alexander-第5章

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y　he　told　his　followers；　who　were　laughing　at　the　moroseness　of　the　philosopher；　that　if　he　were　not　Alexander；　he　would　choose　to　be　Diogenes。　　　Then　he　went　to　Delphi；　to　consult　Apollo　concerning　the　success　of　the　war　he　had　undertaken；　and　happening　to　come　on　one　of　the　forbidden　days；　when　it　was　esteemed　improper　to　give　any　answer　from　the　oracle；　he　sent　messengers　to　desire　the　priestess　to　do　her　office；　and　when　she　refused；　on　the　plea　of　a　law　to　the　contrary；　he　went　up　himself；　and　began　to　draw　her　by　force　into　the　temple；　until　tired　and　overcome　with　his　importunity；　〃My　son；〃　said　she；　〃thou　art　invincible。〃　Alexander　taking　hold　of　what　she　spoke；　declared　he　had　received　such　an　answer　as　he　wished　for；　and　that　it　was　needless　to　consult　the　god　any　further。　Among　other　prodigies　that　attended　the　departure　of　his　army；　the　image　of　Orpheus　at　Libethra；　made　of　cypress…wood；　was　seen　to　sweat　in　great　abundance；　to　the　discouragement　of　many。　But　Aristander　told　him　that；　far　from　presaging　any　ill　to　him；　it　signified　he　should　perform　acts　so　important　and　glorious　as　would　make　the　poets　and　musicians　of　future　ages　labour　and　sweat　to　describe　and　celebrate　them。　　　His　army；　by　their　computation　who　make　the　smallest　amount；　consisted　of　thirty　thousand　foot　and　four　thousand　horse；　and　those　who　make　the　most　of　it；　speak　but　of　forty…three　thousand　foot　and　three　thousand　horse。　Aristobulus　says；　he　had　not　a　fund　of　above　seventy　talents　for　their　pay；　nor　had　he　more　than　thirty　days'　provision；　if　we　may　believe　Duris；　Onesicritus　tells　us　he　was　two　hundred　talents　in　debt。　However　narrow　and　disproportionable　the　beginnings　of　so　vast　an　undertaking　might　seem　to　be；　yet　he　would　not　embark　his　army　until　he　had　informed　himself　particularly　what　means　his　friends　had　to　enable　them　to　follow　him；　and　supplied　what　they　wanted；　by　giving　good　farms　to　some；　a　village　to　one；　and　the　revenue　of　some　hamlet　or　harbour…town　to　another。　So　that　at　last　he　had　portioned　out　or　engaged　almost　all　the　royal　property；　which　giving　Perdiccas　an　occasion　to　ask　him　what　he　would　leave　himself；　he　replied；　his　hopes。　〃Your　soldiers；〃　replied　Perdiccas；　〃will　be　your　partners　in　those；〃　and　refused　to　accept　of　the　estate　he　had　assigned　him。　Some　others　of　his　friends　did　the　like；　but　to　those　who　willingly　received　or　desired　assistance　of　him；　he　liberally　granted　it；　as　far　as　his　patrimony　in　Macedonia　would　reach；　the　most　part　of　which　was　spent　in　these　donations。　　　With　such　vigorous　resolutions；　and　his　mind　thus　disposed；　he　passed　the　Hellespont；　and　at　Troy　sacrificed　to　Minerva；　and　honoured　the　memory　of　the　heroes　who　were　buried　there；　with　solemn　libations；　especially　Achilles；　whose　gravestone　he　anointed；　and　with　his　friends；　as　the　ancient　custom　is；　ran　naked　about　his　sepulchre；　and　crowned　it　with　garlands；　declaring　how　happy　he　esteemed　him；　in　having　while　he　lived　so　faithful　a　friend；　and　when　he　was　dead；　so　famous　a　poet　to　proclaim　his　actions。　While　he　was　viewing　the　rest　of　the　antiquities　and　curiosities　of　the　place；　being　told　he　might　see　Paris's　harp；　if　he　pleased；　he　said　he　thought　it　not　worth　looking　on；　but　he　should　be　glad　to　see　that　of　Achilles；　to　which　he　used　to　sing　the　glories　and　great　actions　of　brave　men。　　　In　the　meantime；　Darius's　captains；　having　collected　large　forces；　were　encamped　on　the　further　bank　of　the　river　Granicus；　and　it　was　necessary　to　fight；　as　it　were；　in　the　gate　of　Asia　for　an　entrance　into　it。　