alexander-第7章

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　are　chosen　by　lot　out　of　the　tribes。　And；　indeed；　they　showed　the　greatest　emulation　to　outvie　each　other；　especially　Nicocreon；　King　of　Salamis；　and　Pasicrates　of　Soli；　who　furnished　the　chorus；　and　defrayed　the　expenses　of　the　two　most　celebrated　actors；　Athenodorus　and　Thessalus；　the　former　performing　for　Pasicrates；　and　the　latter　for　Nicocrean。　Thessalus　was　most　favoured　by　Alexander；　though　it　did　not　appear　till　Athenodorus　was　declared　victor　by　the　plurality　of　votes。　For　then　at　his　going　away；　he　said　the　judges　deserved　to　be　commended　for　what　they　had　done；　but　that　he　would　willingly　have　lost　part　of　his　kingdom　rather　than　to　have　seen　Thessalus　overcome。　However；　when　he　understood　Athenodorus　was　fined　by　the　Athenians　for　being　absent　at　the　festivals　of　Bacchus；　though　he　refused　his　request　that　he　would　write　a　letter　in　his　behalf；　he　gave　him　a　sufficient　sum　to　satisfy　the　penalty。　Another　time；　when　Lycon　of　Scarphia　happened　to　act　with　great　applause　in　the　theatre；　and　in　a　verse　which　he　introduced　into　the　comic　part　which　he　was　acting；　begged　for　a　present　of　ten　talents；　he　laughed　and　gave　him　the　money。　　　Darius　wrote　him　a　letter；　and　sent　friends　to　intercede　with　him；　requesting　him　to　accept　as　a　ransom　of　his　captives　the　sum　of　a　thousand　talents；　and　offering　him　in　exchange　for　his　amity　and　alliance　all　the　countries　on　this　side　the　river　Euphrates；　together　with　one　of　his　daughters　in　marriage。　These　propositions　he　communicated　to　his　friends；　and　when　Parmenio　told　him　that；　for　his　part；　if　he　were　Alexander；　he　should　readily　embrace　them；　〃So　would　I；〃　said　Alexander；　〃if　I　were　Parmenio。〃　Accordingly；　his　answer　to　Darius　was；　that　if　he　would　come　and　yield　himself　up　into　his　power　he　would　treat　him　with　all　possible　kindness；　if　not；　he　was　resolved　immediately　to　go　himself　and　seek　him。　But　the　death　of　Darius's　wife　in　childbirth　made　him　soon　after　regret　one　part　of　this　answer；　and　he　showed　evident　marks　of　grief　at　thus　deprived　of　a　further　opportunity　of　exercising　his　clemency　and　good　nature；　which　he　manifested；　however；　as　far　as　he　could；　by　giving　her　a　most　sumptuous　funeral。　　　Among　the　eunuchs　who　waited　in　the　queen's　chamber；　and　were　taken　prisoners　with　the　women；　there　was　one　Tireus；　who；　getting　out　of　the　camp；　fled　away　on　horseback　to　Darius；　to　inform　him　of　his　wife's　death。　He；　when　he　heard　it；　beating　his　head；　and　bursting　into　tears　and　lamentations；　said；　〃Alas！　how　great　is　the　calamity　of　the　Persians！　Was　it　not　enough　that　their　king's　consort　and　sister　was　a　prisoner　in　her　lifetime；　but　she　must；　now　she　is　dead；　also　be　but　meanly　and　obscurely　buried？〃　〃O　king；〃　replied　the　eunuch；　〃as　to　her　funeral　rites；　or　any　respect　or　honour　that　should　have　been　shown　in　them；　you　have　not　the　least　reason　to　accuse　the　ill　fortune　of　your　country；　for　to　my　knowledge　neither　your　queen　Statira　when　alive；　nor　your　mother；　nor　children；　wanted　anything　of　their　former　happy　condition；　unless　it　were　the　light　of　your　countenance；　which　I　doubt　not　but　the　lord　Oromasdes　will　yet　restore　to　its　former　glory。　And　after　her　decease；　I　assure　you；　she　had　not　only　all　due　funeral　ornaments；　but　was　honoured　also　with　the　tears　of　your　very　enemies；　for　Alexander　is　as　gentle　after　victory　as　he　is　terrible　in　the　field。〃　At　the　bearing　of　these　words；　such　was　the　grief　and　emotion　of　Darius's　mind；　that　they　carried　him　into　extravagant　suspicions；　and　taking　Tireus　aside　into　a　more　private　part　of　his　tent；　〃Unless　thou　likewise；〃　said　he　to　him；　〃hast　deserted　me；　together　with　the　good　fortune　of　Persia；　and　art　become　a　Macedonian　in　thy　heart；　if　thou　yet　ownest　me　for　thy　master　Darius；　tell　me；　I　charge　thee；　by　the　veneration　thou　payest　the　light　of　Mithras；　and　this　right　hand　of　thy　king；　do　I　not　lament　the　least　of　Statira's　misfortunes　in　her　captivity　and　death？　