Triballes and Thillicians because he vnderstode they were conspityng togethers And for that they bordred vppon hys Countrey and were woute to inuade thesame vpon euery occasion thought to set stay amonges them before he would remoue hys power so farre of Amphipolis From the Cytie of Amphipolis therefore he set forewardes agaynste the Tracians whiche at that tyme were not vnder the rule or lawe of any man And in ten daies came to the mount Hemus Mount Hemus in the toppe wherof he found theÌ„ encamped with a great power to resist his passage In steade of treÌ„ches they had impaled theÌ„ selfes with their cariages crosse the streightes purposyng ther to let his iourney And if they should be inuaded by any other waye then by the strayghtes â–ª they dyd determyne to roulle the Cariages downe the hyll vpon the Macedones to breake the array of their battailes whiche deuise in dede they put in execution But the Souldiers had receyued before instruccions by AlexaÌ„der that as occasioÌ„ should serue parte should open their arraye to lette the Cartes and Wheales passe through them and that other should fall flat vpoÌ„ the grounde and by coueryng their bodies with their Targattes auoyde the daunger They vsed the matter accordyng to their instruccions and when the Cartes were passed by they with a courage and crye mounted vp agaynst their enemies and in a moment put them to flyght When Alexander was passed the Mountayne he entred into the Contrey of the Triballes as farre as the ryuer of Ligens Syrmus kyng of the Trybals When Syrmus Kynge of that lande vnderstode of his comyng he sent his wyfe and hys chyldren with suche of hys people as were not mere for the warres into an Iland called Pencascytuate within the Riuer of Danubye Penca Into whiche lande the Thracians that bordered with the Triballes were fledde also It was not long after that Syrmus hym selfe fledde thither lykewyse The rest of the Tryballes that were not with the Kynge withdrewe into an other Ilande where they kepte them selfes agaynste Alexander But he by polecye founde the meanes to drawe them out of theree strength whereby he slewe of them the nombre of thre thousande and the reste fledde awaye for of prysoners there were fewe taken After this battayles he marched towardes the Ryuer of Danubye to that Ilande where the Tracians and the other Tryballes were fledde They made notable resistans againste him which they might the better do by reason that Alexander wanted boates the bankes of the Iland were so highe stepe that they could not be mounted vpon but with great difficulty the streame besides ronnyng meruelously swifte because that the Ilande made yt narowe â–ª when Alexander perceyued the impossibility to assaile them he withdrewe to another place where gettyng a fewe boates passed the ryuer in the night to the noÌ„ber of M. ccccc horsemen 4000 fotemen wyth whiche company he set vpon a people called Getes Getes that stode redye in bataile on the further side of purpose to stoppe the Macedones their passage with .4000 horsemen .x. M. fotemeÌ„ By which sodeyne comyng ouer the Getes beiÌ„g afraid did not abyde the furste onset it seamed to theÌ„ a matter of wonderful aduenture for Alexander in one nyght wythout a bridge Danuby to passe his power ouer the brodest and depest ryuer of al Europe this matter stroke such fear in theÌ„ that they fledde into the woddes and deserte places leuing their cytie desolate which was taken by Alexander and ouerthrone Syrmus Kyng of the Triballes the Germains and the other Inhabiters of Danubie sent Embassadours thether vnto Alexander to enter with him in frendshyppe and amitie And he condiscending to their requestes enquired of the Germaines what thing it was in the world that they doubted most thinkinge in deade that the terrour of his name had bene the most feareful thing vnto theÌ„ But when they vnderstode his meanynge they aunswered that they doubted greatly the falling of the skye with whose presumptious auÌ„swer Alexander was nothing moued nor further replied sauing only that he said the Germains were alwaies a proud people and thereupon dismissed theÌ„ Agrians As he was going froÌ„ thence against the Agrians the PeaÌ„s Agryans clitê° Bardeleius Glancias Kynge of ThalaÌ„ts Lagarus he was aduertised that Clitus Bardeleius had rebelled and was confederate with Glancias the kynge of the Thaulantes he had also intelligeÌ„ce that the people of Anteria wold giue him bataile in his passage wherefore he coÌ„mytted to Lagarus the Kynge of Agryans wich was welbeloued of King Philip no les fauored of Alexander the charge to go againste the Anterians Anterians and promysed him vpon his retorne to giue him his suster Cyna in mariage Cina And AlexaÌ„der him self with great celeritie weÌ„t against Clytus Glaucias whoÌ„ in sondrey bataylles he ouercame put to flight Whiles Alexander was about thes thinges The Greks rebellyd he receiued aduertisemeÌ„t the diuers Cities in Greace specially the Thebans had rebelled which thinge moued him muche was the cause that he retorned with spede to oppresse the coÌ„mocion The Thebanes in this meane season besieged the Castle of Thebes wher in was a guarrison of Macedones and weÌ„t about by al meanes to win it To whose rescue Alexander came by greate iourneys encamped with his host nere to the Citie The siege of Thebes Such as bare rule amoÌ„ges the Thebanes wheÌ„ thei sawe AlexaÌ„der coÌ„e contrary to that they loked for doubted whether such ayde shuld coÌ„e to theÌ„ froÌ„ other Cities as was promysed began to consulte how to procede At leÌ„gth by a general consent they determyned to abide thaduenture of the warre The King in the meane seasoÌ„ stode at a staye geuyng theÌ„ spare to be better aduised chauÌ„ge purpose for he was of opinioÌ„ that not one Citye wold euer haue made resistance against so great a power as he had beinge aboue .xxx. thousand fotmen and thre thousand horsemen al olde Souldyers and experte in the traueiles of warre The truste of whose manhode and valyantenes had caused hym to vndertake the warres agaynst the Percians Trulye yf the Thebans had gyuen place too fortune to the tyme and wold haue required peace they mighte easelie haue obtained it his disire was so greate to passe into Asia against the Percians but the Thebans that were determined to trye their force and vse no praiers fought agaynst the MacedoÌ„es that far exceded their noÌ„bre obstynatly with greate manhode But whiles the batailes were ioyning the guarrison of the castle issued out vpon the Thebanes backe wherby being enclosed they were vanquyshed their Cytie taken spoiled The distraccion of Thebes and vtterly rased Which thynge Alexander did of purpose because he thought the reste the Grecians afraied by their eÌ„sample wold be the more quiet whiles he shoulde be in the warres of Asia to gratifie the Phocians and
Cytye and to all the reste of the contreye of lidia he gaue libertye to liue vnder their owne lawes He got also into his possessyon the Cytye of Epheses by reason that the fourth daye after the battell yt was abandoned of the guarison which Darius set ther. Magnesia In the meane season ther cam Anbassedours froÌ„ Magnesia froÌ„ the TralliaÌ„s proffering the delyuery of thier Cities Parmenio was sent to theÌ„ with .iii. Meliton thousand fotemen .cc. horsemen Helicarnassus wyth whych powre he wan Miletum that sâ—od at defeÌ„ce marching froÌ„ theÌ„s toward helycarnassus got al the townes therabouts at the first approche afterwardes besieged helicarnassus yt self which with great trauaile he wan at length Ada the Quene of Carya rased to the ground As Alexander entered into Caria Orontocâ—tes Ada the QueÌ„e of that Countrey Alynda which had bene spoiled of al hir Domynion by Orontobates Darius lieutenant sauinge of one strong Citye called Alinda mette with Alexander and adopted hym for hir sonne and heire He wold not refuse the name the proffer of hir liberalitie but dyd betake to hyr againe the custody of hyr owne Citie Licia And besides for the memory of hyr beneuolens put the hole Contrey of Caria vnder hyr rule and subiection From thence he wente into Lycia and Pamphilia to th entent that by gettyng the possession of the sea costes of those contries Pamphilia shulde causse the sea powre of Darius to stand to none effecte wheÌ„ he had ones subdued the people of Pisydia Pisydia he entred into Phrigia by the which contrey he was enforsed to passe and marched towards Darius Phrigia with whom he had great desire to encounter hearynge saye that he was comming against him with many thousand of men of warre ¶ The thyrde boke of Quyntus Curtius of the Actâ—s of the great Alexander Kyng of Macedon Geander ALexander in the meane season hauing seÌ„te GeaÌ„der to wage meÌ„ of warre out of Peleponese established the contreis of Lycia and Pamphilia remoued his Armye to the Citye of Celenas Celenas Marcia throughe thys Citye theyr rane the same tyme the Riuer of Marcia verie famous in the greake poesis whose hed springing out of the tope of an highe mountayne and fallyng downe vpon a rock beneth made muche nose toringe It floweth from thence and watreth the feldes all about wythout encrease of any streame sauing hys owne The collore wherof being like vnto the calmeese gaue occasion to the poetes to fayne howe the Nymphes for the delight they toke in the Riuer choise their dwellyng vnder that roke So longe as it ronnethe within compasse of the walles yt keapeth his owne name but wheÌ„ it cometh without where the streme is more swyfte vehemente is then called Lycum Lycum Alexander dyd enter into thys towne being foresaken of the Inhabitaunts and perceyuing they were fled into the castle whych he determined to winne before he departed seÌ„t frist to sommoÌ„ them by an Heraulde whych declared that except they wold yelde them selues they should suffre the extremytie of the law of Armys They brought the herauld into an highe towre which was strong both by nature and workmaÌ„ship willing him to coÌ„sider the thing to declare vnto Alexander that he wayed not sufficiently the strengthe of the place for thei said they knewe it to be impringable if the worstshuld falle yet were thei redy to dye in there truth allegeance Notwth standinge which wordes wheÌ„ it came to the pointe that thei sawe theÌ„ selues be sieged al thinges wax scarse They toke truse for lâ— dayes with thys composition that if they were not reseued by Darius within the time they wold reÌ„dre it vp into his haÌ„ds Which thei did afterwards at the dai apointed wheÌ„ thei saw no succors coming To the place there ceme Embassadors to hym froÌ„ Athens makyng request that such of there Citie as were takeÌ„ prisoÌ„res at the battel fought vppon the riuer of Granyke myght be restored to thē· To whom aunswer was made that wheÌ„ the warres of percie wer oÌ„es broÌ„ght to an end both thers al other that wer greaks shuld be restored to their libertie Alexander had his present care ImagenaroÌ„ alwaies vpoÌ„ Darius whoÌ„ he knew not yet to be passed the ryuer of Euphrates He assembled therfore all hys powre togethers purposing to adueÌ„ture the hasard of the bataile The coÌ„trey was called Phriga that he passed thorugh plentyful of villages but scarse of Cyties Cytye of Gordyn yet their was one therin of great Antiquitie called Gordin the roiall seat sometyme of Kynge Mydas The riuer Sangarius doth ronne throught yt and it standeth in midewaye tetweÌ„e the SeaÌ„ of Ponte Cilicia being iudged to be the narowest parte of Asia by reasoÌ„ of the Sees which lye on both sides representing the forme of an IlaÌ„d And if it were not for a smale point of land that do lie betwext those ses thei shuld win both togithers Alexander hauing brought this Citye vnder his boeysans entered into the temple of Iubyter were he saw the wagon wherin Mydas the builder of the Citie was wonte to ride The same in the furniture outwarde appearance differred lyttle froÌ„ other common wagoÌ„s Gordies knotte but there was in yt a thing notable which was a rope folded knit with many knots one so wrethed within an otheir that no man could perceyue the maner of yt nether where the knotes began nor wher thei eanded Vpon theys the Contremen had a prophesie that he shuld be lord of all Asia that could vndo that endles knot which matter put the kinge in a meruelus desire to become the fulfiller of that prophesie Ther stod a great nombre aboute him bothe of Phrigians Macedons â—hone parte of theÌ„ musing to what coÌ„clusioÌ„ this matter wold come to and the other feacing the rashe presiumpcoÌ„ of the kyng Forasmuch as they could perceyue bi no reasoÌ„ now the knot shuld be vndoÌ„e The Kynge him self also doughting that the failing of his purpose in the matter might be take as a tokeÌ„ of his euel fortune to come Wherfore after he had coÌ„sidred the thing What matter maketh it qd he which way it be vndone and striued nolenger how to vnknit it but out of hand cut with his sword the cordes a sondre therbi etheir illuding or els fulfilling theffecte of the prophecye When this was doÌ„e AlexaÌ„der purposed to find out Darius wher so euer he wer And to the inteÌ„t he wold leue al thinges cleare behind his back made Amphitorus captayne of his name vpon the coste of Helliespont Amphitorus comettyng the charge of the meÌ„ of warre to Egilocus Egilocus Thei two haue commissoÌ„ to deliuer the IlaÌ„ds of Lesbos Lesbos Scyo Coos Scyo Coos from the handes of the Percians And for the furniture of their chargs apointed to theÌ„ .l.
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
the battell that the PerciaÌ„s left their enguarrison were but of smale noÌ„bre of littel force without any head He shewed how the EgipciaÌ„s vsed to rebel against their gouernours wherfore they were sure to be receiued as frendes For since necessitie qd he hath enforced vs to proue our fortunes which failiÌ„g vs in our first hope we must now thinck the thiÌ„ges to come shal be much better theÌ„ our pÌ„sent estat They al agreed with one voice that he shuld leade theÌ„ where he liste wherupoÌ„ thinking good not to pretermit thoccasioÌ„ whiles the hope was hote in their hartes coÌ„ueied theÌ„ into Egipt entred the haueÌ„ at PelusiuÌ„ vnder pretence that he had bene sent thether by Darius Pelusium WheÌ„ he had gotteÌ„ PelusiuÌ„ he set forwardes towards MeÌ„phis Memphis at the fame of wose coming the Egiptians beyng a lyght nation and more apt to make a store then to maintayne it when it is oure begonne ran to hym out of al townes and villages with entent to destroy all the Percians who notwithstanding for all the feare they were in did not leaue the defence of the countrey but fought with the Grekes and were put to flyght After that victory Amintas beseged Memphis and his men destroyed so all the countrey there aboutes that they left nothing vnspoiled Wherupon Mareches though he perceiued his souldiers much amased with the feare of their late ouerthrowe Mazeches yet when he sawe his enemies scatered abrode without ordre for the pride they had conciued of their victory at length persuaded his men to issue out of the cytie and in setting vpon their enemies to recouer again that they had lost Whiche aduise being good of it selfe toke by good handling moste fortunate â—esse for thei sâ—ewe at that tyme both Aâ—â—intas and all his company This punishement he suffred for the offence committed to both princes Being neither faithfull to Alexander whome he forsake nor to Darius to whom he fled Darius capitaines whiche escaped from the battaille at Isson gathering together such meÌ„ as wer scattered after the battaille with such power besides as they could leuie in Capaducea and Paphlagonia did attempte to recouer again the countrey of Lidia Antigonus was gouernour for Alexander there who notwithstanding that he had take many souldiers out of the guarrisones to send vnto Alexander yet he so litle estemed his enemies that he doubted not to aduenture the battaille Where the Percians receiued the like fortune they did in other places Whiche attempting the fyght in thre sondry countreis were vainguisshed in them all At the same time the nauie of the Macedons whiche Alexander had sent for out of Grece met Aristomeues whom Darius had apoincted to make warre vpoÌ„ the coast of Hellespont where they did take and drowne all his ships aristomenes Farnabazus Darius admirall hauing exacted money at Nulesium Nulesium and set guarison in Sio passed into the I le of Andros with a hundred shippes Andros Syphuns And from thence he went to Syphuns puttyng men of warre into all the Ilandes exacted of them money The greatnes of the warre that was in hand betwene two of the moste puissant princes of Asia and Europe did drawe both Grece and Crete to armes Agys the kyng of Lacedenon gathered together .viii. thousand Grekes that were come home out of Cilicia and moued warre to Antipater that was gouernour of Macedonia The Cretians folowing sometime one parte sometyme another receiued one while guarrisoners of Macedons and an other while of Lacedemonians to lie amonges them But those warres were of no great importunaunce For all mens eies were fixed vpon the warres that were in vâ—e betwene AlexaÌ„der Darius wherupon all the rest did depend The Macedons had sudbued all Siria Phenices The Citie of Tyre Tire only except which being the greatest moste notable cytie of all that couÌ„trey shewed that they estemed themselues worthy rather to ioyne with AlexaÌ„der as frendes then to become his subiectes For when he was come nere vnto them and encamped vpon the the mayn land whiche is deuided from their Cytie with a small arme of the Sea They sent to hym by their Embassadours a crowne of gold for a present with great plenty besides of victuals for his army He receiued their giftes as froÌ„ his freÌ„des and gaue gentle aunsweres vnto the Embassadours but he shewed theÌ„ that he desired to make sacrifice vnto Hercules whom the Cirians specially worshipped for the Macedons opinion was that they were desceÌ„ded of him whiche to do he saied he was admonished by an Oracle the Embassadours aunswered that there was a temple of Hercules without their Cytie in the place whiche they call PaleterioÌ„ where as he might do sacrifice at his pleasure At those wordes Alexand could not refraine his Ire whereunto he was much subiect but fell in a rage I perceiue nowe qd he because ye dwell in an Iland ye truste so muche in the Cituacion of your citie that ye despise my land power But I wil shortly do you to vnderstande that ye dwell vpon the mayne land and bring you to suche case as your Iland shal not helpe you and therfore truste to it that if ye receiue me not in I will enter by force When the Embassadours were dismissed with this aunswere suche as were nere about the king persuaded them that they should not exclude him whome all Siria and Phenises had receiued But they had conceiued such a confidence for that their Cytie stode in the sea deuyded .lxxx. furlonges from the mayn land that they vtterly determined to abyde the siege That Sea of theirs was so muche subiecte to the southwest wynd whiche made at euery storme the waues beate so highe against the Shore that it would not suffer the MacedoÌ„s to make any worcke for the ioynyng of the mayn land to the cytie it being scarsely possible to worcke any thyng there when the wether was moste caulme The Siege of Tyre The first worke that the MacedoÌ„s began was by by throweÌ„ down with the vehemens of the seas that were driueÌ„ by the wynd Nor thei could make no mole so stroÌ„g within the sea but that it was washed awaie and brought downe by beating of the waues And when the wynd blewe strenth able it wold bring the Seas clene ouer the work Ther was an other difficultie no les then this For by reasone that the walles were enuironed about wyth the deapnes of the Sea they could rayse no engine to shote but a far of out of shippes nor ther was not ani grouÌ„d about the Cytie wherupon ladders mought haue bene raised againste the walles or aproche made vpon the land Alexander had no shippes and though he had had some and would haue coueted to bryng them to the walles yet by reason of the water might with shotte easely haue bene keapt of But emonges the reste of other thinges the Tyrians were woÌ„derfully encouraged by the
For feare is impediment to some desire vnto other and to many the self loue of the thyng that they haue deuised I will not speake of pryde nor impute it vnto you Ye haue sene experience howe euery man doth exteme that thyng only to be best whiche he him self hath inuented The diademe of a kyng that you were vpon your head is a great burden whiche if it be not borne moderatly the weight therof will oppresse the berer It is not furye can auayle in this case but wyse and prudent counsel When he had spoken those wordes he rehersed a prouerbe commonly vsed amonges the Bactrians which is that the fearfull dogge dothe barcke more then he doth byte and that the depest ryuers doth runne with lest noyse Whiche thinges I haue rehersed because suche prudence may appeare as remayned amonges the Barbarous As he talked after this maner suche as haâ—de him wondred to what ende his tale woulde come to Then he began to shewe his aduise whiche was more proffitable to bessus then gratefull Alexanders celerity qd he is suche that he is come in maner to the entrey of your court He can remoue his armye before you can remoue this table You say that you will drawe your assistaunce from the ryuer of Tanais and that you will put ryuers betwixt you your enemies I would know if he be not able to folowe whersoeuer you shall flee If the way be indifferent it must nedes be moste easy and assured to the victorer And though you thinke feare wil make much spede yet hope is more swifter It were therfore me thinkes expedieÌ„t to procure the fauour of hym that is the mightiest and yelde your self vnto the stronger Howe soeuer he shal accept it your fortune is more lyke to be better that way then to remayne still an enemy Consider that you possesse another mans kyngdome and therfore ye may the better departe therwithall For ye cannot be a iust kyng till you receiue the kyngdome of hym that is able to gyue it and toke it away This is a faythfull counsell wherfore it is not necessary to delay the execution therof The horse that of noble courage is gouerned with the shadowe of a rodde But the dulle beast is not pricked forward with the spoores Bessus that was fierse of nature and well set forwardes with drynking became in suche a fury with his wordes that he could scarsely be holden by his frendes from the sleing of Cobares for he pulled out his sworde to haue done the dede and departed out of the feast in a greate rage But Cobares in this store escaped away came vnto Alexander Bessus had .viii. M BactriaÌ„s armed attending vpon him Which so loÌ„g as they iudged the by reasoÌ„ of the inteÌ„peratnes of the ayre in those partes that Macedons woulde rather haue gone into Inde then into Bactria were verye obediente at his commaundemente But when they vnderstode that Alexander was commynge towardes theim euerye one shronke away and forsoke Bessus Then he with a band of his familie whiche were yet faiethfull vnto him passed the riuer of Oxus Oxus burnynge suche boâ—â—es as caried him ouer because that the same shoulde not serue his enemie in folowynge him and assembled a newe power amonges the Sogdians Alexander as it hath ben said before passed the mounte Caucasus but for lacke of corne his army was brought in maner to the extremitie of hoÌ„ger In stede of oyle they were faine to noint them selues with iuse whiche they wringe out of Sesema but euerie measure therof called Amphora was solde for .ccxl. deners euery like measure of honye for cccxc and of wyne for .ccc. and yet of the same was verye little to be gotten They haue in that countrey certaine vessels called Syri which thinhabitauÌ„tes vse to hide so priuely that they can not be fouÌ„d except they be digged for within the earth The couÌ„trey men bury their corne after that maner for want wherof the souldiours were fayne to lyue with herbes and suche fishe as thei caught in the Riuers But that kynde of fode wantinge also they were enforced to slea their beastes that caried their baggage and with the fleshe of theim liued till thei came into Bactria The description of Bactria The nature of the soyle of whiche countrey is diuers and of sundrye kindes Some place is plentifull of woode and vines and aboundaunte of pleasaunte fâ—uite the grounde fatte well watered and full of springes Those partes which be most temperate are sowed with corne and the rest be reserued for fedyng of beastes But the greater part of that countrey is couered ouer with baraine sandes withered vp for want of moisture nourishing niether man nor bringinge forth fruite But with certaine windes that come from the sea of Ponte the saÌ„d in the plaines is blowen together in heapes whiche seme a farre of like great hilles wherby the accustomed wayes be damned so that no signe of them can appere Therfore such as do passe those plaines vse to obserue the starres in the night as thei do that sayle the seas by the course of theÌ„ direct their iourney The nightes for the more parte be brighter then the dayes wherfore in the daye time the countrey is wild and vnpassable when they can nether finde any tracte nor waye to go in nor marke or signe whereby to passe the starres beyng hidden by the miste If the same wind chaunce to come duryng the time that meÌ„ be passyng it ouerwhelmeth them with sande Where the countrey is temperate it bringeth forth great plenty both of men horse So that the Bactrians may make .xxx. M. horsemen Bactria whiche is the heade citie of that region standeth vnder a mountaine called Parapanisus Parapanysus Bactras the riuer called Bactras runneth by the walles wherof both the citye and the countrey take their names Alexander liyng there in campe receiued aduertisemeÌ„t out of Grece how the Lacedemonians and the whole countrey of Peliponese had rebelled againste him For thei had not lost the battail at such time as the messeÌ„gers were dispatched that brought the newes of their reuolt In the necke of this euil tidinges there came another presente terroure whiche was that the Scythians inhabitynge beyonde the riuer of Tanays were comming to ayde Bessus And at the same tyme tidynges was brought him of the battayle that Caranus and Erigius hadde fought amonges the Arians Caranus Erigius where Satybarzanes that was newlye reuolted beynge chiefe of the countrey seynge the battayle to stande equall on bothe sides ridde into the fore fronte and plucked of his helmet forbiddyng anye of his syde eyther to caste darte or strike anye stroke and there make a chalenge to fight hande to hande if any man durste come forthe and proue his strength Erigius capitayne to the Macedons was a man striken in yeres But yet not inferiour to any yong man either in stowtnes of stomake or strength of bodye who could not beare the
