a smaller history of greece-第57章

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　of　their　chiefs　who　had　ventured　within　reach　of　his　sword。　　But　an　arrow　which　pierced　his　corslet　brought　him　to　the　ground；　fainting　with　loss　of　blood。　　Two　of　his　followers；　who　had　jumped　down　after　him；　now　stood　over　and　defended　him；　till　at　length；　more　soldiers　having　scaled　the　walls　and　opened　one　of　the　gates；　sufficient　numbers　poured　in　not　only　to　rescue　their　monarch；　but　to　capture　the　citadel；　when　every　living　being　within　the　place　was　put　to　the　sword。　　Upon　arriving　at　the　mouth　of　the　Indus；　Nearchus　with　the　fleet　was　directed　to　explore　the　Indian　Ocean；　the　Persian　Gulf；　and　the　mouths　of　the　Tigris　and　Euphrates；　with　the　view　of　establishing　a　maritime　communication　between　India　and　Persia。　　Alexander　himself　proceeded　with　his　army；　in　the　autumn　of　326；　through　the　burning　deserts　of　Gedrosia　towards　Persepolis；　marching　himself　on　foot；　and　sharing　the　privations　and　fatigues　of　the　meanest　soldier。　　In　these　regions　the　very　atmosphere　seems　to　be　composed　of　a　fine　dust　which；　on　the　slightest　wind；　penetrates　into　the　mouth　and　nose；　whilst　the　soil　affords　no　firm　footing　to　the　traveller。　The　march　through　this　inhospitable　region　lasted　60　days；　during　which　numbers　of　the　soldiers　perished　from　fatigue　or　disease。　At　length　they　emerged　into　the　fertile　province　of　Carmania。　Whilst　in　this　country　Alexander　was　rejoined　by　Nearchus；　who　had　arrived　with　his　fleet　at　Harmozia　（ORMUZ）；　but　who　subsequently　prosecuted　his　voyage　to　the　head　of　the　Persian　Gulf。

Upon　reaching　Susa　（B。C。　325）　Alexander　allowed　his　soldiers　to　repose　from　their　fatigues；　and　amused　them　with　a　series　of　brilliant　festivities。　　It　was　here　that　he　adopted　various　measures　with　the　view　of　consolidating　his　empire。　　One　of　the　most　important　was　to　form　the　Greeks　and　Persians　into　one　people　by　means　of　intermarriages。　　He　himself　celebrated　his　nuptials　with　Statira　the　eldest　daughter　of　Darius；　and　bestowed　the　hand　of　her　sister；　Drypetis；　on　Hephaestion。　　Other　marriages　were　made　between　Alexander's　officers　and　Asiatic　women；　to　the　number；　it　is　said；　of　about　a　hundred；　whilst　no　fewer　than　10；000　of　the　common　soldiers　followed　their　example　and　took　native　wives。　　As　another　means　of　amalgamating　the　Europeans　and　Asiatics；　he　caused　numbers　of　the　latter　to　be　admitted　into　the　army；　and　to　be　armed　and　trained　in　the　Macedonian　fashion。　　But　these　innovations　were　regarded　with　a　jealous　eye　by　most　of　the　Macedonian　veterans；　and　this　feeling　was　increased　by　the　conduct　of　Alexander　himself；　who　assumed　every　day　more　and　more　of　the　state　and　manners　of　an　eastern　despot。　　Their　long…stifled　dissatisfaction　broke　out　into　open　mutiny　and　rebellion　at　a　review　which　took　place　at　Opis　on　the　Tigris。　　But　the　mutiny　was　quelled　by　the　decisive　conduct　of　Alexander。　　He　immediately　ordered　thirteen　of　the　ringleaders　to　be　seized　and　executed；　and　then；　addressing　the　remainder；　pointed　out　to　them　how；　by　his　own　and　his　father's　exertions；　they　had　been　raised　from　the　condition　of　scattered　herdsmen　to　be　the　masters　of　Greece　and　the　lords　of　Asia；　and　that；　whilst　he　had　abandoned　to　them　the　richest　and　most　valuable　fruits　of　his　conquest；　he　had　reserved　nothing　but　the　diadem　for　himself；　as　the　mark　of　his　superior　labours　and　more　imminent　perils。　　He　then　secluded　himself　for　two　whole　days；　during　which　his　Macedonian　guard　was　exchanged　for　a　Persian　one；　whilst　nobles　of　the　same　nation　were　appointed　to　the　most　confidential　posts　about　his　person。　　Overcome　by　these　marks　of　alienation　on　the　part　of　their　sovereign；　the　Macedonians　now　supplicated　with　tears　to　be　restored　to　favour。　　A　solemn　reconciliation　was　effected；　and　10；000　veterans　were　dismissed　to　their　homes　under　the　conduct　of　Craterus。　　That　general　was　also　appointed　to　the　government　of　Macedonia　in　place　of　Antipater；　who　was　ordered　to　repair　to　Asia　with　fresh　reinforcements。

