a small number of wretches; but by the providence | on that occasion were his most inveterate enemies, and mercy of the gods, I now again appear before you and they made him suffer every kind of torture. Phialive: and I protest to you, that nothing encourages lotas at first discovered the utmost resolution and me more to proceed against the traitors, than the strength of mind; the torments he suffered not being sight of this assembly, whose welfare is much dearer able to force from him a single word, nor even so to me than my own; for I desire to live for your sakes much as a sigh. But at last, conquered by pain, only and the greatest happiness I should find in living he confessed himself to be guilty, nained several ac(not to say the only one) would be the pleasure I should complices, and even accused his own father. The receive in having it in my power to reward the services next day, the answers of Philotas were read in fuil of so many brave men, to whom I owe every thing." assembly, he himself being present. He was unaniHere he was interrupted by the cries and groans of mously sentenced to die; immediately after which he the soldiers, who all burst into tears. "Alas! how was stoned, according to the custom of Macedonia, will you behave," continued he, "when I shall name with some other of the conspirators. the persons who formed so execrable a design? I myself cannot think of it without shuddering. They on whom I have been most lavish of my kindnesses: on whom I have bestowed the greatest marks of friendship: in whom I had put my whole confidence, and in whose breasts I lodged my greatest secrets-Parmenio and Philotas." At these names the soldiers gazed one upon the other, not daring to believe their eyes or ears, nor to give credit to any thing they saw or heard. Then Nicomachus, Metron, and Cebalinus, were sent for, who made the several depositions of what they knew. But as not one of them charged Philotas with engaging in the plot, the whole assembly, being seized with a trouble and confusion easier conceived than expressed, continued in a sad and gloomy silence. They also judged at the same time, and put to death, Lyncestes Alexander, who had been found guilty of conspiring the death of the king, and had been kept three years in prison. The condemnation of Philotas brought on that of Parmenio: whether it were that Alexander really believed him guilty, or was afraid of the father now he had put the son to death. Polydamas, one of the lords of the court, was appointed to see the execution performed. He had been one of Parmenio's most intimate friends, if we may give that name to courtiers, who love nothing but their own fortune. This was the very reason of his being nominated, because Parmenio could not entertain any suspicion of his being sent to him with such a design. He therefore set out Philotas was then brought in, his hands tied behind for Media, where that general commanded the army, him, and his head covered with a coarse worn-out and was intrusted with the king's treasures, which piece of cloth. How shocking a sight! Almost de- amounted to 180,000 talents, about 27,000,000l. sterprived of his senses, he did not dare to look up or ling. Alexander had given him several letters for open his lips; but the tears streaming from his eyes, Cleander, the king's lieutenant in the province; and he fainted away in the arms of the man who held him. for the principal officers. Two were for Parmenio; As the standers by wiped off the tears in which his one of them from Alexander, and the other sealed with face was bathed, recovering his spirits and his voice Philotas's seal, as if he had been alive, to prevent the by degrees, he seemed desirous of speaking. The father from harbouring the least suspicion. Polyda king then told him, that he should be judged by the mas was but eleven days on his journey, and alighted Macedonians, and withdrew. Philotas might have in the night-time at the house of Cleander. After justified himself very easily; for not one of the wit- having taken all the precautions necessary, they went nesses, and those who had been put on the rack, had together with a great number of attendants, to meet accused him of being an accomplice in the plot. Dym- Parmenio, who at this time was walking in a park of nus, who first formed it, had not named him to any of his own. The moment Polydamas spied him, though the conspirators; and had Philotas been concerned at a great distance, he ran to embrace him with an air in it, and the ring-leader, as was pretended, Dymnus of the utmost joy; and after compliments, intermixed would certainly have named him, at the head of all with the strongest indications of friendship, had passed the rest, in order to engage them the more strongly. on both sides, he gave him Alexander's letter. In the Had