actes he had don with them and howe many nacions he had vanquysshed So that hope surmountynge hys feare he thought it moste daunger of all to differ the battell any lenger leste desperacion might growe amongest hys men and therefore dissâ—mblyng the matter caused the Mercenarye horsemen and the Peones to passe on before and deuided hys Phalanx as it hath bene saied before into two battayles and empaled the same wyth horsemen on both sides By that tyme the mâ—ste auoyded and began to wax clere the ordre of ther enemies apearing manifestly The Macedones then whither it were of courage or for that they were impacient to tarie any lenger made such a shoute as men of warre vse when they ioyne in battel the like was also made by the Percians So that the woods and vaille is round about rebounded wyth the terryble sounde The MacedoÌ„es then coulde not absteine any lenger but woulde haue
geuen a charge to their enemies that had nere hande enuironed their kyng about and so compelled the Percians to turne their faces againe towardes them The battailles thus were sore trauailed on both sydes Alexander had his enemies bothe before and behynd â–ª and his enemies that came on his back were sore oppressed by the Agrians The Bactrians also that had spoyled the cariages were excluded from their own company and could not recouer their place agayne Thus the battaylles were deuyded in diuers partes and fought one against an other as their chaunce fell The two kynges that ioyned their battaylles hard one to an other renued agayne the fyght There were moste of the Percians slayne but the nombre of the wounded were lyke on both sydes Darius did ryde in a chariot and Alexander vpon an horse They both had a choise band about them whiche were careles of their owne lyues For if their kynges should miscary neyther they could be saufe nor yet desired to lyue Wherfore euery of them thought it a noble thyng to aduenture them selues before the face of their prince And he that coueted moste to defende his maister â–ª was in moste peryll for eche man coueted the honour to kyll the kynge on his contrary parte There whether it were an imaginacion of the eyes or a thyng done in dede suche as were about Alexander â–ª beleued that they sawe an Egle flickeryng aboue his head whiche neyther feared with classyng of the harneys nor by the cryeng of them that were dyeng honge styll in the ayet a lyttle aboue hym Then Arislander whiche ware a whyte garment and caried lawrell in hys hande shewed thys thyng vnto the souldiers as they were busye fyghtyng as a certayne token of victory whiche thyng did cause them whiche before were in some doubte cherefully and with great confidence to assayle their ennemies The fyght contynued after thys sorte vntill the tyme that he was slayne whiche gouerned the horse that drue Darius chariot Then neyther the Percians nor Macedons doubted but that Darius had bene slayne And the Percians vpon that imaginacion made a barbarous noyse and a sorowefull howlyng wherewith they sore troubled and astonied their whole hoste that were yet fyghtyng with equall victory Darius kynsmen and the Squires for his body that were on his left hand lefte hym and fled away with a mayn flyght but suche as stode in his defence dn his ryght hande conuoyed hym into the hart of the battaill It is sayd that Darius drue out his sworde and was determined diuerse tymes to kyll hymselfe rather then to susteine the shame of flyeng away But when he sawe as he sat alofte in his chariot that a great parte of his army remayned yet fighting he was ashamed to leue them in suche sorte And whyles he thus wauered in his opinioÌ„ betwixt hope and dispaire the Percians by little and lytle gaue grounde and shronck from their order Alexander that had tyred many horses did chaunge the same he did at that time ryde vpon strake at the faces of theÌ„ that stode at defence There was none then that made resistauÌ„ce any leÌ„ger â–ª but a manifest slaughter fell on the Percians Darius â—led and Darius tourned his chariot to flye awaye The Macedons pursued them hard that fled and the duste that flue vp to the skie toke away their prospect so that they wandred as it had bene in darknes and euer dreue together when they hard any voice that they knew Only the ratling and noyse of the chariot was a marcke for the Macedones to folowe after As fortune was prosperous to the Macedons on this parte and contrarious to their ennemies so on the other syde where Permenio in the lefte winge encountred with the Percians â–ª they had the better and the Macedons the worse Mazeus Mazeus wyth his whole bande gaue a great charge and put the horsemen that stoode in the winges to a sore distres And thervpon by reason he abouÌ„ded with multitude began to enclose the footemeÌ„ about Then Parmenio sent worde to Alexander in what daunger they were in whiche he signified to be such that except they had succour in tyme they coulde not resiste but he enforced to flye awaye Alexander was gone farre in the chase when this sorowfull message was brought him Wherfore he commanded the horsemen to staye and chafed wounderfullye that the victory was thus taken out of his haÌ„des that Dariê° had better fortune in fleing then he in hys folowing In the meane season the fame of Darius ouerthrowe was brought vnto Mazeus And therefore though he had the vpper hand yet he was striken with such feare of his fellowes misfortune that he made astarke pursuite vpon his enemies Parmenio was ignorant of the cause why the fight did slake so willingly of there parte Parmenio encouraged his soldiers but boldly vsing the occacion of the victorie called the Tessalien horesmen vnto hym and sayed Se you not how our enemies that euen nowe gaue vs a feirse onset be sodenly afrayed and withdrawe them selues I see the fortune of our kyng doth giue vs the victoryie All the feldes be strown with the Percians that be slaine Why do you therfore staye are you not good anoughe for men that be fleing They sawe his wordes had an apparaunce of a truthe â–ª and therfore by and by they toke courage and putting their spores to the horse made a full charge vpon their enemies who retired not by littell littill but marched away a great pace And they wanted nothing of flieng sauing that they had not yet directly turned their backes yet for al that insomuch as Permenio knewe not what was become of the king nor of hys battell stayed and woulde not pursue after them Mazeus hauing leisure geuen him to flie at his libertie passed the riuer of Tigre not the next way but by a further coÌ„passe about with more suretie and so recouered the Citie of Babilon with the remaynes of that vanqueshed Armye In the meane season Darius with a fewe that accompained him in his flieng came to the Riuer of Licus â–ª wher passinge ouer he stode in doubte whither he should breake the bridge or no for it was shewed him that his enemies were at hand But considering how many thousandes of his men by the breakinge therof should be a pray to hys enemies he left the bridge standing and at his departure said that he had rather open the waye to them that pursued him then to shut it against them that fled after him But Darius lefte not his flieng til he came to Arbilla where he arriued about midnight Who is able to conceyue in his mind or expresse in wordes the discomfirture the manifold chasises in this discoÌ„fiture the slaughter that fell both vpon captaines and souldiers the chasing of them that were put to flight the destruccion in particular and in generall Fortune heaped to gether that one daye the chaunces of a whole world
office By reason wher of the Macedons could not haue scoope to caste their dartes with any force taking more care howe to place them selues out of perill then for to auoyde their enemies Their ingyns stode them in great steade which seldome did shote in vaine against their enemies that stoode thicke before them proffering to resiste their laÌ„ding When the Scithians sawe them nere the shore they did shote an infinite nombre of arrowes into the boates so that there was not in maner any target that had not many heades sticking in it At length the boates arriued at the land then the target men did ryse vpon their feete and hauing more scope and sure footing threw their dartes more certainly with greater force wherby when they perceiued their enemies to shrinke and reane backe their horses they then leaped cherefully vnto the land one exhorting and encourging an other and frely pursued the Scythians whoÌ„ they sawe falle out of aray By that tyme Alexanders horsemen which had assembled them selues in tropes brake vpon their ennemies and put them to great dysordre In the meane season the rest being defended by them that were fighting landed and prepared them selues to the battell Nor Alexander letted not wyth stowtnes of courage to supplye the impotency of hys bodye Hys voyce could not be hard when he spake exhorted his men the scarre of his wound not yet closed but all men might se him fighting Wherefore euery one vsed the office of a captaine in giuing exhortacion vnto hys fellowes and ran vpon their ennemies wythout respect of their owne liues Then the Scythians could not endure any lenger the countenance the force nor the crye of ther enemies but being all on horsback fled away vpon the spoores Whom the king pursued .iiii. score furlonges notwithstaÌ„ding that with great payne he endured hys informitye When his hart faynted he coÌ„maunded hys men that they should folowe still in the chace so long as the day lasted and not hauing strength to sustaine any further trauaile returned into hys camp to rest hym selfe The Macedons in their pursuite passed the boundes of Bacchus In mounment of whom their were great stones set vp by equal distaunce and highe trees whose stocks were couered ouer with I vye But no bouÌ„des could be a stay to the MacedoÌ„s â–ª being caried forwards in there fury for it was midde night before they returned againe to their campe who hauing killed many and taken great nombre of prisoners dyd driue before them M. viii.c horses Ther were slayne of the Macedons .lx. horsemen of the fotemen to the poynt of one hundred a thousand of them were hurte This enterprise with the fame of the victory falling in so good a seasoÌ„ kept the more part of Asia in obedience which was of the point to haue rebelled For they beleued that the Scythians were inuincible Who being veinqueshed they iudged no nacioÌ„ hable to withstand the powre of the Macedons Sacans The Sacans therefore after thys victory sent ther Embassadours vnto Alexander offring them selues to come vnder his obedience To the doing whereof they were not so greatly moued with feare of his force as they were with report of the clemency he vsed towardes the Scythans after he had discoÌ„fited them For he deliuered home all their prisoners wtout raunsome to witnes to the world that he made warre with those firste nacions to shew his powre his vertue not for any malice nor to shewe his wrath vpon them That was the cause that he so geÌ„tly receiued the Embassadours of the SacaÌ„s causing Excipinus to accompany them Excipinus who being a beutiful yong man in the first flowre of his youth was in that respect in great fauour and familarity with Alexander In parsonage he was like to Ephestion but inferior to him in pleasauÌ„tnes of speach After this Alexander giuing ordre to Craterus to folowe him by small iorneys with the greater parte of hys armie he him selfe came to the city of MaracaÌ„da from whence Spitamenes that hard of his coÌ„myng was fled into Bactria The king therfore making great iourneyes foure dayes continuially came into the place where as vnder the conduct of Megedemus he had lost two M. fotemen .iii. C. horsemeÌ„ Whose boÌ„es he caused to be gathered togithers buried celebrating their funeralls after his contrey maner By that time Craterus with the phalaux was come vnto the king to thinteÌ„t he might puÌ„ishe with the sword al suche as had rebelled he deuided his powre into diuerse partes coÌ„manÌ„ding them to burne in euery place where they went and to kyl al the children The contrey of the SogdiaÌ„s is for the more parte wast by reason of the great desertes that be there wherof some be iiii score furlonges in bredth The riuer called Bolytimetum passeth in maner throught the length of the countrey which ronneth violently in a narowe chanel and then is receyued into an hole of the earth from whence it goeth vnderneth the ground whose course is manifest by the noise of the water that may be hard And yet in all grounde vnder the which suche a riuer doth ronne ther do not apeare any moisture put forth Of the captiues that were taken amoÌ„gs the Sagdians there were .xxx. of the most noblest brought vnto Alexander Which vnderstanding by an interpreter that by the kinges commaundement they shoulde be put to execution They beganne as men in myrth to sing and daunce and by a certaine lasiuious mocion of ther bodies expressed a great ioyfulnes of the mind Alexander merueling that they toke their death wyth such sâ—owtnes and magnanmitye of harte called them vnto him enquering why they shewed so great a gladnes when they had death before therface They aunswerrd that if they had bene put to death by any savinge by such one as he was that they should haue takeÌ„ their death sorofully But now seing they should be restored to their predecessors by a kyng that was a conqerour of all nacions they reioysed in their honest death as the thing that all men should wyshe desyre The king then meruayling at there magnauymitye I enquere of you qd he if you can be content to liue become frendes to him by whose benifite you shal receiue your life They said that as they neuer were his enemies but as they were prouoked by occasion to the warres euen so if he would make an experiment of them rather by a benefite then an iniury They would labour not to be ouercome in good will nor in doyng the thing that pertained to their dutie Thei were axed what pledge they would laye of their promyse They said their liues they had receiued shuld be their pledge redy to be yelded againe when it were required wherin they brake no promise for suche of them as were returned home into their couÌ„trey kept the people in good obedience foure of them that were appointed to be of the kinges guard gaue place to