The　depth　of　the　river；　with　the　unevenness　and　difficult　ascent　of　the　opposite　bank；　which　was　to　be　gained　by　main　force；　was　apprehended　by　most；　and　some　pronounced　it　an　improper　time　to　engage；　because　it　was　unusual　for　the　kings　of　Macedonia　to　march　with　their　forces　in　the　month　called　Daesius。　But　Alexander　broke　through　these　scruples；　telling　them　they　should　call　it　a　second　Artemisius。　And　when　Parmenio　advised　him　not　to　attempt　anything　that　day；　because　it　was　late；　he　told　him　that　he　should　disgrace　the　Hellespont　should　he　fear　the　Granicus。　And　so；　without　more　saying；　he　immediately　took　the　river　with　thirteen　troops　of　horse；　and　advanced　against　whole　showers　of　darts　thrown　from　the　steep　opposite　side；　which　was　covered　with　armed　multitudes　of　the　enemy's　horse　and　foot；　notwithstanding　the　disadvantage　of　the　ground　and　the　rapidity　of　the　stream；　so　that　the　action　seemed　to　have　more　frenzy　and　desperation　in　it；　than　of　prudent　conduct。　However；　he　persisted　obstinately　to　gain　the　passage；　and　at　last　with　much　ado　making　his　way　up　the　banks；　which　were　extremely　muddy　and　slippery；　he　had　instantly　to　join　in　a　mere　confused　hand…to…hand　combat　with　the　enemy；　before　he　could　draw　up　his　men；　who　were　still　passing　over；　into　any　order。　For　the　enemy　pressed　upon　him　with　loud　and　warlike　outcries；　and　charging　horse　against　horse；　with　their　lances；　after　they　had　broken　and　spent　these；　they　fell　to　it　with　their　swords。　And　Alexander；　being　easily　known　by　his　buckler；　and　a　large　plume　of　white　feathers　on　each　side　of　his　helmet；　was　attacked　on　all　sides；　yet　escaped　wounding；　though　his　cuirass　was　pierced　by　a　javelin　in　one　of　the　joinings。　And　Rhoesaces　and　Spithridates；　two　Persian　commanders；　falling　upon　him　at　once；　he　avoided　one　of　them；　and　struck　at　Rhoesaces；　who　had　a　good　cuirass　on；　with　such　force　that；　his　spear　breaking　in　his　hand；　he　was　glad　to　betake　himself　to　his　dagger。　While　they　were　thus　engaged；　Spithridates　came　up　on　one　side　of　him；　and　raising　himself　upon　his　horse；　gave　him　such　a　blow　with　his　battle…axe　on　the　helmet　that　he　cut　off　the　crest　of　it；　with　one　of　his　plumes；　and　the　helmet　was　only　just　so　far　strong　enough　to　save　him；　that　the　edge　of　the　weapon　touched　the　hair　of　his　head。　But　as　he　was　about　to　repeat　his　stroke；　Clitus；　called　the　black　Clitus；　prevented　him；　by　running　him　through　the　body　with　his　spear。　At　the　same　time　Alexander　despatched　Rhoesaces　with　his　sword。　While　the　horse　were　thus　dangerously　engaged；　the　Macedonian　phalanx　passed　the　river；　and　the　foot　on　each　side　advanced　to　fight。　But　the　enemy　hardly　sustaining　the　first　onset　soon　gave　ground　and　fled；　all　but　the　mercenary　Greeks；　who；　making　a　stand　upon　a　rising　ground；　desired　quarter；　which　Alexander；　guided　rather　by　passion　than　judgment；　refused　to　grant；　and　charging　them　himself　first；　had　his　horse　（not　Bucephalus；　but　another）　killed　under　him。　And　this　obstinacy　of　his　to　cut　off　these　experienced　desperate　men　cost　him　the　lives　of　more　of　his　own　soldiers　than　all　the　battle　before；　besides　those　who　were　wounded。　The　Persians　lost　in　this　battle　twenty　thousand　foot　and　two　thousand　five　hundred　horse。　On　Alexander's　side；　Aristobulus　says　there　were　not　wanting　above　four…and…thirty；　of　whom　nine　were　foot…soldiers；　and　in　memory　of　them　he　caused　so　many　statues　of　brass；　of　Lysippus's　making；　to　be　erected。　And　that　the　Grecians　might　participate　in　the　honour　of　his　victory　he　sent　a　portion　of　the　spoils　home　to　them　particularly　to　the　Athenians　three　hundred　bucklers；　and　upon　all　the　rest　he　ordered　this　inscription　to　be　set：　〃Alexander　the　s