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
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
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
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.
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
Tyron had nere drawn him beyond the bouÌ„des of the sonne Memnon Tyron But the warres he had in hande being of much more momeÌ„t theÌ„ any such idle peregrinacion gaue him no time to fulfill his fantasie And therfore apointed Aestylus a Rodyan Aestylus Pewcestes and Pewcestes a Macedon the gouernaÌ„s of Egipt And assigning to the .iiii. thousaÌ„d souldiers for defeÌ„ce of the Region gaue TolomaÌ„ .xxx. galles to keape the mouthe of Nile He made Posomus ruler of that parte of Afrik which ioyneth vnto Egipt and Cliomenes receyuer of the Tributes in both Contreis Clyomenes This newe Cytye was sone replenished wyth a great multitude for commandiment was giuen to all the Cyties theraboutes to send inhabiters vnto Alexandrey It is saide that when the kynge occordinge to the Macedones custume vsede the kyng according to the Macedons custome vsed the ceremony of steping barley at the making of the walles that the birdes came fed thereupon which being takeÌ„ of many for an vnlucky token it was aunswered by their deuiners that ther shuld be great resort of strauÌ„gers to that citie that it should giue norishement to many landes The Ryuer of Nyle As the king went down the riuer of Nile Hector Parmenio his soÌ„ne desirous to folowe him was drowned For the vessel sonke that caried him being pestred with ouer many meÌ„ He striued loÌ„g with the streame but his garmentes gaue impediment to his swimming so that his breath was nere gone before he could recouer the banke The death of Hector Parmenâ—os sonne wherfore want of succour he died Whose vnfortunate chauÌ„ce AlexaÌ„der toke greuously as one that did beare him speciall fauour therfore caused his body to be honorably buried The death of Andromachus lieutenaunt of Siria Andromachus burnid by the Samaritans whoÌ„ the SamaritaÌ„s had burned was encrease of AlexaÌ„ders sorow for the reuengemeÌ„t wherof he made al the halfe he might at his coÌ„ming into Samaria had the auctours of the acte deliuered into his handes whom he put to death then placed NemnoÌ„ in Andromachus rowme Methinians He deliuered into the MethiniaÌ„s handes Aristonicus Crisolaus that had vsurped amonges them whoÌ„ they after many greuous tormeÌ„tes did haÌ„g ouer their walles That done he gaue audieÌ„ce to the Embassadours of the Athenians the Rodians the Sciottis The Athenians did gratefie vnto hym his victory and required that such Grekes as were takeÌ„ prisoners might be restored to libertie The RodiaÌ„s and the Sciotes demaunded assistaunce of some guarrison he graunted to them all their requestes and restoryng to the Mytelens their pledges encreased their territorie and dominion in respecte of the fidelitie they shewed vnto hym and the money that they employed in the warres He gaue honour also according to their deseruinges vnto he kynges of Cipres whiche reuolted from Darius vnto him and had aided him with shippes at the siege of Tyre Amphoterus his admiral had coÌ„mission to driue the Percians out of the Isle Crete but specially that he shuld ridde the seas of the pirates whiche troubled and spoiled all the IlaÌ„des whiles these two princes conuerted their powers one against another When he had geuen order to all these thinges he did dedicate to Hercules at Tyre a greate standing pece and .xxx. bowles of gold Alexander Darius prepared to fight another battel That done he set his hole mynde and care vpon Darius causing it to be proclaimed that euery man should set forwardes towardes Euphrates But Darius vnderstanding that his enemy was gone through Egipt into Affrick stode in doubte whether he shuld stay about Mesopotania or withdrawe into the inward partes of his kyngdome iudging that he should be hable to worcke with those farre nacions in bringing of them forwardes to the warres that his lieftenaunt should not be able to doe yet when the fame had published and he vnderstode by assured aduertisement that Alexander was retourned out of Egipt and fully resolued to folowe him with all his power into what countrey soeuer he should go he then gaue order that the force of all the farre nations should drawe towardes BabiloÌ„ knowing the stoutnes of his enemy he had to match withal Thither resorted both Bactrians Scythians and Indians for the power of other countreys were come thether before And hauing the double nombre of men that he had before in Cilicia prepared much armour for them with diligeÌ„ce wherof many of them had want Both the horsemen and the horses were armed with plates of stele And such as before had no weapoÌ„s but dartes had swordes and bucklers geuen to them more And to encrease the power of his horsemeÌ„ deliuered many horses to be broken amoÌ„ges the footemen He had prepared also CC. wagons set with hokes whiche in those couÌ„treys were estemed thynges of great force and iudged to be a woÌ„derfull terrour to the ennemie they were made with greate