bray of purpose to thintent that with their terrible noyse they should fill their eares ful of feare Though the Macedons were couragious and had there hartes full of good hope as they which often tymes had had expeyience of there owne actes Yet there enemies and the Riuer bothe togither made them wonderfully amased For they could not think how to keape a stedfast course to the further shore in so weake and tottring boates nor when they were there coulde see howe to arriue wyth surety There were many Ilands in the middes of the Riuer into the which both the Indians and the Macedons did swyme holding there weapons aboue there heddes And there skyrmished together in the syght of both the kinges which by experymente of such smale thinges made triall of the successe of the holle Symachus Nycanor But amonges al the Macedones ther were two noble yong meÌ„ called Symachus and Nycanor excelling in bouldnes in desperat attemptes and through there continuall good fortune had goten a courage to despice all perill Other yong men of the moste hardiest toke them for there captaynes and without any other armour sauing there pikes swome ouer into an Iland that was full of their enemies where through bouldnes only they slewe many of them and so myght haue returned with glory if rashnes where it findeth prosperous successe could euer be content with measure But whiles with skorne and pride they taried for ther enemies they were sodeinly enclosed of such as pryuely swome ouer the riuer and were killed with dartes which they caste at them from afarre Such as in thys case escaped there enemies were either drowned with the violence or the Eddyes of the streame Thys fight put Porus in great courage that sawe all theyr doinges from the further shore And though Alexander was longe vncertayne what waye to take yet at length he deceyued his enemye by thys policy The policie Alexander vsed in passing of Hydaspys There was an Iland in the riuer greater then the rest apte to hide his deuise by reason it was full of woode and had a great rampire cast vpoÌ„ that banck that was towards hys enemies Where both his fotemen and horsemen might stand couered from the sight of the Indians And the rather to turne there eies a nother way from the spying out of the oportunitye he caused Ptolomeus with a great nombre of hys horsemen to shewe them selues against there enemies farre of from the Iland and to put the Indians in feare of there crye making euer a shewe as though they would swyme ouer the riuer Which thing Ptolomens dyd many dayes continially together to the intent that Porus should be enforced to remoue hys powre to that part to withstaÌ„d him and by that meanes brought them out of the sight of the Ilande Alexander also caused hys owne Pauilyon to be set vpon the riuers side ouer agaynste hys enemies and all the pompe that partayned to the state of a kyng to be set furth within there viewe with the same band standing in sight whych was wonte to remayne about hys parson Furthermore Attalus that was equall wyth Alexander in yeares and lyke to him of face and parsonage stode there openly aparayled lyke a kynge that it might appere to Porus that Alexander was styll remayning there and went not about to passe the riuer Thexecucion of this deuise was first letted by a tempeste whereby afterwardes it was furthered brought to good effect fortune euer vsed to turne her dyscommodities into good successe towardes hym For when the enemies were thus attent to obserue Ptolomeus that lay beneth vpon the riuer agaynst them and Alexander with the rest of tharmye busie about the passing of his men into the Iland before mencioned There fell sodeinly a great storme scarsely tollerable to such as lay within there cabbens which so much afflicted the souldiers abrode that they forsoke the boates and fled agayne to land And yet for all this ther clamor and there noise was not harde of theyr enemies through the vehemency of the showre As this tempast begaÌ„ne sodeynly so it sodeinly cessed But the clowdes remayned darke that there appered not so much light as the souldiers myght knowe one an other by the face when they spake togethers Whyche darknes myght haue feared some other man considerynge they had to rowe in a Ryuer that they knewe not their enemies paraduenture wayting for them at ther landynge whither they went as blind men that for glory sought for parill But Alexander vsed that thing that put other men in teror to serue for his purpose and willed that euery maÌ„ vpoÌ„ a signe giuen should enter into there boates wiâ—h silence His boat was the first that launched from the shore towardes the further syde that was voyd of hys enemies Porus only keping hys wache agaynst Ptolomeus There was but one boate that sticked by the way vpon a rocke and all the other recouered the lande Alexander then commaunded the souldiers to prepare there armour The batteil betwixt Porus and Alexander and fal into aray and whiles he was deuidyng hys men to put them in ordre of battayll â–ª and marching towardes hys enemies it was reported to Porus that a great nombre of men of warre were come ouer the riuer and landed whych would streyght wayes giue him the battell But he at the fyrste according to the fault that is in mans nature through the ouermuch confidence he had in hym self beleued not the matter but thought that Abyasares whych was confederat with him had come in his assistaunce But when the daye appeared and the matter was manyfest Porus then put furth C. armed wagons and foure thousand horsemen vnder the leading of Hages his brother to keape Alexander doyng Hages Poras brother They counted those wagons there pryncypall force for euerye one of them caryed .vi. men two archers two wyth targets and two that ruled the horses which were not vnarmed but when it came to the fyght they let there reaynes loose and bestowed there dartes amonges there enemies But the use of those wagons serued that daye to smal purpose for the shoure that had fallen more violently then was accustumed had made the feldes so wete slabbye that the wagons coulde not sturre but sticked in the mire becaÌ„e immouable Wheras Alexander being without baggage or anye other thing that might be impediment vnto him firesely inuaded his enemies The Scythians and the Dahans were the first that gaue the onset and Pardicas was apoynted with the horsemen to charge vpon the right hand battell of the Indians Then the battells beginning to ioyne in al partes they that had the charge of the wagons counting them the laste refuge slacked there raynes and rushed forwardes into the middes of the fight The comming of thes wagons apeared to be a matter daungerous and doubtfull to both parties For at the fyrst brunt both the MacedoÌ„s were borne ouer and ouer
thrown by them and when the wagons came in any roughe or myrye places the Indians were thrown out of them For when the horses that drewe were ones galled and put in feare they caried the wagons without gouernment and tombled parte in the myre and parte in the riuer A fewe trauarsed the felds fled for succour vnto Porus who seinge hys wagons scatered ouer all the feldes and waÌ„der aboute wtout there rulers distributed the charge of hys Elephantes amonges hys frendes and placed hys fotemen and archers behind them He had many the soundyd vpon Timbrells beinge instrumentes that the Indians vse in stede of troÌ„pettes wherwith there eares were so filled that the noyse of there enemies little moued them They bare also the Image of Hercules in the frunt of there fote battell whiche was done for an encouragement for them to fight wel and for a note of a reprouf offence to them that should flee from that there standard For it was losse of lyfe to them that left it in the feld So that So that the feare whiche they conceiued of Hercules that sometyme had bene their enemye was then turned into a veneration and a religion The sight bothe of the Elephantes and Porus him selfe astonied the Macedons and caused them a while to staye For the beastes beyng set in order amonges armed men shewed a farre of lyke highe towers and Porus him selfe exceadynge in maner the stature of manne the Elephant wherupon he did ryde was a settyng forth vnto hys bygnes whiche excelled so muche all the other Elephantes as he him selfe excelled the rest of menne So that Alexander beholdynge both Porus and hys power saied that at lengthe he had founde a perell equall vnto hys harte For we haue to do 〈◊〉 he both with terrible beastes and wyth notable men of warre And therupon loked towardes CenoÌ„ said vnto him When I with Ptolomeus Perditas and Ephestion shal set vpon the left battaile of our enemies and shalt see vs in the heate of the fyghte doo you then set forwardes my ryght battayle and freshlye assayle theim when you see them begynne to fall out of order Antigonus Leonatus and Tauron do you bende agaynst their maine battayle and set vpon their fronte Our pikes be longe and stronge and can not serue to anye better vse then againste the Elephantes and suche as they cary ouerthrow them thrust the beastes through The Elephantes be but an vncertayne force whyche vse to do moste harme to their owne parte For as they vse to goo agaynste their Enemies so longe as they be at commaundemente so when they be once putte in feare they tourne agaynste theyr owne syde and shewe mooste rage towardes theim He hadde not so sone spoken those wordes but he put spores to his horse passyng against his enemies and when accordynge to hys appoyntment he hadde geuen the charge Cenus with a great force brake vpoÌ„ the left battell And the Phalanx at the same instant brake in amonges the middes of their enemies When Porus saw the horsemeÌ„ geue the charge he put forwardê his Elephantes to encouÌ„ter theÌ„ But they beyng slow beastes not apt sodaynly to moue were preuented by the swiftnes of the horses and their bowes were not to them of any great effect For by reason their arowes were so long and heauy that they could not nock theÌ„ within their bowes except they staied first their bowes vpon the ground and the grouÌ„d being so slippery that thei could haue no perfite foting The confusion that â—ell amoÌ„ges Porus men whiles thei were preparing theÌ„ selues to shote their enemies were come amonges them Then euery man fell from thorder that Porus had geueÌ„ as it chauÌ„seth ofteÌ„times amonges troubled mindes where fear beareth more rule theÌ„ the capitaines appointment For in so many partes as their army was deuided so many generals there became amonges theÌ„ Some would ioyne all their battels in one other would haue them deuided Some willed to staie other to go forwardes and enclose their enemies about There was no generall consultation amonges them Porus notwithstandinge accompanied with a fewe with whom shame preuailed more theÌ„ feare assembled such together as were disperkled abroade and went forwardes against his enemies settinge his Elephantes in the fronte of the battaile They put the MacedoÌ„s in terrour troublyng with their vnwonted crye not onely the horse that naturally do feare them but also amased the men and disturbed their order In so muche that thei whiche a little before thought them selues victorers loked aboute whiche waye to flee and saue theim selues Whiche thinge when Alexander perceiued he sente against the Elephantes â—he Agrians and Tharians that were men light armed and apter to skyrmish a farre of then to fight hande to hand They gaue the Elephantes and their gouernours muche a doo and sore afflicted them wyth the multitude of their dartes and arrowes that they bestowed amonges them And the Phalanx came constantly forwardes againste them that were in feare But suche as pressed ouer forwarde in fyghtynge wyth the Elephantes procured their manifest destruction who beynge trampeled to death wyth their fete were an example to other not to be ouer hastye in aduenturynge them selues The moste terrible sight was when the Elephantes wyth their longe trunkes whiche they called probostides toke menne in their armoure from the grounde and deliuered them vp to their gouernours The battaile was prolonged doubtfully tyll the daye was farre spente The Souldiours sometime fliyng from the Elephantes and sometime pursuing after them vntil that with a certaine kynde of weapons called Copida whyche croked lyke sithes and prepared for the purpose they cut the Elephantes vpon the legges Those the Macedons had right aptly deuised for not onely the feare of death but also the feare of a newe kinde of torment in death caused them to leaue nothynge vnproued Finally the Elephantes weried with Woundes with their violente struglynge did raste their gouernoures to the Earth and tare them in pieces for they were put in such fear that they were no more hurtfull to their enemies but driueÌ„ out of the battayle like shepe Porus beynge forsaken of the more parte of hys men ceassed not to caste Dartes wherof he had plentye prepared vpon hys Elephant amonges them that flocked aboute hym wherby he woundyng manye by reason he laye open to euerye mannes blowe was layed at on all partes tyll he hadde receiued nine woundes behynde and before throughe the whiche he bledde so muche that he had no power to cast any more but for feblenes they fell out of hys handes The Elephante also whyche he didde ryde vpon pricked forwardes wyth furye made a great disturbaunce amonges the Macedons vntyll that hys gouernoure seynge the Kynge so faynte that he let fall hys Dartes and to be almost past hys remembraunce sturred the beast to flee awaye whom Alexander folowed in all that he myght but his horse that was thrust in wyth manye woundes fel downe