the countrey whiche his parte had bene to defend from destructiō Of his departure it came to passe that those whiche he left behynd thynking them selues betrayed would not so muche as abyde the fyght of their enemies when a muche lesse nōbre had bene sufficient to haue kept the passage The destruccion o◠Cilicia For the scituaciō of Cilicia is suche that it is enuironed round about with a continuall rough and steade Mountayne whiche rysing from the sea on the one syde fetchyng a compasse aboute ioyneth againe with the sea on the other syde Through that parte of this Mountayne whiche lieth furdest from the Sea beyng thre narowe and rough passages by one of the whiche they must entre that will passe into Cilicia This coūtrey towardes the Sea is playne and full of Riuers amonges which two be notable Pyramus and Cydnus Pyramus Cydnus but Cydnus moste speciall not so muche for his greatnes as for the clerenes of his water whiche from his firste spryng ronneth plesauntly through all the Countrey and hath no other Ryuer runnyng into hym to disturbe the purenes of his streame For whiche cause it remayneth alwaies clere ▪ and also coold by reason of the woodes that do shadowe all the banckes Tyme hath consumed many antiquities within that countrey whiche be remembred of the Poeres There maie yet be sene the foundacions of the Cities of Lyrnessus Lyrnessus Cebestus Coricius and Cebestus with the caue and woode of Coricius where saffron groweth with many other thynges whereof nothyng remayneth sauyng only the same When Alexander entred the straytes that before be mencioned and beheld the scituacion of them he neuer in all his life marueiled more of his owne felicitie and good fortune confessyng that it had not bene possible for hym to haue passed if any had stand at defence agaynst hym for that with stones only he myght haue bene destressed and the strayte besydes was so narrowe that there could not passe aboue foure in a front To thencrease of whiche difficulty the toppes of the Mountaynes hong ouer the ways whiche in many places were broken and made hollowe with the streames that ranne downe from the hilles Alexander sent the Thracians that were lyght armed to scower discouer the ways for feare the enemies should lye there in busshement and sodeynly breake forth vpon hym He appoyncted also a bād of Archers to take the toppe of the hyl which were willed so to marche that they myght be alwayes in a redines to fyghte After this maner he came with his army to the Cytie of Tarson Tarson whiche was set on fyre by the Percions because that Alexander should fynde no herborow there But Parmeno was sent thether with a choyse nomber of horsemen to quenche the fyer who vnderstandyng that the enemies were fled away through his commyng entred into the Cytie and by that meanes saued it from burnyng The Ryuer of Cydnus spoken of before dyd ronne through this Cytie where the kyng arryued about mydday it beynge in the Sommer season what tyme the heate is no where more feruent then in that countrey He toke suche delyght in the pleasauntnes of the water that he would nedes bathe his body to washe awaye the sweate dust he had caught and being in an heate entred naked into the water in euery mans syght thynckyng it should be a contentacion to his souldiers to se that the furnemētes about his body was no other but suche as they cōmonly vsed to weare Alexander by bathing in a Ryuer became in great perill of his life He was not so sone entred but all the partes of his body began to shake tremble his face waxed pale the liuely heate was mortified in all partes of his body His seruauntes toke hym vp and caried hym into his tent as one besides him self and at the poinct of death Then there was a great desolacion and heuines in the campe they wepte lamented and bewayled that suche a Kyng so noble a Capitaine as had not bene sene in any age should thus be taken from them in the chief of his enterprise and brunte of all his busines and that after suche a manner not in battaile slayne by his enemies but thus cast away bathing in a ryuer It greued them that Darius now beyng at hand should obtein the victory by suche a chaunce without seing of his enemy that they should be enforced to retourne back agayne as men vanquysshed by those Countreis through the whiche they had passed before as victorers In whiche countreis all thynges beyng destroyed by themselues or by their enemies it was of necessitie for them to dye for hunger though no man should persue them It became a question amonges them selues who should be their Capitayne in their flyeng away or what he were that durste succede Alexander And though they might saufely arriue at the Sea of Hellespont yet who should prepare them passage there And when they had disputed these questions their argument by and by was turned in compassion towardes their Prince lamentyng as mē out of their wittes that suche a floure of yought suche a force of courage as was in hym that thesame their kyng and companion in armes should after this sorte be taken from them In the meane season Alexāder began to drawe his breath somwhat better when he came vnto himselfe he lifted vp his eyes and began to knowe his frendes that were about hym the vehemens of his sicknes somwhat assuaging whiche was perceiued in that he began to vnderstand the perill he was in But the pensiuenes of his mynde was greate hinderaunce vnto his health for tidinges came that Darius within fiue dayes would be in Cilicia whiche was the thing that made him to sorowe and lamēt He could not take it but greuously that suche a victory should be plucked out of his handes through his infirmitie And that he should be taken as one tied in bondes and be put to some shamefull and vile death He called therfore to hym both his frendes and Phisiciōs and sayd vnto them ye see in what state of my busines fortune hath taken me The wordes of Alexander to his frendes in his sickenes Me thyncke the noyse of myne enemies do ringe in mine eares and I whiche moued first the warre am now chalenged and prouoked to fyght When Darius did wrytte to me suche proude letters he was not ignoraunt of myne estate yet peraduenture he shal be deceyued if I may vse myne own mynde in recouery of myne owne health My case requireth no slacke medicines nor slowe Phisicions I had rather dye sloutly at ones then to consume long tyme in my recouery Wherfore if there be any hope or connyng in physicke let it be shewed And thincke that I seke not remedy so muche for mine own life as I do for the care I haue to encountre with myne enemies When they harde him speake those wordes they were in great doubte
commynge of the Embassadores that were sent from Cartage to celebrat there yearly sacrifice according to rhere custome Carthage For the Tyrians being the builders of Cartage were since that tyme had in veneracion as there parentes and furste founders Those Embassadores exorted theÌ„ in any wise to abide the siege and promysed them shortly and which they alleged might eselye and sone be done forsomuche as that tyme al the Seas were ful of the Cartage fletes vpon this hatâ—ing they determyned to abide thextremitie and placed ther engynes vpon the towers and the walles deuyding ther armour emoÌ„ges the yought of the Cytie The Artificers wherof that Citie had great pleÌ„ty were deuided into worcke houses to make all suche thinges as were necissarye for the warres There were deuised certaine instrimentes wherwith thei might pull downe the workes that ther ennemies made called Harpagones and also crowes of Iron which be named corui with al other thiÌ„ges that might be inuented for the defence of Cyties But a straunge thinge is reported Pâ—odigous lighted that wheÌ„ the Iron was put in the forge blowne in the fire the same was sene to be full of droppes of bloud Whiche wonder the Tirians did interprete as a token of good fortune towardes them selues as significatioÌ„ of destructioÌ„ towardes their ennemies A like thing was sene amonges the Macedons for when a certayn souldier was breakyng of his breade droppes of bloud appeared therin Whereat Alexander being astonied Aristander Aristander that was moste connyng of all the deuiners of their Religon Did enterprete thus the matter If the bloud had apered outwardly then it had signified il fortune to the Macedons but in asmuch as it was found within it betokened destruction to the Cytie they went about to wynne The lawe of nacions bryken Alexander considering his nauie to be farre from him and that a longe siege â–ª should be great impedyment to his other affaires Sent officers of Armes vnto the Citie to perswade them vnto peace whoÌ„ the Tirians against the lawe of Nacoues did drowne in the sea There vniuste death stored Alexander so muche that he then vtterly determined to go forwardes with the siege but before he could make his aproche it was of necessitie for him to make a Pers or a Mole whereby they might passe from the mayne land to the Citie But in the making therof ther entered great despaire into all mens hartes considering the deapnes of the sea which they sawe not possible to be filled sâ—arcly by any deuine powre For thei thought no stones so great any trees so highe nor any contrey to haue such pleÌ„tie as mighte suffise for the building of a bank in suche a place considring the Sea was alwaies troubled And narowes the place was betweÌ„e the Citie and the land so much more greater was the rage But Alexander that had the way to allure his souldiers to what effect hiÌ„ pleased declared how that Hercules apered vnto him in his slepe and gaue him his hand proffering to be his captaine and him giude for the entraunce of the Citie Therunto he added the killing of his Embassadours and howe that they had violated and broken the lawe that all nacions obserued and that there remayned but only one Cytie whiche staied his victorie Wherupon he deuided the worcke amonges his capteines that euerye one might applye his owne band And so put the worck in vre Mounte Libanus when he had oues sufficientlye encouraged his men There were great plentye of stones had of the mynes of thould Cytie where Tite stode before and for the making of bores and Towres tymber was brought from the mount Libanus The worcke did growe from the bottom of the Sea like a mountayne but not yet brought to the highe wartee marke And the further the Pere was wrought from the land vnto the Sea ward so muche the soner the Sea did swallowe vp the substance of thinges wherof the same was made Whiles the Macedons were thus about their worcke the TiriaÌ„s would roÌ„ne about them in smale vessels and giue the wordes of reproche and scorne as that they were nowe become goodly meÌ„ of warre that would be made pioners cary burdens like beastes vpon ther backes And they asked them also If they thought Alexander to be greater then the god of the Sea But ther reproffe did not hynder but encrease the cherefulnes of the souldiers in there payne and trauaile In so muche the mole in a short space surmounted aboue the water encreasing much in bredth aproched nere vnto the Cytie Then the Tyrians seinge the hugenes of the worcke whereof they before had bene diseiued in there opynion littell thinking that it woulde haue growen to suche a passe they in littell vessels came rowynge aboute the Pere and did driue the soulders with shote from ther woreking and bicause it lay in them to bryng there boats sodeinly forwardes and returne sone ageine they hurte many of the Macedons without any daunger to them selues which enforsed them to leue ther worck and fall to ther owne defence For remedie wherof to auoyde ther enemies shote they were compelled to streach out beastes skynes vpon poles like sayles and set those betwene theÌ„ and their enemies And besides at the hedde of the Peace they raysed vp two Towres from whence with shote and castinge of dartes they keapt of the boates that came aboutes them On the other side the Tirians would lande with ther boates farre out of the sight of the Campt kill such as were carrieÌ„g of stones The peasants besides of Arabie did set vpon certayne Macedons that were sâ—atred abrod in the mount Libanus where they slewe and toke diuers That was one cause whith moued Alexander to deuide his army And lest he might seme to remaine idely about the siege of one citie he apointed Perdicas and Craterus to take the charge of the worcke he had in hande and went into Arabia with such parte of his powre as was most apte for his porpose Arabia In the meane season the Tyrians prepared agreat shyppe laden with stones and grauell behind so that the fore patte flotid aboue the water which ship anoynted ouer with pitche brymstone they brought sodenly by sailinge and force of oers vnto the pere and there remaining the mariners set the shippe on fier and then leaped into boates which folowed after for the purpose The ship thus set on fire so enflamed the wood worcke perteining to the pere that before any rescue could come the fire had taken the towers and al the rest of the workes that were made in the head thereof When they that were leaped into the boates sawe the matter take suche effect they put betwixt the timbre and other voide places both fire brandes and all suche thinges as might geue noryshement and encrease the fire So that the towers and al the rest being on a flame many of the MacedoÌ„s were consumed therewith and
dedicate thinking that by deteaning of th one to keape still the other The CartageÌ„s in times paste had brought that Image from Siracuse and had plased yt in the hed Cytie out of the which they were desceÌ„ded For their custome was to addorne dyre with such spoiles as they had taken no les then they did Cartage They at the time wold also haue bene auctores vnto the Tiryans for the renuieng of an old sacrifice that had bene omitted many yeares wherin they vsed to offre vp to Saturne a fre borne childe Which beiÌ„g rather a sacriledge then a sacrifice of the Cartagens receyued of there fyrste founders and still obserued the same till ther citie was destroyed And but that the auncient men by whom al thinges was gouerned had withstand yt this wicked supersticon had taken place which nature and humaintie doth abhorre The necessitie that was hanging ouer there heades being more effectuall then aine arte or science practised not onlye suche thinges as were accustomed for defences but also found one that was neuer enuented before For to the desturbours of the shippes that approched the wales they deuised longe rafters to the which the fastened grasples of Iron and great hokes like sithes which letten downe with ropes by an engyue ether tare the shippes or destroyed the men They inuented also Targettes of metall to be made fire hote in the which they put burning sand scalding lyme and theÌ„ poured the same down vpon the Macedones that cam nere the walles which was a mischief that they feared moste of all other For when the hote sande entered betwene the harnes the body there was no meanes to auoyde it away and where it touched it burned to the bones so that they were enforced to throwe away their harnes and teare away all thynges they had vpon their bodies Whereby they became subiecte to be hurte by their enemies and were not in case to endomage them againe But specially the grasples letten downe whiche be called corui toke violently away many of the souldiers that were within the shyppes Alexander seyng their obstinate defence was wery of the matter and determined to rayse vp his siege and go vnto Egypt For consideryng in howe short a space he had ouercome Asia it greued hym to be detayned so long about the walles of that Cytie whereby he omitted the occasion and oportunitie of greater thynges in the meane season But he was asmuche ashamed to departe without his purpose as to remayne there and leue other thynges vndone iudgyng that if he should leue Tyre after that sorte as a wytnes that he myght be withstaÌ„did it should much impaire his fame wherewith he had gotten more then with force And it chaunsed at thesame tyme a monster of an excedyng bygnes to appere aswell in the syght of the Tyrians as the Macedons whiche lyeng vpon his back aboue the water came towardes the mole and when he had beaten the water and lyfted vp hymselfe at the head of the mole diued vnder the water agayne sometyme appeatyng aboue and sometyme vnderneath and when he came nere the walles of the Cytie vanyshed out of fyght The appearyng of this monster reioysed bothe parties The Macedons dyd enterprete thesame to be sent to them as a guide to leade them away to furnishe out the worcke The Tyrians deuined that Neptune reuenging the vsurpacion that the Macedons had made vpon the sea would shortely destroy the worcke that they had made in lyke sorte as he had taken away the monster and vpon their owne imagination had conceiued suche a gladnes and pronosticated to them selues suche good fortune that they fel to bancqueting and drinkyng And when they were well charged with wine at the sonne rising thei set garlandes of flowers vpon their heades and mounted into their galleis not only with hope of victory but with a triumphe made beforehand It chaunsed at the sametime that Alexander had conueyed his nauy to the contrary syde of the Cytie and lefte vpon the shore .xxx. of the smallest vessels of the whiche the Tyrians caught two and put the rest in great feare of distressing vntyll suche tyme as the kynge hearyng the alarome sette forwardes with his nauy towardes that parte where the skâ—ye was heard The firste Galley of the Macedons that came nere them was a quinquereme moste swyfte amonges all the reste whiche when the Tirians espied they came against her with two gallies ouerwhart vpon her side wherof the one stroke full with her spurne and the cinquereme graspled with her but the other whiche was loss and at libertie fell vn the contrary syde but leste betwixt them two she myght haue sustained some domage there came a tryreme of Alexanders to the rescue with suche violence that the maister of the lose galley was striken into the sea But when the Tirians sawe Alexander was come himselfe and more of his shyppes were at hande then with strength of oers and great difficultie they set their galley that was entangled lose againe and at libertie and made towardes their hauen with all the haste they myght make AlexaÌ„der immediatly pursued but when he came to the haueÌ„ he could not enter but was beaten of with shot from the walles but that not withstandyng the more parte of their galleis were eyther drowned or taken After this aduenture he rested his souldiers two dayes and then willed his shyppes to be brought forwardes and the engines in them to the intent that by assaylyng the Tirians on all sydes he might put them in extreme feare Alexander with a wonderfull courage not with out great parill vnto his persone mounted vp into the toppe of a tower that was made in a shyppe and there knowen by his apparell and ryche armour was chiefly layde at and shot to from all partes He wrought wonderfull feates with his owne persone for bothe with his pike he slewe diuers that stode at defence and afterwardes also fought hande to hande with hys sworde and his target and threwe diuers downe from their defence for the towre wherein he fought ioyned hard to the walles By that time the Engines called Arietes with muche beatyng had striken downe the walles the nauie was got within the hauen and certayne of the Macedons had wonne the towres and dryuen the Tirians from them The winning of Tiâ—re Oppressed them with the multitude of these myseries they were cleane discomfited some fled for succour vnto the temples some did shut their dores takyng that kynde of death they lyked beste And other ran vpon their enemies to sell their liues dere But the more parte got vp into the toppes of their houses and froÌ„ thence did cast down vpoÌ„ their enemies whatsoeuer came vnto their handes Alexand coÌ„mauÌ„ded al to be slayne with exceptioÌ„ sauing such as fled into the temples and the houses to be set on fyer Though that was proclaymed through out the Cytie yet there was none bearyng armour that woulde saue themselues that
way For as the women and chyldren filled the temples so the men kept the entrees of their houses redie to abyde the crueltie of their enemies yet the Sydonians were the cause that many were saued who amonges the Macedons seruyng in the warres and entring the Cytie amonges the reste Agenour were myndfull of their affinitie with the Tirians Agenour being builder of both their Cyties and conueyed many into their shippes whiche they sent priuely vnto Sydone By whiche meanes fiftene thousand escaped the crueltie of the sworde The nombre of them that were slain may partely be coniectured in that there were founde dead within the Cytie syx thousand of them that bare armour A notable reueÌ„ging of the breache of the lawe of armes The Kynges wrath towardes the Cytie made the syght dolerous vnto the victors For twoo thousand whome the furye of the slaughter had lefte on lyue were afterwardes hanged vpon crosses along the sea coaste The Embassadours of the Cartagens were saued but he threatened to make warre against them from the whiche he was then letted by other busines he had in hand Thus Tyre was taken the .vii. moneth after it was besieged a Cytie notable to the posteritie aswell through the antiquitie it was of as also by the often chaunge of fortune that it had suffred It was buylded by Agenour and many yeares was maister of the seas not only nere thereabout but in all places where as their nauies came And if we lyste to credite the fame that Cytie was the firste whiche either taught or learned letters They buylded Cyties and put in them inhabiters through out the more partes of the worlde bothe Carthago in Affrick Thebes in boecia and Gades in Spayne vpon the Occian It is to be thought that by reason of their fre recourse throught al seas and by viseting of many straunge couÌ„tries they had occasion to chosse out Seates to place in ther youthe wherof they then habounded Or els as some write the Inhabitores weried to dwell their by reason of many earthequakes were compelled of force to seke out straunge dwelling places But after manie casualties that happened vnto Tyre after the destrucion newely renued and all thinges grown againe thorugh long peace remaineth nowe vnder the defence of the romaines Clemency About the same tyme AlexaÌ„der receyued letters from Darius wherein at laste he was contented to name him king The contentee of Darius lâ—tters His requeste was that Alexander woulde receiue his doughter Saptyne for his wief with whoÌ„ he offred in dowre all the countrey betwen Hellespont and the Riuer of Alys and would receiue vnto him selfe onlye suche kyngdomes as lay from thence towardes theaste And if peraduenture he should make any doubt to receyue this offre he willed him to consider that fortune is not wont to continewe longe in one estate and that the greater felicitie men haue the greater enuie doth folowe them It was to be dowâ—ed he saied lesse he exalted him selfe through a vaine a childishe affeccion like as byrdes vse to do whose naturall lightnes conuey them to the stares For ther was nothing more difficulty in so yonge yeares then to beare wel such heigh and greatnes of fortune He willed him also to consider that there remaynede yet meane contreies that he had not touched and that he should not alwaies mete him in streightes Hauing to passe the Riuer of Euphrates Tygre Araxes and Hidaspes which were like bulwarks vnto his dominioÌ„ when that he shuld come vnto the playnes he should be ashamed of his smalle nombre He put him in remeÌ„braunce to waye howe longe it should be or he coulde passe Media Hiâ—cania Baetria and the Indians that bordered on the Occian Sea And likewyse the Sogdians and Arachoâ—ians of whome men haue no other knowledge then of their name with other nacions lieng towardes the mount Caucasus and the Ryuer of Tanays Though no man should lette hym nor offer hym battaille yet he should growe in age he saied before he coulde passe so many landes In the latter ende he aduysed hym to call hym no more forewardes for he would come sone enough and that to his destruccion Thefâ—ect of Darius aâ—nswere Alexander made aunswer to those letters by the messengers that brought them in effect that Darius offred to hym that was none of his owne and made a proffer to geue that he had all loste For Lidia Ionia Acolides and the coste of the Hellespont whiche he appoincted in dowre were alredy become the rewardes of his victory And as for lawes and condicions those were wonte to be geuen and appoyncted by the victors and receyued of suche as were ouercome And if he were ignoraunt in whiche of those two estates he were in he should come of and aduenture the battaille once agayne For he was not ignoraunt he sayed before he passed the Sea howe Lidia and Cilicia were ouer smale rewardes for the making of suche a warre But his determinacion was euer to subdue and bring vnder his dominion both Percipolis the chief Citie of his kyngdome and also Bactria and Echatania with the vttermoste boundes of the Orient He could fle no where but he was able to folowe and therefore counsailed him that he should leue to feare him with ryuers which had learned how to passe seas Thus the kinges did write one to another Rhodianâ— in the meane season the Rhodians yelded their cytie and their hauen vnto Alexander who coÌ„mitted the rule of Cilicia vnto Socrates and the couÌ„trey about Tyre vnto Philotas And Parmenio made Andromachus his deputie in Celi Siria Celi Siria For from thence they had to set forwardes to the reste of their iourney Alexander gaue commaundement to Ephestion that he should fetche about with his nauie the coste of Phenices and came with his hole power to the cytie of Gaza Olâ—mpiades About thesame time there were soleÌ„pne triumphes and plaies at Isthnios accustomed to be celebrated with the assemblie of all Grece In that counsell as the wittes of the Grekes be sodain decreed to send xii Embassadours vnto Alexander to cary him a croun of gold in gratefieÌ„g the victory he had won the actes he had done for the saulfegard libertie of Grece but a little before they harkened how the fame went were redy to bend that way that fortune enclined Alexander visited not in persone all suche countreis and cyties as refused their obedience vnto him but made conquest of them by his deputies For Calas toke Paphlagonia Antigonus Licaonia and Balacrus ouercame Idarne Darius lieutenaunt and wan Miletum Amphitorus and Egilochus with a nauie of hundred and .lx. shyppes subdued all the Ilandes betwene Asia and Achaia And also by the consent of the inhabiters got Tenedon whiche alwaies was a receptacle to the Percians Tenedon They were at the poinct to haue gotten Scio but that Pharnabasus Darius deputie hauing intelligence of the matter did fyrste apprehende all suche
Therefore he caused an hyghe pole to be alwayes set before his pauilion wherupon remayned a sygne apparaunt to all men The token that they obserued was fire in the nyght smoke in the daye tyme. As he was marchyng towardes Susa Abulites that was ruler of that region Abulites either by Darius commaundement thynkyng by meanes of the spoyle to deteyne Alexander the lenger there or els of his owne fre wyll sent his sonne agaynst hym profferyng the deliuery of the cytie The young man was entreated very gently and by his conduccion Alexander passed forwardes till he came to the ryuer of Hydaspis Hydaspis whiche is counted to be a very delicat water Abulites there mette AlexaÌ„der with princely and riche giftes and presented him amonges the reste of other thinges Dromedary camels that were wounderfull swift with .xii. elephantes that Darius had sent for out of India to be a terrour to the Macedons which now were become an encrease of their streÌ„gth when the riches of the vanquisshed Susa whei Alexander found incredible treasours was come into the victorers handes He fouÌ„d in the citie an incredible treasure .l. M talentes of massy siluer that was vncoyned which riches gathered together in the space of many yeares by diuers kinges for their successioÌ„ posteritie thus in a momeÌ„t came into the haÌ„des of a forein prince AlexaÌ„der being lodged within the palaice did sit down in Darius seate whiche being higher then serued for his stature by reason his fete could not reche to the grouÌ„d one of the kinges pages put a bord vnderneth for him to treade vpoÌ„ At the doing wherof one of the Enukes that belonged to Darius loked heuely fetched great sythe whose sadnes when Alexander perceiued he enquired of him the cause He answered that when he beheld the bord wherupon Darius was wont to eate employed to so base an vse he could not behold it without great grief Alexander being therfore ashamed so muche to misuse the thing that before was had in suche a reuerence caused the same to be taken away Wherupon Philotas required hym not so to do but rather take it as a diuinacioÌ„ of his good lucke and fortune that the table wherupoÌ„ his enemy did eate should now become subiect vnder his fete Alexander purposing from thence to passe into Percia committed the cytie of Susa to Archilaus with .iii. M meÌ„ of warre Archilaus zenophilus and to zenophilus the charge of the castle leuing suche Macedons as were aged there in guarison But he did betake the keping of the treasure vnto Callicrates restored to Abulites the gouernement principalitie of the couÌ„trey of Susa Callicrates leuing within the cytie Darius mother his children And forasmuch as Alexander had at thesame tyme pleÌ„ty of cloth of purple sent hym out of his couÌ„trey with garmeÌ„tes redy made after the Macedon maner for the honour he bare to Sisigambis whome he had in reuerence as if she had bene his mother thought good to present parte of those to her with the persones that vsed to make them and willed it should be told her if she liked them that she should accustome her neces to make the lyke and geue them for presentes At the declaring of whiche message the teares ran out of her eyes whiche declared the gift not to be acceptable to her For the Percian womeÌ„ take nothyng in more despite the men to put their handes to wolle When reporte was made to Alexander in what sorte she had receiued his preseÌ„t thought both the matter meete to be excused and her to be comforted Alexanders excuse to Sisigambis of the present he sent her Therfore he came to visite her sayd This garment which I were was both of the gifte makyng of my susters our customes brought me into errour Therfore I require you that ye wil not take myne ignoraunce in euel parte I trust that otherwise I haue obserued sufficieÌ„tly all thynges whiche I knewe to be your customes When I vnderstode that it was not laufull amonges you for the sonne to sit in the mothers presence except she doth geue hym leue whensoeuer I came vnto your presence I would neuer sitte til you willed me so to do you would oftentimes haue fallen down worship me but I would not suffer you but haue euer honored you and geuen you the name due to my swete mother Olimpiades WheÌ„ the king with these wordes had wel pacified her he departed by four encaÌ„pinges came vnto a ryuer that the couÌ„treimeÌ„ cal Pasatigras Pasatigras which springing the mouÌ„taines of the VxioÌ„s roÌ„neth stepe down amoÌ„ges the rockes with woody baÌ„kes by the space of .30 forloÌ„ges but then desceÌ„ding into a plain it becometh nauigable so roÌ„neth with a more quiet streame in a softer grouÌ„d by the space of vi.c forloÌ„gs til such time as it doth eÌ„ter into the Percian sea Alexander passing this riuer wyth nyne thousand footemeÌ„ of the Macedons with the Agrians the Mecenary Grekes and with .iiii. thousand ThraciaÌ„s The vxione came amoÌ„ges the Vxions Whose couÌ„trey is nere vnto Susis and stretcheth out into Percia leuing betwixt it and Susis a narowe streight Madates had the rule of that contrey Madates who was such a man as was rare at that time for he determed to abide thextremitie for his duties sake Such as knewe the contrey did enforme Alexander that their was a priuie waye through the hilles wherby men might get to the farre side of the chief citie that partayned to them and if he would send a few that were light armed thei might be brought to a place where thei shuld appere aboue their enemies heades This counsell liked him so well that he made the councellers guydes and committed them to Tauron Tauron whome he apointed cheif of that enterprise He assigned to him a thousaÌ„d v.c mercenary soldiers and a thousand Agrians wyth whom after the sonne was gone downe he entred into his iourney Alexander in the third watche remoued hys campe and by the springe of the daye had passed the streightes There he set his meÌ„ in hand to cut downe timbre for the making of Towres and al other such thinges as pretayned to the assault of a cytie and so beganne his seige It was a difficult matter to make the approche the cytie stode so highe and the rockes gaue such impediment wherby the souldiers were repulced receyued many hâ—rtes contending both with thenemyes and the Scytuacion of the place Notwithstanding they gaue it not ouer by reason the kinge was euer amonges the foremoste asking of them if they were not ashamed being the Conquerours of so many cyties to be so longe in the winning of a smal castle that was so obscure vnknowen in the world As he was traueling amonges the rest they did shote and caste stones at him from the walles whom the souldiers defended wyth their tergettes because they could