loÌ„g pykes styking out before and with swordes set ouerwhart on both sydes The wheales were also full of Iron pikes ryght forth and of great hokes both vpward and downward wherewith all thyng was cutte a sondre that came in their waye When his people were thus furnysshed of armour and had prouided sufficiently for the warres he remoued from Babilon and kepyng the ryuer of Tygre on his ryght hand â–ª Tygre Euphrates and Euphrates on his lefte hand ouerspredde with his army all the playnes of Mesopotania After that he passed Tigre and vnderstandyng that his enemy was commyng at hand sent first Satrapaces before with a thousand chosen horsemen Satrapaces and afterwardes appointed syx thousand to Mascens to stop Alexander the passage of the Ryuer Masens Who had also in commission to waste burne all the couÌ„trey where he iudged that his enemies should come thynking to famyshe them with wante of victualles consyderyng that they had no other prouision but suche as they got by rauyne and by stelthe they themselues hauyng plenty brought them both by lande and by the ryuer of Tigre At length he came vnto a village called Arbella Arbella whiche was afterwardes famous by reason of his ouerthrowe There he lefte the chief furniture of his victualles and cariage Licus and made a brydge ouer the Ryuer of Licus and in fyue dayes conueyed ouer his army as he had done before ouer Euphrates passyng forewardes from thence about foure store forloÌ„ges He came vnto an other ryuer called Bowmello Bowmello and there encamped The countrey serued wonderfull well for the arrangyng of his battailles in the large playnes passable for horses euery where and without stubbes or shorte brushe to couer the ground withall but so free a prospect that the eye might decerne thynges a great waye of And if there appeared any hilles within the playne Darius caused thesame to be caste downe and the ground to be made smothe Suche as by coniecture made reporte to Alexander of Darius power coulde not be
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
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
wheÌ„ we hold our peace we are suspected what would you haue vs do Then one of the company that stode by cried out that none ought to be traitours to them that put them in trust Thou saiest well qd Philotas whosoeuer thou art And therfore if I haue done treason I require no respect of my paine And here will I make an end of speaking because my last wordes seme tedious to your eares And as he was speaking so his keapers led him away There was amoÌ„ges the captaines one Belon Belons euidence a hardy man but very rude of al honest maner ciuilitie who being an old souldier was promoted froÌ„ lowe estate to the rowme of a captain This Belon presuming vpon a folishe audacitie when all others had done began to tell theÌ„ that wheÌ„ diuers had taken vp their lodginges in the campe how they were thurst out by the seruauntes of Philotas which would lay their baggage where other meÌ„ were placed before And how all the streates were ful of his wagons ladeÌ„ with gold and siluer He added further that Philotas would suffre none to lodge nere him but alwayes appointed certaine to wayte whiles he stept which should voyde al men alowf to thinteÌ„t he should not be disquieted with any noyse not so much for wakening of him as for his diseasing And howe he was so hault that he dispised the plaine men of Phrigia and Paphlagonia being a MacedoÌ„ borne would not be ashamed to here men of his owne nacion by an interpreter And where as Philotas had before moued to haue the oracle of Iupiter enquired of he sayd it was ment therby to make God a lier for knowledging AlexaÌ„der to be his sonne as though any man should enuie the king for that title whiche the goddes had geuen him But why qd he did he not aske counsel of Iupiter afore he did offend For nowe he would haue vs send for an oracle that in the meane season his father which ruleth in Media might raise a power vp with the money that he hath in custody might assemble disperat persones to the felowship of his mischief Neuertheles we shal qd he send to Iupiter not to enquire of any thing towching the matter but to geue him thankes do him sacrifice for the preseruacion of so good a king Then all the coÌ„pany was moued and amonges the kinges houshold there began a crye that the traytour shoulde be rent in peaces Whiche thyng Philotas who feared more greuous punyshement was content to heare The kyng returnyng into the prease deferred the counsell till the next day to thinteÌ„t to coÌ„mit Philotas either to prison there to be racked or els in the meane season to get further knowledge of thinges And albeit it drue towardes night yet commaunded he hys counsell to be called together Some of them thought it best Philotas should be stoned to death after the MacedoÌ„s lawes EphestioÌ„ Craterus and Cenus determined to haue the trouth tried by tormentes and then they which counseled the contrary turned to their opynion Therfore when the counsel was broken vp Ephestion with craterus and Cenus arose to take Philotas thexaminacion The king called Craterus vnto