Plateans that were confederat with hym through the manifold accusations that they brought in agaynste the Thebanes he slewe of them Six thousande â–ª and solde thirte thousand as Slaues the money wherof coming amouÌ„ted to the som of foure huÌ„dred and forty talentes yet he spared al the linage of Pindarus the Poete Pindarus the Poet. wherbye he woulde wytnes vnto the worlde the fauour he did beate vnto learned men In this Citie of Thebes was a notable woman called Timoclea â–ª Tymoclea whome when A capteyne of Thrace did rauishe wold haue enforced her to confes her monye she brought him to a well where she saide all her precious gere was hydden And whiles he stouped downe to loke into the wel she thrust him in and threwe stones after â–ª wherby he was slaine For this facte she being comitted to prysone and afterwardes brought before Alexander he asked her what she was she auÌ„swered with out feare that she was Suster to Theogenes whych beind elected general Captayne against kiÌ„g Philip his father maÌ„fully died for the libertie of Grece At wose stowtnes coÌ„staÌ„cy the King merueled so much that he caused her w e her childreÌ„ to be set at liberte The Athenians had so greate pitie and compassion of the estate of the Thebanes that contrarye to the commaundement of Alexander they receyued into theyr Citie such of them as escaped Whiche thing Alexander toke in such displeasure that when thei sente Embassadours the second tyme to demaunde peace he would not graunte atonement vpon any other condicion but that such Oratours Captaines which had sturred theÌ„ to rebellioÌ„ shuld be deliuered vnto his handes But at length the matter was brought to that poynet that the Oratours were reserued the Captayne 's banished which straight fled to Darius Kyng of Percia At such tyme as AlexaÌ„der assembled the GreciaÌ„s in Isthmos for the determinacioÌ„ of his iourney into Percia many Oratours Philosophers came to visite him Diogenes only Diogenes that remayned about Corinthe kept hym selfe away as one that estemed Alexander nothyng at all wherat he marueiled much weÌ„t to visit him wher he was beking of him selfe in the soÌ„ He asked Diogenes if he had nede of any thiÌ„ge that he might do To whoÌ„ Diogenes nether gaue reuereÌ„ce nor thaÌ„ks but willed hym to staÌ„d out of his son shine With whose behauour and wordes AlexaÌ„der was so delited that turning to those that were with hym said if he were not Alexander he would wysh to be Diogenes WheÌ„ he had put in ordre thaffaires of Grece comitting the rule therof togither with the Realme of MacedoÌ„ to the gouernemeÌ„t of Antipater Antipater whoÌ„ he most trusted in the begiÌ„ning of the spring came to Hellespont with his hole Armye Hellespont which he transported into Asia with incredible spede diligeÌ„s WheÌ„ they were come to the furder shore AlexaÌ„der threwe a darte to thennemies land and as he was armed lepyd out of the ship wyth great chetefulnes and their sacrified making peticioÌ„ vnto the gods that thei wold voucsafe towardes his enemies and forbad his Souldiers to make eny spoyle vpon the contrey persuadinge theÌ„ to spare that was ther owne and that thei shuld not destroyt the thinge which they came to possesse He not had in his Army aboue the nombre of .xxxii. M. The number of Alexander Armye fotemen v. M. horsemen and but Clxxx. ships wherfore yt is harde to iudge whither yt be more wonderful that he conquered the worde or that he dursd attempte the conqueste therof wyth so small a powre he chase not out to suche a dangerus enterpryse the yonge men whych were in the firste floure of there age but thold souldiers of whom the more parte for there longe contiunans in warres were by the custome at lyberty whither they wold go to the warres any more or no sauing at there owne pleasure And there was none of the captaynes nor of ani other that bare office in the Army that was vnder the age of .lx. yeares So that the souldiers for their experieÌ„ce semed to be Scolemastres of the warres And the captayns for there grauitie apered to be Senators in some auncient comon welth That was the couse that in the fighte none of the minded any flieng but everie one conceyued the victorie in his hedde nor any put trust in his fete but in his handes Alexander that euery where made sacrifice did vse moste solempnitie at Troye vpoÌ„ Achilles Tombe Achylles of whom he was discended by his mothers side He iudged hym moste happye of all men that had bene before because in suche glory he died yonge and had hys actes set forthe of such one as Homer was Homer From thence he passed forewardes into the domynions of Diarus Kynge of Perce which beinge the sonne of Arsanus Darius king of Perce and the fourtene Kyng after Cirus had gotten the possession of the Monarchie of the hole easte parte of the worlde The chiefe cause that moued Alexander too inuade hiÌ„ was to be reueÌ„ged of the damgs distruccoÌ„s wherwith his predecessours had afflicted the contrei of Greace also for demaÌ„ding tribut of Philip his father for that wiche he sent a proude presumptious ambassad called hiÌ„self the King of kiÌ„ges KiusmaÌ„ of the gods lastly he had written to Alexander called him his seruant gaue commission to his lieutenants that thei shuld beat the mad boy the sonne of Philip with roddes afterwards bring him to his preseÌ„ce in kings aparaile And lasteli that they shuld drowne both ship mariners conuey al the Souldirs that shuld be lefte on liue beyond the rede seas theytherfore purposiÌ„g to execute the kings coÌ„maÌ„demeÌ„t Troye Propontydes assembled theyr powre at the riuer of GraÌ„ik which doth deuid the coÌ„trei of Troie from propoÌ„tidis thei had to the nombre of .xx. M. fotmen as many horsemeÌ„ with whoÌ„ thei had takeÌ„ the grouÌ„d on the further sid of the ryuer wher AlexaÌ„der must nedes passe ouer wherof he being advertisid though he sawe but pÌ„seÌ„t ê‘il in theÌ„terprise to fight in the water the ouse froÌ„ the lower grouÌ„d The battal vppn the Ryuer of Grauyk agaynst his enemyes which had thaduantage of the higher bank yet vpon a singuler truste of hys owne good fortune and the valiantnes of his soulders attempted the matter At the fyrst he was sore resisted put in great hasard of repulse but at length he vanqueshed and otuerthrewe his enemies In doing whereof there neither wanted polycie in him self nor yet singler manhode in his men Ther was slayne in that battell of the percians .xx. M. fotemen with .cc.l. horsmen And of the Macedones but .xxxiiii. Thys victorie was greatlye effectuall to Alexanders purpose for therby he wan the Cytie of Sardes Sardes beinge the cheyfe strength the percians had for the maistering of the seas Lydia Ephelos vnto the whyche
had directioÌ„ by Darius to take the hilles neither durste resiste suche as came against theÌ„ nor yet to coÌ„passe those about that were passed by theÌ„ but fled away at the first sight of the Slingers Which thing chaunsed wel for Alexander for it was the thing that he doubted moste that they from the higher grouÌ„d should inuade the open side of his battaille whiche lay vnflancked towardes them The Macedons marched xxxii in a raÌ„ke for the streightnes of the grouÌ„d would not suffer them to go any broder but by little and little as the playne betwene the mountaygnes began to enlarge so they had libertie both to make their battailles broder and also for the horsemen to marche vpon the sydes WheÌ„ both the battailes were come within sight togethers the Percians first gaue a terrible and rude shoute whiche was agayn doubled of the Macedons not with their nombre whiche were farre inferiour vnto the Percians but with the rebounde of the hilles and the rockes which doubled euery voice of theirs Alexander did ryde vp and downe before the frontes of his battailles makyng a sygne to his souldiours with his hand that they should not make ouermuche haste to ioyne with their enemies for bringing theÌ„selues out of breath And as he passed by The exhortacions that Alexander gaue vnto his souldiours he vsed to euery nacioÌ„ sondry exhortacions as he thought mete for their disposicions and qualitie He put the Macedons in remembraunce of their olde prowes and maÌ„hode with the noÌ„bre of battailles that they had wonne in Europe howe that they were come hether aswel by their own desires as by his conducte to subdue Asia and the vttermoste bondes of the Orient He shewed them to be the people that were ordayned to conquere the worlde to passe the boundes both of Hercules Bachus He declared that both Bactria and Inde should be theirs in respect of whiche the couÌ„treis that they had sene were but trifles yet were to be gotten all with one victory wherin he said their trauaile should not be in vain as it was in the baraine rockes of Illiria or in the mountaynes of Thrace but that in this coÌ„quest the spoyle of the hole Orient was offred vnto them For the getting wherof they should scarsely nede to occupie their wordes since the battailles of their enemies wauered so alredy for feare that with their approche only they should put theÌ„ to flight He reduced his father Philip vnto their memory how he coÌ„quered the AtheniaÌ„s with the couÌ„trey of Boetia where he rased to the ground the noble cytie of Thebes After that he made rehersall of the battail wonne at the ryuer of the Granik and of all the Cities that he had taken or that had bene youlden vnto hym with the countreis thei had passed through subdued When he came vnto the Grekes he desired them to call to mynd the greate warres that had bene made against their countrey in tymes past by the Percians First by the pride of the Xerxes and after by Darius who made destruction both by water and land in suche sorte that the riuers could not serue them of drinke nor the earth of victualles for to eate rehersyng also howe the Temples of their Goddes had bene by them poluted and put to ruen their Cyties ouerthrowen and the truces and promyses by them violated and broken that were confirmed both by deuine and humanie lawes When he was passed by the Illirians and Thracians whiche were accustomed alwayes to lyue vpon thefte and spoyle he had them behold their enemies whiche glistered with gold and bare no armour but spoyle fro them take He encouraged them to go forwardes like men and pluck the pray from those effeminat womeÌ„ to make exchaunge of their kraggie rockes and bare hilles alwaies full of snowe for the plentiful groundes and ryche landes of Perce The battal betwixt Darius and Alexander By the time he had made these exhortacions they were come within throwe of their dartes And Dariê° horsemeÌ„ gaue a fierce charge vpon the right hand battaille of the MacedoÌ„s For Darius desire was to trie the battaille by horsemen iudging as it was indede that the chiefest power of his enemies consisted in their square battaille of fotemeÌ„ So that the battaille where AlexaÌ„der was was brought to the point of enclosing about if he had not ê‘ceiued the same in time who coÌ„maunded two tropes of his horsemeÌ„ to kepe the top of the hill brought all the rest to the encounter of his enemies Then he coÌ„ueied the Tessalians horsmeÌ„ from the place where they stode to fight willing their captain to bring theÌ„ about behind the battailles there ioyning with Parmenio to do the thing manfully that he should appoinct theÌ„ By this the Phalanx of the MacedoÌ„s in maner enclosed about with their enemies fought notably on all partes but they stode so thick so were ioyned one to an other that there waÌ„ted scope to welde their dartes Thei were so miÌ„gled together that in castiÌ„g one letted another very few lighted vpoÌ„ the enemies with weake dintes the moste parte fel on the grouÌ„d without harme doing wherfore being enforced to ioyne haÌ„d for hand they valiauÌ„tly vsed the sworde Then there was great effusioÌ„ of bloud for both tharmies closed so nere that their harnes classhed together wepoÌ„ against wepoÌ„ foyned one at an others face with their swordes Ther was no place for the fearfull or the coward for to fle back but eche set his fote to other by fighting kept stil their place til thei could make their way bi force so always passed forwardes as they could ouerthrowe their enemies being weried and trauailed thus with fightyng they were euer receiued with freshe enemies suche as were wounded myght not parte out of the battaille as it hath bene sene els where their enemies assayled them so fierssy before and their fellowes thrust on so hard behind Alexander did that day not only suche thynges as pertained to a Captayne but aduentured himself as farre as any priuate souldier couetyng by al meanes to kill Darius whiche he estemed the greatest honour Darius did ride alofte vpon his chariot geuing great prouocation both to his enemies to assayle hym Oxatres Dariê° brother and for his own men to defend him As Oxatres his brother apeared moste notable amonges them all in his furniture and personage so in hardines and affection towardes the kyng he exceaded farre the rest specially in that case of necessitie For when he sawe Alexander aproche so nere he thruste in before Darius with the band of horsemen wherof he had the charge where as ouerthrowing diuerse he put many to flight But the Macedones swarmed so about the kyng and were in suche a courage by thexhortacioÌ„ that eche made to other that they charged againe vpon that band of horsemen Then apeared the slaughter lyke an ouerthrowe About the Chayre of Darius lay the moste