Have　I　not　suffered　something　more　injurious　and　deplorable　in　her　lifetime？　And　had　I　not　been　miserable　with　less　dishonour　if　I　had　met　with　a　more　severe　and　inhuman　enemy？　For　how　is　it　possible　a　young　man　as　he　is　should　treat　the　wife　of　his　opponent　with　so　much　distinction；　were　it　not　from　some　motive　that　does　me　disgrace？〃　Whilst　he　was　yet　speaking；　Tireus　threw　himself　at　his　feet；　and　besought　him　neither　to　wrong　Alexander　so　much；　nor　his　dead　wife　and　sister；　as　to　give　utterance　to　any　such　thoughts；　which　deprived　him　of　the　greatest　consolation　left　him　in　his　adversity；　the　belief　that　he　was　overcome　by　a　man　whose　virtues　raised　him　above　human　nature；　that　he　ought　to　look　upon　Alexander　with　love　and　admiration；　who　had　given　no　less　proofs　of　his　continence　towards　the　Persian　women；　than　of　his　valour　among　the　men。　The　eunuch　confirmed　all　he　said　with　solemn　and　dreadful　oaths；　and　was　further　enlarging　upon　Alexander's　moderation　and　magnanimity　on　other　occasions；　when　Darius；　breaking　away　from　him　into　the　other　division　of　the　tent；　where　his　friends　and　courtiers　were；　lifted　up　his　hands　to　heaven　and　uttered　this　prayer；　〃Ye　gods；〃　said　he；　〃of　my　family；　and　of　my　kingdom；　if　it　be　possible；　I　beseech　you　to　restore　the　declining　affairs　of　Persia；　that　I　may　leave　them　in　as　flourishing　a　condition　as　I　found　them；　and　have　it　in　my　power　to　make　a　grateful　return　to　Alexander　for　the　kindness　which　in　my　adversity　he　has　shown　to　those　who　are　dearest　to　me。　But　if；　indeed；　the　fatal　time　be　come；　which　is　to　give　a　period　to　the　Persian　monarchy；　if　our　ruin　be　a　debt　that　must　be　paid　to　the　divine　jealousy　and　the　vicissitude　of　things；　then　I　beseech　you　grant　that　no　other　man　but　Alexander　may　sit　upon　the　throne　of　Cyrus。〃　Such　is　the　narrative　given　by　the　greater　number　of　the　historians。　　　But　to　return　to　Alexander。　After　he　had　reduced　all　Asia　on　this　side　the　Euphrates；　he　advanced　towards　Darius；　who　was　coming　down　against　him　with　a　million　of　men。　In　his　march　a　very　ridiculous　passage　happened。　The　servants　who　followed　the　camp　for　sport's　sake　divided　themselves　into　two　parties；　and　named　the　commander　of　one　of　them　Alexander；　and　the　other　Darius。　At　first　they　only　pelted　one　another　with　clods　of　earth；　but　presently　took　to　their　fists；　and　at　last；　heated　with　contention；　they　fought　in　good　earnest　with　stones　and　clubs；　so　that　they　had　much　ado　to　part　them；　till　Alexander；　upon　hearing　of　it；　ordered　the　two　captains　to　decide　the　quarrel　by　single　combat；　and　armed　him　who　bore　his　name　himself；　while　Philotas　did　the　same　to　him　who　represented　Darius。　The　whole　army　were　spectators　of　this　encounter；　willing　from　the　event　of　it　to　derive　an　omen　of　their　own　future　success。　After　they　had　fought　stoutly　a　pretty　long　while；　at　last　he　who　was　called　Alexander　had　the　better；　and　for　a　reward　of　his　prowess　had　twelve　villages　given　him；　with　leave　to　wear　the　Persian　dress。　So　we　are　told　by　Eratosthenes。　　　But　the　great　battle　of　all　that　was　fought　with　Darius　was　not；　as　most　writers　tell　us；　at　Arbela；　but　at　Gaugamela；　which；　in　their　language；　signifies　the　camel's　house；　forasmuch　as　one　of　their　ancient　kings　having　escaped　the　pursuit　of　his　enemies　on　a　swift　camel；　in　gratitude　to　his　beast；　settled　him　at　this　place；　with　an　allowance　of　certain　villages　and　rents　for　his　maintenance。　It　came　to　pass　that　in　the　month　Boedromion；　about　the　beginning　of　the　feast　of　Mysteries　at　Athens；　there　was　an　eclipse　of　the　moon；　the　eleventh　night　after　which；　the　two　armies　being　now　in　view　of　one　another；　Darius　kept　his　men　in　arms；　and　by　torchlight　took　a　general　review　of　them。　