him and commauding the rest to auoide had secret coÌ„muinicacion with him in the innermoste parte of his lodging theffect wherof came not to any mans knowledg And their taried tyll the night was farre passed Philotas â—acked to here th end of thexaminacioÌ„ The executyoners set forth al sortes of cruel torments in the sight of Philotas who of his own mind said vnto them Why deferre you to kill such one as hath confessed hym selfe the kings enemy and a traitour what nedeth more examinacion It was myne intent It was my wil. Craterê° mind was that whatsoeuer was confessed before should be coÌ„fessed by Philotas againe vpon the racke Whych whiles he was taken vp hys eyes bounden and spoyled of his clothes cried out vpon the lawe of nature and the gods of the countrey But al was in vaine to their death eares Fynally as a condempned man he was torne wyth moste extreame torments by his enemies that wronge him sore for the kinges pleasure And notwithstanding that at the first fire on the one side and scourges on thother were ministred vnto him more to payne him then for any examinacion sake yet he had powre of him self to refraine both from speaking and groning But after that hys body beganne to be bolne with stripes that he coulde not abide the scourges that persed vnto the bare bones Then he promised if they would torment him no more he would confesse whatsoeuer they shoulde require to know But first he would haue them swere by the life of Alexander that thei shoulde cesse their tormentes set the racke aside The which thing obteyned he saied to Craterus Tell me what wil ye haue me to coÌ„fesse Therat Craterus was displeased thinkinge by those wordes that he had mocked him The confession or Philotas caused his tormentes to be renued Then Philotas besought him to haue a time of respite whiles he might take his breath then he would vtter all that euer he knewe In the meane season the chefe of the men at armes especially such as were nere to Parmenio in any degre of kinred after that the fame had bruted that Philotas was tormeÌ„ted fearing the MacedoÌ„s law wherin it was ordeined that the kinsâ—olke of suche as had done treasoÌ„ against the king should be put to death with the traitors Some slew them selues some fled into wilde mouÌ„taines and waist wildernesses great dreade feare fell through all the host vntil such time as the king hauing knowlege of that vprore made proclamation that he would pardon the rigour of the lawe to the kinsfolke of the traitours But in coÌ„clusion Philotas made this coÌ„fession whether it were to deliuer him self out of paine by accusyng him self falsly or not it is doubted Seing it is coÌ„munely sene that both such as truely coÌ„fesse falsly denye come all to one ende You are not ignoraunt quod he how familier my father was with Egilocus I meane the same that was slaine in the feild he was the cause of all our mischiefe For when the kyng toke vpoÌ„ him the title of Iupiters sonne he disdained therat Shal we knowlege him quod he to be our kyng that taketh scorne that Phillip was his father We are al vndone if we can suffer this He doth not onelye despise men but the Gods also which wil be reputed a God We haue lost Alexander we haue lost our kyng We are fallen to presumption nether tollerable to the Gods with whom he coÌ„pareth neither to men whom he despiseth Haue we with our bloud made him a god which despiseth vs which disdayneth to be in the numbre of men Trust me that we also if we be men shall be adopted likewise of the Gods Who hath reueÌ„ged the deathes of AlexaÌ„dre his great grandfather or of Archilaus or
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
Agramenes and Pharrasians whose kyng was called Agramenes whiche vsed to come to the field with .xx. thousand horsemeÌ„ CC. thousand footemen two thousand armed wagons and thre M. Elephantes whiche were couÌ„ted the greatest terrour Those thinges semed incredible vnto Alexander and therfore enquired of Porus if the thinges were true that had bene told him He coÌ„firmed Phegelas reporte concernyng the force of the nacion â–ª But he sayde their king was come of no noble bloud but of the basest sorte of men whose father being a Barbour and with great payne getting his daily liuyng came in fauour with the quene by reason of his personage who brought him to haue al the doinges about the king her husband which was afterwardes sâ—ayn by their treason and vnder colour to be come tutor vnto the chyldren vsurped the kyngdome to him selfe and puttyng the childreÌ„ to death did beget him that was now king whiche was in hatred and disgrace of the people folowyng more the maners of his fathers former estate theÌ„ such as did beseme the dignitie he was come to wheÌ„ Alexander harde Porus affirme this matter he became in great trouble of minde not that he regarded the multitude of his enemies nor the force of their Elephantes But he feared the greatnes of the riuers and the scituacion of the couÌ„trey so difficult to entre vpoÌ„ He thought it a hard enterprise to seke out nacions so farre inhabityng in the vttermoste boundes of the worlde Yet on the other syde the