accustomed honour of his nobilitie TheÌ„ thei came to the countrey of Parthenia Parthenia then being but obscure vnknowen but now the head of all those countreis which lie vpon Tigre Euphrates be bouÌ„ded with the read seas This countrey being frutefull haboundaunt of al thinges was taken by the Scithians whiche possessing part both of Asia Europe be troubleous neyghbours to them both They which inhabite vpoÌ„ the Bospheron sea Baspheron are ascribed to be in Asia And such as be in Europe possesse the couÌ„treis lieng on the lefte side of Thracia so far as Boristhenes Boristenes froÌ„ thence right furth so farre as the ryuer of Tanais that parteth Europe Asia It is certain that the Sythes of whom the Percians be descended came not from Bospheron but out of Europe There was a noble cytie in those daies called Atomphilos builded by the Grekes Atoâ—philos where Alexander remained with his army conuoieng vittels thether from all partes A tumulte that rose vpon a rumour Amonges the souldiers lieng there in idlenes there did rise sodainly a rumour that enterid into their heades without any certain auctour or beginniÌ„g The rumor was how that Alexander satisfied with the actes he had done purposed immediatly to returne into Macedon This fame was not so sone sowen abrode but that they ran like madde men to their lodginges and trussed vp their baggage and their stufa making such preparacion to depart that euery man iudged warning had bene geuen to remoue and that the thing had bene done by appointmeÌ„t The tumult that rysse in the caÌ„pe by lading of cariages the calling that one made vnto another came vnto the kynges eares This rumour obtained the soner credite by the dispatche of certain Greke souldiers whom AlexaÌ„der had dismissed into their couÌ„trey with the gift of .vi. thousand deneres to euery horseman wherupon they toke occasion to thinke that the warre had bene at an ende Alexander whose purpose was to passe into India and the vttermoste bandes of the orient was no lesse afraied of this matter then the case required And therefore called before him the capteins of his army And with the teares in his eies made a great complaint vnto them that in the middle course of his glorie should thus be pulled back and compelled to returne into his countrey rather as a man vainquished then as a victor Whiche misfortune he saide he could not impute to his souldiers nor iudge in theÌ„ any cowardnes to giue impedimeÌ„t to his procedinges but that it was only the enuie of the goddes which put so sodeine a desire of their countrey into the mindes of valiaunt men that within a while should haue returned with great glory and fame Therupon they al promised him to trauaill in reformation of the matter offeringe them selues in al thinges were they neuer so difficult to do as he would haue them And they promised also the obedience of the souldiers if so be that he would make some gentle apt oracion to pacefie them which were neuer yet sene departe from him in any desperacion or disturbaÌ„ce of mind if they once beheld the cherfulnes of his couÌ„tenauÌ„ce and the courage that proceded from his harte He promised that he would so do required at their handes to prepare in the multitude an aptnes to gyue eare vnto hym When all thinges were prepared which were thought expedient for the purpose he assembled all his armye togither and made this oracion vnto them Alexanders oracion vnto the souldiers When ye consider my souldiers the greatnes of the actes which ye haue done the manifolde conquestes that ye haue made it is no merueill at all though ye be enclined to the desyer of quietnes and fully satisfied with fame and glorye For leuing to speake of the Illirians Triballes of Boetia Thracia Sparta of the Acheians Peloponesians whom I haue subdued part in persone the rest by my apointmeÌ„t I will not make rehersal of the warre we began at Hellespont and how we deliuered froÌ„ the intollerable seruitude of the Barbarians nations Ionas and Aeolides and got vnto our possessioÌ„ both Caria Lydia Cappadocia Phrigia Paphlagonia Pamphilia Pisides Cilicia Siria Phenices Armenia Perce Mede and Parthenia We haue gotten more couÌ„treis then other haue taken cities yet I am sure the multitude of them haue caused me to leue some of theÌ„ vnrehersed If I could thinke that the possession of these landes that we haue coÌ„quered in so short time could remain sure vnto vs theÌ„ my souldiers I would though it were against your willes breake from you to visite my house and my home to see my mother my sisters my countreymen to enioy there the laude glory that I haue gotten with you Where as the ioyfull conuersacion of our wifes our children pareÌ„tes peace quietnes a sure possession of thinges gotten through our valiauntnes do tary for vs as large rewardes of our victory But if we wil coÌ„fesse the truth this new empire whiche we haue not yet at coÌ„maundement but is kept as it were by way of entreaty doth require a time that this stiffe necked people may learne to beare our yoke framing their disposicioÌ„s to a more humanitie bring their cruell nature to a more ciuill coÌ„uersacion Do we not see that the corne in the field axeth a time for his riping and though the same be without sence yet hath it his course to be brought to perfection Do you beleue that so many nacions not agreing with vs in religion in customes nor in vse of tongue accustomed to thempire and name of an other man will be conquered and brought to subiectioÌ„ with the wynning of one battail No trust me they be kept vnder with the feare of our powre and do not obey vs of their owne good willes And they whiche shewe you obedience when ye be here amonges them when you be absent wil be your enemies â–ª you must thinke that ye haue to doe with wilde beastes whiche being fierse of nature wheÌ„ they be first taken must be shut vp and tamed with tyme. Hetherto I haue reasoned with you as though we had conquered the hole dominion that perteyned to Darius which is nothyng so For Nabarzanes possesseth Hircania and the traitour Bessus not only enioyeth Bactria but also threateneth vs. The Sogdians Dahans Massagetes Sagans and the Indians remayne yet in their owne libertie and iurisdiction whiche shall not see our backes so sone turned but they will followe vs in the tayles They all haue a certayne frendshyp and amitie one with an other but we be all straungers and foryners vnto them There is no creature but that will more gladly be obedient to rulers of his own nacion then to foryners be their gouernement neuer so terryble We are dryuen of necessitie therefore to wynne that we haue not or els to lose that we haue all redy gotten As phisicions in sick
vsed this kinde of polecy Spitamenes repayred to Bessus and getting hym alone enformed hym that he had found out howe Dataphernes and Catenes had conspired to deliuer him aliue into Alexanders handes wheras he said he had preuented theÌ„ whiles they were about their purpose hauing taken them both put them fast in prison Bessus then thinking himself muche bound to him for so greate a good turne gaue him many thaÌ„kes And for the desire he had to be reueÌ„ged of his enemies willed Spitamenes to bring theÌ„ to his presence He caused their haÌ„des to be bound behind their backes and to be brought by suche as were priuy to their couÌ„sell when they came in Bessus presence he beheld theÌ„ with a fell countenaunce and rose vp to haue striken at them But theÌ„ they left their couÌ„terfeiting streight wayes enclosing Bessus about bound him fast whiche strugled in vayne and pulled the diademe froÌ„ his head tearing his garment from his back whiche was parte of the spoyle of his prince whome he had slayne When he sawe hym self thus vsed he confessed that the gods had ryghtfully reuenged his treason and perceyued by the plague they sent hym that bothe they fauoured Darius and were frendes to Alexander whose enemies euermore preferred his victory It is vncertain whether the multitude would haue assisted Bessus or no but that spitamenes had deuysed the thyng to be done by Alexanders appointmeÌ„t wherby he put them in feare being yet doubtfull of mynde and set Bessus vpon an horse whereupon he brought hym vnto Alexander He in the meane season had chosen out nyne hundred suche as for their age were not mete any more for the warres and gaue to euery one of them bâ—yng horsemen two talentes and to euery footeman thre thousand deneres whome he dispatched home and gaue thankes vnto the reste because they promised to continewe with hym tyll he had brought his warres to an ende Bessus was presented vnto hym at a litle towne wherof the inhabiters be called Branchidans BraÌ„chidaÌ„s whiche in tymes paste by the commaundement of Xerxes when he came out of Grece were brought from Miletum and placed there because that in his fauour they had violated a temple that was called Dydyma They had not all together forgotten their countrey customes but had myxed their tongue that by little and little they were fallen from their owne language and yet had not attayned the countrey speache They receyued the kyng with great ioye yealdyng them selues and their cytie vnto his wyll Whereupon he called vnto hym the Mylesians that serued hym in his warres Milesians who bare an auncient hatred against the generacion of the Branchidans put it in their handes to determine where thei would saue theÌ„ for the countrey sake or els destroy theÌ„ for the iniury they had do it in times past But when the Milesians could not agre in opinion he said he would ordre the matter him self The next day when the Branchidans came to mete him he returned them all againe into the cytie coÌ„maunding his footemen to enclose the cytie about entered with suche as he appointed for the purpose and by a token geuen put all to the sworde and spoyled the cytie as a receptacle of traytours They whiche were without armour and vnprouided were slayne in euery place For neither the affinitie of their tongue nor any prayer or intercession could mitigate their enemies crueltie Whiche after the destruction of the towne did cast downe the walles to the foundacioÌ„ so that no memory therof should remayne That done they did not only cut downe the woodes wherin they vsed their sacrifice but also plucked vp the trees by the rootes that the ground might be left barayn as a desert If the same thinges had bene done againste the very offenders the reuenge might haue bene thought rightuous but to lay the fault of the predecessours vpoÌ„ the posteritie it might be thought a cruell acte seing there was not any of them that had euer sene Myletum or done to Xexes any kynd of pleasure As AlexaÌ„der remoued from thence towardes the ryuer of Tanays Bessus was brought before him Bessus presented vnto Alexander not only bound as a captiue but also spoyled of all his garmeÌ„tes whoÌ„ Spitamenes led in a theme put about his neck a plesaunt sight to beholde as well to the Barbarous as to the Macedons When Spitamenes was come with him in Alexanders presence he sayd I haue brought here vnto you the kyller of his owne maister after the same maner that he him self gaue then sample wherin I haue both reuenged Darius that was my king and you also that nowe haue got the souereignty Let Darius open his eyes and ryse from death to beholde this sight that was vnworthy of such an ende and worthy to receiue such a coÌ„fort as this is After that AlexaÌ„der had geuen Spitamenes thankes Alexander to Bessus he turned hym self vnto Bessus and sayd what beastly woodnes was in thy mynd that durst first take thine owne prince prysoner afterwardes kill hym that had so well deserued of that of whiche thy doinges thou hast receiued sufficieÌ„t rewarde by the couÌ„terfeit name of a king whiche thou diddest vsurpe He had no hart to make answere nor excuse his offence sauing that he sayd he toke vpon him to be kyng because he might deliuer hym possession of the countrey Whiche thing if he had omitted some other would haue taken in hande Then Alexander called for Oxatres Darius brother whome he had placed about his persone and committed Bessus to his keaping to thintent he should cutte of his eares and his nose and hang hym vpon a crosse causing his owne men to shote him thorowe with arrowes so preseruing his body that byrdes should not touche it Oxatres promysed to perfourme all the rest sauing the keapyng awaye of the byrdes whiche for the desyre he had to set forth Cathenes conning affirmed that none could so well keape them away as he who did shote so assuredly that he could strike the birdes flyeng in the ayer And though it was a conning not so muche to be marueiled at in a nacion so expert in shooting yet was it greatly wondred at of suche as did beholde him was great honour vnto the doer He gaue rewardes to all such as were the bryngers of Bessus but he differred his punishmeÌ„t because he mynded to put him to death in the same place where he slewe Darius The Macedons in the meane season going a forraging without ordre were ouerthrowen by their enemies that came ronnidg downe from the next mountaines they toke mo then they did kille and driuing their prisoners before them returned againe into the mouÌ„taines There were of them to the nombre of .xx. M. whiche accustomed to liue by theft vsed slinges and bowes in their fight whome whiles Alexander did besiege in a skirmish pressed forth with the foremoste he was stroiken with an arrowe in the
middes of his legge where the hed did stike still The Macedons that were sorowfull and amased for their kinges hurt caried him into his campe of whose departure out of the field his enemies were not ignoraunt for they might behold all thinges from the mountaine Wherupon the next day they sent Embassadours vnto Alexander whom he admitted to his presence vnfolding his wouÌ„d wherby he thought to dissimule the greatnes therof shewed his legge vnto them When they were commaunded to sit downe they said that he ring of his hurte they were as sorowfull for it as his owne subiectes whiche should welbe knowen for if they could find out the persone that did the dede he shuld be deliuered vnto his haÌ„des Seing they could not iudge them but sacrileges that woulde fight with goddes of whose vertue they supposed hym to be and therfore were determined to yeld theÌ„ selues Therupon he gaue them assuraunce receiued againe his men that were takeÌ„ prisoners and admitted them as his subiectes That done he remoued his campe was caried in a foote litter for the bearing wherof the horsemen and footemen coÌ„tended together The horsmen alledged it to be their office because the king accustomed to fight amonges them And the footemen argued for their parte that in asmuche as they vsed to cary the hurt souldiers that thought no reason their office should be taken from them chiefly when the kyng should be caried Alexander therfore in so great a contention of both partes thought it a difficult matter to geue senteÌ„ce because the iudgemeÌ„t should be greuous to them that should be put froÌ„ the office therfore ordred that they should cary him by course FroÌ„ thence the fourth day he came vnto a citie called Maracanda the walles wherof were .lxx. furloÌ„ges about Maracanda but the castle was without any wall he set a guarrison in the citie then burned and destroied the countrey thereaboutes Embassadours came vnto him The Scythians there froÌ„ the Scythes called Auians whiche had bene fre since the time that Cyrus was amonges them but yet they shewed them selues then redy to be at his commaundement They were knowen to be the moste rightuous people of all the barbarous nacioÌ„ 〈◊〉 that neuer vsed to make warre but when thei â—e prouoked whose moderacioÌ„ and temperauÌ„ce in vsing of their libertie made the inferriours equall vnto the supperiours Alexander receiued them gently and sent Penidas a frend of his to those Scithes that inhabited within Europe Penydas to forbid theÌ„ to passe the riuer of Tanais without his appointment Who had also a secrete commission to viewe the scituacioÌ„ of the couÌ„trey to visit those ScithiaÌ„s that inhabited about Bosphorus he willed him besides to choise out a place vpoÌ„ the brinke of Tanais where as he might build a citie to remain as a fortres for the subduing of those people that he entended to visite The rebellion of the Sogdians But this deuise was delayed by the rebellioÌ„ of the SogdiaÌ„s who had also drawen the BactriaÌ„s to their part There were of theÌ„ .vii. in horsmeÌ„ whose autoritie the rest folowed for the daunting of whome Alexander caused Spytamenes and Catenes the betrayers of Bessus to be sent for thinking by their meanes to bring the countrey agayn to his obedience and to subdue suche as had made this sturre But they whiche were iudged mete to stay the rebellioÌ„ and were sent for to that intent were the chief authours of all the reuolt whiche caused it to be noysed abrode that Alexander had sent for the Bactrian horsemen of purpose to kill them all Whiche commission they sayd being appointed to them they would not execute because they thought it ouer foull an act to commit against their countreymen And for that cause could as il beare then Alexanders crueltie as in times past Bessus treason By this meanes when feare of death was put into their heades they were easely sturred to armes whiche before were sufficiently enclyned of their owne myndes When Alexander was aduertised of their doinges he willed Craterus to besiege Cyropolis Ciropolis And he him self warme an other city of that countrey by an assault whiche he gaue to it on all partes at once and by a signe geuen caused all the chyldreÌ„ to be put to death making the rest a pray for the souldiers This done the cytie was rased to the ground to thintent that others by their ensample might be kept in obedience There was a valiaunt people called Memacenans Memacenans who were determined to abide the siege not only for their honesties sake but also for that they thought it moste for their suertie For the mitigating of whose wilfulnes the kyng sent to them fifty horsemen to declare his clemency towardes suche as submitted them selues and howe inexorable he was to suche as he wan by force Their answere was to them that they neither doubted of the kynges promis nor of his power but after their answere geuen they lodged them without their walles where as enterteining theÌ„ with great there till it was the depe of the nyght they set vpon them and slewe them all Alexander was no lesse moued with this matter then the case required but made an assault vnto the cytie on all partes at once whiche he found furnisshed in suche wyse that he could not take it at the first attempt Wherfore he appointed Meleager and Perdicas to the siege therof whiche first were at the siege of Ciropolis mynding to spare thesame because it was builded by Cyrus For he had not so great admiracion of any kyng that had reigned in those partes as of hym and Semyramis whose magnaminitie of mynde and fame of their actes semed to hym to excede all the rest But the obstinate wilfulnes of the inhabitauntes sturred vp his wrath For when he had taken the cytie he willed the Macedons to spoyle it whiche had great cause to be moued against them and so returned agayne to Meleager and Perdicas There was not one cytie that did more valiauntly abide the siege then the same did for both the hardiest of the souldiers were slayne and the kyng was brought in great daunger being striken in the necke with a stone so that he lost his sight and was felled to the earth so that he lost his sence The army lameÌ„ted thinking he had bene dead but he was inuincible against those thinges which put other men moste in feare For without tarieng he dressed his wounde and returned to the fyght and after anger had sturred vp the egernes he had of nature he renued the assault againe more fiersely then before At length a great peace of the wall was ouerthrowen by a myne at the whiche he brake in and put the whole cytie to sacke and to ruyne Menedemê° He sent from theÌ„ce Menedemus with .iii. M. footemen and .viii. C. horsemen to the citie of Maracanda which Spitamenes had newly taken and put out from theÌ„ce the guarrison of
was nothynge more daungerous then the poyson that proceaded from theim for immediatlye vpon the stingynge Death folowed tyll suche tyme as the inhabitours of the Countrey shewed a remedye Frome thence throughe Desertes they came vnto the great Ryuer of Hyraotys Hyraotys wherevnto there ioyned a great wood Whiche hauing such trees as are not wont to be sene in other places was also full of wilde pecokes Alexander remouing his campe from theÌ„ce wan a towne by assault and taking pledges appointed them to pay tribute After that he came to a great cytie after the maner of that couÌ„trey which was both wel walled and also enuyroned about with a marisse The inhabitaunce came furth against Alexander and ioyning their cartes together in a froÌ„t wherin their custome was to fight thei proffered him the battaill Some occupied dartes some speares and other axes and with greate agilitie leaped to and fro their cartes when either they woulde relieue their fellowes that were wery of fighting or els succour or rescue such as were in distresse This vnwonted kind of fighting put the Macedons at the first in feare specially beyng hurt a farre of by their enemies and not able to come to hande stripes with theÌ„ But after they had coÌ„sidered their disordred maner they esteamed not their force but enclosed their enemies about thurst theÌ„ in with pikes the soner to defeate them they cut the bandes wherwith the cartes were tied to seperate them asonder When they had after that maner lost eight hundred of their men they fled again into the cytie whiche the next day the Macedons did wynne by assault Certayne there were that saued them selues by flieng whiche seing the cytie lost swomme ouer the water and filled al the townes thereabout with feare They declared of what inuincible force their enemies were of iudging them in respecte of their power rather goddes then men When Alexander had gotten that cytie he sent Perdicas with a parte of his army to destroy the countrey and committing another parte to Emnenes for the subduing of suche as would not become obedient Emnenes he with the rest of his power came vnto a strong cytie whiche was the refuge of all the countrey thereabout Notwithstanding that the inhabitauÌ„tes sent to Alexander for peace yet they prepared neuertheles for the warre by reason of a sedicion which rose amonges them that made them to be of diuers opinions Some wold rather haue endured any extremitie then to yelde and other thought they were not able to make resistaunce and whiles they differred so in opinions and made no commen consultacion amoÌ„ges them Suche as helde opinion to yelde vp the cytie â–ª opened the gates and receyued in their enemies And notwithstanding that Alexander had iuste cause of displeasure against the countrey faccion yet he pardoned them all and receyuing their pledges remoued towardes the next cytie When the Indians that stoode vpon the walles sawe the pledges that were brought before the army whome they perceyued to be of the same nacion desyred communicacion with theÌ„ who declaring bothe the kynges clemencye and his force dyd moue them to rendre vp their cytie whose ensample the rest of the cytie dyd folowe Sophytes From thence he came into the cytie of Sophites whiche is a nacion as the Indians thynke moste excellyng in wisdome best gouerned and that haue the best customes amonges them The chyldren that be there gotten are not norysshed and brought vp accordyng to the wyll of their parentes but by the ordre of suche as haue the charge committed vnto them to viewe the state of the infantes If they perceyue any not apt to be come actiue or els wantyng any of their lymmes they cause them streyght wayes to be killed They vse to mary without any respect of the kyndred they come of or the greatnes of paâ—entage makyng no chose but in the shape of the body whiche is the shyng that is only estemed amonges them The kyng hym self was within the chief citie of the countrey against the which Alexander brought his power The gates were shut and no man appeared in armes vpon the walles to make any defence wherefore he stode in doubte a great while whether the cytie was abandoned or els that the inhabiters had kepte them selues secrete for some policy Whiles he remained in that expectacion sodainly the gate was opened the king which in good lines of personage excelled al the rest came furth with his two sonnes he ware a garmeÌ„t of gold and purple enpaled that couered the caulf of his legge the soles he ware on his feete were set with pricious stones All his armes were garnyshed with pearles and had hangyng at his eares two precious stones whiche were excelleÌ„t both for bignes and brightnes there he had a scepter of gold set with precious stones called Berillis which he after his salutacion made with huÌ„ble submission deliuered vnto Alexander yelding both him selfe his chyldren and his kyngdome into hys handes There were in that countrey very notable dogges for the huntyng of wylde beastes whiche specially were geuen to be egre vpon the lyon The kyng therfore to shewe their force and propertie vnto AlexaÌ„der put foure of them vnto a great lyon which steight wayes caught hym faste Then one whiche was accustomed to that office toke one of those dogges by the legge to plucke hym of the lyon and because he woulde not loose hys holde cut of his legge wiâ—h a sworde But when the dogge sticked neuer thelesse vnto his game he was cut a sondre in peace meale till suche tyme as he died hauing his teath stil fastened in the lyons fleshe Suche a feruentnes nature had wrought in those beastes as we vnderstode by the reporte Some tyme I am enforced to write thynges that I can scarsely beleue For I neither dare affirme the thinges wherof I doubt nor counceale suche thinges as I haue receiued for truthe Alexander leuing this kyng within his owne kingdome came vnto the ryuer of Hipasis Hyspasis kyng Phegelas and there ioyned with Ephestion whiche had subdued the countrey thereabout One Phegelas was kyng of the next nacion whiche commaunding his subiectes to continue in tilling of the ground as thei were wont to do mette Alexander with riche presentes refusing nothing that was commaunded him When he had taried with him two dayes and was determined the third daye to haue passed the ryuer he found therin great difficultie by reason that the streame was so large and full of great stones He staied therfore a while to be more fully aduertised of the estate of those couÌ„treis of all suche thinges as were necessary for him to knowe He vnderstode by Phegelas howe beyonde that ryuer theâ—e lay a desert of ten dayes iourney next to that desert the ryuer of Ganges which was the greatest ryuer in al the Orient He shewed that beionde Ganges there inhabited two nacions called Gangaridans Gangaridans PharrasiaÌ„s
