alexander-第3章

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　It　seemed　to　the　Macedonians　a　very　critical　time；　and　some　would　have　persuaded　Alexander　to　give　up　all　thought　of　retaining　the　Grecians　in　subjection　by　force　of　arms；　and　rather　to　apply　himself　to　win　back　by　gentle　means　the　allegiance　of　the　tribes　who　were　designing　revolt；　and　try　the　effect　of　indulgence　in　arresting　the　first　motions　towards　revolution。　But　he　rejected　this　counsel　as　weak　and　timorous；　and　looked　upon　it　to　be　more　prudence　to　secure　himself　by　resolution　and　magnanimity；　than；　by　seeming　to　truckle　to　any；　to　encourage　all　to　trample　on　him。　In　pursuit　of　this　opinion；　he　reduced　the　barbarians　to　tranquillity；　and　put　an　end　to　all　fear　of　war　from　them；　he　gave　rapid　expedition　into　their　country　as　far　as　the　river　Danube；　where　he　gave　Syrmus；　King　of　the　Triballians；　an　entire　overthrow。　And　hearing　the　Thebans　were　in　revolt；　and　the　Athenians　in　correspondence　with　them；　he　immediately　marched　through　the　pass　of　Thermopylae；　saying　that　to　Demosthenes；　who　had　called　him　a　child　while　he　was　in　Illyria　and　in　the　country　of　the　Triballians；　and　a　youth　when　he　was　in　Thessaly；　he　would　appear　a　man　before　the　walls　of　Athens。　　　When　he　came　to　Thebes；　to　show　how　willing　he　was　to　accept　of　their　repentance　for　what　was　past；　he　only　demanded　of　them　Phoenix　and　Prothytes；　the　authors　of　the　rebellion；　and　proclaimed　a　general　pardon　to　those　who　would　come　over　to　him。　But　when　the　Thebans　merely　retorted　by　demanding　Philotas　and　Antipater　to　be　delivered　into　their　hands；　and　by　a　proclamation　on　their　part　invited　all　who　would　assert　the　liberty　of　Greece　to　come　over　to　them；　he　presently　applied　himself　to　make　them　feel　the　last　extremities　of　war。　The　Thebans　indeed　defended　themselves　with　a　zeal　and　courage　beyond　their　strength；　being　much　outnumbered　by　their　enemies。　But　when　the　Macedonian　garrison　sallied　out　upon　them　from　the　citadel；　they　were　so　hemmed　in　on　all　sides　that　the　greater　part　of　them　fell　in　the　battle；　the　city　itself　being　taken　by　storm；　was　sacked　and　razed。　Alexander's　hope　being　that　so　severe　an　example　might　terrify　the　rest　of　Greece　into　obedience；　and　also　in　order　to　gratify　the　hostility　of　his　confederates；　the　Phocians　and　Plataeans。　So　that；　except　the　priests；　and　some　few　who　had　heretofore　been　the　friends　and　connections　of　the　Macedonians；　the　family　of　the　poet　Pindar；　and　those　who　were　known　to　have　opposed　the　public　vote　for　the　war；　all　the　rest；　to　the　number　of　thirty　thousand；　were　publicly　sold　for　slaves；　and　it　is　computed　that　upwards　of　six　thousand　were　put　to　the　sword。　　　Among　the　other　calamities　that　befell　the　city；　it　happened　that　some　Thracian　soldiers；　having　broken　into　the　house　of　a　matron　of　high　character　and　repute；　named　Timoclea；　their　captain；　after　he　had　used　violence　with　her；　to　satisfy　his　avarice　as　well　as　lust；　asked　her；　if　she　knew　of　any　money　concealed；　to　which　she　readily　answered　she　did；　and　bade　him　follow　her　into　a　garden；　where　she　showed　him　a　well；　into　which；　she　told　him；　upon　the　taking　of　the　city；　she　had　thrown　what　she　had　of　most　value。　The　greedy　Thracian　presently　stooping　down　to　view　the　place　where　he　thought　the　treasure　lay；　she　came　behind　him　and　pushed　him　into　the　well；　and　then　flung　great　stones　in　upon　him；　till　she　had　killed　him。　After　which；　when　the　soldiers　led　her　away　bound　to　Alexander；　her　very　mien　and　gait　showed　her　to　be　a　woman　of　dignity；　and　of　a　mind　no　less　elevated；　not　betraying　the　least　sign　of　fear　or　astonishment。　And　when　the　king　asked　her　who　she　was；　〃I　am；〃　said　she；　〃the　sister　of　Theagenes；　who　fought　the　battle　of　Chaeronea　with　your　father　Philip；　and　fell　there　in　command　for　the　liberty　of　Greece。