Philotas been conscious to himself of guilt in this opening it, he asked him what the king was doing; to particular, as he was sensible that Cebalinus, who which Polydamas replied, that he would know by his knew the whole, sought earnestly to acquaint the majesty's letter. Parmenio, after perusing it, said: king with it, was it probable that he could have re- "The king is preparing to march against the Aramained quiet two days together, without once endea- chosii. How glorious a prince is this, who will not vouring either to despatch Cebalinus, or to put his suffer himself to take a moment's rest! However, dark design in execution, which he might very easily he ought to be a little tender of himself, now he has have done? Philotas set these proofs, and a great acquired so much glory." He afterwards opened the many more, in the strongest light; and did not omit letter which was written in Philotas's name; and, by to mention the reasons which had made him despise his countenance, seemed pleased with the contents of the information that had been given him, as groundless it. At that very instant Cleander thrust a dagger into and imaginary. Then directing himself, on a sudden, his side, then made another thrust in his throat; and to Alexander, as if he had been present, "O king," the rest gave him several wounds, even after he was says he, "wheresoever you may be, (for it is thought dead. nder heard all that passed from behind a curf I have committed a fault in not acquainting you what I heard, I confessed it to you, and you parme. You gave me your royal hand as a pledge 3; and you did me the honour to admit me at able. If you believed me, I am innocent: if you pardoned me, I am cleared: I refer all this to your own judgment. What new crime have I committed since? I was in a deep sleep when my enemies waked me, and loaded me with chains. Is it natural for a man, who is conscious that he is guilty of the most horrid of all crimes, to be thus easy and undisturbed? The innocence of my own conscience, and the promise your majesty made me, gave my mind this calm. Do not let the envy of my enemies prevail over your clemency and justice." The result of this assembly was, that Philotas should be put on the rack. The persons who presided Thus this great man ended his life; a man illustrious both in peace and war; who had performed many glorious actions without the king, whereas the king had never achieved any thing conspicuous, but in concert with Parmenio. He was a person of great abilities, both in forming plans and carrying them into execution; was very dear to the grandees, and much more to the officers and soldiers, who reposed the highest confidence in him; and looked upon themselves as assured of victory when he was at their head, so firmly they relied on his capacity and good fortune. He was then threescore and ten years of age; and had always served his sovereign with inviolable fidelity and zeal, for which he was very ill rewarded; his son and himself having been put to death, merely on a slight suspicion, unsupported by any real proof, which nevertheless obliterated in a moment all the great services both had done their country. Alexander was sensible, that such A. M. 3675. cruel executions might alienate the Ant. J. C. 329.. affections of the troops, of which he had a proof, by the letters they sent into Macedonia, which were intercepted by his order; concluding, therefore, that it would be proper for him to separate from the rest of the army such soldiers as had most distinguished themselves by their murmurs and complaints, lest their seditious discourses should spread the same spirit of discontent, he formed a separate body of these, the command of which he gave to Leonidas; this kind of ignominy being the only punishment he inflicted on them. But they were so strongly affected with it, that they endeavoured to wipe out the disgrace it brought upon them, by a bravery, a fidelity, and an obedience, which they observed ever afterwards. To prevent the ill consequences that might arise from this secret discontent, Alexander set out upon his march, and continued to pursue Bessus; on which occasion he exposed himself to great hardships and dangers. After having passed through Drangiana, Arachosia, and the country of the Arimaspi, where all things submitted to his arms, he arrived at a mountain, called Paropamisus (a part of Caucasus,) where his army underwent inexpressible fatigues, through weariness, famine, cold, and the snows, which killed a great number of his soldiers. Bessus laid waste all the country that lay between him and mount Caucasus, in order that the want of provisions and forage might deprive Alexander of an opportunity of pursuing him. He indeed suffered very much, but nothing could check his vigour. After making his army repose for