vnder the earth Clitarâ—us doth write that there were foure score thousand Indians slayne in that countrey besydes many prisoners solde as slaues The Musicanes in the meane tyme rebelled Saba for the oppression of whome Python was sent thether who toke the prince of the nacion prisoner and brought hym to Alexander whom he caused to be hanged on a crosse as the aucthour of the reuolt and that done returned agayne to the ryuer where as he had willed his nauy to tary for hym The fourth daye after passing downe the streme he came to a towne at the entrey of the kyngdome of Samus Samus The kynge whereof had newely yelded hymselfe but the cytezens dyd shutte their gates and woulde not be at commaundement Whose smalle nombre Alexander regarded so little that he sent fyue hundred Agrians vnto their gates to proffer them the skirmyshe to the intent by retiryng little and little they myght drawe them out of their strength whiche were thought would folowe in the chase when they should see their enemies flyeng The Agrians did as it was appoynted them for when they had once prouoked their enemies they turned their backes and the Indians folowed them till they came to the embushement where the kyng lay Then the Agrians turned and the fight was renued agayne so that of thre thousand Indians there were fyue hundred slaine and a thousand taken the rest recouered agayne the cytie But the ende of the victory was not so pleasaunt as it appeared in the begynnyng for the Indians had so inuenemed their swordes that suche as were hurte dyed of their woundes And the Phisicioâ—s could not deuyse the cause of so straunge a death for euen the very lyght hurtes were vncurable The Indians trusted that Alexander through his rashenes myght haue come within that daunger whiche by chaunse fyghting amonges the thyckest escaped vnhurte Ptolomeus Ptolomeus was fyghtly wounded vpon his lefte shoulder who beyng in greater daunger then the greatnes of his wounde shewed caused the kynge to be carefull of hym For he was nere of his kynne and as some thought Philippe was his father But it is certayne that his mother was Philippes concubyne he was one that had the charge of the kynges persone a valiaunt man of warre and yet more famous in the faculties of peace He was moderate both in his apparell and lyuing lyberall easye to be spoken to and without any suche height of mynde as is wont to be in men discended of bloud royall by reason of whiche qualities it is vncertaine whether he was better beloued with the kyng or with the rest of men That was the first occasion he had to proue how the mindes of men were affectionat towardes him for euen in that daunger he was in the Macedons beganne to deuyne of his fortune wherunto afterwardes he ascended They had no lesse care of Ptolomeus then of the kyng him selfe who vsed hym so familierly that when he was weried either with trauayll or care of mynde woulde sit for his solace with Ptolomeus and at that time caused his bedd to be brought into his owne chambre When Ptolomeus was layde there he fell sodeinly into a profounde sleape in the whiche it appeared vnto hym that a dragonne offred to hym a herbe out of his mouthe of the healing of his wounde and takyng away of the venyme When he awaked he declared his dreame and shewed both the colour and fashion of the herbe affirmyng that he coulde knowe it if any man could fynde it out The same was sought by so many that at length it was founde and being put vpon the wounde the paine streight wayes cessed and the skarre within short space was closed When the Indians were disappointed of the hope they had conceyued that waye they yelded them selues and their Cytie From thence Alexander went into the next countrey called Pathalia Meres king of Pathalia the kyng wherof called Meres lefte the Cytie and fledde into the Mountaynes so that Alexander toke the same and destroyed all the countrey fyndyng bothe a wonderfull praye of Sheape of Cattell and of Corne. There he toke Pilotes that knewe that Ryuer and came vnto an Iland whiche stode in the middes of the streame he was compelled to remayne there the lenger because the Pilotes beyng negligentlye keapt were escaped awaye â–ª â—e sent therfore to seke out other but when he coulde fynde none there entred a vehement desyre into his head to visite the Occean Sea and the ende of the worlde without any guyde and so committed his owne lyfe and the lyues of so many thousandes to a ryuer that none of them dyd knowe They sayled as men ignoraunt of all the places they came vnto either howe farre the Sea was distaunt froÌ„ what nacions did inhabite the countreys there aboutes whether the mouthe of the ryuer were nauigable for Galeis or no. In all these thynges they were ledde by a blynde and doubtfull imaginacion hauyng no comfort in their rasshe enterprise but only their continuall felicitie When they had gone forwardes foure hundred furlonges the shyppemaisters tolde the kynge that they felt the ayre of the Sea wherby they knewe that the Occean was at hande Thereat he reioysed greatly and exhorted the mariners that they woulde in all that they myght make waye with the â—ers to bryng hym to the syght of the ende of the worlde which he had so long desired Nowe quod he our glory is perfite when our manhode is suche that nothyng can geue impediment vnto vs nowe the worlde is come into our haÌ„des without any further hasard of warre or sheding of bloud Nowe since the bâ—undes that nature hath wrought be so nere at hande we shall shortly se thinges vnknoweÌ„ sauing to the immortal gods Yet notwithstanding he set certain a land to take foure of the countrey men by whome he trusted to haue knowen more certaintie of the truthe When they serched out their cotagies at length founde out some that were hydden Whiche beyng demaunded howe farre the sea was from them they made aunswere that they neuer harde it named but they sayde that within thre dayes saylyng they shoulde come vnto a place where as a brakishe water did corrupt the freshe By whiche wordes the mariners vnderstode that they ment the Sea of the nature whereof the people were ignoraunt Then the mariners rowed cherefully their desire growing euer the greater as they approched nere vnto the place whiche they hoped to be the ende of their trauaill The third daye they came where the sea and the ryuer ioyned together mixing with a smale floud their waters that were of a contrary nature Then because the tyde was somwhat againste them they haled towardes an other Iland standing in the myddes of the ryuer whiche beyng an easy place to lande at the Macedons ran about to seke vitâ—lles in suretie as they thought being ignoraunt of the chaunce that came vpon them The thirde houre accordyng to the ordinary course the
Leonatus and so wasted the countrey with thre armies at once toke great praies Ptolomeus burned towardes the Sea Leonatus vpon the other hand and Alexander him self in the mides In that countrey he builded also a cytie and brought men out of Arrachosia to enhabite the same From thence he came amonges the Indians which lieng vpoÌ„ the Sea coost do inhabite a great countrey that is wast and desert They vse no traffick enter course â–ª nor coÌ„uersacioÌ„ with any of their neighboures but the desertnes of their countrey haue made them sauage being wild of there owne nature They ware long nailes that be neuer cut and longe here that is neuer clipped They make there howses of the Shelles of fisshes and of other thinges that the Sea caste vp And being clad wyth the skynnes of wilde beastes eate fishe dryed with the Sonne and feade vpon such monsters as the Sea cast vp on the lande The famine that fell amonges the Macedons Heare the Macedons consumed ther vitelles first endured scarscitie and afterwards extreame honger serching out in euery place the rootes of palmes whiche is the only tree that groweth in that countrey But when that kind of norishemente sayled them they killed there cariage beastes and abstained not from there horses whereby lacked beastes to beare there bagage they were enforced to consume with fire the spoyles of there enemyes whyche had caused them to trauayll into the vttermoste boundes of the Orient After their famine folowed a pestilence for the vnaccustumed norishmente of the vnholsome meates they did eate with the trauayle of ther Iorney and the care of mynd spreade diseases amoÌ„ges them in such sort that they could neither continue in a place nor yet go forwardes without great distruction Honger oppressed them when they taried and the pestilence was more vehement euer as they went forwardes The fildes therefore were strowen ful of meÌ„ that were half dead and half aliue And such as were but smally sick where not hable to folowe tharmye it marched wyth such speade For euery man thought to further so much his owne saufguard as by makynge hast he could get before his felowes Such as fainted and could not folowe desired both such as they knewe and knewe not to helpe them forwardes But they had no beastes wherupoÌ„ to set them and the souldiers could scarsly bare their owne armour which had the imminent myschiefe that fell vpon other men represented before there own eies Wherfore wheÌ„ they were often called vpon they would not vouchsaue ones to loke backe feare had so taken awaye all compassion from them Then they which were lefte behind cryed vpon the goddes and their king for helpe alledgyng their relygion that was in comen to them with such as had forsaken them But when they had cried long in vayne vnto their deaf eares through desperation they began to rage and wisshed the like eand to ther frendes and companions that they theÌ„ selfes had The king troubled bothe with sorowe with shame did write to Phratap hernes ruler of the Parthinyans to send to hym vpon Camelles vittelles in redines to be eaten and certifyed the prynces of the countres therabout of hys necessitye whych did not slack the tyme but made prouision according to hys wyll Thus hys army deliuered only from famyne was brought wythin the boundes of the Godrosyans Godorsyans And forasmuch as the same was a countrey fertyl of all thynges he thought good to stay there awhyle wyth rest to recouer agayne hys feble souldiers Ther he receyued letteres froÌ„ Leonatus howe he had wonne the victorye of the Horitans which encountred him with .viii. thousand fotemen and .v.. C. horsemen Ozynes Zariaspes and was aduertised also from Craterus howe he had taken and put in hold Ozynes and zariaspes noble men of Perâ—e that went about to rebell Alexander also vnderstandynge that Memnon was deade gaue the charge of the countrey wherof he had the rule vnto Siburâ—ius and afterwardes went into Carmania Syburcius Carmania Astaspes Astaspes was gouernour of that nacion who being suspected of innouacion whiles Alexander was in India metâ— hym on hys waye who dissimulynge his Ire enterteined him gentlie and did to him his accustumed honor tyll such tyme as he had better proufe of the matter that was layed agaynst him When the princes of India had according to hys apointment sent out of al countreis vnder his Impire great plentye of horse and other beastes bothe of cariage and of draught he gaue cariage againe to all men that wanted and restored there armour to the former beutyfulnes and excellency For they were come into a countrey ioyning vpon Perce whych bothe was haboundant of all thynges and also brought quietly vnder hys subieccion He thought it then a tyme to counterfeit Bacchus in hys glorye and fame whych the gotte amonges those nacions Whither it were a trumphe that Bacchus first instituted or a pastyme of him vsed in dronkennes Alexander was determyned to counterfeit it hauynge hys mynde puffed vp aboue mans estate He commaunded therefore all the villagies The Tryumphe that Alexander made in hys retorâ—e oâ—t of Inde throughe the which he should passe to be strowne with flowres and garlandes and cuppes wyth other great vesselles to be set full of wyne at the entreye of euerye house He caused Wagons also to be made of suche laâ—genes that they might be hable to cary manisouldiers atons and decking the same with precious furnimâ—ees The kynge went fyrste in order wyth hys frendes and next to them the kings guard wearyng vpon ther heddes garlaÌ„des of flowers some plaing vpon flutes and some vpon harpes Euery one generally throughe tharmy decked his Chariot according to hys habilitye and substaunce where as they geuen to bankettynge did hang ther riche armour about them Alexander with such as he called to hys companye was caried in a Chariot laden wyth Cuppes of gold and other goldeÌ„ vessell He wyth his dronken armye marched after this maner .vii. daies togither in ostentacion of the praye they had gotten Wherein they shewed such dissolutenes that if one thousand of the subdued people durst duringe the space of those .vii. daies haue geuen them the onset they might haue taken them prisoners and led them away in triumphe But fortune whiche hath apoynted both fame and estymacion to thinges turned all this disordre of warre vnto his glorye For both the age that was then and the posterity that came after meruailed and toke it for a wonder â–ª that he durst go so dissolutely amonges those nacions not yet establisshed vnder hys Impire the harberous people reputing hys rashenes for an assured confidnce But sheding of blood ensued after this tryumphe For prince Aspastes that hath bene spoken of before was commaunded to be put to death so that his excesse in voluptuousnes was no let vnto his crueltye nor oâ—ueltye impediment to his voluptuousnes The tenth boke of Quintus Curtius of the actes
furnisshed with faire armour apt to do any enterprise of the warre which he called Epigoni that is to saie his successours The MacedoÌ„s at theyr comming semed to be somwhat apalled whych weried with long warre vsed often in assembles to murmur speake mutinous wordes against the king For the cause he had prepared these souldiers to restraine the arrogaÌ„cy of other gaue to them great benefites Harpalus Harpalus to whome the king had coÌ„mitted the charge of the treasure and reuenewes at Babilon hearing of the actes that AlexaÌ„der had done in subduing the more part of the kynges of India his successe to be so prosperous that nothing could withstand him Knowing the insaciable desire that was in Alexander to visite farre couÌ„treis to encrease his glory though it shold be a hard matter for him to returned to BabiloÌ„ again wherfore he gaue him self to delight to lust misusing many that were noble fâ—e women wallowing in al kind of voluptuousnes Insomuch that he sent vnto AtheÌ„s for a famous harlot called Patonice Patonice to whom he both gaue many great and princely giftes while she was aliue and also after her death spent .xxx. talentes vpon her tombe Hauing in these suche other like voluptuous vanities consumed a great part of the treasure When he vnderstode AlexaÌ„der to be come out of India to vse extreme iustice vpon his officers that misused them of whoÌ„ they had rule by reason he was priuy to his own fowle conscience feared the like might tome to himself And therfore gathering together .v. M. talentes .vi. M. mercenary souldiers toke the way towardes Athens no maÌ„ willing to receiue him by the way Tenaron When he came to Tenaâ—on where as a great nombre of the mercenary Grekes which had bene discharged out of Asia were assembled he left his souldiers there went to Athens with his money when he was come thether noÌ„bre of the citezens flocked about him more for loue of his money then for his own sake but specially the oratours suche as vsed to make their gaine by oracioÌ„s and persuading of the people whoÌ„ by small rewardes he easely corrupted to defeÌ„d his cause with the people But afterwardes at a generall assemble vpoÌ„ the matter he was commaunded to depart the cytie and so returned againe amonges the Greke souldiers by whoÌ„ he was slayne Sunium Therfore with .xxx. shippes thei passed ouer to SuniuÌ„ whiche is a pointe of the land in the territory of AtheÌ„s from whence they determined to haue entred into Athens hauen These thinges being knowen AlexaÌ„der that was sore moued aswell againste the Athenians as against Harpalus prepared a nauy to make warre in persone immediatly against theÌ„ And as he was busied about the matter he vnderstode by secret letters both the Harpalus had bene in Athens corrupted with money the chief of the cytie And also that afterwardes by a counsel of the people he was coÌ„maunded to depart froÌ„ thence as he returned amoÌ„ges the Greke souldiers he was slayne by one of theÌ„ by treason The death of Harpalê° These newes greatly reioysed Alexander wherby he had occasion to leaue of his iourney into Europe but he sent coÌ„mauÌ„dement to all the cities of Grece that they shuld receyue againe all their banisshed men except such only as had committed any murther vpon their owne countrey men Although the Grekes knewe the same to be the breache of their liberties their lawes the beginniÌ„g of their bondage yet as men that durst not disobey his will they called home their banished men restored to theÌ„ such of their goodes as did remaine Only the Athenians which euer defended obstinatly the liberties of their comeÌ„ wealth which had not bene accustomed to liue vnder the obedieÌ„ce of any king but vnder the lawes customes of their couÌ„trey wold not agre that such dredge of men shuld liue amonges them but did driue theÌ„ out of their bouÌ„des redy to suffre any thing rather theÌ„ to receiue such againe as sometime were the rascall of al their citie then the refuse of al the outlawes The time was come that Alexander minded to dismisse his olde souldiers sende them into their countrey but he willed first .xiii. M. fotemeÌ„ .ii. M. horsemeÌ„ to be chosen out to remaine still in Asia which he iudged might be kept with a small army because he thought the guarrisons he had plaÌ„ted in many places the cities which he had newly builded filled with inhabiters shuld be able to stay such as wold atteÌ„pt any rebellion Alexander paide al his souldiers debtes But before he would make any deuision of such as should depart remaine He caused a proclamacioÌ„ to be made that all souldiers should declare their debtes wherwith he perceiued many of them sore burdened though their debte did rise through their own disordre excesse yet he was determined to discharge euery man But the souldiers thinking it had bene but a deuise to find out the prodigall froÌ„ the rest delaied the time brought not in their declaracions The king perceiued shame to be the let therof no disobedieÌ„ce or self wil. And therfore caused tables to be set vp throughout his caÌ„pe .x. M talentes to be brought fuâ—th Of all whiche treasure when their debtes were payd accordyng to the iust declaracion there remayned no more but Cxxx. taleÌ„tes Wherby it appeared that thei whiche were the conquerours of so many riche nacions A mutine amonges the souldiers brought out of Asia more glory then spoyle But after it was once knowen that some should be dispached and some remayne still they thought the kynge would haue establyshed his kingdome perpetually in Asia Wherfore like madde men and vnmyndfull of all disciplyne of warre fylled the campe full of sedicious wordes and came to the kyng more arrogantly and with greater rygour then euer they did before al with one voyce requiring to be discharged shewyng furth the hortnes of their heete and their faces disformed with scarres and herein thei could not be staied eithâ—â— by chastisement of their officers or by any râ—uerence of their kynge but when he would haue spoken vnto them they would not suffre hym to be heard but disturbed his tale with their tumultuous crye violent thronge protesting opeÌ„ly that they would neuer moue one foote forwardes to any place except it were towardes their owne countrey After a great space because they thought that Alexander would enclyne to their purpose they kept silence stode in expectacion what he would do Alexanders wordes vnto his souldiers Then Alexander spake vnto them what meaneth this sodain trouble of mynde this so malypart and vnlaufull libertie I am afraied to speake vnto you you haue so manifestly broken your obedience towardes me I am now become a kyng at the appointmeÌ„t of my people you haue neither lefte me the libertie to knowe you to
and did incorporate you amonges mine owne people causinge you to vse the same habite and the same armoure But your obedience and pacience towardes the aucthoritie appeareth muche better in you then in them Therfore I haue ioyned to my selfe in mariage the daughter of Oxatres that is a Percian not disdayninge to beget children vpon a captiue And afterwardes desiringe more aboundauntlye to encrease the issue of my bodye I toke to wife the daughter of Darius and was the aucthour that my neare frendes likewise shoulde beget children vpon captiues mindynge by this holye couenaÌ„te to exclude the difference betwene the victorers and the vainquished Wherfore you must now thinke that you be not souldiours vnto me adopted but more naturall And that Asia and Europe is one kyngdome without any difference I haue geuen vnto you armoure after the maner of the Macedons I haue brought all straungnes and noueltie into a custome and nowe ye be both my countreymen and my souldiours all thinges take vpon them one fourme and fashion I haue not thought it vnsemely for the Persians to shadowe the customes of the Macedons nor for the Macedons to counterfeit the Percians seynge thei ought to be vnder one lawe custome that should liue vnder one kynge When he had made this oration he committed the custody of his person vnto the Persians he made them of his guarde and his officers of iustice bi whom when the Macedons whiche had geuen occasion of this sedicion were ledde bound vnto execution one of them that was more auncient and of greater estimacion theÌ„ the rest spake after this maner Howe longe will you thus geue place vnto your wil in executynge vs after the straungers maner Your souldiours and countreymen be drawen to execusion by their owne prisoners before their cause be hearde If you haue iudged vs worthye of death at leastwayes chaung the ministers of your wrath This was a good admonishmente if he hadde bene pacient to heare the trueth But his wrath was groweÌ„ into a woodnes so that when he sawe theim whiche hadde the charge of the prisoners staye a little at the matter he caused the prisoners to be tumbled into the riuer and there drowned Notwithstandynge the crueltye of this punishement the souldiours were not sâ—urred to any sedition but repayred by rowtes vnto their capitaines and vnto suche as were neare aboute the kynge requirynge that if there yet remained anye infected with the same offence that he shoulde commaunde theim to be putte to death proferynge their bodyes to be punished and executed at his owne will After it was knowen that Liuetenaunteships were geuen vnto the PerciaÌ„s and that they were distributed into diuers orders and suche names geuen vnto them as were vnto the Macedons and that they were reiected wyth reproche they coulde not then any lenger conteine theim selues nor suffer the doloure they had conceyued in their hertes but with a great throng pressed to the courte wearyng onely their nethermost garmentes and leauynge their weapons without the gate in token of repentaunce There wyth weapynge and all tokens of humilitie they made request to be admitted to the kynges presence that he would vouchsafe to pardon their offence pacifiynge his wrath with the deathe of so manye of theim as he shoulde thinke good rather theÌ„ to suffer them to liue in such reproch whiche excepte he woulde release Alexander was reconsiled to his souldiours they protested they woulde neuer departe out of the place When those thynges were declared vnto Alexander he caused the courte gates to be opened and came forthe amonges them Wheras beholdynge their lamentation and repentaunce their miserable behauour and affliction he coulde not abstayne to weape longe tyme wyth theim and in coÌ„sideration of their modestie forgaue theÌ„ their former offeÌ„ces And after he had temperately told theÌ„ their faultes and againe comforted them with gentle words he discharged many froÌ„ the seruice of the warres sent theÌ„ home liberally rewarded writing to Antipater his liuetenant in Macedon that he should assigne theÌ„ the chiefe places in the Threatres at triumphes and open playes wheras they shoulde sit with garlaÌ„des on their heades he willed that their children after their deathes should enioye their fathers wages He appointed Craterus to be their ruler to whoÌ„ in the place of Antipater he had committed the gouernement of Macedon Tessalie and Thrace sendynge for Antipater to repaire vnto him with a supplie of yong souldiers Alexander had receiued letters before both froÌ„ hym and Olympias his mother Olymyias AlexaÌ„ders mother wherby dissension appeared to be betwixt them For his mother acused Antipater that he wente aboute to make him selfe kyng And Antipater did write howe Olympias did manye thinges otherwise then it did become her Antipater did take his callynge awaye so greuouslye in his hart that he conspired therupon to poyson Alexander who hauynge accomplished the matters that before be meÌ„cioned went to Echatan that standeth in Media to set order in the necessarie affaires of his Empire and there ordeyned solempne triumphes and feasting It chaunsed Ephestion whom the kynge specially loued The death of EphestioÌ„ and vsed in place of a brother about the same time to dye of a feuer Whose death Alexander toke more sorowfullye then can well be credited committynge in his doloure manie thinges that were vnseaminge for the maiestye of a Prince He commaunded Ephestions phisition to be hanged as though he had died through his negligence He laye embracynge of the dead bodye and coulde hardlye be taken awaye by his frendes but continued his sorowe night and daye There be many other thinges written in that behalfe which be scarsely credible But it is certayne that he commaunded sacrifice to be made vnto him as vnto a God and consumed in his buriall and making of his tombe aboue .xii. M. talentes As he was returninge to Babilon the Caldian Prophetes met him on the waye exhortynge him that he shoulde not enter into the citye For that it was signified that if he wente thether at that time he should be in great peryll of his life Notwithstanding he regarded not their admonishmentes but went forwardes in his iourney accordynge as he hadde appoynted For he vnderstode that Embassadours were come thither from all Regions tariynge for his comming The terrour of his name was so spredde throughe the worlde that all nacions shewed an obsequiousnes towardes him as though he had bene appoynted to be their kynge That caused him to make haste towardes Babylon to kepe there as it were a Parliamente of the whole worlde When he was come thither he receiued the Embassadours gentlye and afterwardes dispatched them home agayne There was aboute the same tyme a banquet prepared at one Tessalus Medius house Thessalus Medius wherunto the kynge beinge bidden came thither wyth such as were appoynted to kepe him companye But he had not so sone dronke of Hercules cuppe Alexander was poysoned but that he gaue a grunte
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
Parmenio deliuered hym the letters that the Capitayne of Damasco had sent to Alexander and besydes the letters added of hym selfe that he doubted not but all Darius ryches and his treasure should be delyuered to hym at his arriuall Parmenio gaue the charge to certayne of his men for his sure keapyng and then opened the letters wherin it was coÌ„teined that AlexaÌ„der in all haste should sende one of his Capitaines thether with a small power Whiche thyng knoweÌ„ he sent Mardus backe agayne to Damasco with certayne to accompany him but he escaped out of their handes came to Damasco before day light That thiÌ„g troubled greatly Parmenio doubting that they had layde some embushement for him therefore durst not go an vnknowen way without a guide yet notwithstaÌ„ding vpoÌ„ the confidence he had in the felicitie of his prince toke pesantes of the couÌ„trey to coÌ„duite him the way which the fourth day brought him to the Cytie of Damasco The captain doubting that credeÌ„ce should not haue bene geuen to his letter pretended to mistruste the strength of the towne and made countenaunce as though he would fle away And by spryng of the daye he caused Darius treasure whiche the Percians call Gaza with the rest of all his precious thinges to be brought forth of the towne of purpose to betray thesame into the Macedons handes Then there were many thousandes of men and women that folowed a piteous syght to all that sawe them sauyng to hym to whose fidelitie they were committed For he to wynne hymself thancke purposed to deliuer to his enemies a praye more precious then all the rest which were those of the nobilitie he had in keping With the wiues and childreÌ„ of great men that bare rule vnder Darius and besides the Embassadours of the Cities of Grece whome Darius had left in the Traitours handes as in a fortresse as he thought of moste suertie The Percians call those Gangabe that cary burthens vpon their shoulders who hauing the cariage of thinges of moste valoure when they could not endure the colde for the frost and snowe that sodainly fell they put vpon them the robes of cloth of gold and purple which they caried wrapt vp together with the money there being no man to let theÌ„ for the aduersitie of Darius caused that base sorte of men to vse a licencious libertie Those kynde of men seamed to Parmenio at the first sight to be no smal army and therfore regarded not the matter litle but gaue exhortacioÌ„ to those that were with him as though they should haue fought a sore battaill and willed them to put their spurres to their horse and geue the charge Whiche thynge perceiued by them that bare the burdeyns fled awaye for feare and so dyd the men of warre that were with them by such wayes as they best â—newe The Capitayne of Damasco counterfeityng suche feare as other feared in dede was the cause of all this confusion The ryches of Darius was left alone and lay sparkled abrode ouer all the fieldes with the money that was prepared for the wages of so infynite a nombre of Souldiers and also thapparell of so many great men and noble women vessell of golde golding furnimentes for horses pauilions adorned with regall magnificens and wagons full of infinite ryches A thing euen sorowfull to behold to the spoiles if any thing could stay the couetousenes of men Was it not a pytefull thynge to behold the ryches that had bene gathered together in so great nombre of yeares whiles the state of the Percians stode in that incredyble heigthe of fortune one parte to be torne with busshes and an other drowned in the myer it beyng so great besides that the handes of the spoâ—lers could not suffise for the spoile When the horsemeÌ„ had ouertaken them that fled first they found diuers womeÌ„ harying of the smale chyldren amonges whome there where foure Virgins the doughters of Occhus that reigned next before Darius Occhus kyng before Darius Thei before that time had suffred chaunge of fortune when the state was altered from their fathers line But this aduarsitie was much more greuous vnto them There was in thys flocke the wife of Occhus the daughter of Oxatrix that was Darius brother and the wife of Artabasus which was of the head house of Percia And also hys sonne called Ilionesus The wyfe and the sonne of Farnabazus were also taken to whom Darius had commytted the charge of al the sea costes With theÌ„ the thre doughters of Mentor and the wyfe and the Sonne of the noble captain Memnon there was scarsely any house of the nobilitie of Percia that was fre of that euel adueÌ„ture There were bothe Lacedemonians and Athenians that contrary to the league betwene Alexander and them toke Darius parte Amonges the Athenians Aristogiton Dropides and Leuertes were of moste notable fame and linage And of the Lacedemonians the chefest were Perisippus and Onomastorides with Omanys and Callicratides The soÌ„me of the coined money there taken was two thousand .lx. The â—omme of the treasure taken at Damasco talentes of massy siluer .v. hundred talentes Besides .xxx. thousand men and .vii. thousand beastes that caried burdeins on their backes But the goddes did persecute with due punishement the betraier of such a treasure For one whom he had made priuie to the matter pitieng therin the state of hys prince dyd sle the traitour and brought his head to Darius a comfort not vnapte for the tyme to the betrayed kyng for therby he was both reuenged of his ennemy and perceiued that the memorie due vnto hys estate was not growen â—ut of al mens hartes ¶ The fourth boke of Quintus Curtius of the actes of the great Alexander Kyng of Macedonie DArius whiche alittle before was Lorde of so great an army and that came vnto the field caried alofte vpon his chariot more like to triuÌ„phe then to fight fled by the places then waste and deserte whiche he before had filled with his infinite nombres of men of warre There were but fewe that folowed hym for neither they fled all one way nor suche as folowed could kepe pace with him that so ofteÌ„ chaunged horses Vnchas At length he came to Vnchas where he was receiued of .iiii. or .v. thousand Grekes whiche conducted him to the Ryuer of Euphrates thinkyng that onely to be his in the whiche he could preuent Alexander by his haste makyng Parmenio was apoincted gouernour of Siria and to be the keper of the treasure and prisoners whiche he toke at Damasco The Sirians could not at the first beare their newe gouernement because they had not yet felt the scourge of the warres but as they reuolted they were straightway subdued perfourming all that they were apoincted to do Strato king of Arade The I le of Arade was yeldeÌ„ to AlexaÌ„der wherof Strato was kyng that had in subiection all the sea coaste with diuerse of the Inland countreis whiche being subdued by the Macedons
