a smaller history of greece-第56章

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e　Parmenio　then　was；　directing　that　veteran　general　to　be　put　to　death。　　A　letter；　purporting　to　be　from　his　son；　was　handed　to　him；　and　whilst　the　old　man　was　engaged　in　reading　it；　Polydamus；　his　intimate　friend；　together　with　some　others　of　Alexander's　principal　officers；　fell　upon　and　slew　him。　　His　head　was　carried　to　Alexander。

Meantime　Bessus　had　assumed　the　royal　dignity　in　Bactria；　but　upon　Alexander's　approach　he　fled　across　the　Oxus　into　Sogdiana。　Early　in　the　summer　of　329　Alexander　followed　him　across　the　Oxus；　and　shortly　afterwards　Bessus　was　betrayed　by　two　of　his　own　officers　into　the　hands　of　Alexander。　　Bessus　was　carried　to　Zariaspa；　the　capital　of　Bactria；　where　he　was　brought　before　a　Persian　court；　and　put　to　death　in　a　cruel　and　barbarous　manner。

Alexander　even　crossed　the　river　Jaxartes　（SIR）；　and　defeated　the　Scythians。　　Sogdiana　alone　of　the　northern　provinces　offered　any　serious　resistance　to　his　arms。　　Accordingly　in　328　he　again　crossed　the　Oxus。　　He　divided　his　army　into　five　bodies；　ordering　them　to　scour　the　country　in　different　directions。　　With　the　troops　under　his　own　command　he　marched　against　the　fortress　called　the　Sogdian　Rock；　seated　on　an　isolated　hill；　so　precipitous　as　to　be　deemed　inaccessible；　and　so　well　supplied　with　provisions　as　to　defy　a　blockade。　　The　summons　to　surrender　was　treated　with　derision　by　the　commander；　who　inquired　whether　the　Macedonians　had　wings？　　But　a　small　body　of　Macedonians　having　succeeded　in　scaling　some　heights　which　overhung　the　fortress；　the　garrison　became　so　alarmed　that　they　immediately　surrendered。　　To　this　place　a　Bactrian　named　Oxyartes；　an　adherent　of　Bessus；　had　sent　his　daughters　for　safety。　　One　of　them；　named　Roxana；　was　of　surpassing　beauty；　and　Alexander　made　her　the　partner　of　his　throne　（B。C。　328）。

At　Maracanda　（now　SAMARCAND）　he　appointed　his　friend　Clitus　satrap　of　Bactria。　　On　the　eve　of　the　parting　of　the　two　friends　Alexander　celebrated　a　festival　in　honour　of　the　Dioscuri　（Castor　and　Pollux）；　though　the　day　was　sacred　to　Dionysus　（Bacchus）。　The　banquet　was　attended　by　several　parasites　and　literary　flatterers；　who　magnified　the　praises　of　Alexander　with　extravagant　and　nauseous　flattery。　　Clitus；　whom　wine　had　released　from　all　prudent　reserve；　sternly　rebuked　their　fulsome　adulation；　and；　as　the　conversation　turned　on　the　comparative　merits　of　the　exploits　of　Alexander　and　his　father　Philip；　he　did　not　hesitate　to　prefer　the　exploits　of　the　latter。　　He　reminded　Alexander　of　his　former　services；　and；　stretching　forth　his　hand；　exclaimed；　〃It　was　this　hand　Alexander；　which　saved　your　life　at　the　battle　of　the　Granicus！〃　　The　king；　who　was　also　flushed　with　wine；　was　so　enraged　by　these　remarks；　that　he　rushed　at　Clitus　with　the　intention　of　killing　him　on　the　spot；　but　he　was　held　back　by　his　friends；　whilst　Clitus　was　at　the　same　time　hurried　out　of　the　room。　　Alexander；　however；　was　no　sooner　released　than；　snatching　a　spear；　he　sprang　to　the　door；　and　meeting　Clitus；　who　was　returning　in　equal　fury　to　brave　his　anger；　ran　him　through　the　body。　　But　when　the　deed　was　done　he　was　seized　with　repentance　and　remorse。　　He　flung　himself　on　his　couch　and　remained　for　three　whole　days　in　an　agony　of　grief；　refusing　all　sustenance；　and　calling　on　the　names　of　Clitus　and　of　his　sister　Lanice　who　had　been　his　nurse。　　It　was　not　till　his　bodily　strength　began　to　fail　through　protracted　abstinence　that　he　at　last　became　more　composed；　and　consented　to　listen　to　the　consolations　of　his　friends；　and　the　words　of　the　soothsayers；　who　ascribed　the　murder　of　Clitus　to　a　temporary　frenzy　with　which　Dionysus　had　visited　him　as　a　punishment　for　neglecting　the　celebration　of　his　festival。

After　reducing　Sogdiana；　Alexander　returned　into　Bactria　in　327；　and　began　to　prepare　far　his　projected　expedition　into　India。　While　he　was　thus　employed　a　plot　was　formed　against　his　life　by　the　royal　pages；　incited　by　Hermolaus；　one　of　their　number；　who　had　been　punished　with　stripes　for　anticipating　the　king　during　a　hunting　party　in　slaying　a　wild　boar。　　Hermolaus　and　his　associates；　among　whom　was　Callisthenes；　a　pupil　of　Aristotle；　were　first　tortured；　and　then　put　to　death。　　It　seems　certain　that　a　conspiracy　existed；　but　no　less　certain　that　the　growing　pride　and　haughtiness　of　Alexander　were　gradually　alienating　from　him　the　hearts　of　his　followers。