noble of his Captaines all dyeng honorably afore the eies of their kyng with their faces to the grouÌ„d like as they fel receiued their death wouÌ„des without turnyng their backes Amonges whome Aticies Romythres Sabaces gouernour of Egipt that had the charge of great nombres of men were ouerthrowen and slayne and about them there lay by heapes a huyge nombre of the vulgare sorte both of horsemen and fotemen Of the Macedons also some were slayne of suche as pressed moste foreward amonges whome the ryght shoulder of Darius was somwhat hurte with a sworde In this thronge the horses that drue Darius Chariot were thruste in with pykes whiche beyng woode for payne of their woundes began to stroggle and ouerthrowe their maister Darius He fearyng therfore to be taken a lyue leaped downe and was set vpon a ledde horse and so fledde away castyng from his head his diademe because he would not be knowen Dariê° ouerthrowen Then all his men for feare disparkled flyeng by suche wayes as were open for them and throwe away their armoure whiche before thei had taken for their defence Suche a thing is feare that refuseth the thyng that should be his sauegarde When Parmenio sawe them flee he straight commaunded the horsemen to pursue them in the chase and put all his enemies to flyght that were on that parte But on the other hand the Percians dyd put the Tessaliens horsemen to a sore stresse for at the first shock they had broken one of their tropes yet for all that when the Tessalians sawe their enemies passe through them they closed themselues together agayne and charged vpoÌ„ the Percians who by reason of their onsetgeuing and for that they though themselues sure of the victory became cleane out of ordre were ouerthrowen with great slaughter The Tessalians had herein a great aduauntage by reason that the PerciaÌ„s besides that they be armed theÌ„selues haue their horses also barbed with plates of stele whiche was the cause that they could not either in the vnset or retire be so quicke as that TessaliaÌ„s were for by their celeritie wherin the feate of horsemen chiefly consiste they had ouerthrowen many of them before they could tourne their horses about When AlexaÌ„der vnderstode that his meÌ„ preuailed of their enemies on that parte likewise was bold then to folowe in the chase whiche he durst not do before he knew the battail to be clerely woÌ„ne thennemies repulsed on all sides AlexaÌ„der had not about him aboue a M. horsemeÌ„ with whoÌ„ he slewe innumerable of his enemies For who is he that in an ouerthrowe or a chase can noÌ„bre men Those few MacedoÌ„s did driue the multitude of their enemies before theÌ„ like shepe thesame feare that caused theÌ„ flee stayed theÌ„ likewise in their flieng The Grecians that were on Darius side vnder their capitain Amyntas which soÌ„time had bene in great aucthoritie with Alexander Amyntas but then against him brake out from the rest and marched away in ordre of battaill All the rest fled diuerse wayes some directly towardes Perce some by pathes priuy wayes escaped by the mouÌ„taines the woodes A few ther where that recouered their former caÌ„pe whiche they could not defend any time against the Macedons that were victours but the same immediatly was wonne being habundaÌ„t of all riches of gold siluer with appertaining not only to the warres but to all voluptuousnes excesse whiche riches whiles the souldiers violeÌ„tly spoiled they strowed the waies full of packes and fardels whiche they would not touche in respect of the couetous desire they had to thinges of greater valew But when thei came vnto the women as their tirementes were moste precious the more violeÌ„tly thei plucked theÌ„ away and their bodies were not fre from their luste enforcement The campe euery where was ful of tumulte lamentacioÌ„ as chauÌ„ce fel to eche one The libertie of the victours was suche that their crueltie raged vpon all ages kynd of creatures no kynd of mischief waÌ„ted amonges theÌ„ There might haue bene sene the variablenes of fortune when they whiche had prepared Darius pauilion with al kynd of delicacie and riche furniture reserued kept thesame for Alexand as for their old maister for the Macedons had lefte that vnspoiled according to their auncieÌ„t custome which are euer woÌ„t to receiue their king wheÌ„ he is victorious into the kinges pauilion that he hath vanquished Dariuâ— mother his wâ—fe his children takeÌ„ prisoners The mother and wyfe of Darius that where there taken prisoners moued all men to caste their eyes and inwarde conteÌ„placion towardes theÌ„ wherof th one deserued to be reuerenced for the maner that was in her for her yeares and the other for thexeleÌ„cy of her beuty which through her misaduentur was nothing stained She was sene embrasing her littell sonne in her armes not yet of the age of .vi. yeares borne as inheritour to the dominion whiche his father newly had loste There lay also two yong virgines in their graÌ„dmothers lappe yeuen then mariable whiche languyshed and lameÌ„ted not somuch through their own priuate sorowe as for the dolorousnes of thould woman About the mother and the wife were a great nombre of noble womeÌ„ that pulled their heare and tare their clothes without respecte what apperteined to their estate Who vnmyndfull of the falle Darius wife and his mother were come vnto â–ª called them by the name of Quenes with suche other titles of honour as they did before They all had forgot their own misery were diligeÌ„t to enquire the fortune of the field what successe the battell had that Darius was in For if he were aliue they sayd they could in no wise thinke theÌ„selues prisoners But he by the chaunging of many horses was by that tyme fled far awaye There were slayne of the Percians a hundred thousand footemen and .x. M. The noÌ„bre of theÌ„ that were slayne horsemen And of Alexanders coÌ„pany only v. C.iiii. hurte .xxxii. fotemeÌ„ and Cl. horsemeÌ„ killed So great a victory was gotten with so small a losse Alexander that was weried with pursuyng of Darius when he perceaued the night to drawe on that there was no hope to ouertake him whom he folowed returned into the Percians campe whiche a little before his commyng was taken by his men that night he made a banquet to suche as he accustomed to call for the hurte of his shoulder wherof the skinne was but smaly perished letted him not to kepe coÌ„pany As thei sat at meat sodainly they heard a piteful crie with a straunge howling and lamentacion that put them all in great feare Insomuche that the band that kept the watche about the kinges pauilion fearing it to be the beginning of some greater matter began to arme themselues The wyfe and mother of Darius with the other noble womeÌ„ that were taken prisoners were the cause of this sodayne feare by lamenting of Darius whoÌ„ they
Some toke the way that came next to hand a nother sort fled vnto the woods and sought out by pathes to escape such as folowed after them Ther was a confusion of horsmē footemē mixed togither without any head the armed with the vnarmed and the whole wyth the hurte At length the compassion that one had of an other was turned into feare and they that could not folow were lefte bewailing themselues one to another But thirest chieflie afflicted the wounded and weried which laye alōg euerie where in the waies where any water was gasping after it with open mouth And when for gredines they had gulled in the troubled water they began to swell when the mudde ones entred into their entrayles And bienge thus not in case to moue the enemie came and sturred them vp with new wounds Some when the brookes nere hand were taken vp by other sought out for springes in euery secret place Nor their was no puddle so drie nor so farre out of the way that could be hidden from the thirest of them that serched them out The olde men and women were hard howling and crieng in all the villages nere the waies side how Darius was yet their kinge Alexander as it hath bene saied before staieng the chase was come to the Riuer of Licus where as the multitude of the fliers was greater then could passe the bridge So that many when their enemyes pursued them lept into the water and their laden wyth their armour and weried wyth fightyng and flienge were consumed wyth the streame But within a while neither the bridge nor the riuer were hable to receyue the companies that continually encreased by their vndiscret flieng For when feare was once entred into their hartes they doubted only that which put them first in feare The Macedōs were eger in the pursute of their enemies ▪ and required Alexāder that he would not suffre their enemies to escape fre away But he to stay them alledgid that their weapons were dull their hādes weried their bodies faint with long pursute and that the daye drue towards night But in veraie dede the care of his other battail which he thought to be yet fighting caused him to returne to their socour He had not so sone turned his ensignes but the certaine horsmē brought him worde from Permenio that the victory was wōne also on their part He was not in so great a daūger al that day as whē he was cōming towards his cāpe The daungier Alexander was in at his returne from the chase For there were but fewe that folowed him and those out of ordre as men that reioising of the victorye iudged all their enemies either to be fled or slaine in the field then sodēly ther appered a band of horsemē of the contrary parte coming against thē which at the first staied but afterwardes perceiuing the small nombre of the Macedōs gaue a charge vpō thē The king rode formoste rather disimuling ▪ then despising the perill he was in but his perpetual felicitie neuer failed him in extremities For at the first encountre he stracke thorough with a speare the captaine of the Percians who in egernes of the fight vnaduisedly came agaynst hym Whē he through his stroke was fallen to the ground ▪ Alexāder slewe the next to him with the same weapō ▪ and after diuers other wherewith his company seing the Percians amased bracke vpon them and threwe many to the earthe yet they for their partes were not vnreuenged ▪ for the whole battaill did not so ernestly fyght as that small bande assembled so by chaunce But at lengthe when they sawe that flyenge in the darke should be more suretie to thē then fighting shocked away in diuers companies Alexander hauing escaped thys extraordinarie perill brought hys men in saufegarde vnto his campe There were slayne of the Percians The nobre of the dead whiche came to the knowledge of them that had the victory .xl. M. and of the Macedons lesse then iii. C. whiche victory Alexander wan more by his own vertue then by any fortune and with hardines courage more then through any aduantage of the ground For he both ordred his battailles politikely and fought manfully With greate wysdome he contemned the losse of the bagage cōsideryng the weight of the whole matter to consist in the battaille it self Whiles the fortune of the field was yet doubtfull he vsed hymself as assured of the victory And when he had put his enemies in feare he cessed not till he had set them flyeng and that whiche scarsely can be beleued in that fiersenes of spirite he pursued in the chase more wisely then gredely For if he should haue folowed on still parte of his powre yet fighting in the field he shuld either haue lost the battaylle through his owne fault or els haue wonne the victory through the prowes of other men Or if after he had gottē the victory he had shewed him selfe afrayed of the horsemen that he met he must either haue shamefully fled or haue bene miserably slain Nor his capitains were not to be defrauded of their cōmendacion For the woundes that they did receyue were tokens of their manhode Ephestions arme was wounded with a spere Perdicas Cenos and Menidas with shot of arrowes were nere slayne And if we will geue a true iudgement of the Macedons that were there we muste confesse that he was a kyng worthy such ministers and they men worthy of suche a maister ¶ The fifte boke of Quintus Curtius of the actes of the great Alexander Kyng of Macedonie IF I shall make mencion of the matters that chaunsed in the meane season both in Grece Iliria and Thracia by the appointment and commission of Alexander in order as they fell the matters of Asia shuld therby be interrupted which I thought most cōuenient to put wholy together vntil the death of Darius and then to ioyne them in thys worke as they agre with the tyme. Darius wordes to them that were fledde from the felde I will firste speake of those thinges that ensued after the battayll at Arbella where Darius arriued about midnight And as it chaunsed the more parte of his fryndes and of all other that were escaped from the felde were come thither he called them all togither and made an oracion to this effect That he doubted not but Alexander and his men gaping with gredy desire for the haboūdance of spoyle that was in redines for them would visite suche cities and cōtries of his as were moste notable plentiful of riches which thing he said considering his estate ▪ could not but turne at length to his auaill Hys purpose was nowe with a small band to repayre into the desertes And seing the vttermoste partes of his kingdōe were yet vntouched he should from thēce easely repayre hys powre agayne to renue the warre Let therefore that gredy nacion qd he take my treasure and satisfie their great hunger with gold which shortly
courage and fidelitie towardes me So that I for my parte ought rather labour to seme worthy to haue suche frendes as you are then to doubte whether ye yet remaine thesame men towardes me that ye were before For of so many thousandes that were vnder myne empire you are those that haue folowed and sticked by me When I haue bene twyse ouerthrowen in the field twyse enforced to flye away your fidelitie your constancy maketh me thinke that I remayne still a kyng Traitours and fugitiues reigne in my cyties not for that they be thought worthy of suche honour but that you myght be prouoked by their rewardes to reuolte against me Notwithstanding you haue chosen rather to folowe me in my misfortune then be partakers of the victorers felicitie you are worthy whome the Goddes shall reward if I may not as vndoubtedly they wyll There can no posteritie be so silent nor no fame so vngrateful which shal not with due coÌ„mendacioÌ„s extolle you to the sterres Though I was determined still to haue fled whereuÌ„to my harte neuer agreed yet now I haue conceyued suche a truste of your vertue and man hode that I purpose to passe against myne enemies Howe long shall I be banisshed within myne own dominion from a straunge and a forein prince and flye within the boundes of myne owne kingdome when I may by hasarding of the battaill either recouer that I haue loste or els dye an honest death Except peraduenture it semeth better to some meÌ„ that I should submit myself to enemies will and by thensample of Mazens and Mithrenes to receiue by peticion the dominion of some one nacion Wherin I iuge that Alexander had rather folowe thinclinacyon of his glorie then of hys wrath No let the gods neuer graunte that it may lye in any mans powre eyther to take awaye or gyue vnto me thys Deadeame vpon my hede nor that I lose this Impire so longe as I remaine on liue For in this I am determined that my breath and my kingdome shall end both togither If this mynd remayne in you and if thys lawe be graffed in your hartes their is none of you that can want libertie their is non that shal be coÌ„pelled to endure the vrkesomnes of your enemies neither their proud porte nor their stately lokes For euery mans ryght hand shall giue vnto hym self either a reuenge or an end of all thes euils Nothing can stand long in one stay I my selfe am ensample of the alteracion of fortune nor it is not without cause that I loke for a better change And if the worst fall that the gods wyll neds be againste vs in our warres that be