Alexander remoued to the cytie of Marathon where he receyued letters from Darius that put him in great coller Letters froÌ„ Darius vnto Alexand because they were so arrogantly written the speciall poincte that moued AlexaÌ„der was for that Darius writing himself king did not vouchsaue to geue him that title but dyd write rather by way of coÌ„maundement then of request proffering for the ransom of his wife childreÌ„ somuch money as Macedon could receiue For the superioritie he said he put it to his choise to trie it by the sworde if he liste but if he would be better aduised he willed him to be content with his owne enheritauÌ„ce so he would ioyne in amitie with him become his frend in whiche poinct he was redy to enter into treatie â–ª Alexanders aunswere to Darius letters Alexander did wryte to him againe after this maner Darius whose name thou hast vsurped did great destruction vpon the Grekes inhabiting on the coast of Hellespont and vpoÌ„ the Iomans whiche be Greke cyties and from thence did passe the sea with a great army to make warre agaiÌ„st Grece and Macedon And also king zerxes the predecessour came to subdue vs with infinitie noÌ„bres which being vanquished in a battel on the sea left notwithstaÌ„ding Mardonius behind him in Grece to destroy their cities and burne their couÌ„treis It is manifest besides that Philip my father was slayne by such as were corrupted theruÌ„to with your money ye vndertake always vniust warres and occupyeng armes go about for all that to circumuent men with treason As thou of late hauing suche noÌ„bre of men in thine army diddest procure my death with the promis of a thousand talentes I am not therfore the beginner of the warres but repulce such iniuries as be proffered me In doing wherof through the help of the Goddes which fauour alway the right haue brought the more parte of Asia vnder my subiectioÌ„ hauing ouercoÌ„me the in battail by force of armes there is no cause that I should graunt the any thyng whiche haste not obserued towardes me the lawe of armes yet if thou wilt come and submit thyself I promis the that I will deliuer frely both thy mother wife and childreÌ„ for both I knowe howe to get the victory and howe to vse suche as I ouercome but if thou fearest to commit thy self to vs. I will geue the saufeconduite to come frely In the reste when thou writest vnto me remembre that thou writest not only to a king but also vnto hym that is thy kyng He sent this letter by Thersippus and went from thence into Phenicia Phenicia Biblon Sydon where the Cytie of Biblon was youlden vnto him And so came vnto Sydon which was a Cytie of great nobilitie by reason of the antiquitie and fame of the builders The same was vnder Stratos dominioÌ„ supported by the power of Darius who yeldyng more by the constreinte of the people then of his own good will was thought vnworthy to reigne there Alexand made a graunt to Ephestion that he should make suche one kyng whome the Sidons thought moste worthy that place There were diuerse noble yong men in that cytie that had familiaritie with Ephestion of whome he purposed to haue chosen one kynge but they refused his offre affirming that none myght enioye that dignitie except he were descended of the bloud roiall Ephestion wondred at the magnaminitie that was in them in despisyng the thyng whiche other sought for by sworde and fier and therfore sayd continewe you still in that vertuous mynde whiche be the firste that haue vnderstande howe muche more better it is to refuse then to receyue a kyngdome Chouse ye therefore suche one of the bloud royall that may remembre that he hath receyued the rule at your handes But when they sawe that diuers gaped for it and for the gredines they had to reigne fell to flatteryng such as were nere about Alexander resolued that there was none more mete for that dignitie then one Abdolominus who being of the auncient bloud of the kynges Abdolominus was made kyng for pouertie was enforced to dwell in a smale grange without the Cytie His honestie was the cause of his pouertie as it is to many other and beyng occupied in his daily labour harde no noyse of the warres that troubled all Asia They of whome we spake of before came into his gardein with garmentes to apparell hym lyke a kyng and found him weding of his ground whome they saluted as kyng and sayd vnto hym you muste make exchaunge of the vilenes of your apparell with these ryche robes we here ê‘sent you washe the body that is now foull and filthe take vpon you the harte of a kyng and in the fortune you be worthy to haue shewe the same moderacion and continencie you do vse presently And when you shall sit in your regall seate hauing in your handes power of the life and death of your people do in no wyse forget the estate ye were in when ye toke the kyngdom vpon you nor yet for what purpose ye did receiue it The matter seamed to Abdolominus lyke a dreame and asked them if they were madde that would mocke him after that manner But when he sawe theÌ„ affirme by othes the thyng to be in earnest he washed himself receiued the garment which was of purple gold so went with the into the palaice The fame as is wont in such a case did notably ronne abrode of this matter Some fauored the cause some did disdain it but suche as were riche did reproue his pouertie base estate to such as were nere about AlexaÌ„d which caused the king to send for him when he had loÌ„g beholdeÌ„ his behauour saied your personage doth not disagre to the fame of your lynage But I desire much to know with what pacience you did sustain your pouertie I would to God qd he I could beare my prosperitie in like case now when I am a kyng These handes did get that I desired hauing nothing I lacked nothing His wordes caused Alexander to conceiue of him a maruelous opinion so that he gaue vnto him not only the ryches stuf and furnimentes that appertained to the king before but also many thinges that were takeÌ„ froÌ„ the Percians adding to his dominion all the countrey nere about the citie In the meane season Amyntas with .iiii M. Grekes that escaped with him out of the field fled to Tripolis where he enbarcked them sailed vnto Cipres Tripolis thinking the world to be such then that euery one might enioy that he could get like as it had bene his owne enheritauÌ„ce His purpose was to go into Egipt so he thought to becoÌ„me enemy both to Darius Alexander waying with the worlde according as the tyme should alter Amintas ê‘swasion to his souldiours To briÌ„g therfore his souldiers to hope wel of his enterprice he declared how the gouernour of Egipt was slaine in
the CyreniaÌ„s came to him thither brought him pÌ„sentes whoÌ„ he iently entertained assuring theÌ„ of his frendship And that done went forwards in his voyage The firste the second daies traueil seamed tollerable not beiÌ„g yet come to the barein and wild wildernes and yet the ground they passed on was but vnfrutefull and dead erth But when the plaens apeared that were couered ouer wyth deape sand they then loked and sought a farre of wyth their eyes for the land eueÌ„ as men be accustomed to do wheÌ„ they saill in the mayne Sea For they could not iudge them selues on lande where they neuer sawe tree nor any apearance of habitacion or haunt of men And water ther was none to be found in that drie and burniÌ„g sand and such as thei had brought with them in bottels vpon camelles backes was consumed and spent Besides the sonne was so hote that it dried and burned vp all thinges When they were afflicted after this maner whither yt were by the wil of god or by chauÌ„ce the clowdes sodenly ouerwelmed the skye and so shadowed them that it was great coÌ„fort to suche as were forweried with the heat thoughe they wanted water to drinck But to supplie ther lacke therin ther fell by and by a great shoure which euery man for the greate desire they had to drincke gaped to receyue with open mouth When they had traueled foure dayes in passiÌ„g of these wild desertes and were come nere vnto the place of the Oracle there apeared a great swarme of Crowes flieng lowe before the troupe and when the hoste merched softely they sat downe vpon the grouÌ„d and sometime flewe forwardes as they had bene guides the shewe vnto tharmye the way The destricion of Hamon At length they came vnto the place consecrate vnto Iupiter where as it was a wonder to se in the mides of so wyld a desert such a grouÌ„d so enuironed on al partes with high trees defending the heat of the sonne such a nombre of springes ronyng euery where which cause the woodes alwaies to loke greane The ayer there al seasons of the yeare is like vnto the springe tyme holsom and temperat to liue in This cuntrey doth border wyth the Ethiops towardes the Este and vpon the arabies that they cal Troglodites vpoÌ„ the southe Ethiops Whose contrey stretche to the Red sea vpon the west it confineth with other Ethiops that be called Symenos vpon the the north by a NacioÌ„ called NasamoÌ„s who inhabiting vpon a flat shore be acustumed to liue on spoiles of the sea and lye alwaies in a wayt vpon the coste to spoyle such ships as suffre wracke the people which inhabite about the wood be called HaÌ„monios dwel in cotages scatered abrode The middes of there woode closed about with a treable walle is vnto them as a Castle In the fyrste warde is the Palaice of there auncient kinges in the second ther wyues children and concubines were lodged in whych place the Oracle of Iupiter is also The descricon of the Idolle And the laste is a place apointed for the men of warre Ther is also an other wood whiche in the middes hath a spring called the fountaine of the sonne which at the rising is luke warme in the heat of the day it is coolde in the euenynge warmeth againe so that at mydnight it is scalding hote and as it draweth towardes daie it demynisheth his heate more and more The same thing that is worshipped for Iubiter hath not the symilitude of other Images that craftes men do make for goddes but is very like vnto the fashioÌ„ of a nauell hauing in the middes a Emeraâ—de set about with perles WheÌ„ any answer is required the priestes cary thesame in a ship of gold that hath many plates of siluer hanging on both sides The Matrones the virgines folowe after singinge a iude songe after their couÌ„trey manner wherby they beleue to obtayne of Iupiter to shewe hys Oracle manifeste and true When Alexander was come vnto the place the eldeste of the Priestes met him and called him sonne affirming that Iupiter his father had geuen hym that name and he forgetting the state of his mortalitie said that he bothe did receyue and acknowledge thesame Then he demaunded further if thempire of the hole worlde were apointed to hym by destiny The flattery of the prophettes Whereupon the prophet prepared before to flattery aunswered that the hole worlde should come vnder his obeysaunce After that he demaunded whether al had suffred death that murthered his father The priest answered that his father could not be harmed by the treason of any man but he said that all Philippes killers were put to death one thing he added more that he should be inuincible til suche time as he should departe to the gods Thereupon Alexander made sacrifice both offred vnto Iupiter gaue great giftes vnto the priestes He liceÌ„sed also his frendes that they might coÌ„sult with the oracle for suche thinges as they would demauÌ„de but they enquired no further but if it were Iupiter his wil that thei shuld worship their king with deuine honours To them it was answered that if they honoured their prince being victorer as a god A digressioÌ„ it should be acceptable vnto Iupiter If he had with iudgement wayed the oracle according to the veritie he should well haue perceiued the vntruthe that was therein but whome fortune hath brought to beleue in her she make theÌ„ many times more desirous of glory then able to receiue it Alexander not only suffred but also coÌ„maunded himself to be called the sonne of Iupiter whiles he weÌ„t about to encrease the fame of his actes he did corrupt and deface them through suche vayne titles Whereby the Macedons accustomed to be gouerned by kinges but yet reseruiÌ„g a greater shadowe of libertie then other nacioÌ„s did withstaÌ„de hym more arogantly in affecting of hys in mortalytie then was eyther expedyent for hym or them but thes thinges shal be declared in tyme conuenient Nowe I will procede in the reste of his doinges The building of Alexandâ—a When AlexaÌ„der was returned from hamon and come to the marisse of Marcotes scituat nere vnto the Isle of Pharos viewed the nature of the place was at the fyrste determined to biuld a Citie within the Iland But afterwardes coÌ„sidering the Isle not to be large enough chose out the ground where AlexaÌ„dria is nowe called by the name of the biulder contayning all that ground betweÌ„e the Mere and the sea the which was in coÌ„pass as the walles went .lxxx. furlonges When he had takeÌ„ ordre for building of this Citie leuing such behind him as he had apointed for the performaÌ„s therof departed vnto Memphis He had a desire not vnreasoÌ„able if it had ben in time conuenieÌ„t to haue visited both the inward partes of Egipt also Ethiopia And the affeccion he had to viewe antiquities the famous pallaces of Memon and
shall cause both the same and them also to be a pray vnto vs. For he had learned he said by experiēce that the haboudance and excesse of ther preciouse furniture ▪ their flockes of Concubines Eunukes were nothing els but burdens and impedimentes Whych Alexander possessing and carieng about should make him inferior vnto them of whom before he was victorius His oracion semed to all men to be full of desperacion For they sawe therby that the riche Citie of babilon should be geuen vp vnto the Macedōs Susa shortly after wyth all other ornamentes of the realme that were cause of the warre But he procedid in persuading them howe that men in aduersitie ought not do thinges that should seame goodly in the speaking but necessary in thexperiēce That warres were made wyth iron and not with gold wyth men and not wyth the walles of Cities For all thinges folowe them that be armed and in strength He shewed that his auntetors were afflicted after this maner in the begining yet recouered againe quickly their former estate After he had spoken these wordes either for that they were therby encouraged or els that they rather obeid his autoritie then liked his counsell folowed hym into the bondes of Media Arbella yeldid vnto Alexander Shortly after Arbella was geuen vp vnto Alexander which was full of the kynges ryches and treasure of precious stuf and appariell And besides in that towne the substāce of the hole army was lesse The siknes that began in Alexanders campe rising of the sauor of the deade bodies scatered ouer all the fieldes was the cause that he did the soner remoue Arabye The champion contrey of Arabia very notable with the haboundāce of swete odoers there growyng lay vpon the right hand as they marched And so passed through the coūtrey lieng betwen Tigre and. Euphrates whyche is so fat and plentyfull a ground that the inhabiters be fayne to dryue their bestes from feading leaste they should kill them selues by eating ouer muche The cause of thys fertilitie commeth of the moister that issueth from both riuers Tygre distilling by vaines through the grounde Both these riuer haue their beginning in the mountaynes of Armenia Euphrates wher they be distaunt .v. thousand thousand .v. C. fuclonges and so runne forwardes keaping their distāce till they come nere the boundes of Media and Gordia For thē by little and little the further they go they draue more nere together leuing les space betwixte them They enclose of both sids the coūtrey that is called Mesopotania Mesopotamia from whence they runne through the bonds of Babilō in the redde sea After Alexāder had chaunged hys campe foure tymes Mennium he came to a citie called Mennium wher as there is a fountaine within a caue that boyleth out great plenty of pycche so it apeareth that the Babilonians had there cement from thence which they employed about the making of their huge walles As Alexāder was going frō thence towardes Babilō Mazeus which was said before to haue fled from the battell came to mete hym in moste humble maner where cōmitting hys children into his hands yelded him self and rendred vp the cytie Hys comming was very greate full vnto the kynge considering what trauayll he shoulde haue susteyned in the syege of so strong a Citie if it had bene keapte agaynst hym And besides forsomuchas Mazeus was a mā both famous and valient much noted for his doing in the last battel thought his ensamble should much prouoke others do to the like For that cause he receyued both hym and hys childrē wyth gentil maner and yet gaue ordre to hys men that they should enter into the Cytye in suche array of battaill as if they should fight A great nōbre of the Babilonians stoode vpon the walles desirous to behold him that was ther new king But the more parte went forthe to mete hym Bagistenes Bagistenes that was captayne of the castle and keaper of the kynges treasour because he would shewe hym selfe to be no lesse affectionate towardes Alexander than Mazeus was strowed all the waies where he should passe with flowers and garlādes and set aulters of siluer on both sides the waye wherupon frankensence was burning and all other kinde of swete odours Next vnto hym came flockes of beastes great nombres of horses wyth Lyons and Pardalies caried in cages which he brought to geue as presentes vnto Alexander And after them the Magies singing according to their contrey manner Caldees went next with their deuiners and prophetes and then musicians wyth their kindes of instrumētes their propertie was to singe the praises of kinges And the Caldeis vsed to declare the mociōs of the planetes The distruccion of Babilon with the course reuolucion of the time Laste in ordre came the Babilonian horsemen whose sumptuous furniture both for them selues and their horses tendid more to voluptuousnes and delicacy thē to any magnificence Alexander that was enclosed about wyth armed men willed that the Babilonians should come behind his footemen and he riding alofte in his chariot entred into the cytie and afterwardes into the palace where the next daye he surueyed Darius threasure and riches The beuty and plesauntnes of that Citie gaue iuste occasion to Alexander and such as were with him to wonder much vpon it Semiramis was the builder therof and according to some mens opinion Belus Semiramis Belus whose palaice is to be sene their The walles be made all of brick set with pitche whiche is called bytumen And they be .xxxii. foote in bredth so that two cartes may easely go vpō them afront They be in height C. cubites the towers be .x. foote higher then the reste of the walles The compasse of thē about is CCClxviii furlonges being builded as it is left in memory in so many dayes The houses stand the brede of an acre distaūt from the walles not builded through out the cytie but only by the space of .iiii. score .x. forlōges and those not ioyned nere one to another but for some consideracion deuided a sondre The rest of the ground is sowed and tilled to thintēt that if any forein powre cometh against them thei should be able to be releued by the frute therof comyng The ryuer of Euphrates doth ronne through the middes of the citie and is kept in on both sides with walles of a wounderfull worckmanship but the great caues made of bricke and in pitche in steade of morter wrought lowe within the ground to receiue the violence of the streame do excede all the relle of the worckes there made for except thesame were of quantitie and largenes to receiue the water when the streame floweth ouer the bankes that be made to kepe it in the violēce therof shuld beare down the houses of the citie There is also ouer that ryuer a stone brydge whiche ioyneth both partes of the citie togethers counted amonges the marueilous workes of
the Orient For by reason that Euphrates is so full of mudde and owse ground can scarsely there be found to lay the foundacioÌ„ vpon and the streame besides casteth vp such heapes of sande against the brydge that it is an impediment for the water frely to passe and therfore beateth vpon the brydge with greater force The Castel of Babilon then if it had his fre recourse There is also a castle that is xx forlonges about the towres wherof be .xxx. foote depe within the ground and .iiii. score foote in height aboue the ground Where also the woÌ„ders are to be sene that are so often mencioned in the Greke poesis For in the same be whole groues of trees set by wounderful arte aboue the ground so highe as the toppes of the towres whiche be marueilous beuteful and pleasaunt through their height and shadowe that they make The whole weight of them is susteined and borne by huge pillers made of stone vpon whiche pillers there is a floure of square stone that both vphold the earth that lieth deape vpoÌ„ the same also the humour wherewith it is watred The trees that growe therupon be of eight cubites about and as fruteful as though they grew in natural earth And though proces of time is wont by little little not only to destroy thinges made with hande but also the very worckes of nature yet this worcke for all it is oppressed with the rootes of so many trees and burdened with the weight of so much earth of so great a wood yet it remaineth vnperisshed in any point being susteined vp with .xx. broade walles distaÌ„t .xi. foote one from another WheÌ„ these trees be sene afarre of they feame to be a wood growing vpon a mountaine It is said that aking of Siria raigning in BabiloÌ„ builded this worke for his wifes fansy who for the loue she had to woodes and shadowe places moued her husbaÌ„d in doing therof to counterfeit the plesauntnes of nature AlexaÌ„der taried lenger here then in any other citie whiche hurted more the discipline of the Macedons in their warres theÌ„ any other place The customes of the BabiloniaÌ„s For nothing was more corrupt theÌ„ the maners customes of that citie nor any other was more haboundantly furnisshed of al thinges wherwith men be allured and sturred to excessiue pleasures The parentes husbaÌ„des are conteÌ„ted for gaine that their children wâ—es haâ—tes company with such straungers as came amoÌ„ges theÌ„ The kinges nobilitie of Peâ—â—e delite much in banqueting pastime but the BablioniaÌ„s be specially geuen thereuÌ„to to wyne and to dronkenes wher the womeÌ„ vse such a custome that in the beginning of the feast their apparel semeth womaÌ„ly demure but afterwardes by little little they put of the vppermost garmentes and layeng a side al shamefastnes do discouer theÌ„selues naked Whiche vile custome is not vsed by harlottes only but by theÌ„ all in general whiche couÌ„te the making of their bodies comen but a ciuilitie good maner In this voluptuousnes and abhominacion the conquerour of Asia walowed by the space of .xxxiiii. dayes wherby he became muche the weaker to haue done other enterprises if he had had an enemy to stand against him But to thintent the harme he toke should be the lesse perceiued he encreased his power with a new supplie of meÌ„ Amyntas came to Alexander with a new supplie of men For Amintas the sonne of Andromenes brought him from Antipater syx thousand Macedons footemen and .v. C. horsemen with them .v. C. Tracian horsemen with .iii. M.v. C. footemen of the same nacion He had also out of Peloponese .iiii. M. footemeÌ„ .iiii. C.iiii. score horsmeÌ„ being Mercenary souldiers Amintas also brought with hym L. young men of the nobilitie of Macedonia to atteÌ„de vpon AlexaÌ„ders person whose office was to serue the king at meat to briÌ„g him his horse when he weÌ„t to battel They accustomed to be aboute hym when he hunted and kept the watche by course at his chambre dore These were they whiche afterwardes proued greate capitaines and that was the race out of the whiche the rulers of their men of warre dyd come Agathon Alexander appoincted Agathon capitaine of the castel of Babilon with .vii. hundred Macedons and .iii. C. mercenary souldiers Mynetas â–ª Appollydorus left Minetas Apollidorus gouernours of the citie and the countrey to whome he assigned two M. footemen and a M. talentes geuing them in commission to wage more souldiers He made Mazeus that gaue the citie into his haÌ„des lieutenaunt of the whole and caused Bagistanes that yelded vp the castle to folowe hym in his warres Armenia was geuen to Methrenes that betraied the citie of Sardos Armenia and to encourage his souldiers to the enterprising of other thynges gaue out of the treasure of Babilon to euery Macedon horsemaÌ„ .v. C. deneres to euery horseman of the straungers .v. C. and to euery footeman two C. When he had set ordre in all these thinges The countrey of Atrapene he came into the couÌ„trey called Atrapene which being plentifull of all thinges and haboundaunt of vitayle caused the kyng to tary the lenger there And lest idlenes should be any abatement of his mennes courages deuised to slurre vp their spirites and kepe them occupied by appoincting iudges to trye out such as had shewed themselues moste valiaunt in the warres to whom he assigned rewardes due to their deseruinges There were eight found out whose doinges appeared aboue the rest and euery one of theÌ„ was appointed the charge of a M. men and were called Chiliarchi that was the first time that the souldiers were deuided into suche noÌ„bres for before they vsed .v. C. in a baÌ„d which was not as they reputed for any preferment or reward of valiauntnes The nombre of souldiers was greate that came to pleade their right in this behalf and that before the iudges that gaue senteÌ„ce brought in testimony of their doinges So that it could not be knoweÌ„ which of theÌ„ had deserued iustly such honor or not the first place was adiuged to old Adarchias Adarchias for his valiauÌ„tnes vsed in the battail at Alicarnasson where he chiefly did restore againe the fyght when the young souldiers had geuen it ouer the second place of honour was geuen Antigonus Philotas Angeus obteyned the third the fourth was adiudged to Amyntas The fifte to Antigonus Amintas the sonne of Lyncestes obtained the syxt Theodorus the seuenth and Hellacanicus the laste Hereupon to great purpose he altered many thynges that were vsed by his predecessours in the discipline of warre For where as before the horsemen of euery couÌ„trey were in seueral bandes by themselues he without respect of any nacion apointed to them suche capitains as he thought expedieÌ„t And where as at the remouing of his campe warning was accustomed to be geuen by a trompet the sound wherof in any noyse or tumulte could not be sufficiently harde