Alexander　did　not　leave　Bactria　till　late　in　the　spring。　　He　crossed　the　Indus　by　a　bridge　of　boats　near　Taxila；　the　present　ATTOCK；　where　the　river　is　about　1000　feet　broad；　and　very　deep。　He　now　found　himself　in　the　district　at　present　called　the　PENJ…　AB　（or　the　FIVE　RIVERS）。　　Taxiles；　the　sovereign　of　the　district；　at　once　surrendered　Taxila；　his　capital　and　joined　the　Macedonian　force　with　5000　men。　　Hence　Alexander　proceeded　with　little　resistance　to　the　river　Haydaspes　（BEHUT　or　JELUM）。　　On　the　opposite　bank；　Porus；　a　powerful　Indian　king；　prepared　to　dispute　his　progress　with　a　numerous　and　well…appointed　force。　Alexander；　however；　by　a　skilful　stratagem　conveyed　his　army　safely　across　the　river。　　An　obstinate　battle　then　ensued。　　In　the　army　of　Porus　were　many　elephants；　the　sight　and　smell　of　which　frightened　the　horses　of　Alexander's　cavalry。　　But　these　unwieldy　animals　ultimately　proved　as　dangerous　to　the　Indians　as　to　the　Greeks；　for　when　driven　into　a　narrow　space　they　became　unmanageable；　and　created　great　confusion　in　the　ranks　of　Porus。　By　a　few　vigorous　charges　the　Indians　were　completely　routed；　with　the　loss　of　12；000　slain　and　9000　prisoners。　　Among　the　latter　was　Porus　himself；　who　was　conducted　into　the　presence　of　Alexander。　　The　courage　which　he　had　displayed　in　the　battle　had　excited　the　admiration　of　the　Macedonian　king。　　Mounted　on　an　enormous　elephant；　he　retreated　leisurely　when　the　day　was　lost；　and　long　rejected　every　summons　to　surrender；　till　at　length；　overcome　by　thirst　and　fatigue；　he　permitted　himself　to　be　taken。　Even　in　this　situation　Porus　still　retained　his　majestic　bearing；　the　effect　of　which　was　increased　by　the　extraordinary　height　of　his　stature。　　On　Alexander's　inquiring　how　he　wished　to　be　treated；　he　replied；　〃Like　a　king。〃　　　〃And　have　you　no　other　request？〃　　asked　Alexander。　　〃No；〃　answered　Porus；　〃everything　is　comprehended　in　the　word　king。〃　　Struck　by　his　magnanimity；　Alexander　not　only　restored　him　to　his　dominions；　but　also　considerably　enlarged　them；　seeking　by　these　means　to　retain　him　as　an　obedient　and　faithful　vassal。

Alexander　rested　a　month　on　the　banks　of　the　Hydaspes；　where　he　celebrated　his　victory　by　games　and　sacrifices；　and　founded　two　towns　one　of　which　he　named　Nicaea；　and　the　other　Bucephala；　in　honour　of　his　gallant　charger　Bucephalus；　which　is　said　to　have　died　there。　　He　then　overran　the　whole　of　the　PENJ…AB；　as　far　as　the　Hyphasis　（GHARRA）；　its　southern　boundary。　　Upon　reaching　this　river；　the　army；　worn　out　by　fatigues　and　dangers；　positively　refused　to　proceed　any　farther；　although　Alexander　passionately　desired　to　attack　a　monarch　still　more　powerful　than　Porus；　whose　dominions　lay　beyond　the　Hyphasis。　　All　his　attempts　to　induce　his　soldiers　to　proceed　proving　ineffectual；　he　returned　to　the　Hydaspes；　when　he　ordered　part　of　his　army　to　descend　the　river　on　its　opposite　banks；　whilst　he　himself　at　the　head　of　8000　men；　embarked　on　board　a　fleet　of　about　2000　vessels；　which　he　had　ordered　to　he　prepared　with　the　view　of　sailing　down　the　Indus　to　its　mouth。

The　army　began　to　move　in　November　327。　　The　navigation　lasted　several　months；　but　was　accomplished　without　any　serious　opposition；　except　from　the　tribe　of　the　Malli；　who　are　conjectured　to　have　occupied　the　site　of　the　present　MOOLTAN。　　At　the　storming　of　their　town　the　life　of　Alexander　was　exposed　to　imminent　danger。　　He　was　the　first　to　scale　the　walls　of　the　citadel；　and　was　followed　by　four　officers；　but　before　a　fifth　man　could　mount；　the　ladder　broke；　and　Alexander　was　left　exposed　on　the　wall　to　the　missiles　of　the　enemy。　　Leaping　down　into　the　citadel　among　the　enemy；　he　placed　his　back　to　the　wall；　where　he　succeeded　in　keeping　the　enemy　at　bay；　and　slew　two　of　their　chiefs　who　had　ventured　within　reach　of　his　sword。　　But　an　arrow　which　pierced　his　corslet