lauful and honeste yet it cannot be taken from vs but that we may alway manfully and honestly dye I require and make intercession to you by the honor of our predecessors that with suche fame and glory possessed the kingdomes of the hole Orient by those meÌ„ to whoÌ„ Macedon sometyme was tributarie by so many nauies of ships sent into Grece and by so many victories wonne that ye wyll take suche courage and hart vnto you as may seme worthy your nobilitie and your nacion So that with the same constancie of minde wherwith ye haue endured thinges paste ye wyll proue and attempte what soeuer chaunge send to you hereafter For I am resolued for my part to get my self perpetual fame either by the victorie or by the notable aduenture I will giue for the wynning therof When Darius had spoken theis wordes the representacion of the present perill so amasyd them all that they were not able either to shew there aduise or to speake a worde to the matter Artabazus til such tyme as Artabazus the moste auncient of his frendes which before tyme had bene wyth king Philip began to say hys fancie We are come into the felde qd he with you that is our king in our moste precious apparell and richest armoure â–ª with the entent to win the victorie and if nessessitie require not to refuse death To whose wordes the reste with ther voice seamed to agre Sauing Nabarzanes who being present in that counsell wyth Bessus and of hys opynion conspired a treasoÌ„ so wonderful that the like hath seldome ben hard of before Their determinacion was by force of the souldiers they had vnder their charg to put ther kinge in hold Wyth this purpose that if Alexander pursued them to deliuer him then aliue into his haÌ„des for to wynne therby his fauor as a thing which they thought he would esteame greatly But if they coulde escape conueniently then they were in mynde to kyll Darius and deuiding the kyngdome betwixt them renue againe the warre againste the Macedons They hauing imagened this treasoÌ„ long before in their mind Nabarzanes thoughte this an occasion to make a preparatiue to his wicked intent by a persuasion which he their vttered Nabarzanes wordes I knowe qd he that I shall speake the thing which in the firste apparaunce shall not be grateful vnto your eares but phesicions vse to cure deseases that be greate with sharpe bitter medycines and the shipmaisters wheÌ„ they fear a shipwrack accustume to redeame such thinges as may be saued with the distruction and losse of the reste But thys matter that I meane is no parsuasion to losse but a deuice by what meanes ye may preserue your self your kingdome We make a warre wherin the gods seme manifestly to be against vs and fortune ceaseth not obstinatly to pursue vs. It is nedefull therfore that we lay new fouÌ„dacions seke out men which haue other fortune My opinion is therefore that you deliuer vp your kingdom vnto some maÌ„nes haÌ„des which shal haue the name of king so longe as your enemies remaine within Asya And when they be once departed which my minde geueth me to be shortly he shal restore the same vnto you againe The countrey of Bactria is yet vntouched the Indians Saeans be at your apointement so many people so many armes so many thousandes of horsemen fotemeÌ„ haue their force in redines to renue this warre again So that a muche greater force remaineth then that which is coÌ„sumed Why do we then like beastes wilfully runne to a distruction that is not necessary It is the ê“pertie of such as be men of courage rather to dispise death then hate the life and oftentymes by werines of trauayll towardes are driuen to take little regarde of them selues But vertue leaueth nothing vnprouided So that death beynge the ende of all thynges it is sufficient if we god not to yt lyke sluggardes Therefore if we shal go vnto Bactria which is now our next refuge let vs for the times sake make Bessus king who is alredy ruler of the countrey wheÌ„ the matters be once brought to some staie he shal restore to you thempire againe as to the righteouse king Although Darius ê‘ceiued not the greatnes of the mischief that laye hidden vnder hys wicked wordes yet
feare that they durst neither put on their armour lest they might geue occasiō to the Bactriās to set vpō thē nor they could not remaine quiet lest thei might seme so wickedly to leue their kynge There were clamours through out the campe of diuers sortes and tunes wythout any head and without any apointment Such as partayned to Nabarzanes and Bessus deceiued by such lamētacion as they harde brought them worde that the kyng had killed him self Whereupon the prepaired thither so fast as thei could gallop Darius taken prisoner by Bessus and Nabarzanes and such folowed after as thei had chosen to be mynisters of their mischeife When they were entred into the kings pauilion bicause the Enuches declared that he was on liue they cōmaunded him to be bound Thus he whych before was caried in a chariot and honoured of his men like a god was made prisoner by hys owne seruauntes without any foreine powre and put into a vile cart couered ouer with beastes skynnes and spoyle was made of the kinges stufe in such sort as if it had bene taken in the warres And when they had laden them selues with the pray gotten after so foule a maner they conuaied them selues into their countries But Artabazus with those of whom he had the charge and with the Greake souldiers toke the way towardes Parthina thinking to be more sure any where then in the felowship of those traitors The Percians whom Bessus had burdened with so many faire promises specially bicause thei had no other mā to folowe ioyned them selues to the Bactrians and the third daye ouertoke them But to thintent Darius should not want such honor as was due vnto his estate Bessus caused him to be bound wyth golden fetters such were the despightes that his fortune made him subiect vnto And for that he should not be knowen by his apparell ▪ they couered the carte with foull hides of beastes and caused vnknowē mē to driue it forwards And lest by enquiring the Armye he might be discouered such as had the charge of hym folowed afarre of Whan Alexander hard that Darius was remoued to Echatane he lefte the way that he was in and with all the spede he could make folowed after Darius that was said to be gone into Media But when Alexander was come to Taba which is the cheife Citie of Paratacene Taba Paratacene it was there shewed him by fugitiues that came out of Darius camp that he was fled with al spede into Bactria And afterwardes vnderstod the matter more certeinly by Bagistenes of Babilō who could not affirme directly that Darius was vsed as a prisoner but declared that either he was in daūger of death or of captiuitie Alexander vpon those newes called his capteines togither and shewed them that he had a greate enterprise but such one as the trauail was verie short Darius he sayd was not far of forsaken of his own men and either takē as a presoner or slaine In whose parson he shewed their whole victorye to consiste and the greatnes of the matter to be reward sufficient of their haste making They all cried with one voice that they were redy to folowe him where he would go and that he should neither spare there labor nor their perill Wherupon he cōueied his army forwardes with merueilous spede rather in post then after the cōmon ordre of marching neither resting daie nor night til they had passed v.c furlōges come to the village where Darius was taken There Melun Melun Darius Interpreter who by reason of his sicknes could not folowe the army was taken through Alexanders celeritie who fayning that he fledde awaye from his maister declared the whole matter but how great so euer his desire was to ouertake his enemies it was necessary for hym to giue his men rest of their trauayle So that determining to leue the teste of his army behinde did chose out six thousand horsemen and added to them iii.c whiche they cal Dimichas that were fotemen heuy harnised but yet did ride on horseback and when the matter and place required lighted fought on foote When Alexander was taking ordre about these thinges Orsellos and Mythracenes which for the hatred they bare to Bessus for his treason fled from him declared to the kynge that the Percians were but v.c furlonges of and proffered to guide hym by a nearer way Their cōmyng was gratefull to the king for by their conduccion in the begynning of the nigh the toke his iourney wyth suche horsemen as he had appointed willing his fote battell to folowe after wyth all spede possible He marched forwardes in a square battell and kept such an ordre that the firste might ioyne with the laste and such as came behind releue them the went before When they had passed .ccc. furlonges of their way Broculus Broculus the sonne of Mazeus that sometime had bene gouernour of Siria met Alexander and declared that Bessus was within two hūdred furlonges marching with his men out of all ordre as one that did caste no doubtes seming to him that they went towardes Hircania wherfore yf haste were made he said they myght sone be ouertaken found disparckled here ther out of al aray He affirmed also that Darius was yet aliue Alexander that was hote before in his pursuite was with his wordes muche more pricked forwardes so that he caused them put spores to their horses and passed forwardes a gallop and went so farre forth that they might heare the noise of their enemies made as thei marched But the duste that dyd ryse toke awaye their fight and therefore he stayed a while tyl the duste was vanished away And then both Bessus parceyued the Macedons and they sawe the Percians as they fled Notwithstanding they had not ben hable to haue matched with them if Bessus had had as great courage to fight as he had to betraye hys master For besides that they excedid the Macedons in nombre and powre who being forweried and sore trauayled should haue had to do with them that were iustie freshe But the name of Alexander and his fame which is of great moment euer in the warres put thē in such feare that thei could not staye them selues Then Bessus and other that were parteners of the cōspiracy came to the carte where Darius was parsuaded him to leape on horsebacke and fle from hys enemies that were at hand But he affirming that the gods were come to his reueng and calling for the assistaunce of Alexander Darius wounded to death said that in no wyse he woulde go wyth traitors wherewith they were so sturred to wrath that they threw dartes at him and left him woūded in many places of his body They thucst in the beastes also that driew the cart to thintent they should not be hable to passe forwardes slew his two seruaūtes that did waite vpon him Whē they had cōmitted this acte they thought it expedient to disperse
them selues in their flieng And so Nabarzanes toke the waye to Hircania and Bessus to Bactria with a few horsemen that eche of them had in their company When their souldiers were forsaken of theyr Captaines they scatered here and there where hope and feare did lead thē There were only fiue hundred horsmen which assembled them self togither and stode in a māmoryng whither it were better to resiste or to flee Alexander vnderstanding the feare his enemies were in sent Nycanor before wyth parte of hys horsemen by keping of them occupied and he with the rest folowed after Where were slayn about the nombre of .iii. thousand that stode at their defence and they dyd dryue before them the reste of the army like beastes from killyng of whome the kyng gaue commaundement to abstaine Amonges all the prisoners there was none that was able to shewe which was the cart that caried Darius for euery one was so desirous to fynd him that as they sawe any carte thei sought Darius therin and yet they could perceyue by no meanes where he was become Alexander made suche haste that scarsely thre thousand horsemen folowed hym of all his nombre but the whole army of the Percians fell into their lappes that folowed behynde It is scarsely credible to be beleued that there should be more prisoners taken then there were men to take thē But fortune in that feare had so taken away their sence that they could not consyder their owne multitude nor the smale nombre of their enemies In the meane season the beastes that drewe Darius wagon hauing no man to gouerne thē were swarued out of the hyghe way and wanderyng here and there had drawen Darius four furlonges frō the place he was woūded into a valley where they fainted by reason of their heate and their hurtes There was a spring there at hand whiche certaine that knew the countrey Polistratus had shewed to Polistratus a Macedon that was ouercome for thrust And whiles he was drinking water out of his helmet he spyed the beastes that were thrust in with darres and marueilyng that they were not rather caried away then hurt after that maner He loked foūd in the foule cart the body of a mā haulf aliue and at length perceiued it was Darius that lay there sore wounded drawing of his breath Then Polistratus drought to hym a Percian whome he had taken prisone◠Whome when Darius knewe by his voyce to be of his countrey sayde he toke that for a cōfort of his present fortune that he should speake before he died to one that vnderstode hym The message that Darius sent to Alexand before his death and not vtter his last wordes in vayne He required hym to declare vnto Alexāder that though he had neuer deserued any thing at his handes yet it was his chaunce to die greatly his debtour and had great thankes to geue hym for the fauour and goodnes that he had shewed towardes his mother his wife and his children to whome he had not only graūted lyfe but also the reuerēce of their former estate dignitie where as he of his kinsmen frendes to whome he had geuen both life and landes was now by thē bereaued of al. He praied therefore that he might alwayes be victor and that the Empire of the whole worlde myght come vnto his handes requiring that he would not neglecte to take reuengaunce of so foull an act not only for his cause but for ensample and the loue of other princes which should be a thing honorable vnto hym and proffitable in tyme cōmyng When he had spoken these wordes he fainted and called for water after he had dronke said to Polystratus that presented it vnto hym Whatsoeuer thou art this is vnto me the last mysery in all