gredines of glory the vnsaciable desire of fame made no place to sâ—me to far nor no aduenture to be ouerharde He doubted also that the Macedons whiche had passed so many countreys and were waxed daged with warres would not be content to folow hym ouer so many ryuers and against so many difficulties of nature lyeng in their way For he iudged that since they habounded were so laden with spoyle they would rather seke to enioye suche thynges as they had gotten then to trauaill any further in getting of more He could not thinke the same appetite to be in his souldiers that was in himselfe For he coÌ„passed in his mynd how to get the Empire of the hole worlde into which matter he had but made his entre where as they weried with trauail and thinking to haue past all perill loked now to enioy with spede the frute of all their labour yet for all that his assertion ouercame reason For he assembled his army together spake vnto them after this maner Alexanders Oracion to his souldiers I am not ignorant my souldiers howe that there be now many rumores sowed amonges you by the Indians of purpose to put you in feare But the vanitie of their lieng is not so newe a thing that it is able nowe to deceiâ—e you The PerciaÌ„s after that maner would haue made both the streytes of Ciliâ—ia and the plaines of Mesopotamy terrible vnto you yea put you in feare of the ryuers of Tigre Euphrates yet we wadyd ouer th one of theÌ„ and passed the other by a brydge The fame neuer reporte thinges truly but maketh al thinges greater theÌ„ thei be in dede Euen our glory though it be growen to certain perfectioÌ„ yet it is more in fame then in effect Whiche of you of late did thinke that you should haue bene able to endure the ElephaÌ„tes shewing afarre of like castels Who thought I could haue passed the ryuer of Hydaspis when I hard it reported to be muche greather then it was We should long ago my souldiers haue fled out of Asia if tales could haue caused vs to turne our backes Thinke you that the noÌ„bre of the Elephantes be greater then you haue sene herdes of beastes in other places seing thei be so rare in the world and being hard to be taken are muche harder to be tamed Thesame vanitie that hath reported them to you to be of suche nombre haue nombred also their horsemen and their footemen Concernyng the ryuers the more broder they be the more gently they must runne For suche as be narowe and of smalle brede runne alwayes with moste vehement streme Where as contrariwise the brode ryuer passe their course more mildly But you will peraduenture saye that all the perill is at the shore where youre enemies shall wayte for your arriuall Whatsoeuer the ryuer be the hasard is all one at the landing But ymagen that al those thinges were true Whether is it the greatnes of the beastes or the multitude of the men that put you in feare As concerning the Elephantes we haue had experieÌ„ce of them of late howe muche more vigorously the rage against their owne party then against vs. What should we esteme theÌ„ but only abate the greatnes of their bodies with suche weapons as we haue prepared for the purpose What matter is it whether they be of the like noÌ„bre that Porus had or whether thei be .iii. M. seing that we perceiue that when two or thre be once wounded the rest bende them selues to â—le away And forasmuche as thei cannot well be gouerned when they be but fewe when there be so many thousandes together they must then nedes be an impedimeÌ„t one to another and brede a confusion amonges them selues they be so vnweldy by reason of their huge bodies that they be neither apt to passe forwardes nor yet to fle I haue alwayes so litle estemed theÌ„ that when I haue had pleÌ„ty of that kynd I wold neuer vse theÌ„ knowing very well that they be more dauÌ„gerous to such as occupie theÌ„ theÌ„ thei be to their enemies But peraduenture it is the multitude of their horsemeÌ„ fotemeÌ„ that do moue you haue you bene accustomed to fight against smalle nombres or is it the first tyme that you haue encountred with disordred multitudes The ryuers of Granick is a witnes howe inuincible the power of the Macedons is against any multitude And so is Cilicia the flowed with the Percians bloud and Arbella whose playnes be strewed with their bones It is ouer late to counte the nombre of your enemies after that with your victory ye haue made Asia desert When ye passed ouer Hellespont you should then haue considered your smalle nombre Nowe the Scythians do folowe vs we haue ayde at hande from the Bactrians we supply our power with the Sogdians Yet for all that it is not in them I put my confidence I haue a regarde vnto your force I reserue your manhode about me as a pledge and assuraunce of my actes and doinges So long as I may stande in the field amonges you I wil neither way my self nor myne enemies Doe you but shewe an apparaunce that there is hope in you cherefulnes We are not nowe newly entred into our trauailes but haue passed all our labours being come to the rising of the sonne and to the Occean sea except our owne slougthe be our impediment From thence hauing subdued the worlde we shall returne as