alexander-第20章

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was　bestowed　on　mankind　by　God　as　a　refreshment　of　their　labours。　　　Nor　did　they　judge　amiss；　for　he　exposed　himself　to　many　hazards　in　the　battles　which　he　fought；　and　received　very　severe　wounds；　but　the　greatest　loss　in　his　army　was　occasioned　through　the　unwholesomeness　of　the　air　and　the　want　of　necessary　provisions。　But　he　still　applied　himself　to　overcome　fortune　and　whatever　opposed　him；　by　resolution　and　virtue；　and　thought　nothing　impossible　to　true　intrepidity；　and　on　the　other　hand　nothing　secure　or　strong　for　cowardice。　It　is　told　of　him　that　when　he　besieged　Sisimithres；　who　held　an　inaccessible；　impregnable　rock　against　him；　and　his　soldiers　began　to　despair　of　taking　it；　he　asked　Oxyartes　whether　Sisimithres　was　a　man　of　courage；　who　assuring　him　he　was　the　greatest　coward　alive；　〃Then　you　tell　me；〃　said　he；　〃that　the　place　may　easily　be　taken；　since　what　is　in　command　of　it　is　weak。〃　And　in　a　little　time　he　so　terrified　Sisimithres　that　he　took　it　without　any　difficulty。　At　an　attack　which　he　made　upon　such　another　precipitous　place　with　some　of　his　Macedonian　soldiers；　he　called　to　one　whose　name　was　Alexander；　and　told　him　he　at　any　rate　must　fight　bravely　if　it　were　but　for　his　name's　sake。　The　youth　fought　gallantly　and　was　killed　in　the　action；　at　which　he　was　sensibly　afflicted。　Another　time；　seeing　his　men　march　slowly　and　unwillingly　to　the　siege　of　the　place　called　Nysa；　because　of　a　deep　river　between　them　and　the　town；　he　advanced　before　them；　and　standing　upon　the　bank；　〃What　a　miserable　man；〃　said　he；　〃am　I；　that　I　have　not　learned　to　swim！〃　and　then　was　hardly　dissuaded　from　endeavouring　to　pass　it　upon　his　shield。　Here；　after　the　assault　was　over；　the　ambassadors　who　from　several　towns　which　he　had　blocked　up　came　to　submit　to　him　and　make　their　peace；　were　surprised　to　find　him　still　in　his　armour；　without　any　one　in　waiting　or　attendance　upon　him；　and　when　at　last　some　one　brought　him　a　cushion；　he　made　the　eldest　of　them；　named　Acuphis；　take　it　and　sit　down　upon　it。　The　old　man；　marvelling　at　his　magnanimity　and　courtesy；　asked　him　what　his　countrymen　should　do　to　merit　his　friendship。　〃I　would　have　them；〃　said　Alexander；　〃choose　you　to　govern　them；　and　send　one　hundred　of　the　most　worthy　men　among　them　to　remain　with　me　as　hostages。〃　Acuphis　laughed　and　answered；　〃I　shall　govern　them　with　more　ease；　sir；　if　I　send　you　so　many　of　the　worst；　rather　than　the　best　of　my　subjects。〃　　　The　extent　of　King　Taxiles's　dominions　in　India　was　thought　to　be　as　large　as　Egypt；　abounding　in　good　pastures；　and　producing　beautiful　fruits。　The　king　himself　had　the　reputation　of　a　wise　man；　and　at　his　first　interview　with　Alexander　he　spoke　to　him　in　these　terms：　〃To　what　purpose；〃　said　he；　〃should　we　make　war　upon　one　another；　if　the　design　of　your　coming　into　these　parts　be　not　to　rob　us　of　our　water　or　our　necessary　food；　which　are　the　only　things　that　wise　men　are　indispensably　obliged　to　fight　for？　As　for　other　riches　and　possessions；　as　they　are　accounted　in　the　eye　of　the　world；　if　I　am　better　provided　of　them　than　you；　I　am　ready　to　let　you　share　with　me；　but　if　fortune　has　been　more　liberal　to　you　than　me；　I　have　no　objection　to　be　obliged　to　you。〃　This　discourse　pleased　Alexander　so　much　that；　embracing　him；　〃Do　you　think；〃　said　he　to　him；　〃your　kind　words　and　courteous　behaviour　will　bring　you　off　in　this　interview　without　a　contest？　No；　you　shall　not　escape　so。　I　shall　contend　and　do　battle　with　you　so　far；　that　how　obliging　soever　you　are；　you　shall　not　have　the　better　of　me。