my aduerse chaunce that I am not able to requite the this benefite But Alexander shal rewarde the the goddes shall requite him for his great humanite clemency shewed towardes mine Vnto whome in my behalfe thou shalt geue my hande as a pledge of a kinges promise When he had spoken these wordes and geuen Polistratus his hand he died Whē these thinges were reported to Alexander he repayred where the dead corse lay there be wayled with teares that it was his chaunce to dye a death so vnworthy for so great an estate and taking of his owne clooke to couer the dead coorse withall adorned thesame with all thinges that pertayned to a kyng and sent it to his mother Sisigambis to be buried in suche sorte as the countrey maner was to bury kynges and to be layde amonges the rest of his predecessours ☞ Here the first parte of the syxt booke doth want wherin was conteyned the cause of the warre betwixt the Lacedemonians and Macedons with the preparacion of both nacions to the battaill that was fought betwixt Antipater Alexanders lieutenaunt in Macedonia and Agis kyng of the Lacedemonians ¶ The sixte boke of Quintus Curtius of the actes of the great Alexander Kyng of Macedonie HE preassed forwardes where the fyght was moste daungerous The batail betwyxt Agys kynge of Lacedemon and Antipater laeutenāt in Macedonia and sleyng suche as made moste resistaunce put the greater parte of his enemies to flyght Then suche as were victorers before began to flye till they had drawe◠their enemies gredely folowyng them out of the streyte into a more playne ground In the retire many of them were slayne but when they had once recouered suche a ground where as they might staye and fall in ordre the battailes ioyned equally againe on both sides Amonges them all the kyng of the Lacedemonians appeared moste notable in all mens eyes not so muche by the beawty of his armour and goodly personage as through the greatnes of his courage wherein only he could not be ouercome He was layde to on all partes both nere hande and a farre of ye◠for all that he endured long in armes against his enemies auoiding their strokes parte with his target and parte with his body til suche tyme as he was thrust through both thies with a spere when by great effusion of bloud he was not able any lōger to endure the fyght Then the esquiers for his body toke hym vp vpon his target and caried hym into their campe that with great payne endured the slurring of his woundes The Lacedemoniās for all their kynges departure gaue not ouer the fyght but assone as they could recouer any ground of aduauntage they cloosed them selues in battaylle togither and receyued stowtly ther enemies that came ful vpon them Their is not found in any memorie of a battayl more vehemētly fought then that was where the armies of two nacions that were moste excellent in the warres contended togithers the victory not yet enclyning to any part The Lacedemonians called to mynde ther aunciente manhode and prowes and the Macedons considred ther present estymacion they had in the world The Lacedemonians striued for their libertie
in Macedon He gaue his suster in mariage to Attalus then whome I had neuer greater enemye When by reason of olde frendship and familiaritie I wrote to hym of the title geuen to me by the oracle of Iupiter Hammon he did not stick to aunswere that he was very glad that I was admitted into the nombre of Goddes howbeit very sory for those that should liue vnder suche oâ—eâ— as woulde oxâ—â—de the state of a man These were playne tokens that his harte was turned from me and that he â—pitedony glory Whiche I kept close in my hart so long as I myght For I thought my bowels pulled from me if I should make a litle store of them for whome I had done so muche But now it is not their wordes that must be punished for the rashenes of their toÌ„gues is turned to swordes whiche if ye beleue me Philotas hath whâ—tted to my destruction Whome if I should suffer to escape alas my souldiers whether should I go to whom should I commit my person He was the man that I made generall of my horsemen of the greatest part of myne army of all the noble yong gentlemen To his trouth fidelitie haue I committed my saueguarde my truste victory His father did I preserue vnto the same estate wherunto you aduaunced me Media then whiche there is not a richer countrey with many thousandes of your frendes and fellowes I haue put vnder his gouernaunce and aucthoritie Where I trusted of moste surty there found I moste perill Howe muche more happy had I bene to haue died in battell and rather slayne of myne enemies then thus betrayed of my subiectes For now being saued froÌ„ the daungers that I moste feared I haue fallen into those that I ought to haue doubted lest You haue bene wont often times to warne me that I should regard my surtie It is you that may make me sure of that that you couÌ„seil me To your handes to your succour I fle I would not liue though I might agaiÌ„st your willes though you wold yet can I not except I be deliuered from these my enemies Hereupon Philotas was brought furth in an old garment his haÌ„des bound behind his back It wel appeared how much this miserable sight moued theÌ„ whiche late before enuied him The daye before they sawe him generall of the horsemeÌ„ they knew that he was at supper with the king sodainly they sawe him both prisoner bound like a thefe also coÌ„dempned to dye So did it pity their hartes to coÌ„sider how Parmenio so noble a maÌ„ so great a captain which late hauing lost two of his sonnes Hector Nicanor shuld be put to answer absent with the third sonne whoÌ„ euell fortune had left him The multitude being thus enclined to pitye Amintas one of the kinges officers Amyntas tale with a cruel tale set them all against the prisoner we be all qd he betrayed to the barbarous nacioÌ„s none of vs shal returne home to his couÌ„trey wife nor freÌ„des but as a maymed body without an head without honour without fame in a straunge countrey shal be a mocking stock to our enemies His tale was nothing pleasauÌ„t to the king because he put the souldiers in remeÌ„braunce of their wifes couÌ„trey wherby he thought they would be the lesse willing to go forwardes in his warres There was one Cenus which though he had maried the suster of Philotas Cenus yet did he more extremely â—â—uay againste hym then any other calling hym traitour against his kyng to his countrey to the whole army And therupoÌ„ toke vp a stone that by chaunce laye at his feete to haue cast at Philotas which he dyd as some thought to th ende he might rid him from racking But the king kepte backe his hand said that the prisoner should haue libertie to speake for him self would not suffre him to be coÌ„dempned otherwise Then Philotas being admitted to speak were it through the coÌ„science of his offence or through the greatnes of his perill as a maÌ„ astonied and besides him self durste neither loke vp nor speake but burste out into teares Wherupon his hart fainted and he swowned downe vpon those that ledde him But afterwardes when he had wiped his eyes and by little and little recouered his hart and tonge he made countenaunce to speake What tyme the kinge beheld hym and said The Macedons shal be thy iudges I woulde knowe therefore whither thou wilt speake vnto them in thy countrey language or not to whom Philotas aunswered There be diuers nacions here besides the Macedons which as I trust shall perceiue my wordes the better If I vse the same language that you did bicause the moe myght vnderstand your tale Then said the kinge marke howe this man hath his owne Countrey tonge in hatred for ther is none but he that will dysdaine to speake it but let him say what he will so long as you remembre that he not onely disdayneth our custumes but also our language And with that word the king departed from thassemble Then saied Philotas The aunswere of Philotas It is easy for an innosent to finde words to speake but it is very hard for a maÌ„ in misery to keape a temperaunce in his tale Thus standyng betwixt a cleare coÌ„science most vnhappie fortune I know not in what wise I shal satisfie my self the time both togither For he that might beste haue iudged my cause is gone what the cause is he would not here me I cannot well imagen sith vpon the matter heard it lieth onely in his haÌ„des both to discharge coÌ„demne me For the matter not heard he can not acquite me beyng absent since he coÌ„deÌ„pned me wheÌ„ he was here preseÌ„t But not withstanding that the defence of a prisoner is not only superfluous but also hatefull which semeth not to enforme but to reproue the iudge Yet wil I not forsake my self nor so do that I shal seme coÌ„dempned by mine owne defaulte I se not of what treason I shoulde be gilty emong the coÌ„spiratours no man named me Nichomacus saied nothing of me Ceballinus could not tel more of me then he heard And yet doth the king beleue that I should be head of this conspiracye Was it possible that Dymnus should forget to name him that was chefe or is it likely that he wold haue ouerslipped me wheÌ„ the names of the conspirators were demaunded of him he would rather haue named me falsely to alure the yong man the soner to his opinion yet when he tolde the matter priuely to Nichomacas which he beleued verilye would haue kept it secrede namyng hym selfe and all the rest of me only he made no mencion wherin it can not be gathered that he omitted me for bicause he woulde haue spared me I â—raye you my felowes if no man had come to me noâ—geâ—â—en me knowledge of the matter should I this day haue bene put to answere wheÌ„ no man could haue accused
his wordes was wonderfully troubled both with anger and shame when he sawe the secretes of the religion brought to light which he thought to haue kept secrete to him self and therfore caused Erigius to go aside and Aristander to be called in vnto him Whō he beheld in the face said I seme to the rather a priuate man then a king Seing I commaunded the to make sacrifice and thou hast declared the significatiō therof to other not to me For Erigius by thy report knoweth the priuities pertaining to me But sure I iudge that through his own feare he deuised an interpretacion of himselfe Therfore let me heare of thyne own mouth what thou hast found in the intrailes to thintent thou shalt not deny that thou hast spoken Aristāder therupō was amased loked pale not able to answere one word for feare But at length the same feare that made him holde his peace pricked him forwardes to speake lest the prolonging of the kinges expectacion might prouoke him to further wrath answered I said qd he there was in the enterprise great daunger and difficultie but yet that your attēpt shuld not be in vaine There is nothing that I haue perceiued by my sciēce trouble me so much as the loue I beare towardes you for I both cōsider your infirmitie what a momēt cōsisteth in your owne persone fearing you shuld not be able to endure the thinges that fortune is disposed to geue vnto you When Alexander hard him speake after that maner he willed him to haue confidence in his felicitie to whom fortune had graunted glory in greater thinges therupō dismissed him Afterwardes as the king was debating with suche as he cōsulted with before by what meanes he shuld passe the riuer Aristāder came amonges them affirming that he had found the intrailes contrary to that he did before with as likely signes of good successe as any that euer he sawe shewīg thē as great causes to reioyse as he did before to feare But immediatly hereupon he receiued newes that muche appaired the continuall felicitie he was wont to haue in all his procedinges Menedemus being sent as it hath bene said before to besiege Spitamenes the auctour of the Bactrians rebellion When he vnderstode of his enemies cōming both in auoidīg to be enclosed within walles trusting besides to take some aduaūtage of the Macedōs laid an imbushemēt to entrappe them There was a wood through the which thei shuld passe very apt for the purpose where he laid the Dahās whose custome was to cary two armed men vpon one horse from whence they vsed to leape down by course And by reason the swiftnes of the footemen was little inferior vnto the horsemē they troubled greatly the ordre of the horsemans fight Spitamenes gaue ordre to thē that whē their enemies shuld enter into the wood they should enuirone them about on all sides whiche when they perfourmed according to their appointmēt Menedemus seing him self enclosed on al parts not equall in nombre vnto his enemies resisted a greate while crieng out to the souldiers that there remayned no hope to them being intrapt after that maner but by making slaughter vpon their enemies receiue the cōfort of an honest death Menedemus rid vpon a strōg horse charging oft times vpon his enemies wherby he brake their ordre and made great slaughter till such tyme that he being laid at on all partes Hispydes receiued many woundes and fainted for want of bloud Then he exhorted Hispides that was one of his frendes to leape vpon his horse and escape away and with that worde he swounded fel to the ground from his horse Hispides might haue got away but after he had lost his frēd determined there to die taking no other care but how to spend his life with the losse of his enemies Wherfore he put his spoores to the horse and ranne in amonges them where he fought notably and at lengthe was slayne When the reste sawe thys ouerthrowe and losse of their capitaine they recouered an hill where Spitamenes did besiege them thinking to subdue them for want of vitaill There were slaine in that battaill two M. footemen and .iii. hundred horsemen Whiche misaduēture Alexander with great policy kept secret commaunding them that parted from the field vnder payne of death not publyshe this matter abrode But when he could not beare out any lenger a countenaunce contrary to his harte he went alone vnto his pauilion whiche he had set of purpose vpō the riuers side There he waked all the night deuising with him selfe what was best to doe And diuers times he lifted vp his tent to behold the fires in his enemies campe therby to coniecture their nombre when the daye apeared he put on a corselet and came forth amonges the souldiers beyng the first tyme they had sene him since he receiued his hurt They bare suche a veneracion vnto their kyng that with his presence only they put away the remēbraunce of the feare whiche caused them before to shrinke and reioysed so hartely that when they saluted him the teares distilled from their eyes and earnestly required the fight which before they had refused He toke ordre there amonges them that the horsemē and such as were of the square battaill of footemen should be caried ouer in boates that the light armed shuld swimme vpon bottels Neither the matter required any more to be spoken nor the king could not say any more by reason of his infirmitie For the souldiers went about the matter with suche good will cherefulnes of mind that within thre daies thei had finished .xii. M. boates Whē al thinges were prepared in redines for their passage there came xx embassadours of the Scithiās ridīg by the cāpe which required that it might be declared vnto the kinge that they hadde matter in commission to declare vnto him When they were receiued into his pauilion and commaunded to sit downe thei fixed their loke cōtinually vpon the kinges countenaunce whereby it was thought that waiynge the greatenes of his courage by his personage that they sawe presente it appeared to theim but small in respecte of the same they hearde of him The wittes of the Scythians be not rude and wtout knowledge as other barbarous people be For it is said that many of thē atteine to such learnyng as is possible for a nacion being alwayes in exercise of the warres Whose wordes spoken vnto Alexāder be left in memorie whiche thoughe thei differ from the maner of vs that haue happened in more ciuil times and framed our selues to a more humanitie Yet the fidelitie of the matter is not to be despised thoughe the phrase of their speach be not alowed And therfore I shall declare vncorruptlye the saiynges whiche the eldeste of those Embassadours did speake after this maner If the Goddes had geuen the a bodye accordyng to the vnsaciable desire of thi mind The oracion of the Scithians vnto Alexander the world