But　Alexander；　while　his　soldiers　slept；　spent　the　night　before　his　tent　with　his　diviner；　Aristander；　performing　certain　mysterious　ceremonies；　and　sacrificing　to　the　god　Fear。　In　the　meanwhile　the　oldest　of　his　commanders；　and　chiefly　Parmenio；　when　they　beheld　all　the　plain　between　Niphates　and　the　Gordyaean　mountains　shining　with　the　lights　and　fires　which　were　made　by　the　barbarians；　and　heard　the　uncertain　and　confused　sounds　of　voices　out　of　their　camp；　like　the　distant　roaring　of　a　vast　ocean；　were　so　amazed　at　the　thoughts　of　such　a　multitude；　that　after　some　conference　among　themselves；　they　concluded　it　an　enterprise　too　difficult　and　hazardous　for　them　to　engage　so　numerous　an　enemy　in　the　day；　and　therefore　meeting　the　king　as　he　came　from　sacrificing；　besought　him　to　attack　Darius　by　night；　that　the　darkness　might　conceal　the　danger　of　the　ensuing　battle。　To　this　he　gave　them　the　celebrated　answer；　〃I　will　not　steal　a　victory；〃　which　though　some　at　the　time　thought　a　boyish　and　inconsiderate　speech；　as　if　he　played　with　danger；　others；　however；　regarded　as　an　evidence　that　he　confided　in　his　present　condition；　and　acted　on　a　true　judgment　of　the　future；　not　wishing　to　leave　Darius；　in　case　he　were　worsted；　the　pretext　of　trying　his　fortune　again；　which　he　might　suppose　himself　to　have；　if　he　could　impute　his　overthrow　to　the　disadvantage　of　the　night；　as　he　did　before　to　the　mountains；　the　narrow　passages；　and　the　sea。　For　while　he　had　such　numerous　forces　and　large　dominions　still　remaining；　it　was　not　any　want　of　men　or　arms　that　could　induce　him　to　give　up　the　war；　but　only　the　loss　of　all　courage　and　hope　upon　the　conviction　of　an　undeniable　and　manifest　defeat。　　　After　they　were　gone　from　him　with　this　answer；　he　laid　himself　down　in　his　tent　and　slept　the　rest　of　the　night　more　soundly　than　was　usual　with　him；　to　the　astonishment　of　the　commanders；　who　came　to　him　early　in　the　morning；　and　were　fain　themselves　to　give　order　that　the　soldiers　should　breakfast。　But　at　last；　time　not　giving　them　leave　to　wait　any　longer；　Parmenio　went　to　his　bedside；　and　called　him　twice　or　thrice　by　his　name；　till　he　waked　him；　and　then　asked　him　how　it　was　possible；　when　he　was　to　fight　the　most　important　battle　of　all；　he　could　sleep　as　soundly　as　if　he　were　already　victorious。　〃And　are　we　not　so；　indeed；〃　replied　Alexander；　smiling；　〃since　we　are　at　last　relieved　from　the　trouble　of　wandering　in　pursuit　of　Darius　through　a　wide　and　wasted　country；　hoping　in　vain　that　he　would　fight　us？〃　And　not　only　before　the　battle；　but　in　the　height　of　the　danger；　he　showed　himself　great；　and　manifested　the　self…possession　of　a　just　foresight　and　confidence。　For　the　battle　for　some　time　fluctuated　and　was　dubious。　The　left　wing；　where　Parmenio　commanded；　was　so　impetuously　charged　by　the　Bactrian　horse　that　it　was　disordered　and　forced　to　give　ground；　at　the　same　time　that　Mazaeus　had　sent　a　detachment　round　about　to　fall　upon　those　who　guarded　the　baggage；　which　so　disturbed　Parmenio　that　he　sent　messengers　to　acquaint　Alexander　that　the　camp　and　baggage　would　be　all　lost　unless　he　immediately　relieved　the　rear　by　a　considerable　reinforcement　drawn　out　of　the　front。　This　message　being　brought　him　just　as　he　was　giving　the　signal　to　those　about　him　for　the　onset；　he　bade　them　tell　Parmenio　that　he　must　have　surely　lost　the　use　of　his　reason；　and　had　forgotten；　in　his　alarm；　that　soldiers；　if　victorious；　became　masters　of　their　enemies'　baggage；　and　if　defeated；　instead　of　taking　care　of　their　wealth　or　their　slaves；　have　nothing　more　to　do　but　to　fight　gallantly　and　die　with　honour。　When　he　had　said　this；　he　put　on　his　helmet；　hav