a smaller history of greece-第39章

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onia　such　officers　and　soldiers　as　had　been　recently　married；　on　condition　that　they　should　return　in　the　spring　with　what　reinforcements　they　could　raise；　and　with　the　same　view　he　despatched　an　officer　to　recruit　in　the　Peloponnesus。　　Meanwhile　he　himself　with　a　chosen　body　proceeded　along　the　coasts　of　Lycia　and　Pamphylia；　having　instructed　Parmenio　to　rejoin　him　in　Phrygia　in　the　spring；　with　the　main　body。　　After　he　had　crossed　the　Xanthus　most　of　the　Lycian　towns　tendered　their　submission。　　On　the　borders　of　Lycia　and　Pamphylia；　Mount　Climax；　a　branch　of　the　Taurus　range；　runs　abruptly　into　the　sea；　leaving　only　a　narrow　passage　at　its　foot；　which　is　frequently　overflowed。　　This　was　the　case　at　the　time　of　Alexander's　approach。　　He　therefore　sent　his　main　body　by　a　long　and　difficult　road　across　the　mountains　to　Perge；　but　he　himself　who　loved　danger　for　its　own　sake；　proceeded　with　a　chosen　band　along　the　shore；　wading　through　water　that　was　breast…high　for　nearly　a　whole　day。　　Then　forcing　his　way　northwards　through　the　barbarous　tribes　which　inhabited　the　mountains　of　Pisidia；　he　encamped　in　the　neighbourhood　of　Gordium　in　Phrygia。　　Here　he　was　rejoined　by　Parmenio　and　by　the　new　levies　from　Greece。　　Gordium　had　been　the　capital　of　the　early　Phrygian　kings；　and　in　it　was　preserved　with　superstitious　veneration　the　chariot　or　waggon　in　which　the　celebrated　Midas；　the　son　of　Gordius；　together　with　his　parents；　had　entered　the　town；　and　in　conformity　with　an　oracle　had　been　elevated　to　the　monarchy。　　An　ancient　prophecy　promised　the　sovereignty　of　Asia　to　him　who　should　untie　the　knot　of　bark　which　fastened　the　yoke　of　the　waggon　to　the　pole。　　Alexander　repaired　to　the　Acropolis；　where　the　waggon　was　preserved；　to　attempt　this　adventure。　　Whether　he　undid　the　knot　by　drawing　out　a　peg；　or　cut　it　through　with　his　sword；　is　a　matter　of　doubt；　but　that　he　had　fulfilled　the　prediction　was　placed　beyond　dispute　that　very　night　by　a　great　storm　of　thunder　and　lightning。