not remoue hym away At length Tauron apered aboue the castle of the cytie at whose sight the enemies hartes faynted and the Macedons the more fierslye did assayll them When they sawe themself with this extremitie and perceiued they were not of powre to withstand the Macedons they became of diuers disposicioÌ„s For some were determined to dye and many to flye awaye But the greater parte retired them selues into the castle from whence they sent vnto Alexander .xxx. Embassadours to aske mercy But he gaue vnto them a sorowfull aunswere that there was no pardoÌ„ to be obtained at his handes wherupoÌ„ being in doubt of death and excluded from al other remedies sent vnto Sisigambes by a priuy way vnknowne to their enemies makyng their requeste that she would vouchsaufe to be a meane to AlexaÌ„der for the pacefieng of his rigour wrath towardes theÌ„ In her only they put theyr hope knowing howe much AlexaÌ„der loued her that he estemed her as if she had ben his mother And they thought she would the rather encline to their desire because Madates that was captaine there had maried her sisters daughter wherby he became a kyn to Darius Sisigambis stode longe in deniall of their requeste sheweng that it agreed not with her fortune to become an intercessor for others addyng therunto that she feared lest she might misuse the victorers fauor and make him we by of her for she said she had more remeÌ„brauÌ„ce that she was a prisoner then that she was a Quene But at lengthe she was ouercome with there suite and by hir letters made intercession vnto Alexander after that sorte that she fyrste excused hir self of her suite making and after required him that he would pardon them or at the leste waies that he would forgiue her that was peticioner but for the life only of such one as was hir frend and hyr kinsmaÌ„ and now no lenger any enemy to his maiestie but in redines to submit him self This one matter is sufficieÌ„t to declare the Moderacion and clemeÌ„cy that was then in Alexander For he dyd not only pardon Madates but also left the Citie vntouched graunting to all that were within it both libertie and fredom with enioyment of their landes and goods without paieng of any tribute more then the which she could not haue obtayned of Darius being hir sonne When he had thus subdued the Vxions he annexed them to the prouince of Susa and purposing to passe forwards deuided his army into two partes wherof he coÌ„mitted the one to Permenio to be conuaied by theÌ„ plaine contrey and reseruing such a parte as was pestered leste wyth bagage toke the way of the mounteins whych wyth a contiunall ridge ronne out in length from thence into Perce In his passage he destroyed al the mouÌ„teine couÌ„trey arriuing the thirdday in the bouÌ„des of Percia The fifte day he entred into the streightes called Piloe Susidoe Ariobazzanes keapt the streight betwixt Susys and Percia which were defended by Ariobazzanes with xv M. fotemeÌ„ who keping the toppes of the highe and steepe rockes that hange ouer on both sides of the way at the firste keapt them selues quyet of purpose preteÌ„ding a feare vntyll such time as the army was entered into the narowest of the streight But when they sawe the Macedons passe onforwards in their contempte then they threw downe great stones vpon them which falling vpon the tiethermoste rockes and these breaking in peaces rebounded amonge the Macedons fel with greater violence and distressed hole bands at ones And besides that did theÌ„ great damage with shot of arrowes and stones that they did caste out of slinges Suche as were men of courage were not so muche greued with the death destrucioÌ„ that they sawe their presently as that they shuld be slain after such a maner like beastes caught in a pitte wher as thei could not be reuenged vpon their enemies Their wrath hereupon was turned into such a rage and woodnes that they ran vp against the rokes ther enforced them selues by taking holde and by hauing vp one of an other to mount vp vnto their enemies But when they hade caught hold vpon some outward parte and therby labored to ascend by force of so many handes that fastened to it at ones they pulled a sondre the thing they held by and so fell downe all togithers In this case they could neither stand passe forwards nor yet defend themselues by any deuise thei could make with their targetes seing the stones were of such weight that were throwen down vpoÌ„ theÌ„ AlexaÌ„der was in great trouble of minde not only for the greif he receiued by the destrucion of his meÌ„ but much more for the shame that he had so rasheli brought his armi into such a dauÌ„gerus streight He had bene inuincible before that daie neuer atteÌ„pted thing in vaine He had passed that streightes of Cilicia with out damage opened to himself a new way by sea into PaÌ„philia Which felicity of his semed theÌ„ to be staied plucked back for he could ê‘ceiue no other remedy theÌ„ to returne by the way he cam he caused the retreit therfore to be blown gaue ordre to his soldiers to go close together by castiÌ„g their targets ouer their heads returne back again after thei had merched .xxx. forloÌ„ges wtin the streyte â–ª When he was retourned and had planted his campe in an open ground he coÌ„sulted what was best to doe and therewith suche a supersticion entred into his minde that he called for the priestes and deuiners to healpe herein by their inuocation But Aristander to whome he gaue moste confidence could do nothing in the case so that Alexander condempning their sacrifices which he thought then done out of tyme called for suche as knewe the couÌ„tray They shewed him of an other way that was playne and open enough but he lyked it not he was so ashamed to leue his souldiers vnburied that were slayne For amonges al other ceremonies obserued in the discipline of their warres there was none more religiously kept then the burieng of the dead He caused therefore suche prisoners as were lately taken to be called before him amonges whom there was one experte both of the Greke and Percian tongue whiche shewed to the kyng that he laboured in vayne if he thought to conuoy his army ouer the toppes of those mouÌ„taines whiche he sayd beginne at mount Caufasus The description of the streyte the couÌ„trey therunto adioyning and closed in the one syde of Perce by the space of M.vi C. furlonges in length and Clx. in bredth till suche tyme as they come vnto the sea which also enclosed the couÌ„trey from the place where the mouÌ„taines ceased The countrey lyeng at the foote of the mountaynes he dedescribed to be playne frutefull and replenysshed with many faire cyties and villages and that the ryuer of Arares ronning through thesame Arates falleth into another ryuer called Medus Medus bringing with
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
worthy to suffer misaduenture They geue a greuous sentence vpon the estate of mans mortalitie dispaire muche of mercy that deny their cōpassion to mē in misery Now therfore since the goddes haue offered to you the thing whiche ye durste neuer haue wisshed for that is your countrey your wiues your childrē being the thinges whiche men esteme more then lyfe redeame oftentymes with death why do you doubt for the enioymēt of thē to breake out of this imprisonemēt I iudge that a yet of our own countrey moste naturall to vs where me thīkes is an other maner of beholding the light other customes other religiō another maner of tonge whiche for the pleasaūtnes is coueted of the barbarous naciōs what great thinges therfore be those that ye would willingly leaue the wāte of which only is the cause of your misery My opiniō is plain that we visite our countrey our home and not refuse so great a benefite as Alexander hath proffered vs and if any be so deteined with the loue of suche wifes children as they haue gotten here in seruitude let suche be no impedement to others that of al thinges esteme moste their naturall countrey There were but few of his opiniō for custome that is of greater force then nature preuailed in that matter They agreed to demaunde of Alexander that he would geue vnto them some place to inhabite in and there chosed out an hundred to be suters vnto hym in that behalfe Whome when Alexander perceiued coming towardes hym thynking that they would haue required the thing that he conceiued in his minde I haue apointed to you qd he beastes to cary you and to euery one a M. denires and when you shal come to Grece I wil so do for you that excepting your misfortune no other shall thinke themselues in better case then you But when he sawe them loke still towardes the ground and that they neither lifted vp their countenaūces nor did speake he enquired the cause of their heuines Then Eutemon rehearsed again those thinges in effect which he had spoken before in coūsel The king therfore pitieng no lesse their demaunde then he did their misfortune cōmaunded .iii. M. deneres to be geuen to euery one of them garmentes besides with shepe cattell and corne wherby they might till and sowe the lande that should be appointed vnto them The next day he assembled all the captaines of his army togethers and shewed thē that there was no citie more enemy to the Grekes then the same that was the chief seage of the aunciēt kinges of Perce from whence all the great armies had bene sent into Grece and howe Darius first after Xerxes had come out of that place to moue their vniust warre against Europe with the destruction of whiche cytie he thought good to reuenge their predecessours Thinhabiters had abandoned the citie The taking of Persepolis fled where feare dyd driue thē Wherupon the king streight wayes brought in all his footemen to the spoyle therof He had before that time wonne many cities some by force some by composicion that were full of substaūce princes treasure But the ryches of that citie did excide all the rest as in the place where the Perciās had layd their whole substaunce Gold and siluer was there foūd in heapes and great plenty of ryche vestures and furnimentes of houses not only for necessitie and necessary vse but for excesse and ostentacion whiche was so great that it gaue the victourers occasion to fight amonges them selues eche takyng other for enemies that had gotten the rychest spoyle The plenty there was suche that they could not employe to their vse the ryches they found but when they sawe thynges of value estemed them rather then toke them away Till suche time that euery one couetyng to haue a parte of euery thyng tare and brake a sonder the princely robes and the precious vessels of curious workemanship and the Images of gold and syluer were either beaton in gobetes or plucked in peces as euery one caught holde nothing was left vntouched nor nothing caried away whole Crueltie bare no lesse rule there then couetousnes euery one was so laden with gold and siluer that they esteamed not the keping of prisoners but kylled suche as they first spared in hope of gayne There were many therefore that preuented their enemies handes with voluntary death and diuerse that clothyng them selues in their moste precious apparell leaped downe from the walles with their wyfes and chyldren Certayne there were that set their owne houses on fyer whiche they iudged their enemies woulde els haue done shortely after because they would burne themselues amunges their owne family At length the kyng dyd forbyd any violence to be done to women and that no man should medle with any thyng pertayning to them The some of money taken within this Cytie was greater then any man can well credite but eyther we muste doubte of the reste or els beleue that hath bene lefte in memory howe that the treasure there found The treasure taken at Persepolis amounted to a hundred and twenty thousand talentes whiche treasure because that Alexander purposed to employ in his warres caused horse and camels to be brought from Susis and Babilon to cary thesame The takyng of the Cytie of Persagadis Persagadis wherein was founde syx thousand talentes was an encrease to this some whiche Cytie beyng buylded by Cyrus was yeldid vp by Gobares that had the kepyng therof Gobares Alexander lefte in the castle of Persepolis thre thousand Macedons in guarrison vnder Nycarides Nicarydes capitaine of the same and reserued to Tiridates that deliuered hym the treasure thesame honour that he enioyed with Darius Leuing in this cytie the greater parte of his army with his cariages vnder the rule of Permenio and Craterus He with a thousand horsemen and a band of footemen without any bagage went to visite in the winter season the inward partes of Perce There he was vexed troubled with shoures tēpestes that were in maner intollerable but yet he letted not to go forwardes in his enterprise to the place that he appointed In his iourney he came vnto a coūtrey that was couered all with snowe thesame also frosen by force of the could The wildnes and desert maner therof put the souldiers that were weried of trauail insuch a feare and terror that they imagened to haue sene the vttermoste boūdes of the world For when they beheld all thinges wast and no signe appearing of habitaciō of man they were amased and made requeste to returne againe before that the light and the elementes should fail them The king would not chastice them being in this terror but leped frō his horse and went one fote in the snow and ice Which thing whē his frēdes sawe they could not for shame but folow then the captaines did the like and finally the souldiers The kyng was the first
bodies will leaue no humour that maye hurt so lykewyse we must cut away whatsoeuer shall be impediment vnto our Empire Haue you not sene great fiers risen of small sparkes not regarded We may not neglect any thiÌ„g in our enemies whom the more we dispise the more stroÌ„g we make them And because you shal not thinke it such an impossibilitie for Bessus to make him self kyng where as a kyng wanteth you shall vnderstande that Darius came not to his Empire by enheritaunce but got into the seate of Cirus by the benefite of Bagoas his Enuche We commit an heinous offence my souldiers if we made warre to Darius and put him downe for the entent to geue his kyngdome vnto his seruaunt yea and to suche one as attempted so vyle an acte against his maister at suche a tyme as he had moste neade of helpe and whoÌ„ we being his enemies would haue spared he being his subiect put him in chaynes as a captiue and finally slewe him because he should not be preserued by vs. Shall you suffre this kynd of man to reigne no let vs make all the spede we may to see him crucified and so to shewe vnto all kynges and nacions a iustice done vpon one that so vilely falsefied his fayth If the reporte should come vnto you beyng in your own countreis that thesame man were distroyeng of the Greke cities about Helespont O God howe sorye would you be then and howe muche would you lamente that Bessus should enioye that you haue gotten and vsurpe the rewardes of your victory Then would you make haste to recouer your own theÌ„ would you bend your selues to the warres But how muche better is it nowe to oppresse him whiles he remaineth in suche feare and is vncertayne what way to take Shal we spare to speÌ„d .iiii. score daies iourney to come to hym that haue ouertroden suche snowes that haue passed so many ryuers that haue clymed so many mouÌ„taines to whose iourney the flowyng sea could be no impediment nor the streyte of Cilicia could shut vp our way Nowe all thinges are made playne and open and we stande in the entrey of our victory There be but a fewe fugitiues and killers of their maisters that do remaine What more notable worcke can you leaue vnto your posteritie to be regesâ—red by fame vnto your glory then in reuenging such as were traitours to Darius you shal therby shewe that wheÌ„ you were enemies vnto him yet your hatred ended with his death that no wicked person could escape your handes Which thing if you bring to passe howe muche more obedient do you thinke the PerciaÌ„s shal be vnto you wheÌ„ they perceiue that you take iust warres in hand and it was not Bessus name wherewith ye were offended but with his faultes and euill doinges His oracion was receiued of the souldiers with such gladnes that thei streightwaies desired him to cary them whether he would And he that could vse the occasion of their good mode passed through Parthenia and came to the boundes of Hircania Hircania leuyng Craterus with the band wherof he had the rule and six thousand horsemen of whome Amyntas had the charge with the like nombre of archers to defend Parthenia from the incursion of the barberous nacioÌ„s He appointed Erigonus a smal power to atteÌ„d vpoÌ„ his cariages willing him to passe with theÌ„ through the plaine countrey And he himself with his fotemen and with the reste of his horsemen marched forwardes C. fyfty furlonges and encamped in a valley at the entrey of Hircania In thesame place be greate woodes full of hyghe and thyck trees and the botome of the valey is very frutefull by reason of the sprynges that come forth of the rockes Out of the foote of the mountaynes there ryseth a ryuer called zioberis zioberis which with in thre furlonges of the head is deuided by a rocke staÌ„dyng in the middes of the streame causyng the water to go two sondrie wayes Whiche afterwardes comming again into one chanell ronneth more violently then before by reason of the fall of the rockes And sodenly it sinketh into the ground and so roÌ„neth hidden by the space of .ccc. furlonges and then coÌ„meth furthe againe as it were out of a newe spring the same being then in bredth .xiii. furlonges and as it ronneth forewardes drawith more narow and falleth into an other streame named Rhydago Rhydago The inhabiters of the countrey affirmed that al thinges caste in where the streme sunk into the ground would apeare come out again at the next issue For the prouing of which conclusion AlexaÌ„der caused two bulles to be cast in where the water entered whose bodies were found by such as were apoynted for the purpose where the streame brake out againe In this place he refreshed his army .iiii. daies during which time Nabarzanes which was confederat with Bessus in killing of the king did write lâ—es to him in effect The effecte of Nabarzanes letters to AlexaÌ„der howe that he was no enemie vnto Darius but counseiled hym euer to doe suche thynges as he iudged moste proffitable and for his faithfull counsell was put in daunger of his life by him who went about against al reason to commit the custodie of his person to straungers condemning therby the fidelitie of hys owne nacion which they had kept vnspotted towards theyr kinges by the space of .ccxxx. yeares Wherefore seing himself in that perill and daunger toke counsel of his present necessite And alledged that it was allwaies admitted lauful for a man to kil such one whom he knewe to imagyn his death which was an excuse he said wherwith Darius satisfied the people when he had slain Bagoas He alledged that nothing was more deare to mortal creatures then life for the loue wherof he was driuen to this extremytie in committing an act which necessity rather coÌ„pelled him to do then his own disposion For in a generall calamitie eueri man hath his fortune If he would commaund hym to come to his presence he said he woulde not refuse to doe it for he coulde not feare that so great a kyng would violat his promis seing one God is not wont to deceiue an other But if he shoulde seame vnworthy to whom he would giue his assuraunce ther were many countries for him to fle vnto For al men hauing vertue in them counte alwaies that for their couÌ„trey where they make their dwelling place Alexander made no stay in giuing him his faith after such sorte as the Parcians vsed to receiue it which was to do him no harme if he came to him Notwithstanding he marched in ordre of battell sending euer scourers before to discouer the ground The light armed were apointed to the voward the phalanx folowed after the baggage behind For by reasoÌ„ the same was a warlik nacion the countrey harde to entre vpon caused the kinge to loke ernestly vpon the matter The same valley stretcheth out to the Caspian
breake out vpon their enemies AlexaÌ„der therfore caused his men after the maner of hunters to sake out ther lurkiÌ„g places killed many of them But at length he enuironed the woode with his souldiers round about to thintent they might breake in at euery place wher they should spie any entrey Wherby many wandred lost ther company in places that they knew not and were taken prysoners And amonges them Bucephalus AlexaÌ„ders horse Bucephalus Alexanders horse whom he did not esteame as men do other beastes for he would not suffre any other man to come vpon hys back and when the kynge would ride he would kneell downe vpon hys knees to receiue him so that he seamed to haue the sence to vnderstand whom he caried Alexander was more sorowfull and sturred to a greater wrath for the losse of the horse theÌ„ was expedient for such a cause for serching about to get the horse againe caused proclamacioÌ„ to be made by an interpreter the except he were restored he wold not leaue one of them aliue WheÌ„ they hard this terrible threating amoÌ„ges other giftes they presented vnto Alexander his horse yet he was not therwyth pacefied but comaunded the woodes to be cut downe earth to be brought for making of the wayes smooth which he cutt through the woodes This worck went so wel forward that the inhabiters dispayring of habilitie to defend their countrey yelded them selues to the kinge who receyuing their pledges committed them to the keaping of Phradates And from thence the fifte day returned againe to his campe There he gaue to Artabasus the double honor that Darius did vnto him and sent him home againe into his countrey After that he came to that citie of Hircania where Darius Palace was Nabarzanes vpon assurance came thither bringing with him great giftes and amonges the reste presented vnto AlexaÌ„der Bagoas an Enuche of singuler beauty being in the firste flowre of youth whom Darius accustomed and after Alexander The Amazons At whose intercession speicially he did pardon Nabarzanes The nacion of the AmazoÌ„s being nere vnto Hircania as hath bene sayed before did inhabite the playnes of Themiscirae about the riuer of Thermodoonta Thermodoonta had a quene reigning ouer theÌ„ called Thalestris which kept vnder her dominion all the countries betwene the Mount Caucasus and the riuer of Phasis Phasis who for the greate affeccion she had to see Alexander trauailed out of hir owne countrey and being come nere where he was she sente certayne before to declare that a quene was come of desire to visite him and to make hir acquayntaunce Whan libertie was giuen her to come to his presence she caused all the rest of hir band to stay and the came forwardes accompanied with .ccc. women Assone as she parceyued Alexander Thalestrys meâ—te Alexander she leaped from her horse carieng two Lances in hir hande The Amazons apparell is suche that it doth not couer all their bodies for their brestes be bare on the lefte syde nor their garmentes whiche they vse to knytte vp with a knot come not to their knees One breste thei alwaies reserue vntouched wherewith they noryshe their woman children but their ryght breastes thei vse to seare to make them more apt to drawe their bowes and caste their dartes Thalestis behelde Alexander with a bold countenaunce and considered in lokyng vpon hym that his personage aunswered not to the same that she had heard of his actes For the barbarous nacions geue great veneracion to the maiestie of the personage thynking none to be sufficient for the doing of greate actes but suche as nature haue endued with great personages It was demaunded of her if she had any request to make vnto Alexander Wherat she abashed not to confesse that she was come thether to get chyldren with hym thynkyng her selfe a personage worthy of whome he should get heires to enherite his kyngdome Couenanting that if it were a womaÌ„ she wold kepe it styll and if it were a man chylde she would restore it to the father Alexander enquired of her if she would go forwardes with him in his warres but therin she excused her selfe that she had left no ordre for the defence of her kyngdome But she continued styll in declaration of the cause of her commyng and required that her hope therein myght not be in vayne The womans appetite seamed to be more vehemently geuen to luste then the kynges was yet she obtayned of hym to stay for her cause and consumed thirtene daies in satisfieng of her desire Here AlexaÌ„der first forsoke vertue and fell to vice That done she departed to her owne kyngdome and Alexander went to Patthinia which was the place where he first shewed manifestly the vices that were in hym there he turned his continency and moderacion being the moste excellent vertues appearing in any kynde of estate into pryde and voluptuousnesse not esteamyng hys countrey customes nor the holsome temperaunce that was in the vsagies and discipline of the kynges of Macedon whiche iudged their ciuill vsage and maner to be ouer base for his greatnes but did counterfeit the heyghte and pompe of the Kynges of Perce representing the greatnes of the Goddes He was content to suffre men there to fall downe flat vpon the ground and worshyp hym and accustomed the victors of so many nacions by litle and litle to seruile offices coueting to make them equall vnto his captiues He ware vpon his head a diademe of purple interpaled with white lyke as Darius was accustomed and fasshioned his apparell of the maner of the Percians without scrupulesitie of any euell token that it signified for the victorer to chaunge his habite into the fasshion of hym whome he had vanquisshed And though he aduaunted that he ware the spoiles of his enemies yet with those spoyles he put vpon him their euell maners and the insolency of the mynde followed the pride of the apparell Besides he sealed suche letters as he sent into Europe with his accustomed seale but all the letters he sent abrode into Asia were sealed with Darius rynge So it appeared that one mynde could not beare the greatnes that apperteyned to two He apparelled also his frendes his capitaynes and his horsemen in Percian apparell wherat though they grudged in their myndes yet they durst not refuse it for feare of his displeasure His court was replenisshed with concubines for he still maynteined thre hundred .lx. that belonged to Darius amonges them were flockes of Enukes accustomed to perfourme the vse of women The old souldiers of Philippe naturally abhorryng suche thinges manifestly withstode to be infected with suche voluptuousnes and strauÌ„ge customes Wherupon there rose a general talke and opinioÌ„ throughout the caÌ„pe that they had lost more by the victory then they had wonne by the warre For when they sawe themselues ouercome in suche excesse foreine customes so to preuaile amonges them they iudged it aslender reward of their long being
the Macedons Yet the cytesens were not of his opinion but when they sawe they could not let him it was of necessitie for them to agree to his will Alexander builded a newe cytie vpoÌ„ Tanais Alexander in the meane season came to the riuer of Tanais where he enclosed about with a wall so muche grounde as his Campe did conteine extending in compasse .lx. furlonges and named the same cytie Alexandria This thing was done with suche expedicioÌ„ that within .xvii. daies after the walles were vâ— the houses also were builded And the whole was perfourmed in a very smale seasoÌ„ through the contencion amonges the souldiers who should perfourme his worke first when thesame was deuided into partes amoÌ„ges them The prisoners thei had taken whose raunsomes AlexaÌ„der paid to their takers were appointed to inhabite this cytie Whose posteritie after so loÌ„g time be not yet worne out such fauour hath bene shewed to theÌ„ in the memory of AlexaÌ„der The king of Scythia whose Empire was theÌ„ beyond the ryuer of Tanais iudging that the fortifieÌ„g vpoÌ„ the ryuers side shuld be as a yoke to his neck sent his brother Carcasis with a great power of horsemen to defeate the fortification Carcasis and to remoue away the Macedons from the waters syde Which is the ryuer that deuideth the BactriaÌ„s from the ScithiaÌ„s of Europe and is the limite whiche parteth Asia and Europe a sondre But the countreis that the Scithes inhabite beginne not farre from Tracia lie betwixt the north thest ioyning with Sarmacia possessing part of it the countrey also that lieth beyoÌ„d the ryuer of Ister is inhabited by theÌ„ Ister their vttermoste bouÌ„des stretche to Bactria to the further bouÌ„des of Asia northwardes wheras be woÌ„derful great woods wild desertes But suche of theÌ„ as bounded nere vnto Tanais Bactria lack not muche the ciuilitie of other nacions This being the first time that Alexander had to do with these people when he sawe that then he had to entre into a warre for the which he was not prouided his enemies riding vp downe in his sight and he diseased of his wound specially not hauing thuse of his speach which failed much by reason of this longe abstinence Alexanders wordes to hys friendes and the paine in his necke called his friendes to counsell declare vnto theÌ„ that he was not troubled with any fear of his ennemies but with the iniquitye of the tyme the Bactrians rebelling the Scithians prouokyng him when neyther he was able to stande vpon the ground or stroÌ„g enough to ryde on horsbacke or in case to geue aduise or exhortacion to hys men In consideracion therefore of the doubtful dauÌ„ger he saw him self wrapt in he accused the gods complayning that he was then enforsed to lye styll as a stocke whose swiftnes before tyme none was hable to escape Aduersitie maketh men religious The matters grue soo great that his owne men beleued he had counterfeited his sicknes for feare And therefore he which since the ouerthrowe of Darius had lefte consultacion with the deuiners prophetes turned himself againe to the vanitie supersticion of man willinge Aristander to whoÌ„ he was addicted in beliefe that he shoulde trye out by Sacrifice what his successe shoulde be The custome of them which were called Auruspices was to consider the intrayles of the beastes wythout the kynge Auruspices and to make report to him of there significacion In the meane season whiles they were serching secretes that kind of way he willed EphestioÌ„ Craterus Erigius other his frends to draw nere about him lest by streyning of his voice he might breake out his wouÌ„d again said thus vnto them Alexanders wordes The daunger I am in hath caused the time to serue better for mine enemies then for me necessitie I see chiefly in the warres to go before reason For it is seldome geuen to men to choyse their owne tyme. The Bactrians be reuolted vpoÌ„ whose shoulders yet we stande purposing to trie what courage we be of by our behauour towardes the Scithians If we leaue of with doubtful fortune and meddle not with theÌ„ which of their own mindes haue prouoked vs we shal at our retourne be had in contempt of them whome we entend to visit But if we shal passe the riuer of Tanais and by the destruction of the Scythians shedding of their bloud shewe our selues inuincible euery where Who will then doubt but that Europe will lye open geue obedience to vs being victorers he is deceiued that doth measure by any distaunce the boundes of our glory that we entende to passe There is but one riuer that letteth vs nowe for bringing of our power ouer into Europe whiche if we shall bring to passe what an estimacioÌ„ shal it be for vs whiles we be subduing of Asia to set vp the monumentes of our victories as it weâ—e in a newe world ioyning so sone together with one victory the thing that nature seme to haue deuided with so great distauÌ„ce but if we shal stay neuer so little and geue ground the Scythians will then come after vs pursue vs in taile Be there no more but we that haue passed riuers there be many inuencioÌ„s yet remaining amonges our selues wherby we haue gotten victories But fortune of the warre doth teache policy to suche as be ouercomme we haue shewed a president of late howe to swymme ouer ryuers vpon bottels Whiche thyng if the Scythians can not doe the Bactrians shall teache them It is but the power of one nacion that nowe come against you all the other yet stande in a stay to vnderstande of our doinges So that by eschewing battail we shal norysh warre and be coÌ„pelled to receyue those blowes whiche it lieth in vs to geue to other The reason of my aduise is manyfest But whether the Macedons wyll suffre me to vse mine owne disposicion I doubte because that since I receiued this wound I haue not ridden on horseback nor gone on foote If you will folowe me my freÌ„des I am whole I haue then strength enough to endure these thynges if th ende of my lyfe be at hande wherin can I spend it better These wordes that he spake were vttered with a broken and weake voice so that they could scarsely be hard of such as were next hym But when his meanyng was perceyued all that were present went about to fray hym from so rashe an enterprice Erigius But Erigius wrought chiefly in the matter whiche perceiuing that his authoritie could not preuayle against the kynges obstinat mynde attempted to worcke hym by religion whiche was of greater force For he declared to hym that the Goddes were against his determinacion whiche had signified great perill to ensue if he passed the ryuer He said he had vnderstande that thyng by Aristaunder who told hym at his comming into the pauilion what he had perceiued in the beastes intrailes AlexaÌ„der vpon