〃　Alexander　was　so　surprised；　both　at　what　she　had　done　and　what　she　said；　that　he　could　not　choose　but　give　her　and　her　children　their　freedom　to　go　whither　they　pleased。　　　After　this　he　received　the　Athenians　into　favour；　although　they　had　shown　themselves　so　much　concerned　at　the　calamity　of　Thebes　that　out　of　sorrow　they　omitted　the　celebration　of　the　Mysteries；　and　entertained　those　who　escaped　with　all　possible　humanity。　Whether　it　were；　like　the　lion；　that　his　passion　was　now　satisfied；　or　that；　after　an　example　of　extreme　cruelty；　he　had　a　mind　to　appear　merciful；　it　happened　well　for　the　Athenians；　for　he　not　only　forgave　them　all　past　offences；　but　bade　them　look　to　their　affairs　with　vigilance；　remembering　that　if　he　should　miscarry；　they　were　likely　to　be　the　arbiters　of　Greece。　Certain　it　is；　too；　that　in　aftertime　he　often　repented　of　his　severity　to　the　Thebans；　and　his　remorse　had　such　influence　on　his　temper　as　to　make　him　ever　after　less　rigorous　to　all　others。　He　imputed　also　the　murder　of　Clitus；　which　he　committed　in　his　wine；　and　the　unwillingness　of　the　Macedonians　to　follow　him　against　the　Indians；　by　which　his　enterprise　and　glory　was　left　imperfect；　to　the　wrath　and　vengeance　of　Bacchus；　the　protector　of　Thebes。　And　it　was　observed　that　whatsoever　any　Theban；　who　had　the　good　fortune　to　survive　this　victory；　asked　of　him；　he　was　sure　to　grant　without　the　least　difficulty。　　　Soon　after；　the　Grecians；　being　assembled　at　the　Isthmus；　declared　their　resolution　of　joining　with　Alexander　in　the　war　against　the　Persians；　and　proclaimed　him　their　general。　While　he　stayed　here；　many　public　ministers　and　philosophers　came　from　all　parts　to　visit　him　and　congratulated　him　on　his　election；　but　contrary　to　his　expectation；　Diogenes　of　Sinope；　who　then　was　living　at　Corinth；　thought　so　little　of　him；　that　instead　of　coming　to　compliment　him；　he　never　so　much　as　stirred　out　of　the　suburb　called　the　Cranium；　where　Alexander　found　him　lying　along　in　the　sun。　When　he　saw　so　much　company　near　him；　he　raised　himself　a　little；　and　vouchsafed　to　look　upon　Alexander；　and　when　he　kindly　asked　him　whether　he　wanted　anything；　〃Yes；〃　said　he；　〃I　would　have　you　stand　from　between　me　and　the　sun。〃　Alexander　was　so　struck　at　this　answer；　and　surprised　at　the　greatness　of　the　man；　who　had　taken　so　little　notice　of　him；　that　as　he　went　away　he　told　his　followers；　who　were　laughing　at　the　moroseness　of　the　philosopher；　that　if　he　were　not　Alexander；　he　would　choose　to　be　Diogenes。　　　Then　he　went　to　Delphi；　to　consult　Apollo　concerning　the　success　of　the　war　he　had　undertaken；　and　happening　to　come　on　one　of　the　forbidden　days；　when　it　was　esteemed　improper　to　give　any　answer　from　the　oracle；　he　sent　messengers　to　desire　the　priestess　to　do　her　office；　and　when　she　refused；　on　the　plea　of　a　law　to　the　contrary；　he　went　up　himself；　and　began　to　draw　her　by　force　into　the　temple；　until　tired　and　overcome　with　his　importunity；　〃My　son；〃　said　she；　〃thou　art　invincible。〃　Alexander　taking　hold　of　what　she　spoke；　declared　he　had　received　such　an　answer　as　he　wished　for；　and　that　it　was　needless　to　consult　the　god　any　further。　Among　other　prodigies　that　attended　the　departure　of　his　army；　the　image　of　Orpheus　at　Libethra；　made　of　cypress…wood；　was　seen　to　sweat　in　great　abundance；　to　the　discouragement　of　many。　But　Aristander　told　him　that；　far　from　presaging　any　ill　to　him；　it　signified　he　should　perform　acts　so　important　and　glorious　as　would　make　the　poets　and　musicians　of　future　ages　labour　and　sweat　to　describe　and　celebrate　them。　　　His　army；　by　their　computation　who　make　the　smallest　amount；　consisted　of　thirty　thousand　foot　and　four　thousand　horse；　and　those　who　make　the　most　of　it；　speak　but　of　forty…three　thousand　foot　and　three　thousand　horse。　