some time at Drapsaca, he advanced towards Aornos and Bactria, the two strongest cities of Bactriana, and took them both. At Alexander's approach, about 7 or 8000 Bactrians, who till then had adhered very firmly to Bessus, abandoned him to a man, and retired each to his respective home. Bessus, at the head of the small number of forces who continued faithful to him, passed the river Oxus, burnt all the boats he himself made use of, to prevent Alexander from crossing it, and withdrew to Nauaca, a city of Sogdiana, fully determined to raise a new army there. Alexander, however, did not give him time to do this; and not meeting with trees or timber sufficient for the building of boats and rafts, he supplied the want of these by distributing to his soldiers a great number of skins stuffed with straw, and suchlike dry and light materials; upon which they placed themselves, and crossed the river in this manner; those who went over first, drawing up in battle array, whilst their comrades were coming after them. In this manner his whole army passed over in six days. In the mean while Spitamenes, who was Bessus's chief confidant, formed a conspiracy against him, in concert with two more of his principal officers. Having seized his person, they put him in chains, forced his diadem from his head, tore to pieces the royal robe of Darius which he had put on, and set him on horseback, in order to give him up to Alexander. sians being so much divided in opinion, that they could not agree among themselves, Alexander undertook the decision himself. Accordingly, the next day he commanded his phalanx to surround the city: and a signal being given, they were ordered to plunder that abode of traitors, and put every one of them to the sword: which inhuman order was executed with the same barbarity as it had been given. All the citizens, at the very time that they were going to pay homage to Alexander, were murdered in the streets and in their houses; no manner of regard being paid to their cries and tears, nor the least distinction made of age or sex. They even pulled up the very foundations of the walls, that not the least traces of that city might remain. But of what crimes were those ill-fated citizens guilty? Were they responsible for those their fathers had committed upwards of 150 years before? I do not know whether history furnishes another example of so brutal and frantic a cruelty. A little after, Bessus was brought to Alexander, not only bound, but stark naked. Spitamenes held him by a chain, which went round his neck; and it was difficult to say, whether that object was more agreeable to the Barbarians or Macedonians. In presenting him to the king, he said: "I have, at last, revenged both you and Darius, my kings and masters. I bring you this wretch, who assassinated his sovereign, and who is now treated in the same manner as he himself gave the first example of. Alas! why cannot Darius himself see this spectacle!" Alexander, after having greatly applauded Spitamenes, turned about to Bessus, and spoke thus: "Thou surely must have been inspired with the rage and fury of a tiger, otherwise thou wouldst not have dared to load a king, from whom thou hadst received so many instances of favour, with chains, and afterwards murder him! Begone from my sight, thou monster of cruelty and perfidiousness." The king said no more, but sending for Oxatres, Darius's brother, he gave Bessus to him, in order that he might suffer all the ignominy he deserved; suspending, however, his execution, that he might be judged in the general assembly of the Persians. SECTION XIII.-ALEXANDER, AFTER TAKING A GREAT MANY CITIES IN BACTRIANA, BUILDS ONE NEAR THE RIVER IAXARTES, WHICH HE CALLS BY HIS OWN NAME. THE SCYTHIANS, ALARMED AT THE BUILDING OF THIS CITY, AS IT WOULD BE A CHECK UPON THEM, SEND AMBASSADORS TO THE KING, WHO ADDRESS THEMSELVES TO HIM WITH UNCOMMON FREEDOM. AFTER HAVING DISMISSED THEM, HE PASSES THE IAXARTES, GAINS ASIGNAL VICTORY OVER THE SCYTHIANS, AND BEHAVES WITH HUMANITY TOWARDS THE VANQUISHED. HE CHECKS AND PUNISHES THE INSURRECTION OF THE SOGDIANS, SENDS BESSuš TO ECBATANA TO BE PUT TO DEATH, AND TAKES THE CITY OF PETRA, WHICH WAS THOUGHT IMPREGNABLE. 