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
none of the Macedons in loue or affection towardes their prince When he had ordred all thinges amonges the Sogdians he left Pencolaus there with .iii. M. men of warre Pencolaus and remoued into Bactria From whence he cōmaunded Bessus to be caried to Echatan there to suffre death for the killing of Darius About the same time Ptololomeus and Menidas brought .iii. M. footemen and a thousand horsemen of mercenary souldiers and one Alexander came to him out of Licia with .iii. M. foote men and .v. C. horsemen Asclexeodorus had leuied the like nombre out of Siria and Antipater sent .viii. M. Grekes emonges whome there were .v. C. horsemen When he had thus encreased his armye with the supply of his newe power he went about in euery place to quiet those slures that bene raised vp by the rebellion And hauing slayne them that were the authours and beginners therof the fourth day came to the ryuer of Oxus which being a water vnholsom to be drōke because it is euer troubled full of mudde The Macedons fell to digging of welles whē by digging deape they could fynd no water there was a spring sodeinly found vnder the kinges tent which because it was not found at the first they fained that it came by miracle Wherewith the king was pleased and content men shuld beleue that thesame was sent by the gift of god When he passed the ryuer of Ochus and Oxus they came vnto a cytie called Marginia Marginia nere vnto that which he chose out places for the buildyng of syxe townes wherof he planted two towardes the south and foure towardes the east Euery one distāt a smalle space frō an other to thintent that their mutuall assistaunce in tyme of nede should not be farre to seke They were all scituate vpon high hilles as bridels to keape vnder those wild nacions But now they haue forgottē their originall A rock kept against Alexander by Arimazes be subiect to those they were wont to rule The king hauing subdued all the rest one rock only remained whiche Arimazes a Sogdian had taken with xxx M. armed men furnyshed thesame of vitels for two yeres Thesame rock was xxx furlōges in height Cl about being in all partes steape broken hauing one streight path only to passe vp vnto it In the midde way to the toppe it had a caue which was narowe and darck in the entrey but by littell and litell it waxed wyder and had large lodginges within for a great multitude and was besides so ful of springes that whē they met together they ranne downe the rock like a greate ryuer Alexander beholding the strēgth of this place the difficultie to wynne it Determined to depart frō thence But there entred sodēly into his hart a desire to wery nature and worcke against her power Yet be fore that he would attempt the fortune of any siege he sent Cophes the sonne of Artabasus Cophes to persuade them to geue it ouer Arimazes vpon trust of the strength of the place aunswered in all thinges arrogauntly but specially in that he axed whether Alexander could flie Whiche wordes reported to the kyng did put in suche an heate that streightwayes he called for suche as he vsed to consult with all declaryng the pride and presumption of Arymazes and after what maner he had skorned him But shortly he said he would deuise such waye that he would make hym thynke the Macedons had wynges He required them therfore that out of the whole armye they woulde chyse out and bryng to hym thre hundred of the moste lightest young men whiche had bene accustomed to driue beastes amonges the rockes and streight pathes of the mountaynes Whereupon they brought suche to the kyng as bothe for lyghtnes of body and hardines of harte were moste mete for suche a purpose Vnto whome he sayd The exhortacion that Alexander made to thē whome he had appointed to clime the rocke my fellowes that be of myne owne age with you I haue wonne Cyties that were counted inexpugnable and haue passed the toppes of mountaynes couered continually with snowe With you I haue gone through the streyghtes of Cylicia and haue without werynes sustayned the violence of the colde whereby I haue experience of you and you of me The rocke whiche you see haue but one entrey whiche our enemies do obserue the rest they neglect They keape no watche but towardes our campe If you diligently serche you shall fynde some waye to bryng you to the toppe Nature hath made nothing so hyghe but that it may be attayned to by the industry of man In puttyng thynges in proufe wherof other haue dispayred we haue gotten Asia into our possession Deuise you the meanes to get vp into the top which when you haue takē you shal geue a tokē to me by setting vp of some white cloth you shall se me then come forwardes with my power and turne the enemies frō you towardes me He shall haue ten talentes for a reward that doth recouer the toppe first he that getteth vp next shall haue one lesse the like ordre shal be obserued with ten of the first I am assured that you regarde not so much my liberalitie as my fauour When they had heard the king speake after that maner they imagined the thing won and departing out of his presence prepared strong ropes and yron hokes whiche they might asten to the rockes and so clyme vp The king brought them about the rock where as it semed lest stepe and moste plaine to mounte vpon and in the second watche willed them to passe forwardes with good speade They being furnisshed with two dayes vitell and arme only with swordes and speares at the first wēt forwardes without any great difficulty But when they came to the steapnes of the rock some toke hold of the broken cragges to lift vp thēselues some fastening their hokes on the rockes clame vp by the ropes They were compelled to rest stay diuers tymes and so consumed the day in trauaill in feare When they had passed many difficult places further difficulties alwayes appeared the height of the rock seming to to growe more more When they failed either of their hold or of their footing it was a miserable thing to see howe they fell downe hedlong shewing to the other by their misfortune an ensāple what was likely to becōe of thē Notwithstāding at length through al these difficulties thei got vp into the top where thei al weried with the trauail of their cōtinual labour some with the hurtes maines they had receiued slept there all that night amonges the wilde and rough rockes vnmyndfull of the perill they were in Whē it was day they wakened out of their deape sleape and beholding the valeis vnderneath them were ignoraunt in what parte of the rocke so great a multitude of their enemies should lye but at length thei perceiued by the smoke in what place
affirmed their original to come of Bacchê° who in dede builded their city at the fote of a mouÌ„taine called Meroe The mouÌ„te Meroe The qualitie of whiche mountaine being reported to Alexander by thinhabiters he sent vittels before passed thether with his whole armye ascendyng vp to the toppe The mountayne grew ful of vynes Iuie aboundyng with sprynges that flowed out in euery place The same was also pleÌ„tiful of many kindes of Apples of most pleasaunt taste the ground also brought forthe corne without any cultiuation There grew also pleÌ„ty of Laurell trees with many kind of wild frute I caÌ„ not impute it to any mâ—cion of religioÌ„ but rather to pleÌ„ty and wantonnes that caused theÌ„ to repaire thither wherof the Iuye and the vyne leaues they made them selfes garlandes and ran vp and downe after a dissolute maner all the holowes and valeyes there about rebounding with the voice of so many thousandes calling vpoÌ„ Bacchus to whom that place was dedicate Which licence and libertie begonne a fewe was spredde sosodeinly through out the hole armye that the souldiers scatered abrode wythout ordre lay heare and there reposing them selues vpon the grasse and leaues they had gathered togither as it had bene in a time of quiet and moste assured peace Whiche lycensiousnes of the souldiers rising by chaunce Alexander dyd not withstand but ten daies togither made feastes to Bacchus during which tyme he plentyfully banketed hys hole armye Who can therefore denye but that greatnes of fame and glory is oftentymes a benefite rather of fortune then of vertue for ther enemies had no harte to set vpon them whiles they were drowned in thys excesse of banketting dronkenship and drowsenes but were as much afrayed of there dronken noyse as if they had hard there cry encountring with them in battell whiche felicitie preseruing them here did afterwardes defend them after the same maner in the middes of their enemies retorning as it were in triumphe from the Ocean Sea when they were giuen all to festing and to dronkenes When Alexander descended from the mountaine he went to a countrey called Dedala which thinhabiters forsoke fledde to the woods and the wyld mountaines Dedala and therfore passed from thence into Achadera Achadera which he found both burned and habandoned likewise of thinhabiters wherby of necessitye he was compelled to vse the warre after an other maner For he deuided hys armye into diuers partes shewed his powre in many places at ones By which meanes he oppressed them before they coulde prouide and subdued them to their vtter ruyne Ptolomeus toke most Cities but Alexander wanne the greateste and afterwardes ioyned agayne his armye togither which he had thus deuided Coaspe That done he went forwards and passed a riuer called Coaspe where he left Cenon to besiege a riche Cytie called Bezira Bezira Amazaga and he him selfe went to Amazaga where Assacanns beinge deade had lefte the dominion both of the countrey and the Citie to his mother Cleophes Quene Cleophes There were .xxx. thousand fotemen to defend that Cytie whiche bothe was well fortified and stronge of scituacion â–ª being enclosed vpon the este with a swift riuer that hath sâ—epe bankes defendyng the cytie â–ª that it caÌ„not be approched on that side vpon the South and the weste partes nature as it were for the nonce had planted high rockes betwyxt the which there laye depe holowes and pittes made of old antyquitie wheras the rockes cessed ther began a dike of a wouÌ„derfull depth and widenes The wall wherwith the citie was enclosed was .xxxv. furlonges in compasse whereof the nether partes were builded of stonne and the vpper partes of Claye Yet stones were mixed with the clay to the intent that the fraille substance clinging to the hardre the one should bynd the other And left the earth wasshed vpon with the raine might fal altogether there were stanchinges of Tymbre put betwixt to stay the holle worck Which couered ouer wyth bordes was a waye for men to go vpon Alexander beholding this kynde of fortificacion was vncertayne what to do For he sawe he could not approche to the walles but by fylling of those dikes and holowe places And that he could not otherwise fil theÌ„ then by making of a mounte which was the only way he had to bryng his engines to the walles But whiles he was viewing the towne after that maner he was striken from the wall with an arrowe in the thieghe Which he pulled out and without wrappinge of his wound called for his horse and letted not for hys hurt to giue order for such thinges as he though expedient But at length when by hanging of hys legge the blod drue from the wounde and waxed colde wherby hys hurte beganne to payne hym he then sayde That he was called the Sonne of Iuppiter but he felt in hym self the passions of a deseased bodye Yet notwithstandyng he would not returne into the campe before he had viewed all thinges that were necessary and apoynted all thinges he would haue done After that the souldiers had receyued there apointment by pluâ—kyng downe of houses without the towne they gotte great plenty of stuf to make the mount withal And by casting stockes of trees on heapes into the dykes and holowe places the mount within nyne dayes was raised vp to the top of the wales and the towres were planted vpon the same such was the labour and dilygence the souldiers vsed in the matier The kynge before hys wounde was closed vp went to see howe the workes went forwarde and when he parceyued them in such case commended the souldiers for there dilygence caused thyngynes to be brought to the walles out of the whych they that defended the walles were sore afflicted wyth shotte And by reason they had not sene any such kynd of worke were wonderfully amased spesially when they beheld the towres of suche bignes come forwardes and yet coulde not perceiue bâ— what meanes they were moued iudged those things to be done by the powre of the Gods And besides they could not think it a mateir of mans inuencion that so great dartes and speares as came amonges them should be shot by engynes disperyng therefore of the defence of there Citye they retired into the Castle And bicause they could not be satisfied any maner of waie til they had yealded theÌ„ selfes â–ª they sent Embasseadors to the king to ask pardon Which thing obtained at his hands the Quene with a great trayne of noble women came furth bearing in there handes cuppes of gold ful of wyne Who presenting her little sonne before the kinges feete not onely obtayned pardonne but also restorement of her former dignytie Wherefore some thought that her beuty procured hir more fauore then his mercie But this is certaine that the child which afterwardes she brought furth who soeuer did beget it was called AlexaÌ„der FroÌ„ this place Polycarpon was sent with a powre vnto a City
called Ora Ora. where he ouerthrewe in battel thinhabiters that encountred with him whereby he got the Citye into hys possession Ther were many other Cities obscure of fame that came into Alexanders handes by thabaÌ„doning of thinhabiters which assembled them selfes togither in armes and kept a rock called Aorun The rocke called Aorun The fame was that Hercules had besieged the same before tyme in vaine and by reason of an earthquake enforced to departe When Alexander viewed thys rocke and sawe howe stepe it was and vnpassable became voyde of counsell tyl such tyme as an old man that knewe wel the place came to hym with hys two sonnes offring for a reward to guyde hys men awaye vp to toppe Alexander promised them .iiii. score talentes and keapinge one of his sonnes as pledge sente him to parfourme that he had promysed Mulinus the kynges Secretary was apoynted with certayne souldiers lighte armed to folowe the guyde whose purpose was to receiue the Indians by fetching a compasse about the rock But the same rock was not as the more parte be whiche lieng aslope hath wayes vp vnto the toppe by degrees For it stode bolte vpright after the fashion of a but brode benethe and euer as it groweth vpward lesse and lesse tyll it becometh sharpe in the â—oppe And it is enclosed on that on syde with the Riuer of Indus that hath highe stepe banckes vpon the otheirwith depe dikes holowe places ful of water and mudde Wherefore there could be deuised no way to wynne it except those dikes were firste fylled There was a woode at hand which the king commaunded to be cut downe and causyng the bowes to be shred of for the cariage filled the holowes with the bare stockes Alexander bare the fyrst tree and all the souldiers folowed after with a couragious showt for there was no man that would refuce to do that they sawe the kynge begynne So that within .vii. dayes the dikes and hollowe places were fylled vp Then the king apoynted the Agrians and the archers to go to the assaulte of the rocke and did chose .xxx. yonge men of such as he iudged most apt for the purpose out of hys owne bande Charus and Alexander to leading of whoÌ„ he apointed Charus and Alexander whom he put in remembraunce of his name that was in comen to them bothe At the fyrst bicause the hasard was so manifest the kyng was not determyned to aduenture his own parson But when the trompet blewe to thassault he was of such a redy courag that he could not obstaine but making a signe to his guard that thei shoulde folowe him was the fyrste that set fote vpon the rock Then there were fewe of the Macedons that would gladly haue taried behind but many lefte their array where as they stode in ordre of battell and folowed the king The cause of many was miserable whom the riuer that ran by swalowed in when they fell downe from the rocke Which sight was sorowfull to such as were out of daungeir being admonished by the perel of other what they ought to feare them selfs So that their cumpassion being turned into feare lamented aswell them selues as those whome they sawe slayne after that maner At length they went so farre â—urth that without the getting of the rocke they coulde not returne back againe without there greate destruccion For there enemies rowled downe great stones vpon them wherwith they were easely beaten downe the rocke hauing so slippar and vnstable standing Yet for all that Charus and Alexander whiche were apointed the leading of the .xxx. chosen souldiers had gotten to the toppe and beganne to fight hand to hand But there were so many dartes cast at them from afarre that they receiued mo wouÌ„des then they could gyue Wherefore Alexander bothe myndfull of his name and of his promise whiles he fought more egerly then warely was enclosed aboute and slayne Whom when Charus sawe deade he ranne vpon his enemies and vnmyndefull of all thynges sauing of reueng slewe many wyth hys pike and dyuers wyth hys sworde But beinge layed at by so manye at onse he fell downe deade vpon the bodye of hys frende The death of thes two so hardy yonge men â–ª and of the reste moued Alexander greatly yet parceyuing no remedy in the matter caused the retracte to be sowned It was gretly for their salfgard â–ª that they retired by lettle and little without aperaunce of anye feare and the Indians contented to haue repulsed their enemies pursued not after them Alexander herupon was determined to leaue of his purpoce seing he sawe no hope howe to wynne the rock yet he made a countenaunce as though he ment to coÌ„tinewe the sieg styll For both he caused the wayes to be closed vp And made an approche with towers of woode alwayes putting freshe men in place of them that were weried When the Indians parceiued Alexanders abstinacy two dayes and two night they banketed contiunially and played vpon timbrels after there maner to cause there enemies thinke that they had no doubte in the siege but trusted suerly to preuaill The thirde nighte the noyse of there â—imbreles ceased and many torches were sene burning which the Indians had lighted to se which way they might escape downe the rocke in the darke night Alexander sent Balacrus to descouer the matter Balacrus who found that the Indians were fledde and that the rock was habandoned Then asigne was geuen that the holle Armye should giue a showte at once wherbye they dyd strycke suche feare amongys their enemyes that fledde wythout ordre That many of them thynkynge their enemies had bene at there backes leaped downe the rockes and slewe them selues and some mayned in there falling were left behind by there felowes that fled awaie Thus the kynge being victorer of the place rathere then of the man testyfied natwithstaÌ„ding with solempne sacrifyces vnto the gods a greatnes of victory and set vp aulters vpon the rock to Minarua and Victoria And though the guides that he apoynted to his light armed men parfourmed not so much as they promised yet there reward was truely giuen them And the rule of the rock with the countrey thereaboutes was coÌ„mitted to Sysocostus Sâ—socostus And he him self went forwardes wyth his army from thence to Echolyma Echolyma But vnderstanding that certayne streightes through the whych he should passe were kept by one Erix with Erix xx thousand armed men He committed that parte of hys army that were heuie armed to Cenon to be brought on by soft iorneyes and going before in parson with the slyngers and Archers put his enemies to flight making the way clere for hys army to passe that folowed after The Indians whither it were for the hatred they bare vnto their capteine or els for to get the fauour of the victorer kylled Eryx as he fled awaye and brought hys head and hys armour vnto Alexander Who considering the fowlenes of the act woulde
The multitude of whom though the Indians purposely do encrease yet of their lieng we maye perceyue the nombre to be greate But if ye be vtterly determined to passe yet further into Inde the couÌ„trey that lyeth southward is not so desert whiche beyng subdued you may passe to that Sea whiche nature hath appointed to bound in the worlde Why doe you seke that glory afarre of whiche remayneth to you redy at your hande Here the Occean sea doth mete vs and except your mynde be to wonder we are come to a place whether your fortune hath brought vs. I had rather speake these thynges before you then behynde your backe for I seke not to wynne fauour amonges the men of warre that stande here about me but desire you should rather heare their mindes expressed in playne woordes then to heare their grief and their grudge vttered in muttering in murmour When Cenus had made an ende of his tale theÌ„ rose a crie and a lamentacion whiche with confused voyces euery where called Alexandre their king their father and their lord Then the other captaines specially thelders whiche by reason of their age had the more honest excuse and greater aucthoritie made the like request So that the king was not able to chastise them being in that obstinacie nor mitigate them being so moued Therfore vncertayne what to do he lept froÌ„ the iudgement place and commaunding his lodging to be shut in admitted no man but suche as were accustomed about his persone Two dayes he consumed in his anger and the third he came furth amonges his men causing .xii. aulters of square stone there to be set vp as a monument of his expedicion willed the trenches of his campe to be made greater and the places of mens lieng to be enlarged bigger then serued for their bodies For he thought by the encreasyng of the fourme and shape of thynges to leaue a disceitful woÌ„dre vnto his posteritie From thence he returned again by the way he had passed before encamped vpon the riuer of Acesines Cenus chaunsed there to die whose death the king lamented but yet he said that for a few daies he had made a long oracion as though he alone shuld haue returned into Macedon By that time the nauy of shippes which he had apoiÌ„ted to be made stode in redines aflote MemnoÌ„ in the meane season brought him out of Thrace a supply of .vi. M. horsemen Wemnon besides from Harpalas .vii. M. fotemen with .xxv. M. armours that were wrought with siluer gold which he distributed amonges his men coÌ„maunded the olde to be burned purposing to passe vnto the OcceaÌ„ sea with M. ships But before his departure he recoÌ„ciled together by affinitie Porus Taxiles betwixt whoÌ„ there was a new discord risen vpoÌ„ the old hatreds that had bene betwixt theÌ„ He had of theÌ„ great aide both in the making and furnishing of his nauy During the tyme he was about that busines he builded there two cyties wherof he called th one Nycea Nycea BucephaloÌ„ the other Buchephalon dedicating the latter by the name of his horse that was dead He gaue order that his Elephantes and cariage shuld passe by lande and he sayled downe the ryuer procedyng euery daye about .xl. furlonges so that he might euer land his power in suche places as he thought conuenieÌ„t At length he came into a couÌ„trey where as the ryuer of Hidaspis and Acesynes do ioyne togethers ronne from thence into the boundes of a nacion called Sobyons The Sobians They declared that their predecessours came of Hercules army whiche beyng left there sicke did inhabite the countrey They were clothed in beastes skinnes vsyng clubbes for their weapons and though they had left the customes of the Grekes yet there appeared many thinges amonges them that declared from whence they were descended Here the kyng landed and merched CCx. furlonges within the countrey whiche he wasted and toke the chiefest cytie in the same There were .xl. M. men that stode in defence against hym vpon a ryuer syde but he passed the water puttyng them to flyght and after they fledde into the cytie he wanne it by force The chyldren were slayne and the rest solde as slaues He assaulted an other cytie where he was repulced with the great force of the defendauntes and lost many of his men But when the inhabitauntes sawe that he continued still the siege dispayring of their saulfeguarde they set fire on their houses burned them selues their wifes and their children Which fire when the Macedons quenched they kyndled agayne it seamed a straunge contencion The Cytesins destroyed their owne cytie their enemies laboured to saue it the warres so contrariously chaunged the lawes wrought in man by nature The castle was saued wherin a guarrison was left Alexander went about this castle by water which was inuironed with thre of the greatest ryuers in all India Ganges except Indus passing vpon the north syde and Acesynes ronnyng into Hidaspis vpon the south Where these ryuers met the waues rose lyke as they do in the sea They be full of mudde and â—oes whiche by the course of the water dryuen vnto the sydes for all that the ryuers he broade yet the chanelles be but narowe the shyppes must passe in The waues dyd ryse so hygh and thicke breaking somtyme vpon the puppes of the shippes and somtime vpoÌ„ the sydes that the shipmen beganne to vale their sayles But they were so troubled through feare and the violent swiftnes of the streame that they could not ordre their tackling so that two of their greatest shyppes were drowned within syght And the smaller vessels which they were as vnable to gouerne were driuen vpon the shore without any harme The kyng chaunsed vpon the place where the waues went hyghest wherwith his shyppe was so tossed and trauersed that the helme could not direct his course Wherfore the kyng doubtyng of drownyng pulled of his garment redy to caste hym selfe into the water and his frendes dyd swymme nere there about redy to receyue hym It appeariÌ„g to him doubtful which peril was greatest either to swimme or to coÌ„tinew still aborde But the mariners laboured woÌ„derfully with their â—ers adding all the force that lay in mans power to cut through the waues By whose importunate trauaill the water semed to deuide a sondre and to geue place So that at length they haled out of the surges and yet not able to bring the ship to the shore dashed vpon the next flat it appearyng that the shyppes and the streame had fought a battaill togethers Alexander hauing escaped this perill sette vp to euery ryuer an aultar whereupon he offred due sacrifice and that done past forwardes thirty furlonges From thence he came into the countrey of the Sudrychans and Mallians â—â—drichaÌ„e â—allians whiche accustomed to be at warre amonges them selues then for their owne defence ioyned in societie They assembled in armes to the nombre of .ix.