Aristobulus　says；　he　had　not　a　fund　of　above　seventy　talents　for　their　pay；　nor　had　he　more　than　thirty　days'　provision；　if　we　may　believe　Duris；　Onesicritus　tells　us　he　was　two　hundred　talents　in　debt。　However　narrow　and　disproportionable　the　beginnings　of　so　vast　an　undertaking　might　seem　to　be；　yet　he　would　not　embark　his　army　until　he　had　informed　himself　particularly　what　means　his　friends　had　to　enable　them　to　follow　him；　and　supplied　what　they　wanted；　by　giving　good　farms　to　some；　a　village　to　one；　and　the　revenue　of　some　hamlet　or　harbour…town　to　another。　So　that　at　last　he　had　portioned　out　or　engaged　almost　all　the　royal　property；　which　giving　Perdiccas　an　occasion　to　ask　him　what　he　would　leave　himself；　he　replied；　his　hopes。　〃Your　soldiers；〃　replied　Perdiccas；　〃will　be　your　partners　in　those；〃　and　refused　to　accept　of　the　estate　he　had　assigned　him。　Some　others　of　his　friends　did　the　like；　but　to　those　who　willingly　received　or　desired　assistance　of　him；　he　liberally　granted　it；　as　far　as　his　patrimony　in　Macedonia　would　reach；　the　most　part　of　which　was　spent　in　these　donations。　　　With　such　vigorous　resolutions；　and　his　mind　thus　disposed；　he　passed　the　Hellespont；　and　at　Troy　sacrificed　to　Minerva；　and　honoured　the　memory　of　the　heroes　who　were　buried　there；　with　solemn　libations；　especially　Achilles；　whose　gravestone　he　anointed；　and　with　his　friends；　as　the　ancient　custom　is；　ran　naked　about　his　sepulchre；　and　crowned　it　with　garlands；　declaring　how　happy　he　esteemed　him；　in　having　while　he　lived　so　faithful　a　friend；　and　when　he　was　dead；　so　famous　a　poet　to　proclaim　his　actions。　While　he　was　viewing　the　rest　of　the　antiquities　and　curiosities　of　the　place；　being　told　he　might　see　Paris's　harp；　if　he　pleased；　he　said　he　thought　it　not　worth　looking　on；　but　he　should　be　glad　to　see　that　of　Achilles；　to　which　he　used　to　sing　the　glories　and　great　actions　of　brave　men。　　　In　the　meantime；　Darius's　captains；　having　collected　large　forces；　were　encamped　on　the　further　bank　of　the　river　Granicus；　and　it　was　necessary　to　fight；　as　it　were；　in　the　gate　of　Asia　for　an　entrance　into　it。　The　depth　of　the　river；　with　the　unevenness　and　difficult　ascent　of　the　opposite　bank；　which　was　to　be　gained　by　main　force；　was　apprehended　by　most；　and　some　pronounced　it　an　improper　time　to　engage；　because　it　was　unusual　for　the　kings　of　Macedonia　to　march　with　their　forces　in　the　month　called　Daesius。　But　Alexander　broke　through　these　scruples；　telling　them　they　should　call　it　a　second　Artemisius。　And　when　Parmenio　advised　him　not　to　attempt　anything　that　day；　because　it　was　late；　he　told　him　that　he　should　disgrace　the　Hellespont　should　he　fear　the　Granicus。　And　so；　without　more　saying；　he　immediately　took　the　river　with　thirteen　troops　of　horse；　and　advanced　against　whole　showers　of　darts　thrown　from　the　steep　opposite　side；　which　was　covered　with　armed　multitudes　of　the　enemy's　horse　and　foot；　notwithstanding　the　disadvantage　of　the　ground　and　the　rapidity　of　the　stream；　so　that　the　action　seemed　to　have　more　frenzy　and　desperation　in　it；　than　of　prudent　conduct。　However；　he　persisted　obstinately　to　gain　the　passage；　and　at　last　with　much　ado　making　his　way　up　the　banks；　which　were　extremely　muddy　and　slippery；　he　had　instantly　to　join　in　a　mere　confused　hand…to…hand　combat　with　the　enemy；　before　he　could　draw　up　his　men；　who　were　still　passing　over；　into　any　order。　For　the　enemy　pressed　upon　him　with　loud　and　warlike　outcries；　and　charging　horse　against　horse；　with　their　lances；　after　they　had　broken　and　spent　these；　they　fell　to　it　with　their　swords。　And　Alexander；　being　easily　known　by　his　buckler；　and　a　large　plume　of　white　feathers　on　each　side　of　his　helmet；　was　attacked　on　all　sides；　yet　escaped　wounding；　though　his