2 ALEXANDER, insatiable of victory and conquests, still marched forward in search of new nations whom he might subdue. After recruiting his cavalry, which had suffered very much by their long and dangerous marches, he advanced to the laxartes. That prince arrived at a little city inhabited by the Branchide. These were the descendants of a family who had dwelt in Miletus, whom Xerxes, at his return from Greece, had formerly sent into Upper Asia, where he had settled them in a very flourishing condition, in return for their having delivered up to him the treasure of the temple of Apollo Didymæus, the keepers of which they were. They received the king with the highest demonstrations of joy, and surrendered both themselves and their city to him. Alexander sent for such Milesians as were in his army, who preserved an hereditary hatred against the Branchidæ, because of the treachery of their ancestors. He then left them the choice, either of revenging the injury they had formerly done them, or of pardoning them in consideration of their cominon extraction. The Mele-1. Not far from this river the Barbarians rushing suddenly from their mountains, came and attacked Alexander's forces; and having carried off a great number of prisoners, retired to their lurking holes, in which were 20,000 men, who fought with bows and slings. The king went and besieged them in person, and being one of the foremost in the attack, he was shot with an arrow in the bone of his leg, and the iron head stuck in the wound. The Macedonians, who were greatly alarmed and afflicted, carried him off imme Arrian. 1. iii. p. 148, 149. et l. iv. p. 150-160. Q. Curt. vii. c. 6-11. 'Quintus Curtius and Arrian call it the Tanais, but they are mistaken. The Tanais les much more westArrian. 1. iii. p. 143. 148. Quint. Curt. 1. vii, c. 3-5. ward, and empties itself not into the Caspian Sea, but in Diod. L. xvii. p. 552. 554. the Pontus Euxinus, and is now called the Don. diately, yet not so secretly, but that the Barbarians knew of it; for they saw from the top of the mountain every thing that was doing below. The next day they sent ambassadors to the king, who ordered them to be immediately brought in, when taking off the bandage which covered his wound, he showed them his leg, but did not tell them how much he had been hurt. They assured him, that as soon as they heard of his being wounded, they were as much afflicted as the Macedonians could possibly be; and, that had it been possible for them to find the person who had shot that arrow, they would have delivered him up to Alexander; that none but impious wretches would wage war against the gods; in a word, that being vanquished by his unparalleled bravery, they surrendered themselves to him with the nations who followed them. The king, having engaged his faith to them, and taken back his prisoners, accepted of their homage. After this he set out upon his march, and getting into a litter, a great dispute arose between the horse and foot who should carry it, each of those bodies pretending that this honour belonged to them only: and there was no other way of reconciling them, but by giving orders that they should carry it in turn. 1 From hence he got, the fourth day, to Maracanda, a very considerable city, the capital of Sogdiana, which he took; and after leaving a considerable garrison there, he burned and laid waste all the open country. There came an embassy to him from the Abian Scythians, who since the death of Cyrus had lived free and independent: these submitted to Alexander. They were considered as the most equitable of all the Barbarians; never making war but to defend themselves; and the liberty established among them, and which they no ways abused, removed all distinction, and equalled the meanest among them with the greatest. A love of poverty and justice was their peculiar characteristic, and enabled them to live happy together without wanting either kings or laws. Alexander received them kindly, and sent one of his chief courtiers to take a view of their country, and even of the Scythians who inhabit beyond the Cimmerian Bosphorus. He had marked out a spot of ground proper for building a city on the river laxartes, in order to curb the nations he had already conquered, as well as those he intended to subdue. But this design was retarded by the rebellion of the Sogdians, which was soon after followed by that of the Bactrians. Alexander despatched Spitamenes, who had delivered up Bessus into his hands, believing him a very fit person to bring them back to their allegiance; but he himself had been chiefly instrumental in this insurrection. The king, greatly surprised at this treachery, was determined to take vengeance of him in the most signal manner. He marched in person to Cyropolis, and besieged it. This was the last city of the Persian empire, and had been built by Cyrus, whose name it bore. At the same time he sent Craterus, with two more of his general officers, to besiege the city of the Memaceni, to whom fifty troopers were sent, to desire them to sue for Alexander's clemency. These met with a very kind reception at first, but in the night-time they were all cut to pieces. Alexander had resolved to spare Cyropolis, purely for the sake of Cyrus; for, of all the monarchs who had reigned over these nations, there were none he admired more than this king and Semiramis, because they had surpassed all the rest in courage and glorious actions. He therefore offered very advantageous conditions to the besieged, but they were so blindly obstinate as to reject them, and that even with pride and insolence; upon which he stormed the city, abandoning the plunder of it to his soldiers, and razed it to the very foundations. From hence he went to the other city which Craterus was besieging. No place ever made a more vigorous defence; for Alexander lost his best soldiers before it, 1 Abii Scythæ. 