〃　Then　receiving　some　presents　from　him；　he　returned　him　others　of　greater　value；　and　to　complete　his　bounty　gave　him　in　money　ready　coined　one　thousand　talents；　at　which　his　old　friends　were　much　displeased；　but　it　gained　him　the　hearts　of　many　of　the　barbarians。　But　the　best　soldiers　of　the　Indians　now　entering　into　the　pay　of　several　of　the　cities；　undertook　to　defend　them；　and　did　it　so　bravely；　that　they　put　Alexander　to　a　great　deal　of　trouble；　till　at　last；　after　a　capitulation；　upon　the　surrender　of　the　place；　he　fell　upon　them　as　they　were　marching　away；　and　put　them　all　to　the　sword。　This　one　breach　of　his　word　remains　as　a　blemish　upon　his　achievements　in　war；　which　he　otherwise　had　performed　throughout　with　that　justice　and　honour　that　became　a　king。　Nor　was　he　less　incommoded　by　the　Indian　philosophers；　who　inveighed　against　those　princes　who　joined　his　party；　and　solicited　the　free　nations　to　oppose　him。　He　took　several　of　these　also　and　caused　them　to　be　hanged。　　　Alexander；　in　his　own　letters；　has　given　us　an　account　of　his　war　with　Porus。　He　says　the　two　armies　were　separated　by　the　river　Hydaspes；　on　whose　opposite　bank　Porus　continually　kept　his　elephants　in　order　of　battle；　with　their　heads　towards　their　enemies；　to　guard　the　passage；　that　he；　on　the　other　hand；　made　every　day　a　great　noise　and　clamour　in　his　camp；　to　dissipate　the　apprehensions　of　the　barbarians；　that　one　stormy　dark　night　he　passed　the　river；　at　a　distance　from　the　place　where　the　enemy　lay；　into　a　little　island；　with　part　of　his　foot　and　the　best　of　his　horse。　Here　there　fell　a　most　violent　storm　of　rain；　accompanied　with　lightning　and　whirlwinds；　and　seeing　some　of　his　men　burnt　and　dying　with　the　lightning；　he　nevertheless　quitted　the　island　and　made　over　to　the　other　side。　The　Hydaspes；　he　says；　now　after　the　storm；　was　so　swollen　and　grown　so　rapid　as　to　have　made　a　breach　in　the　bank；　and　a　part　of　the　river　was　now　pouring　in　here；　so　that　when　he　came　across　it　was　with　difficulty　he　got　a　footing　on　the　land；　which　was　slippery　and　unsteady；　and　exposed　to　the　force　of　the　currents　on　both　sides。　This　is　the　occasion　when　he　is　related　to　have　said；　〃O　ye　Athenians；　will　ye　believe　what　dangers　I　incur　to　merit　your　praise？〃　This；　however；　is　Onesicritus's　story。　Alexander　says；　here　the　men　left　their　boats；　and　passed　the　breach　in　their　armour；　up　to　the　breast　in　water；　and　that　then　he　advanced　with　his　horse　about　twenty　furlongs　before　his　foot；　concluding　that　if　the　enemy　charged　him　with　their　cavalry　he　should　be　too　strong　for　them；　if　with　their　foot；　his　own　would　come　up　time　enough　to　his　assistance。　Nor　did　he　judge　amiss；　for　being　charged　by　a　thousand　horse　and　sixty　armed　chariots；　which　advanced　before　their　main　body；　he　took　all　the　chariots；　and　killed　four　hundred　horse　upon　the　place。　Porus；　by　this　time；　guessing　that　Alexander　himself　had　crossed　over；　came　on　with　his　whole　army；　except　a　party　which　he　left　behind；　to　hold　the　rest　of　the　Macedonians　in　play；　if　they　should　attempt　to　pass　the　river。　But　he；　apprehending　the　multitude　of　the　enemy；　and　to　avoid　the　shock　of　their　elephants；　dividing　his　forces；　attacked　their　left　wing　himself；　and　commanded　Coenus　to　fall　upon　the　right；　which　was　performed　with　good　success。　For　by　this　means　both　wings　being　broken；　the　enemies　fell　back　in　their　retreat　upon　the　centre；　and　crowded　in　upon　their　elephants。　There　rallying；　they　fought　a　hand…to…hand　battle；　and　it　was　the　eighth　hour　of　the　day　before　they　were　entirely　defeated。　This　description　the　conqueror　himself　has　left　us　in　his　own　epistles。　　　Almost　all　the　historians　agree　in　relating　that