bitter death But I whiche number not my yeres but my victories haue liued longe if I will weye the giftes of Fortune For beginnynge mine Empire in Macedonia I haue Greace in mine owne handes I haue subdued Thrace and the Illirians I raigne ouer the Triballes and the Medeans possessynge an Asia that lye betwixt Hellespont and the redde Sea and nowe am not farre from the ende of the worlde the whiche I determined to visite and to make open to men a newe nature and a newe worlde I passed out of Asia into Europe in the moment of an houre and beynge but .xxviii. yeres olde hauyng raigned but nine am become victorer of both regions Do you thinke it then mete that I should nowe ceasse from winning of that glorye wherunto I haue onelye addict my selfe No I wil neuer ceasse but whersoeuer I shall haue occasion to fyght I shall thinke my selfe to be in the Theatre where the whole worlde dothe beholde me I will geue nobilitye and fame to places that be obscure And will laye open to all Nacions those countreys that nature hath remoued furdest froÌ„ them In doynge wherof it shall be gratefull for me to ende my lyfe if Fortune will haue it so I am come of that stocke that I ought to desire many thinges before longe lyfe I praye you to remembre that we be come into those countreys where the name of a woman is muche celebrated for hir vertues What cityes did Semiramis builde what nacions did she subdue and what great workes did she accomplishe We are not yet become equal to a woman in glory and yet you woulde haue me to be satisfied of laude The Gods be fauourable vnto our purpose for there remaine for vs yet greater thinges to do And it is the next way to make those countreys we haue not yet touched to become ours if we esteme nothing to be of small valure where as there is anye occasion to winne glorye Let it be your care onelye to preserue me from ciuill conspiracie and treason of mine owne people then there be no aduentures of the warre shall put me in feare Philippe was more sure in the front of the battaile abroade then in quiet tarians at home He oftentimes auoyded the force of his enemies but he coulde not eschue the violeÌ„ce of his owne subiectes And if you coÌ„sider the ende of other Kynges you shall count more that haue bene slayne by their owne menne then by anye forayne power But bicause there is an occasion nowe offered me to vtter the thing I haue longe conceaued in my minde It shall be the greatest fruite I can receyue of my actes and of my trauayles if my trauailes if my Mother Olympiades when she departeth this lyfe might be consecrated to immortalitie If she departe in my tyme I wil do the thing my selfe But if I shall be preuented by Death remember you to perfourme that I haue determined And therupon he dismissed his frendes from him and continued manye dayes in the same place Whiles these thinges were a doynge in India the Greake souldiours that hadde lande and habitacion appoynted them at Catabactra throughe a sedicion that chaunsed amonges them A rebellion of the Grekes whiche Alexander had planted at Catabactâ—s rebelled againste Alexander Notsomuche for anye hatred they bare hym as for feare of punishemente For they kylled diuers of their chiefe rulers and assemblynge in force togethers toke the castle of Bactria that was negligentlye kepte and procured the Bactrians to rebell with them Athenodâ—rus Athenodorus was the chiefe amonges theim who toke vpon hym the name of a kynge not so muche for the desire of the kyngdome as by aucthoritye to make him selfe of power to conueye hym selfe and others home into his countrey Bycon But one Bycon of his owne nacion became his enemye and conspirynge agaynste him did bidde hym to a banquet where he was slayne by one Boxus Macerianus The nexte daye folowynge Bicon assembled the Greakes together perswadinge theim that he slewe Athenodorus but in hys owne defence whose purpose was to haue destroyed him But there were some that perceiued his policye and suspicion was spreade amonges the rest So that the Greakes fell to armes of purpose to slea Bycon But suche as were chiefe mitigated the wrathe of the multitude and contrary to his expectation was deliuered from that presente peryll Yet he coulde not be so contented but wythin a while after conspired againste them that saued his lyfe whose falsehode knowen they toke bothe hym and Boxus determinynge that Boxus shoulde be put to death out of hande and that Bycon shoulde ende hys lyfe by tormentes As they were tormentinge of him the Greake souldiours sodainelye in a furye for what cause it is vncertayne ranne to Armes the noyse of whom beynge hearde wyth them that had the charge of Bycon did let him at libertye fearynge that the rumoure hadde bene made for his deliuerye He as he was naked came runninge amonges the Grekes where as they were assembled whose miserable estate so sodainelye chaunged their minds that thei willed him immediatly to be set at liberty By thys meanes Bicon beynge twise deliuered from death returned into his countrey with the Grekes leauynge the Colonye wherunto he was appointed by Alexander These thinges were done in the coÌ„fynes of Bactria and Scythia In the meane season the kynge of the two nacions whyche we spake of before sent an hundred Embassadours vnto Alexander whiche beynge men of goodly personages ridde in wagons semely appaireled hauing garmentes of linnen clothe embroydred with golde and empaled with purple They declared that the cause of their commynge was to yeld them selues their citye their countrey and their libertye whiche thei had kepte inuiolatelye by so many ages to his wil appointmeÌ„t Of which their submission the Gods thei said were aucthours not any fear for thei were coÌ„teÌ„ted to yeld theÌ„ selues before thei had proued their power with him The kynge called a counsayle receiued theÌ„ vnder his protection appointing to theÌ„ to pay such tribute as they before paied to the ArachosiaÌ„s And besides to seÌ„d two thousand fiue hundred horsemen to serue hym in his warres all whiche thinges they perfourmed obedientlye This done he made a great feast wherunto he inuited those Embassadours and his Lordes He vsed therin sumptuous preparation ordeinynge C. beddes of golde to eate vpon which beyng set a small distaunce one from another were drawen about with curteynes garnished with golde and purple In that feast there was shewed and sette forthe all the excesse and voluptuousnes which either by long custome was vsed among the PerciaÌ„s or by corruption of their old vsages taken vp amonges the Macedons the vyces of both those nacions beynge there mingled myxed togethers Dioxippus There was at that feast one Dioxippus of Athens a notable champion by reason of his excellent force well knowen vnto the Kynge whome certayne enuiousse and malicious Persones
betwyxte earnest and pastyme dyd reproue that he was geuen to farre hys bodye as an vnprofitable beaste And when other went to the battaile he would anoynt his body with oyle and prepare him selfe to eate Emonges other that vsed wordes of despyte agaynste hym there was at the same feast â—â—rratus one Horratus a Macedon who in his dronkennes chalenged Dioâ—ippus that if he were a man he shoulde fight the campe with him the nexte daye vpon llife and death A combate where as the kynge shoulde iudge either him to be to rashe or the other to much a dastarâ— Dioxippus then laughyng to scorne the pride and arrogancie of the souldiour accepted his profer The next day they were more earnest to go to the combate then they were before in makynge of the chalenge therfore when the kyng sawe them so bente and that they would not leaue their purpose he coÌ„sented to their will There were greate nombre of men assembled at the combate amonges whom there were many Grecians whiche fauoured Dioxippus parte The Macedon came into the Lystes armed at all peaces holdyng in his left hande an yron buckler and a speare and in his right hande a casting launce hauing his sworde besydes girte to his syde was furnysshed as though he should haue fought with many men at once Dioxippus came furth anoynted with oyle with a garlande vpon his head and hauing a read cloke wrapt about his left arme held in his right hande a great knottiye cudgell The diuersitie of their furnishement brought euery man in a wonderfull expectacioÌ„ For they could not thinke it only a rashenes but a madnes for Dioxippus that was naked to matche with the other that was armed The Macedon thinking to kil his aduersary before they should come to hand strippes threwe at him his launce whiche Dioxippus auoided with beÌ„ding of his body before that he could charge his pike he leaped to him and with his cudgell brake thesame asondre When the Macedon had lost both his weapoÌ„s he beganne to drawe his sworde but Dioxippus preuented him wit a close and taking both his feete from vnder him â–ª threwe him to the earth and there plucking his sworde from him set his foote vpon his necke and held vp his cudgell to haue striken out his braynes if the kyng had not caused him to staye his hand This triumphe ended with displeasure both vnto the Macedons and vnto vnto AlexaÌ„der himselfe specially because this thing was done in the Indians presence he feared lest the valiauntnes of the MacedoÌ„s famed so muche in the worlde might therby come into conteÌ„pt Hereupon AlexaÌ„der grudging at Dioxippus bare his eares open to the accusacion of the enuyous They within a fewe dayes after had caused a golden cuppe to be purposely conueyed out of the waye whiche the ministers hauing imbesealed them selues made complaynt vnto Alexander of the losse thereof Oftymes men shewe lesse constauncy then in the offence it selfe For in their complaynt Dioxippus perceyued by their lokes that they noted hym as the thefe whiche he coulde not endure but partyng out of the feaste after he had wrytten a letter to the kyng he kylled hymselfe Alexander was very sory for his death whiche he tooke for no token of repentaunce but rather of indignacion For afterwardes it appeared through the ouermuche reioysing of hys enemies that he had bene falsely accused The Embassadours of the Indians that were dismissed home within a fewe dayes after returned agayne presenting vnto Alexander thre C. horses M. and .xxx. wagons euery one drawen with foure horses certain vestures of linnen cloth M. Indian targetes an hundred talentes of white Iren both lyons of a rare bygnes and Tigres that were made â—ame the skinnes of great Lyzardes and the shelles of certain fisshes The kyng then commaunded Craterus to conduct his army along the ryuer wherupon he sayled and he enbarking suche as were wont to accompany him with the streame passed into the boundes of the Mallians and from thence came vnto the Sabracans Sabracans whiche was a nacion of great power not ruled by kynges but by a gouernement of the people They had gathered together .vi. M. footemen and .vi. M. horsemen and .v. C. armed wagons and had chosen thre capitaines that were approued men of warre But when suche as inhabited next vnto the ryuer the bankes being full of villages sawe all the ryuer so farre as they coulde view strowed with shippes and the armour glistering of so many men of warre they were amased with the straungenes of the sight and thought that some army of the Goddes or els Bacchus whose name was famous amonges those nacions had become amonges them The crye of the men of warre with the classing of the oers and the straunge noyse of the mariners exhortyng one another fylled full their fearefull eares They ranne therfore amonges their countrey men whiche had assembled their force declaring their madnes if they woulde contende with Goddes For they sayde the shippes coulde not be nombred that caried those inuicible people With whiche wordes they put suche feare amonges the men of warre of their owne nacion that they sent immediatly Embassadours to yelde them selues When he had receyued assuraunce of them he came the fourth day into an other nacion whiche durste no more withstande then the reste dyd and there he buylded a cytie whiche he named Alexandria and from thence entred into a couÌ„trey the inhabiters whereof be called Musycans Musycans Caracanusidans There he vnderstode by the accusacion of the Caramisidans that Destirioldes whom Alexander had appointed lieutenant amoÌ„ges them had ruled in excessiue pride and couetousnes therfore coÌ„maunded him to be put to death And Oxarres lieutenauÌ„t of the Bactrians being also accused was not only acquited but also had a greater rule coÌ„mitted vnto him WheÌ„ he had subdued the vtter partes of the MusicaÌ„s he put a guarrison in their cytie Porticanus kyng of the Prestyans and went from thence to another nacion of the Indians called Prestians of whome Porticanus was kyng whiche with a great powre got him selfe into a strong citie whiche Alexander wanne the thirde daye after he beganne his siege Vpon the taking of the towne Porticanus fled into the castle and sent Embassadours to treate of peace But before they were come to Alexanders presence twoo towres of the Castle fell with a greate crashe by the ruynes wherof the Macedons got into the castle where Porticanus whiche with a fewe standing at defence was slayne The castle being rased and all that were with in sould as slaues Alexander came into the boundes of Saba Python where besydes many cyties that yelded vnto hym he toke the strongest cytie of that countrey by force of a myne It semed a monstrous thyng vnto the Indians being ignoraunt of suche policies of warre for armed men to come furthe of the grounde in the myddes of their cytie there appearyng before no signe of any way
floud came from the Sea and with his force did dryue the streame backeward whiche at the first beyng but stayed was afterwardes so vehemently repulced that it caused the water to returne backwarde with greater fury then any swifte streame is wont to ronne The commen sort that knewe not the nature of the OcceaÌ„ The nature of the occeaÌ„ was vnknowen to the Macedons thought the sâ—â—me to be a woÌ„derfull matter and that it had bene a token sent to them of the goddes wrath and whiles they were in that imaginacion the Sea swellyng more and more ouerflowed the lande whiche they sawe before drye and as the water rosse the shipps mounted and al the nauy was disperkled here and there Such as were vpoÌ„ land were amased with the sodeinnes of the thing and ran froÌ„ al partes in great feare vnto their ships But in a tumulte haste doth hurte gyue the impediment Some there were that went about to set ther shipes forwardes other forbad rowyng and remoued not at all Other whiles they made haste awaye and would not tary to take in ther companye moued vnaptly and could make no waie Some when they sawe them presse a shipbord in such thronges for feare of takyng into many woulde receyue none at all So that both multitude and smal numbre was a let vnto the hast they made The crye that some made in bidding men tary and the noise that other made willing them to go forwardes and there voyses that differed and agred not in one effect toke away the vse both of their sight and hearing The mariners could not help the matter whose wordes in the tumult coulde not be harde nor their commaundementes obserued amonges men in feare and out of order The shyppes therfore dashed one agaynst an other the Ores crasshed a sonder and euery shippe either thurst forwards or put backe an other No man would haue iudged it to be one nauye but rather two sondrey fighting a battell togither vpon the Sea The poores did strycke agaynst the puppes such as went before troubled them that came after and the wordes of men in their wrath came vnto strypes By that tyme the fludde had ouer flowne al the playnes there about so that nothyng appeared aboue the water sauinge the hilles whyche seamed lyke lyttle Ilands wherunto many did swyme and left ther shippes for feare Whyles the nauye thus disperkled abrode partlye stode a flote when they hapned in anye valey and pacte stycked vpon the grounde if they dyd hit vpon the flattes according as the ground was that the water couered sodeinly there came an other terror greatter then the first For when then the Sea began to ebbe the water fell backe agayne into hys wonted course with so greate violence as it came forwardes and restored and sight of the lande whiche before was drowned as in a depe Sea The shippes then forsaken of the water fel vpon their sides and the feldes were strowen with broken bordes and wyth peares of Ores The souldiers durst not go furth to land and yet were in feare to tarye a shipbord lokynge euer for some greater mischiefe to come then that they sawe present or paste They could scarsly beleue that they sawe and suffred which was shipwarck vpon the land and the Sea within a riuer And they thought no eand could come of hys myschiefe For they knewe not that the fludde should shortly returne agayne and set their shippes aflote And therefore they Imagyned to them selfes famyne and all extremities The monsters also of the Sea that after the water was paste were left on drye land put them in great feare The nyght approached and despayre brought the kynge into a great agonye Yet no care could ouercome his hart that was inuincible but that he watched all night and sent horsemen to the mouth of the riuer to bryng him word when the tyde came He caused the shippes that were broken to be amended and suche as were ouerwhelmed to be hoised vp agayne warning al men to laye awayte and be in redines agaynst the water should rise When he had consumed all that night in watchinge and gyuing exhortacion to his men streightwaies the horsemen returned amayne gallop and the fludde folowed them which mildly encreasing begane to raise againe their shyppes and when it had ones ouerflowne the bankes the holle nauye beganne to moue Then al the coost rebounded with the vnmeasurable reioâ—sing that the souldiers and mariners made for there saulfgarde whereof they were before in despaire When they sawe the daungier pasâ—e they enquered with wonder one of an other by what reason the sea could so sone after that maner go and come and debated the nature of that element whych one while disagred and an otherwhile was obedient and subiect to the time The kyng coniecturing by the signes he had sene before that after the sonne risyng the tyde would serue hys purpose to preuent the matier at midnight wyth a fewe shippes he fleted downe the streame and passing out at the mouth of the riuer entred foure huÌ„dred furlongs into the sea where attayning the thing that he desired made sacrifice to the goddes of the Sea which were worshipped in those countreyes and returned agayne into hys nauye From thence the next day he returned backwardes agaynst the streame and arriued at a salt lake the nature wherof beynge vnknowne disceyued many that rashely entered into the water for ther bodies by and by became ful of scabbes which discease takeÌ„ by some the contagyon therof infected many other But they founde that oyle was a remedye for the same Alexander lyeng still wyth hys armye waiting for the spring time of the yeare sent Leonatus before by the land which waie he thought to passe for to digge welles bicause the countrey was verye drye and destitute of water In the meane season he builded many Cytyes and commaunded Nearchus and Onesicritus Nearchus Onesicritus that were most expert of naual thinges with his strongest shippes to passe into the Occeane and to go so farre forwards as they myght with suretye for to vnderstand the nature of the sea and willed them at theyr returne to land either with that riuer or ells within Euphrates When the winter was well passed he burned those shyppes whych he occupied not and conueyed hys armye by land After ix encampinges he came into the couÌ„trey of the Arabitans Arabytans Gedrosians and from thence in nine dayes came amonges the Gedrosians which being a fre nacion by a general counseill had amonges them yealded them selfes of whom their was not any thynge demaunded sauinge only vittelles Arabon The fift day he came vnto a riuer whych the couÌ„trey men cal Arabon beyond the which there laye a barein countrey greatly destitute of water through the which he passed and entred amonges the Horitans Horitans There he betoke the greater parte of hys armye to Emphestion and parted hys souldiers that were light armed wyth Ptolomeus and
Then one enquired of another where he was become whose fortune and authoritie they had folowed Then they founde themselues abandoned amoÌ„ges so many wyld nacions which were desirous vpon any occasion that might fall to be reuenged of the iniuryes they had receyued Whyles they were troubled in these imaginacions worde was brought that the horsemen whiche were vnder Perdicas kept the fieldes about BabyloÌ„ and stayed the vitels that was commyng to the cytie Whereupon first beganne a scarsitie and afterwardes a famyne Therfore suche as were within the cytie thought good either to make a reconciliacion with Perdicas or els to fight out the matter It chaunsed that they which dwelled abrode in the couÌ„trey fearyng the spoyle of the villages repayred into the cytie And they within the cytie for lacke of vitelles departed into the countrey So that euery one thought them selues surer any where then in their owne habitacions Then the Macedons doubting some greate inconuenience that myght come of this feare â—mbassadours were sent about a reconciliacion assembled together in the courte and shewed furth their opinions It was agreed amonges them that Embassadours shuld be sent to the horsemen for the successing of all strife deuision Pasus a Tessalion Amissas a Megapolitan and Perelaus were sent from the kyng Whiche declaring their commission receiued answere that the horsemen wold not feuer their power till the auctours of the sedicioÌ„ were deliuered into their handes When they were returned and their aunswere knowen the souldiers without any appointment put on their armour and made suche a tumult that the kyng was enforced to come furth of the court and saide vnto them If we shal be at strife amoÌ„ges our selues The kinges wordes vnto the souldiers our enemies that be quiet shall enioye the frute of our contencion Remembre you that the quarell is with your own couÌ„treymen with whome if ye rashly breake the hope of reconcilemeÌ„t ye shal be the beginners of a ciuil warre Let vs proue if the matter may be mitigated by an other Embassade I am of opinion that forasmuche as AlexaÌ„ders body remayne yet vnburied they will gladly come together to perfourme the due vnto the dead And for my parte I had rather surrendre vp againe this dignitie then any bloud should be shedde amoÌ„ges my countrey men For if no other hope of concorde do remayne I desire and pray you to choise this as the better of both And with that worde he wepte and pulled the diademe froÌ„ his head holding thesame furth with his hande redy to haue deliuered it to any man that would haue claymed to be more worthy then he The moderacion that he vsed both in his wordes and his behauour caused them all to coÌ„ceiue a great good hope of his noble nature whiche til that time was obscured with the greatnes of his brothers fame Thei therfore required and encouraged him to go forwardes in the matter as he had deuised Wherupon he sent agayne the same for Embassadours that went before whiche had commission to require that Meleager might be the thirde capitayne Whiche matter was not muche sticked at For Perdicas was desirous to remoue Meleager from the kyng and thought that he alone shold not be able to matche with Leonatus and hym Vpon this Meleager marched out of the cytie with the fotemen and Perdicas met him in the fieldes ryding before the bandes of the horsemen Where bothe battailles saluting one an other concorde peace and amitie was coÌ„firmed betwixt theÌ„ for euer as it was thought But it was decreed by destiny that ciuil warres shuld ryse amonges the Macedons For gouernement is vnpacient of parteners and the kingdome was couered by many Which as it first grewe in force so afterwardes it was dispersed againe And when the body was burdened more then it coulde beare the other membres began to faill A degressioÌ„ to the praise of themperour that was in the auctours tyme. So thempire of the Macedons whiche vnder one head might well haue stande when it was deuided into partes fell to ruyne For whiche cause the people of Rome iustly must confesse them selues bound vnto their prince for the felicitie they haue founde Whiche as a starre in the nyght appeared vnto them that were nere loste And as the sunne gaue light to the worlde being in darkenes when without suche a head the membres that were at variaunce muste nedes haue quayled Howe many fyre brandes did he quenche howe many swordes ready drawen dyd he put vp agayne Howe great a tempest did he pacifye with the sodayne caulme of his presence The Empire now therfore doth waxe grene and floryshe Let me desire without enuye that his house may continewe many ages and his posteritie remaine for euermore But to returne againe to the ordre of history from whence I was brought through the contemplacion of our vniuersal felicitie Perdicas deuised the death of Meleager Perdicas iudged the only hope of his owne sauegarde to consiste in the death of Meleager thinking it necessary to preueÌ„t him whiche was a man both variable vnfaithful geuen to innouacion and besides his mortall enemy But with deape dissimulacioÌ„ he kept his purpose secrete to thintent that with the lesse difficultie he might oppresse him vnbewares He did subornate therfore priuely certain of the bandes that were vnder his rule to complayne opeÌ„ly as though it were without his knowledge that Meleager shuld be made equal with him which wordes of the souldiers wheÌ„ they were reported vnto Meleager be came in a great rage declared their sayenges to Perdicas Who semed to wonder at the matter blaming their doing as though he had bene sory for the thing and finally they agreed that the auctours of such sedicious wordes should be taken When Meleager perceiued Perdicas so confirmable he embraced hym and gaue him thankes for his fidelitie beneuolence Thereby a consultacion had betwixt them both they deuised how to destroy them that wrought this deuisioÌ„ betwixt them For the bringing of that to passe they agreed that tharmy shuld be purged according to their countrey custome For the doing wherof they semed to haue a sufficient occasion by reason of the late discord that was amoÌ„ges theÌ„ A ceremony that was vsed in the purifiyng of tharmy after any offeÌ„ce made The kinges of Macedon in purifiyng of their souldiers were wonte to vse a kind of ceremony in deuiding the bowelles of a dogge in two partes cast the same in the vttermoste bouÌ„des of the field wheron they purposed to bring furth the army Betwixt whiche space the men of warre accustomed to stande armed the horsemeÌ„ the mercenary souldiers and the phalanx euery one aparte The same daye that this ceremony was put in execution the kyng stoode with the horsemen the Elephantes against the footemen of whome Meleager had the rule When the battell of horsemen began to moue the footemeÌ„ were stroken sodainly with feare and by reason of the late
the rest forsoke their armour and throwe themselues into the sea Then the TalaÌ„s that were more desirous to take them on liue then to kyll them with staues and stones did so beate them on the handes as they were swymming that for werenes they were glad to be taken vp into their boates The hole worcke was not consumed with this fire only for it chaunsed also thesame daye a terrible wynde to ryse whiche blowing out of the Sea brought the waues with suche violence vpon the Mole that with often beating of the Seas the ioyntes that knitte the worck together began to lose and leue their hold Then the water that wasshed through brake downe the Mole in the myddes so that the heapes of stones whiche were before susteyned by the tymbre and earth caste betwixt them once broken asonder the hole worcke fell to ruyn and was caried away into the deape sea By that time Alexander was returned out of Arabie and scarsely found any remayne or token that any suche worck had bene In that case as it is euer vsed in thynges that chaunceâ—ll one laide the faulte vpon an other â–ª when in dede the violence of the sea was the cause of al. AlexaÌ„der begaÌ„ to make the Pere againe after a newe sorte A newe Pere made aâ—ter amoyer force so that it ran with the fore front into the wind and not with the open side as before The fore front alwaies defending the reste of the worcke lieng behind which he made of suche bredth because the Toweres might be builded in the middes to be the further of from the shott Hole trees were put into the Sea with all ther braunches and after great stones thrown vpon them And ouer those a newe course of trees and stones againe by which deuice this hole worke was ioyned knit all in one As the Macedons were busie to bring ther worcke forwardes so the Tyrians were as diligent to inuent all such thinges as might giue impediment to their proceding Their cheife practise was for a nombre of them to go vnder water a farre of out of the macedones sight and so come diuing vnder the water till they came vnto the Pere wher with hokes they would pull vnto them the bramuches of the trees that apered out of the stones wherby the stones and thother substaunce folowed after into the depe For the trees being discharged of ther burden were esely drawen awaie and then the foundacion failing the hole worcke that staied vpon the trees fell to ruyne Amongs thes impedimentes Alexander stode in great perplexitie of mynde doutinge whither he should continewe the siege still or els deperte his waye When he was in this imaginacion sodenly his nauie arriued from Cipres and Cleander also with such souldiers as he had brought out of Greace and hauing to the nombre of .c.lxxx. shippes deuided theim into two batailes wherof he committed th one vnto Pitagoras the kinge of Cipres and to Craterus Pytagorâ—s king of Cipris and toke charge of the other him selfe taking for his owne persone a Galey called Cinque reme which had fiue oers in a bancke The TiriaÌ„s durst not adueÌ„ture the sea figh although they had a great nauy but set al there galies in a frouÌ„t before the walles of ther Citie which the king assailed and put to distresse The next daye the Macedons with ther shippes enuironed the Citie round about and did beate downe the walles specially with such engynes as they call Arietes Arietes But the Tirians strayght waye renforced and made vp ther walles againe with stoÌ„es that laie at hande and raised vp an inward wale rouÌ„d aboute within the Citie which might be there defence if the other failed But their destruction approched on euerie side the Mole was wrought with in caste of darte and the shippes gaue the approche round about the walles so that they were ouer laide both by Sea and by land The Macedones had deuised to ioyne ther gallayes two and two togither in such sorte that the forepartes met close before and the hinderpartes lay farre of one from the other And ouer the spaces that remayne betwixt ruppe and puppe they made brydges with mastes and many yardes laied betwixt Galey and galey and faste bounde together to carie souldiers vpon when they had put ther galeis in this ordre they set forwardes towardes the Cytie And hauinge rampared the prores for defence of the souldiers that were behind They stode in the Galies and did shoote and cast dartes against ther enemies without any perill or daunger to themselues It was midnight wheÌ„ they had commaundement to set forwards after this maner A Tempest As the shippes were approching on all partes and the Tyrians stode astonied for feare desperacion SodeÌ„ly the skie was ouerwhelmed with dimeine clowdes a sodeine darkenes toke away the light Then the sea by litell litell waxed terrible and roughe the wyend blewe and raysed vp the waues beate the shippes one againste an other the violences wherof brust a sonder the bandes and graspers wherwith the galaies were fastened togethers Which doun the bridges crashed and flewe asonder and with the souldiers that stoode vpon them fell into the Sea Ther was great confusion for the shippes entangled thus togither could by no means be gouerned in such a tempest the souldiers disturbing the feate of the mariners and the mariners giuinge impediment to the office of the Souldiers Thus as it doth often happeÌ„ in such a case the expert were obedient to the ignorant for the shippe masters that were wont to commaunde then for feare of death were derected by other But at length by force of rowing the galeis recouered the shore the more parte of them being broken and torne It chaunsed at the same time .xxx. Embasseadores to come from Cartage to Tyre who gaue more comfort then assistance to them that were besieged For they shewed howe the Carthaginens were so assailed with warre at ther owne dores that they could by no meanes send them succore SaracusaÌ„s In somuche as the Saracusans were burning in Afrike and had encaÌ„ped them selues vnder the verie walles of Cartage The Tirians yet were not discomfite for al that they were disapointed of ther speciall truste but deliuered vnto those Embassadours their wyues and their childrien to carie vnto Cartage thinking to endure more stowtly the siege if the thinges which were moste deare vnto them were remoued out of Daunger Ther was a Tirian which in an open assemble declared that Apollo whom the Tyrians gretlly do worshyppe had appered to him in his slepe semyng to him that he had forsaken the Cytie and trausformed the mole that the Macedons had made into a grate woode Hereupon though the autter were of small credite yet forasmuch as men in feare be apte to beleue the worste they tied faste Apolloes Image with a golden cherie and they bound faste also the aulter of Hercules to whom the Cytie was