551 and was himself exposed to very great danger; a stone With regard to himself, he returned back and encamped on the Iaxartes, where he surrounded with walls the whole spot of ground which his army had covered, and built a city on it, sixty furlongs in circumference, which he also called Alexandria; having before built several of that name. He caused the workmen to make such despatch, that in less than twenty days the ramparts were raised, and the houses built; and indeed there was a great emulation among the soldiers, who should get his work done soonest, every one of them having had his portion allotted him: and to people his new city, he ransomed all the prisoners he could meet with, settled several Macedonians there who were worn out in the service, and permitted many natives of the country, at their own request, to inhabit it. But the king of those Scythians who live on the other side of laxartes, seeing that this city, built on the river, was a kind of yoke imposed on them, sent a great body of soldiers to demolish it, and to drive the Macedonians to a greater distance. Alexander, who had no design of attacking the Scythians, finding them make several incursions, even in his sight, in a very insolent manner, was very much perplexed; especially when advice was brought him at the same time, that the body of troops he had ordered to Maracanda, had been all, a very few excepted, cut to pieces. Such a number of obstacles uniting together would have discouraged any one but an Alexander; for the Sogdians had taken up arms, and the Bactrians also; his army was harassed by the Scythians; he himself was brought so low, that he was not able to stand upright, to mount on horseback, to speak to his forces, or give a single order. To increase his affliction, he found his army no ways inclined to attempt the passage of the river in sight of the enemy, who were drawn up in battle array on the other side. The king continued in the utmost perplexity all night long; however, his courage surmounted every difficulty. Being told that the auspices were not propitious, he forced the soothsayer to substitute favourable ones in their stead. At daybreak he put on his coat of mail, and showed himself to the soldiers, who had not seen him since the last wound he had received. These held the king in such high veneration, that his presence alone immediately removed all their fears, so that they shed tears of joy, and went unanimously and paid him their respects; entreating him to lead them against the enemy, against whom they before had refused to march. They worked so hard at the rafts or floats, that in three days' time they had made 12,000; and also prepared a great number of skins for the same purpose. As every thing was ready for the passage of the river, several Scythian ambassadors arrived, to the number of twenty, according to the custom of their country, who rode through the camp, desiring to speak with the king. Alexander having sent for them into his tent, desired them to sit down. They gazed Three leagues. attentively upon him a long time, without speaking a single word, probably being surprised (as they formed a judgment of men froin their air and stature) to find that his did not answer the high idea they entertained of him from his fame. The oldest of the ambassadors addressed him in a speech, which as Quintus Curtius relates it, is pretty long; however, as it is very curious, I shall present my readers with the greatest part of it. "Had the gods given thee a body proportionable to thy ambition, the whole universe would have been too little for thee. With one hand thou wouldst touch the east, and with the other the west: and not satisfied with this, thou wouldst follow the sun, and know where he hides himself. Such as thou art, thou yet aspirest after what it will be impossible for thee to attain. Thou crossest over from Europe into Asia; and when thou shalt have subdued all the race of men, then thou wilt make war against rivers, forests, and wild beasts. Dost thou not know, that tall trees are many years a growing, but may be torn up in an hour's time; that the lion serves sometimes for food to the smallest birds; that iron, though so hard, is consumed by rust; in a word, that there is nothing so strong, which may not be destroyed by the weakest thing? "What have we to do with thee? We never set foot in