should not be able to receiue the but shouldest touche the Orient with the one hand the occideÌ„t with the other which once obteined thy desire should be to knowe where â—o place thy Personage haboundinge with suche excellencye Thus thou doest couet the thing thou arte not able to coÌ„passe From Europe thou goest into Asia and froÌ„ Asia passe into Europe It muste come to passe that if thou ouercome all mankynde thou muste kepe warre with woodes and snowes with riuers wilde beastes What art thou ignorant that trees do growe till they be great and theÌ„ be plucked vp from the rote in a momente He is a foole that doth couet the frute and considereth not the height of the tree wheron it growith Take hed lest whiles thou doost labour to attaine vnto the toppe thou falleste wyth the boous which thou doest embrace The Lion hath bene some tyme the foode of smalle byrds and the ruste doth consume the Iron There is nothing so sure that is not in daungier of hys inferior What haue we to do wyth the we neuer touched thy countrey Is it not lawfull for vs that liue in the wast woodes to be ignoraunt what thou arte and from whence thou commest we can neither be subiect to any man nor desire to rule ouer any creature And bicause ye shal not be ignorant of thestate of our nacion we haue certayne giftes in proper vnto vs the yoke of Oxen the plough the speare the bowe and the bowle which be the thyngs that we vse both wyth our frendes and against our enemies We do giue vnto our frendes of the frutes gotten wyth labour With the bowle we sacrefice wyne vnto the godes Wyth our bowe we strike our enemies afarre of and with the speare nere at hand After that sort we in tymes past ouercame the king of Scythia and afterwardes the king of Perce and Media making the waye open to vs into Egipt But thou which dost gloryfie that art come to be a parsecuter of theues arte a robber of all nacions that thou comeste amonges Thou haste taken Lydia possessed Siria enioyed Perce and haste the Bactrians vnder thy power Thou dost visite the Indies and now streachest furth thy rauenowes hands vnto our cattel Why dost thou couet that riches that cause the to be pore Thou art the first of al men which with haboundance hast prepared thy self honger and that with the more thou haste the more gredely thou doste couet the things thou haste not Dost thou not remeÌ„bre how loÌ„ge thou hast stiked about Bactria And whiles thou goest about to subdue them how the Sogdians begin to rebel Thus warre doth growe vnto the of thy victorie For be thou neuer so great and of force aboue any other yet ther be none that can endure to be gouerned by straungers Passe nowe Tanais thou shalt parceyue what bredth it beareth and yet thou shalt neuer ouertake the ScithiaÌ„s whose pouertie is swyfter then thy army which cariing the spoile of so many nacioÌ„s can attaine to For wheÌ„ thou shalt thinke vs to be farre of thou shalt see vs within thy Campe. with like swiftnes we folowe and fle away I heare that our desertes beskorned by the Greake prouerbes we couet rather the desertes and places vnhabited then cities and plentiful countres Therefore hold thou thy fortune fast for she is slipper and cannot be kept agaynst hir wyll Folowe thou the counsell that is good and specially whilles the tyme doth serue Put a bridle to thy felicitye and thou shalt gouerne it the better We saye that fortune is without feete that she hath only hands winges wheÌ„ she putteth furth her hand she wil not suffre hir winges to be touched If thou be a god then geue benefites vnto mortal men and take not away the commodities they haue alredy If thou be a man considre alwaye thine owne estate It is folishe to remembre those thynges which cause the to forget thy selfe Suche as by warre thou makest thy enemies by peace thou maist make them thy veray frendes The most firme freÌ„dship is amoÌ„gest them that be equal and they seme equall which haue not yet made any trial of ther force Take hede thou take them not for thy frendes whom thou doest subdue and bring to subiectioÌ„ There is no frendship betwene the Lorde the slaue and in peace the lawe of Armes is obserued Thinke not that the Scythians do confirme their frendeshippe with anye othe For thei thinke thei sweare in kepynge of their faieth The custome of the Grekes is to iustifye their doynges by calling their Goddes to witnesse But we acknowledge Religion to consiste in the faieth it selfe Thei which do not their due reuereÌ„ce to men deceiue the Gods Thinke not those frendes to be necessary vnto the of whose good will thou shalt nede to doubt Thou maist vse vs as kepers bothe of Europe and Asia For we shoulde ioyne with Bactria but that Tanais dothe deuide vs and beyonde Tanais out dominion stretche so farre as Tracia and the fame is that Tracia coÌ„fineth with Macedon Consider therfore whether it be necessarye for the or no to haue vs as freÌ„des or foes to bothe thine empires These were the Scythians wordes to whom the king made aunswere that he woulde bothe vse his owne fortune and their counsaile whiche aduised him well He woulde folowe his fortune because he had great coÌ„fidence in it and other mens counsaile because he would do nothinge rashelye nor vpon a sodaine Therupon he dismissed the Embassadours and enbarked his armie in the boates he hadde prepared Alexander passed the riuer of Thanais against the Scithians In the fore partes of the boates he set suche as had targettes willyng theim to knele vpoÌ„ their knees for their more safegarde againste the shote of arrowes And they were placed behinde theim that hadde the charge of the Engines who before and on bothe sides were enclosed with armed men The rest whiche stode beyonde the engines beyng armed theim selues defended with targattes suche as rowed the same ordre was also obserued in those boates that caried ouer the horsmeÌ„ The more part drue their horses after theÌ„ by the reynes swimming at the boates tailes and such as were caried vpoÌ„ trusses filled with straw were defended by the boates that rowed betwixt them and their enemies Alexander with suche men as he had chosen to be about his persone first lanched from the land and directed his course towardes the further side The Scythians came againste them with their horsemen in ordre of battaill standing upon the brinck of the further shore to let their landing whose shewe being a terrour to the MacedoÌ„s thei had also an other cause of feare in their passing ouer for the boatemaisters were not able to keape their course againste the force of the streame And the souldiers swaying to and fro for the doubte they had to fal in the water troubled the mariners in doing of their
they were Then vpon the pointes of two speares they set vp the signe that was appointed them and founde that in their coming vp they had lost of their nombre two and thirty The kyng being carefull not so muche for the desire he had to winne the rocke as for to saue those whom he had sent to so manifest a daūger stode all daye beholding the toppe of the mountayne And when darckenes of the night toke away the prospecte of the eyes he departed to refreshe his body The next day before it was ful light he perceiued the white cloth set vp in the toppe of the rocke but the varietie of the ayer and the sonne beginning to apeare and yet hiddē caused him to doubte a while whether his sighte had fayled him or no. But when it was full and open daye it appeared manifestly and all doubte was takē away Then he called Cophes by whome he had attempted their myndes before willing him ones agayne to exhorte them to be better aduised And if so be that in trust of their strength they would not submit them selues that then he should shewe to thē the men that had taken the rocke ouer their heades Whē Cophes came thether he beganne to persuade Arimazes to geue vp his strength therby to winne the kinges fauour and not enforce him to stay in the siege of a rock hauing so many weighty affaires in hād But he foūd him more obstinat and proude then he did before and willed Cophes to depart and moue him no more in the matter Then he toke Arimazes by the hād and required him to go with him out of the caue When they were come where as they might loke about he shewed him those that were gotten to the top of the cragge and skorning thē his pride axed of him whether Alexāders souldiers had gottē winges or no but that time the trōpettes were blowen in the Macedons campe thei might here the alarome that was made in the armye Whiche matter as many and vaine and trifling thinges are wont in the warres to growe to greate effect so that was the cause why they yelded them selues For feare so troubled them that they could not consider the smalle nombre that were ouer their heades but called Cophen againe in great hast who was departed away and sent with him Alexander .xxx. of the chief men authorised to yelde vp the rocke with composition for to depart in sauegard But Alexander not withstanding that he doubted lest his enemies discouering the fewnes of his men might put them to distresse yet trusting in the felicitie of his owne fortune and offended with the pride of Arimazes would agre to no cōdicion but that they should yelde simply Arimazes therupon dispayring more of his estate then he had cause Descended downe to the campe with the chiefest of the nacion that were of kinne to him All the whiche Alexander caused to be scourged with roddes and be crucified at the foote of the rocke The multitude that yelded with the money that there was taken were geuen in gifte to thinhabiters of the newe cities And the rule of the sayd rocke was committed to Artabasus with the charge of the countrey there about The eigth boke of Quintus Curtius of the actes of the great Alexander Kyng of Macedon ALexander hauing wonne this rock with greater fame then glory because his enemies remained in no place certaine it was necessary for him to seperate his power so deuided his army in thre partes He gaue the charge of the one part to Ephestion to Cenon the other toke the third part vnto him self His enemies were not all of one opinion for some of them seing their defence could not auaill yelded them selues before the fight to whome he gaue the cyties and the landes of those that continued still his enemies Messagetes Atynas But the outlawes of Bactria with .viii. C. horsemen wasted the villages of the Messagetes For the redresse wherof Attynas gouernour of that countrey went against them with .iii. C. horsemen not knowing that his enemies lay in wayte for him whiche had layd their imbushement in a wood ioyning to a great playne wheras they had appointed a certaine to driue cattel therby to drawe their enemies with the gredines of the praye within daunger of the bushemen When Attinas men sawe the driuers of the cattell they pursued them without ordre and whē they were passed the wood where thimbushement lay their enemies brake out vpon them casting no suche perils and slewe them euery one The fame of this ouerthrowe came immediatly vnto Craterus whiche drue thether with the horsemē But the Massagetes being fled before his comming he slewe M. Dahans of the Dahans that toke their parte wherby the whole rebellion of the whole countrey cessed Thus Alexander hauing subdued the Sogdians returned to Maracanda Whether Berdes whom he had sent to the Scythians inhabiting about Bosphrous came to him with Embassadours of that coūtrey Phrataphernes Phrataphernes also that had the chief rule of the Masagetes and Dahans whiche nacions were ioyned by affinitie togethers sent certaine messengers to Alexander offring to be at his cōmaundemēt The Scythian Embassadours made request that Alexander would mary their kinges doughter if the affinitie pleased him that he would suffre the princes of the Macedons to enter in mariage likewise with the noble mens doughters of their coūtrey promising that the king should come in person to visite him He hard gently both the Embassades and styll continued in that place till Ephestion and Artabasus came vnto him and then ioyning his power againe together came into the countrey that is called Basaria Basaria There is nothing more estemed in that nacion then to haue great herdes of wild beastes enclosed in parkes whiche be very plesaunt and full of springes Those parkes be enclosed with walles and towers builded within them to be lodges for the hunters There was one parke in that countrey that had remained vnhunted during the tyme of foure mens ages Wherinto Alexander entred with his whole army chasing the wilde beastes in euery quarter Amōges the rest there was a liō of a rare bignes that came rōning towardes Alexander Lysimachus Whiche thing when Lysimachus that afterwardes was king perceiued standing by chaunce then next to Alexāder perceiued he stepped before him to receiue the lyon with his hūting speare But Alexāder plucked him back and willed him to auoyde sayēg that he was able to kyll a lyon so well as Lysimachus This Lysimacus on a time hūting in Siria killed by himself alone an huge lyon But he was torne to the bones vnder his left shoulder put in great daunger of his life Which being the matter that Alexāder ment he performed with that worde no lesse then he promised for he did not only receiue the lyon but killed hym with one stroke Wherupon the fable rise howe Alexander shuld haue cast Lysimachus to a lyon But