In　the　spring　of　333　Alexander　pursued　his　march　eastwards；　and　on　arriving　at　Ancyra　received　the　submission　of　the　Paphlagonians。　　He　then　advanced　through　Cappadocia　without　resistance；　and　forcing　his　way　through　the　passes　of　Mount　Taurus　（the　PYLAE　CILICIAE）；　he　descended　into　the　plains　of　Cilicia。　　Hence　he　pushed　on　rapidly　to　Tarsus；　which　he　found　abandoned　by　the　enemy。　　Whilst　still　heated　with　the　march　Alexander　plunged　into　the　clear　but　cold　stream　of　the　Cydnus；　which　runs　by　the　town。　　The　result　was　a　fever；　which　soon　became　so　violent　as　to　threaten　his　life。　　An　Acarnanian　physician；　named　Philip；　who　accompanied　him；　prescribed　a　remedy；　but　at　the　same　time　Alexander　received　a　letter　informing　him　that　Philip　had　been　bribed　by　Darius；　the　Persian　king；　to　poison　him。　　He　had　however；　too　much　confidence　in　the　trusty　Philip　to　believe　the　accusation　and　handed　him　the　letter　whilst　he　drank　the　draught。　　Either　the　medicine；　or　Alexander's　youthful　constitution；　at　length　triumphed　over　the　disorder。　After　remaining　some　time　at　Tarsus；　he　continued　his　march　along　the　coast　to　Mallus；　where　he　first　received　certain　tidings　of　the　great　Persian　army；　commanded　by　Darius　in　person。　　It　is　said　to　have　consisted　of　600；000　fighting　men；　besides　all　that　train　of　attendants　which　usually　accompanied　the　march　of　a　Persian　monarch。　　Alexander　found　Darius　encamped　near　Issus　on　the　right　bank　of　the　little　river　Pinarus。　　The　Persian　king　could　hardly　have　been　caught　in　a　more　unfavourable　position；　since　the　narrow　and　rugged　plain　between　Mount　Amanus　and　the　sea　afforded　no　scope　for　the　evolutions　of　large　bodies；　and　thus　entirely　deprived　him　of　the　advantage　of　his　numerical　superiority。　　Alexander　occupied　the　pass　between　Syria　and　Cilicia　at　midnight；　and　at　daybreak　began　to　descend　into　the　plain　of　the　Pinarus；　ordering　his　troops　to　deploy　into　line　as　the　ground　expanded　and　thus　to　arrive　in　battle…array　before　the　Persians。　　Darius　had　thrown　30；000　cavalry　and　20；000　infantry　across　the　river；　to　check　the　advance　of　the　Macedonians；　whilst　on　the　right　bank　were　drawn　up　his　choicest　Persian　troops　to　the　number　of　60；000；　together　with　30；000　Greek　mercenaries；　who　formed　the　centre；　and　on　whom　he　chiefly　relied。　　These；　it　appears；　were　all　that　the　breadth　of　the　plain　allowed　to　be　drawn　up　in　line。　　The　remainder　of　the　vast　host　were　posted　in　separate　bodies　in　the　farther　parts　of　the　plain；　and　were　unable　to　take　any　share　in　the　combat。　　Darius　placed　himself　in　the　centre　of　the　line　in　a　magnificent　state　chariot。　　The　banks　of　the　Pinarus　were　in　many　parts　steep；　and　where　they　were　level　Darius　had　caused　them　to　be　intrenched。　　As　Alexander　advanced；　the　Persian　cavalry　which　had　been　thrown　across　the　river　were　recalled；　but　the　20；000　infantry　had　been　driven　into　the　mountains；　where　Alexander　held　them　in　check　with　a　small　body　of　horse。　　The　left　wing　of　the　Macedonians；　under　the　command　of　Parmenio；　was　ordered　to　keep　near　the　sea；　to　prevent　being　outflanked。　　The　right　wing　was　led　by　Alexander　in　person；　who　rushed　impetuously　into　the　water；　and　was　soon　engaged　in　close　combat　with　the　Persians。　　The　latter　were　immediately　routed；　but　what　chiefly　decided　the　fortune　of　the　day　was　the　timidity　of　Darius　himself；　who；　on　beholding　the　defeat　of　his　left　wing；　immediately　took　to　flight。　　His　example　was　followed　by　his　whole　army。　　One　hundred　thousand　Persians　are　said　to　have　been　left　upon　the　field。　　On　reaching　the　hills　Darius　threw　aside　his　royal　robes　his　bow　and　shield；　and；　mounting　a　fleet　courser；　was　soon　out　of　reach　of　pursuit。　　The　Persian　camp　became　the　spoil　of　the　Macedonians；　but　the　tent　of　Darius；　together　with　his　chariot；　robes；　and　arms；　was　reserved　for　Alexander　himself。　　It　was　now　that　the　Macedonian　king　first　had　ocular　proof　of　the　nature　of　Eastern　royalty。　　One　compartment　of　the　tent　of　Darius　had　been　fitted　up　as　a　bath；　which　steamed　with　the　richest　odours；　whilst　another　presented　a　magnificent　pavilion；　containing　a　table　richly　spread　for　the　banquet　of　Darius。　　But　from　an　adjoining　tent　issued　the　wail　of　female　voices；　where　Sisygambis　the　mother；　and　Statira　the　wife　of　Darius；　were　lamenting　the　supposed　death　of　the　Persian　monarch。　Alexander　sent　to　assure　them　of　his　safety；　and　ordered　them　to　be　treated　with　the　most　delicate　and　respectful　attention。

Such　was　the　memorable　battle　of　Issus；　fought　in　November；　B。C。　333。　　A　large　treasure　which　Parmenio　was　sent　forward　with　a　detachment　to　seize；　fell　into　the　hands　of　the　Macedonians　at　Damascus。　　Another　favourable　result　of　the　victory　was　that　it　suppressed　some　attempts　at　revolt　from　the　Macedonian　power；　which　with　the　support　of　Persia；　had　been　manifested　in　Greece。　But；　in　order　to　put　a　complete　stop　to　all　such　intrigues；　which　chiefly　depended　on　the　assistance　of　a　Persian　fleet；　Alexander　resolved　to　seize　Phoenicia　and　Egypt；　and　thus　to　strike　at　the　root　of　the　Persian　maritime　power。

Meanwhile；　Darius；　attended　by　a　body　of　only　4000　fugitives；　had　crossed　the　Euphrates　at　Thapsacus。　　Before　he　had　set　out　from　Babylon　the　whole　forces　of　the　empire　had　been　summoned；　but　he　had　not　thought　it　worth　while　to　wait　for　what　he　deemed　a　merely　useless　encumbrance；　and　the　more　distant　levies；　which　comprised　some　of　the　best　troops　of　the　empire；　were　still　hastening　towards　Babylon。　　In　a　short　time；　therefore；　he　would　be　at　the　head　of　a　still　more　numerous　host　than　that　which　had　fought　at　Issus；　yet　he　thought　it　safer　to　open　negotiations　with　Alexander　than　to　trust　to　the　chance　of　arms。　　With　this　view　he　sent　a　letter　to　Alexander；　who　was　now　at　Marathus　in　Phoenicia；　proposing　to　become　his　friend　and　ally；　but　Alexander　rejected　all　his　overtures；　and　told　him　that　he　must　in　future　be　addressed　not　in　the　language　of　an　equal；　but　of　a　subject。