thy country. May not those who inhabit woods be allowed to live, without knowing who thou art, and whence thou comest? We will neither command over, nor submit to, any man. And that thou mayest be sensible what kind of people the Scythians are, know that we received from heaven, as a rich present, a yoke of oxen, a plough-share, an arrow, a javelin, and a cup. These we make use of, both with our | friends, and against our enemies. To our friends we give corn, which we procure by the labour of our oxen ; with them we offer wine to the gods in our cup: and with regard to our enemies, we combat them at a distance with our arrows, and near at hand with our javelins. It is with these we formerly conquered the most warlike nations,' subdued the most powerful kings, laid waste all Asia, and opened ourselves a way into the heart of Egypt. "But thou, who boastest thy coming to extirpate robbers, thou thyself art the greatest robber upon earth. Thou hast plundered all the nations that thou hast overcome. Thou hast possessed thyself of Lydia, invaded Syria, Persia, and Bactriana; thou art forming a design to march as far as India, and thou now comest hither to seize upon our herds of cattle. The great possessions thou hast, only make thee covet more eagerly what thou hast not. Dost thou not see how long the Bactrians have checked thy progress? Whilst thou art subduing these, the Sogdians revolt, and victory is to thee only the occasion of war. "Pass but the laxartes, and thou wilt behold the great extent of our plains. It will be in vain for thee to pursue the Scythians; and I defy thee ever to overtake them. Our poverty will be more active than thy army, laden with the spoils of so many nations; and, when thou shalt fancy us at a great distance, thou wilt see us rush suddenly on thy camp; for we pursue, and fly from our enemies with equal speed. I am informed that the Greeks speak jestingly of the Scythian solitudes, and that they are even become a proverb; but we are fonder of our deserts, than of your great cities and fruitful plains. Let me observe to thee, that fortune is slippery; hold her fast therefore, for fear she should escape thee. Put a curb to thy felicity, if thou desirest to continue in possession of it. "If thou art a god, thou oughtest to do good to mortals, and not to deprive them of their possessions: This is to be understood of the famous irruption of the Scythians, who advanced as far as Egypt, and possessed themselves of Upper Asia for twenty-eight years. See the History of the Assyrians. I have not followed Quintus Curtius literally in this place, the text being much embarrassed. if thou art a mere man, reflect always on what thou art. They whom thou shalt not molest, will be thy true friends; the strongest friendships being contracted between equals; and they are esteemed equals, who have not tried their strength against each other: but do not imagine, that those whom thou conquerest can love thee; for there is no such thing as friendship between a master and his slave, and a forced peace is soon followed by a war. "To conclude, do not fancy that the Scythians will take an oath in their concluding an alliance. The only oath among them is to keep their word without swearing. Such cautions as these do indeed become Greeks, who sign their treaties, and call upon the gods to witness them; but, with regard to us, our religion consists in being sincere, and in keeping the promises we have made. That man who is not ashamed to break his word with men, is not afraid of deceiving the gods; and of what use could friends be to thee whom thou couldst not trust? Consider that we will guard both Europe and Asia for thee. We extend as far as Thrace, and we are told, that Thrace is contiguous to Macedonia. The river laxartes alone divides us from Bactriana. Thus we are thy neighbours on both sides. Consider, therefore, whether thou wilt have us for friends, or enemies." The barbarian spoke thus; to whom the king made but a very short answer: "That he would take advantage both of his own good fortune, and of their counsel: of his good fortune, by still continuing to rely upon it; and of their counsel, by not attempting any thing rashly." Having dismissed the ambassa dors, his army embarked on the rafts, which by this time were got ready. In the front, he placed such as carried bucklers, and made them kneel down, the better to secure themselves from the arrows of the enemy, Behind these were those who worked the machines for discharging arrows and stones, covered on all sides with soldiers armed cap-a-pie. The rest who followed the engines, had their shields fixed together over their heads, in form of a tortoise, by which they defended the sailors who wore corslets. The like order and disposition were observed in the other rafts which carried the