nâ—t honor the doers for then sample sake nor punishe them bicause they serued his purpose From thence by .xvi. remouinges he came to that parte of the Riuer of Indus where Ephestion had prepared al thynges in such sort as he had commission One Omphis was king of that countrey Omphis on of the kinges of Iuda which before had persuaded his father to submyt him selfe vnto AlexaÌ„der Who in meadiatly vpon his fathers death sent Embassadours vnto hym to know his pleasure whither he shoulde take vpon hym as a kynge before his comming or els liue priuately in the meane season And although it was permitted him to gouerne as a king yet he would not vse the auctoritie that was graunted him He had caused Ephestion to be receiued in the beaste sort he could deuise but notwythstandyng had not visited him by cause he would not commit his parsone to any mans fidelitie but to the kinges But when he vnder stode of Alexanders comming he wente against him wyth his holle power whose Eliphantes by small distauÌ„ce myxed in battell amonges his fotemen shewed afarre of like castelles At the fyrste Alexander did not take him as a frend but as an enemye and therefore set his men in ordre of battell and hys horsemen in winges in redynes for to fight When Omphis vnderstode the errour of the Macedons he commauÌ„ded his men to staye and puttinge his spores to his horse ridde forwardes alone AlexaÌ„der did the like making no doubt whither he were afrend or an enemie but thought him selfe sure eyther through his owne manhode or the others fidelity Theyr meâ—ing as it apered by their couÌ„tenaunces was very frendely but for want of an interpretor they could not speake togithers Therefore after they had called one vnto them the Indian king declared vnto Alexander that the cause he met him with an army was to put in mediatly his hole powre into his handes nor that he had not taried to treate for any assuraunce by messengers but vpoÌ„ trust only had committed both his parson and his kingdome to hym whom he knewe to make warre for the wynning of of glory and fame and therfore could not feare in him any parfidye Alexander reioysed to se hys simplicitie and prouffred hym his righthand as pledg of hys promise and restoring to him agayne his kyngdome he presented vnto AlexaÌ„der .lvi. Elephantes with many other beastes of exceding greatnes and .iii thousande bulles which is a cattell of great value in those countreys and much estemed of kinges Alexander enquited of hym whither he had vnder hys dominion more souldiers or tyllers of the grounde He aunswered that he was driuen of necessity to haue more souldiers bicause he was at warre with two kinges whose kingdoms lay beyond the riuer of Hidaspis There names were Abyassares and Porus but the auctoritie remayned in Porus. And sayed that he was prepared and resolued to aduenture the hasard of the battell wyth such of them as should inuade him fyrst Hereupon Alexander graunted vnto Omphis both to take vpon him the Diadeame and the name of hys father that was called Taxiles the custome of the countrey being such that the name euer folowed the kingdome whosoeuer enioyed it When he had receyued Alexander honorablye in hospitalitie thre dayes the fourth daye declaring howe much corne he had deliuered to Ephestion and to his army presented to the kyng and to all his frendes Crownes af gold and besides of coyned siluer .lxxx. talentes Alexander reioysed so much in hys good will that he bothe returned agayne to hym hys giftes and gaue him besydes a thousands talentes of the pray he brought with him with much plate of gold and siluer many garments after the Parcian maner and .xxx. of his owne horses with the same furnymentes they warre when he did ride vpon them Which lyberalytie as it bound Omphis so it greatlye offended the mynds of the Macedones For Meleager at supper when he had well dronk saied he was verie glad that Alexander had yet found one in India whome he iudged worthy to receiue the gyfte of a thousand talentes The kyng bearing in mynd howe much he had repented the sâ—eaing of Clitus for the rashenes of his tounge refrayned his anger but yet â—old him That inuious men were euer tormenters to themselfes The next day the Imbasseadours of king Abyasares came King Abyasares vnto AlexaÌ„der who according to there commission offred all thinges vnto hys wyll Whervpon promise and assuraunce being confirmed Kynge Porus they retorned againe to their Master Alexander therfore thinking that through the greatnes of hys name Porus might be brought to do the like sent Cleochares to him for to demaunde tribute and to somone him to come and make his homage when he should entre the boundes of hys kingdome Porus made aunswer that of those two requests he would parforme on which was to mete him at the entrey of his kingdome but that should be in armes with a powre Alexander therfore being determined to passe the riuer of Hidaspes Barzentes Barzentes that had bene author of the rebellion amonges the Arachosias was taken brought to him bound with .xxx. Elephantes which was an apt assistance againste the IndiaÌ„s that were wont to put more trust in those beasts then in the force of there own nacion Gamaxus Gamaxus king of a smale porcion of India which had coÌ„federat with Barzentes was brought likewise bounde vnto him Wherfore coÌ„mitting theÌ„ bothe to prison the ElephaÌ„tes to Omphs came vnto the riuer of Hidaspes But Porus lay in camp on the further side to let his passag hauing .iiii. score v. ElephaÌ„tes of huge strength of body CCC wagoÌ„s of war .xxx. M. fotemen amoÌ„ges whoÌ„ there were many archers whose shaftes as hath bene said before were more heuie then they could wel weld Porus him self did ride vpoÌ„ an ElephaÌ„t greater then all the rest who also being of a big stature apeared notable in his armour that was garnyshed wyth golde and syluer hauinge also a courage equall to the strength of his body and so great a wysedome as was possible to be found amonges such rude nacions The Macedons were not so muche afrayed wyth the sight of ther enemies The Riuer of Hydaâ—â—is as they were with the greatnes of the riuer that they had to passe which beinge .iiii. thousand furlonges in bredth and so depe that no ford could be found apeared to them lyke a great Sea And yet the largenes thereof mitigated nothing the violence of the streame but ranne wyth no lesse furye then if it had bene narowe apering by the reparcussioÌ„ of the water in many places to be ful of great stones in in the bottome This riuer being sufficient to feare them of it self the sight of the further banck ful of horse and men was an encrease of there terror Where the Elephantes that had bodies of vnreasonable greatenes stode in there sight being prouoked to
Agramenes and Pharrasians whose kyng was called Agramenes whiche vsed to come to the field with .xx. thousand horsemeÌ„ CC. thousand footemen two thousand armed wagons and thre M. Elephantes whiche were couÌ„ted the greatest terrour Those thinges semed incredible vnto Alexander and therfore enquired of Porus if the thinges were true that had bene told him He coÌ„firmed Phegelas reporte concernyng the force of the nacion â–ª But he sayde their king was come of no noble bloud but of the basest sorte of men whose father being a Barbour and with great payne getting his daily liuyng came in fauour with the quene by reason of his personage who brought him to haue al the doinges about the king her husband which was afterwardes sâ—ayn by their treason and vnder colour to be come tutor vnto the chyldren vsurped the kyngdome to him selfe and puttyng the childreÌ„ to death did beget him that was now king whiche was in hatred and disgrace of the people folowyng more the maners of his fathers former estate theÌ„ such as did beseme the dignitie he was come to wheÌ„ Alexander harde Porus affirme this matter he became in great trouble of minde not that he regarded the multitude of his enemies nor the force of their Elephantes But he feared the greatnes of the riuers and the scituacion of the couÌ„trey so difficult to entre vpoÌ„ He thought it a hard enterprise to seke out nacions so farre inhabityng in the vttermoste boundes of the worlde Yet on the other syde the gredines of glory the vnsaciable desire of fame made no place to sâ—me to far nor no aduenture to be ouerharde He doubted also that the Macedons whiche had passed so many countreys and were waxed daged with warres would not be content to folow hym ouer so many ryuers and against so many difficulties of nature lyeng in their way For he iudged that since they habounded were so laden with spoyle they would rather seke to enioye suche thynges as they had gotten then to trauaill any further in getting of more He could not thinke the same appetite to be in his souldiers that was in himselfe For he coÌ„passed in his mynd how to get the Empire of the hole worlde into which matter he had but made his entre where as they weried with trauail and thinking to haue past all perill loked now to enioy with spede the frute of all their labour yet for all that his assertion ouercame reason For he assembled his army together spake vnto them after this maner Alexanders Oracion to his souldiers I am not ignorant my souldiers howe that there be now many rumores sowed amonges you by the Indians of purpose to put you in feare But the vanitie of their lieng is not so newe a thing that it is able nowe to deceiâ—e you The PerciaÌ„s after that maner would haue made both the streytes of Ciliâ—ia and the plaines of Mesopotamy terrible vnto you yea put you in feare of the ryuers of Tigre Euphrates yet we wadyd ouer th one of theÌ„ and passed the other by a brydge The fame neuer reporte thinges truly but maketh al thinges greater theÌ„ thei be in dede Euen our glory though it be growen to certain perfectioÌ„ yet it is more in fame then in effect Whiche of you of late did thinke that you should haue bene able to endure the ElephaÌ„tes shewing afarre of like castels Who thought I could haue passed the ryuer of Hydaspis when I hard it reported to be muche greather then it was We should long ago my souldiers haue fled out of Asia if tales could haue caused vs to turne our backes Thinke you that the noÌ„bre of the Elephantes be greater then you haue sene herdes of beastes in other places seing thei be so rare in the world and being hard to be taken are muche harder to be tamed Thesame vanitie that hath reported them to you to be of suche nombre haue nombred also their horsemen and their footemen Concernyng the ryuers the more broder they be the more gently they must runne For suche as be narowe and of smalle brede runne alwayes with moste vehement streme Where as contrariwise the brode ryuer passe their course more mildly But you will peraduenture saye that all the perill is at the shore where youre enemies shall wayte for your arriuall Whatsoeuer the ryuer be the hasard is all one at the landing But ymagen that al those thinges were true Whether is it the greatnes of the beastes or the multitude of the men that put you in feare As concerning the Elephantes we haue had experieÌ„ce of them of late howe muche more vigorously the rage against their owne party then against vs. What should we esteme theÌ„ but only abate the greatnes of their bodies with suche weapons as we haue prepared for the purpose What matter is it whether they be of the like noÌ„bre that Porus had or whether thei be .iii. M. seing that we perceiue that when two or thre be once wounded the rest bende them selues to â—le away And forasmuche as thei cannot well be gouerned when they be but fewe when there be so many thousandes together they must then nedes be an impedimeÌ„t one to another and brede a confusion amonges them selues they be so vnweldy by reason of their huge bodies that they be neither apt to passe forwardes nor yet to fle I haue alwayes so litle estemed theÌ„ that when I haue had pleÌ„ty of that kynd I wold neuer vse theÌ„ knowing very well that they be more dauÌ„gerous to such as occupie theÌ„ theÌ„ thei be to their enemies But peraduenture it is the multitude of their horsemeÌ„ fotemeÌ„ that do moue you haue you bene accustomed to fight against smalle nombres or is it the first tyme that you haue encountred with disordred multitudes The ryuers of Granick is a witnes howe inuincible the power of the Macedons is against any multitude And so is Cilicia the flowed with the Percians bloud and Arbella whose playnes be strewed with their bones It is ouer late to counte the nombre of your enemies after that with your victory ye haue made Asia desert When ye passed ouer Hellespont you should then haue considered your smalle nombre Nowe the Scythians do folowe vs we haue ayde at hande from the Bactrians we supply our power with the Sogdians Yet for all that it is not in them I put my confidence I haue a regarde vnto your force I reserue your manhode about me as a pledge and assuraunce of my actes and doinges So long as I may stande in the field amonges you I wil neither way my self nor myne enemies Doe you but shewe an apparaunce that there is hope in you cherefulnes We are not nowe newly entred into our trauailes but haue passed all our labours being come to the rising of the sonne and to the Occean sea except our owne slougthe be our impediment From thence hauing subdued the worlde we shall returne as