As　Alexander　advanced　southwards；　all　the　towns　of　Phoenicia　hastened　to　open　their　gates；　the　inhabitants　of　Sidon　even　hailed　him　as　their　deliverer。　　Tyre；　also；　sent　to　tender　her　submission；　but　coupled　with　reservations　by　no　means　acceptable　to　a　youthful　conqueror　in　the　full　tide　of　success。　　Alexander　affected　to　receive　their　offer　as　an　unconditional　surrender；　and　told　them　that　he　would　visit　their　city　and　offer　sacrifices　to　Melcart；　a　Tyrian　deity；　who　was　considered　as　identical　with　the　Grecian　Hercules。　　This　brought　the　matter　to　an　issue。　　The　Tyrians　now　informed　him　that　they　could　not　admit　any　foreigners　within　their　walls；　and　that；　if　he　wished　to　sacrifice　to　Melcart；　he　would　find　another　and　more　ancient　shrine　in　Old　Tyre；　on　the　mainland。　　Alexander　indignantly　dismissed　the　Tyrian　ambassadors；　and　announced　his　intention　of　laying　siege　to　their　city。　　The　Tyrians　probably　deemed　it　impregnable。　　It　was　by　nature　a　place　of　great　strength；　and　had　been　rendered　still　stronger　by　art。　　The　island　on　which　it　stood　was　half　a　mile　distant　from　the　mainland；　and　though　the　channel　was　shallow　near　the　coast；　it　deepened　to　three　fathoms　near　the　island。　　The　shores　of　the　island　were　rocky　and　precipitous；　and　the　walls　rose　from　the　cliffs　to　the　height　of　150　feet　in　solid　masonry。　　As　Alexander　possessed　no　ships；　the　only　method　by　which　he　could　approach　the　town　was　by　constructing　a　causeway；　the　materials　for　which　were　collected　from　the　forests　of　Libanus　and　the　ruins　of　Old　Tyre。　　After　overcoming　many　difficulties　the　mole　was　at　length　pushed　to　the　foot　of　the　walls；　and　as　soon　as　Alexander　had　effected　a　practicable　breach；　he　ordered　a　general　assault　both　by　land　and　sea。　　The　breach　was　stormed　under　the　immediate　inspection　of　Alexander　himself；　and　though　the　Tyrians　made　a　desperate　resistance；　they　were　at　length　overpowered；　when　the　city　became　one　wide　scene　of　indiscriminate　carnage　and　plunder。　　The　siege　had　lasted　seven　months；　and　the　Macedonians　were　so　exasperated　by　the　difficulties　and　dangers　they　had　undergone　that　they　granted　no　quarter。　　Eight　thousand　of　the　citizens　are　said　to　have　been　massacred；　and　the　remainder；　with　the　exception　of　the　king　and　some　of　the　principal　men；　who　had　taken　refuge　in　the　temple　of　Melcart；　were　sold　into　slavery　to　the　number　of　30；000。　　Tyre　was　taken　in　the　month　of　July　in　332。

Whilst　Alexander　was　engaged　in　the　siege　of　Tyre；　Darius　made　him　further　and　more　advantageous　proposals。　　He　now　offered　10；000　talents　as　the　ransom　of　his　family；　together　with　all　the　Provinces　west　of　the　Euphrates；　and　his　daughter　Barsine　in　marriage；　as　the　conditions　of　a　peace。　　When　these　offers　were　submitted　to　the　council　Parmenio　was　not　unnaturally　struck　with　their　magnificence；　and　observed；　that　were　he　Alexander　he　would　accept　them。　　〃and　so　would　I；〃　replied　the　king；　〃were　I　Parmenio。〃　　Darius；　therefore；　prepared　himself　for　a　desperate　resistance。

After　the　fall　of　Tyre；　Alexander　marched　with　his　army　towards　Egypt；　whilst　his　fleet　proceeded　along　the　coast。　　Gaza；　a　strong　fortress　on　the　sea…shore；　obstinately　held　out；　and　delayed　his　progress　three　or　four　months。　　After　the　capture　of　this　city　Alexander　met　his　fleet　at　Pelusium；　and　ordered　it　to　sail　up　the　Nile　as　far　as　Memphis；　whither　he　h