horse. The army found great difficulty in crossing. Every thing conspired to intimidate them: the clamour and confusion that are inseparable from such an enter prise; the rapidity of the stream, which carried away every thing with it; and the sight of a numerous army, drawn up in battle array, on the opposite shore. However, the presence of Alexander, who was ever the foremost in encountering dangers, made them neglect their own safety, and be concerned for his only. As soon as the Macedonians began to draw near the shore, they who carried shields rose up together, when throwing their javelins with a steady aim, every weapon did execution. When they perceived that the enemy, overpowered with that shower of darts, began to give way, and draw their horses back, they leaped on the shore with incredible swiftness, and animating one another, began the charge with vigour. In this disorder, the troopers, whose horses were ready bridled, rushed upon the enemy, and quite broke them. The king could not be heard, by reason of the faintness of his voice; but the example he set, spoke for him. And now nothing was heard in the Macedonian army, but shouts of joy and victory, whilst they continued to attack the Barbarians with the utmost fury. The latter not being able to stand so fierce an onset, fled as fast as their horses could carry them; for they consisted of cavalry only. Though the king was very weak, he nevertheless pursued them briskly a long way, till, being at last quite spent, he was obliged to stop. After commanding his troops to pursue them Jurando gratiam Scythias sancire ne credideris: colendo fidem jurant. Græcorum ista cautio est, qui acta consignant, et deos invocant: nos religionem in ipsâ fide novimus. Qui non reverentur homines, fallunt deos. Quint. Curt. as long as daylight lasted, he withdrew to the camp, in order to repose himself, and to wait the return of his forces. The Macedonians had already gone beyond the boundaries of Bacchus, which were marked out by great stones ranged close one to the other, and by great trees, the trunks of which were covered with, ivy. However, the heat of the pursuit carried them still farther, and they did not return back into the camp till after midnight; having killed a great number of the enemy, and taken many more prisoners, with 1800 horses, all which they drove before them. On Alexander's side there were but sixty troopers slain, and about 100 foot, with one thousand wounded. Alexander sent back to the Scythians all their prisoners without ransom, to show, that not animosity, but a thirst of glory had prompted him to make war against so valiant a nation. The report of this victory, and much more the clemency with which the king treated the vanquished, greatly increased his reputation. The Scythians had always been considered as invincible; but after their defeat, it was owned that every nation in the world ought to yield to the Macedonians. The Saca, who were a powerful nation, sent an embassy to Alexander, by which they submitted themselves to him, and requested his friendship. The Scythians themselves made an apology by their ambassadors; throwing the whole blame of what had happened on some few individuals, and declaring that they were ready to obey all the commands of the victorious prince. Alexander, being so happily freed from the care and trouble of this important war, bent his whole thoughts on Maracanda, in which the traitor Spitamenes had fortified himself. At the first news of Alexander's approach, he had fled away, and withdrawn into Bactriana. The king pursued him thither, but despairing to come up with him, he returned back and plundered Sogdiana, which is watered by the river Polytimetus. Plutarch has left us an account of this execution. Four trees were bent, by main force, one towards the other; and to each of these trees one of the limbs of this traitor's body was fastened. Afterwards, these trees be ing suffered to return to their natural position, they flew back with so much violence, that each tore away the limb that was fixed to it, and so quartered him. The same punishment is at this day inflicted on persons convicted of high treason, who are torn to pieces by four horses. Alexander received at this time, both from Macedonia and Greece, a large number of recruits, amounting to upwards of 16,000 men. By this considerable reinforcement, he was enabled to subdue all those who had rebelled: and, to curb them for the future, he built several fortresses in Margiana. A. M. 3676. Ant. J. C. 328. All things were now restored to a profound tranquillity. There remained but one strong hold, called Petra Oxiana, or the rock of Oxus, which was defended by Arimazes, a native of Sogdiana, with 30,000 soldiers under his command, and ammunition and provisions for two years. This rock, which was very high and craggy on all sides, was accessible only by a single path that was cut in it. The king, after viewing its works, was a long time in suspense whether he should besiege it; but, as it was his character to aim at the marvellous in all things, and to attempt impossibilities, he resolved to try, if he could not overcome, on this occasion, nature itself, which seemed to have fortified this rock in such a manner as had rendered it absolutely impregnable. However, before he formed the siege, he summoned those barbarians, but in mild terms, to submit to him. Arimazes received this offer in a very haughty manner; and after using several insulting expressions, asked, "whether Alexander, who was able to do all things, could fly also; and whether nature had, on a sudden, given him wings?" Among the Sogdians that were taken prisoners, Alexander was highly exasperated at this insolent there were thirty young men, all well shaped and very answer. He therefore gave orders for selecting, from comely, and the greatest lords of the country. These among the mountaineers who were in his army, 300 of being told, that they were led to execution by Alex- the most active and dexterous. These being brought ander's command, began to sing songs of joy, to leap to him, he addressed them thus: "It was in your and dance, discovering all the indications of an immo- country, brave young men, that I stormed such places derate joy. The king, surprised to see them go to as were thought impregnable; that I made my way death with so much gaiety, had them brought before over mountains covered with eternal snows: crossed him; when he asked them, how they came to break rivers, and broke through the passes of Cilicia. This into such transports of joy, when they saw death be- rock, which you see, has but one outlet, which alone fore their eyes? They answered, that they should is defended by the barbarians, who neglect every other have been afflicted, had any other person but himself part. There is no watch nor sentinel, except on that put them to death; but as they would be restored to side which faces our camp. If you search very nartheir ancestors by the command of so great a monarch, rowly, you certainly will meet with some path that who had vanquished all nations, they thought them- leads to the top of the rock. Nothing has been made selves happy in a death so glorious that the bravest so inaccessible by nature, as not to be surmounted by men would wish to die the same. Alexander, admir-valour; and it was only by our attempting, what no ing their magnanimity, asked whether they would de- one before had hopes of effecting, that we have possire to be pardoned, upon condition that they should sessed ourselves of Asia. Get up to the summit, and no longer be his enemies? They answered, he might when you shall have made yourselves masters of it, be assured they had never been his enemies; but that, set up a white standard there as a signal; and be asas he had attacked them, they had defended them-sured, that I then will certainly disengage you from selves; and that, had they been applied to in a gentle manner, and not attacked by force and violence, they would have vied with him in politeness and generosity. The king asked them farther, what pledges they would give him of their faith and sincerity? "No other," answered they, "but the same life we receive from your goodness, and which we shall always be ready to give back, whenever you shall require it." And, indeed, they were as good as their word. Four of them, whom he took into his body guard, endeavoured to rival the Macedonians in zeal and fidelity. The king, after having left a small number of forces in Sogdiana, marched to Bactria, where, having assembled all his generals, he commanded Bessus to be brought before them; when, after reproaching him for his treachery, and causing his nose and ears to be cut off, he sent him to Ecbatana, there to suffer the most extreme torture, under the direction of Darius's mother. VOL. I.-70 the enemy, and draw them upon myself, by making a diversion." The king accompanied this order with the most splendid promises; but the pleasing him, was considered by them as the greatest of all rewards. Fired therefore with the most noble ardour, and fancying they had already reached the summit, they set out, after having provided themselves with wedges to drive into the stones, with cramp-irons, and thick ropes. The king went round the mountain with them, and commanded them to begin their march' at the second watch of the night, by that part which should seem to them of easiest access; beseeching the gods to guide their steps. They took provisions for two days; and being armed with swords and javelins only, they be. gan to ascend the mountain, walking some time on 1 About nine or ten o'clock. |