Soon　after　these　occurrences　Alexander　proceeded　to　Ecbatana；　where　during　the　autumn　he　solemnised　the　festival　of　Dionysus　with　extraordinary　splendour。　　But　his　enjoyment　was　suddenly　converted　into　bitterness　by　the　death　of　his　friend　Hephaestion；　who　was　carried　off　by　a　fever。　　This　event　threw　Alexander　into　a　deep　melancholy；　from　which　he　never　entirely　recovered。　　The　memory　of　Hephaestion　was　honoured　by　extravagant　marks　of　public　mourning；　and　his　body　was　conveyed　to　Babylon；　to　be　there　interred　with　the　utmost　magnificence。

Alexander　entered　Babylon　in　the　spring　of　324；　notwithstanding　the　warnings　of　the　priests　of　Belus；　who　predicted　some　serious　evil　to　him　if　he　entered　the　city　at　that　time。　　Babylon　was　now　to　witness　the　consummation　of　his　triumphs　and　of　his　life。　Ambassadors　from　all　parts　of　Greece；　from　Libya；　Italy；　and　probably　from　still　more　distant　regions；　were　waiting　to　salute　him；　and　to　do　homage　to　him　as　the　conqueror　of　Asia；　the　fleet　under　Nearchus　had　arrived　after　its　long　and　enterprising　voyage；　whilst　for　the　reception　of　this　navy；　which　seemed　to　turn　the　inland　capital　of　his　empire　into　a　port；　a　magnificent　harbour　was　in　process　of　construction。　　The　mind　of　Alexander　was　still　occupied　with　plans　of　conquest　and　ambition；　his　next　design　was　the　subjugation　of　Arabia；　which；　however；　was　to　be　only　the　stepping…stone　to　the　conquest　of　the　whole　known　world。　He　despatched　three　expeditions　to　survey　the　coast　of　Arabia；　ordered　a　fleet　to　be　built　to　explore　the　Caspian　sea；　and　engaged　himself　in　surveying　the　course　of　the　Euphrates；　and　in　devising　improvements　of　its　navigation。　　The　period　for　commencing　the　Arabian　campaign　had　already　arrived；　solemn　sacrifices　were　offered　up　for　its　success；　and　grand　banquets　were　given　previous　to　departure。　　At　these　carousals　Alexander　drank　deep；　and　at　the　termination　of　the　one　given　by　his　favourite；　Medius；　he　was　seized　with　unequivocal　symptoms　of　fever。　　For　some　days；　however；　he　neglected　the　disorder；　and　continued　to　occupy　himself　with　the　necessary　preparations　for　the　march。　　But　in　eleven　days　the　malady　had　gained　a　fatal　strength；　and　terminated　his　life　on　the　28th　of　June；　B。C。　323；　at　the　early　age　of　32。　　Whilst　he　lay　speechless　on　his　deathbed　his　favourite　troops　were　admitted　to　see　him；　but　he　could　offer　them　no　other　token　of　recognition　than　by　stretching　out　his　hand。

Few　of　the　great　characters　of　history　have　been　so　differently　judged　as　Alexander。　　Of　the　magnitude　of　his　exploits；　indeed；　and　of　the　justice　with　which；　according　to　the　usual　sentiments　of　mankind；　they　confer　upon　him　the　title　of　〃Great；〃　there　can　be　but　one　opinion。　　His　military　renown；　however；　consists　more　in　the　seemingly　extravagant　boldness　of　his　enterprises　than　in　the　real　power　of　the　foes　whom　he　overcame。　　The　resistance　he　met　with　was　not　greater　than　that　which　a　European　army　experiences　in　the　present　day　from　one　composed　of　Asiatics；　and　the　empire　of　the　East　was　decided　by　the　two　battles　of　Issus　and　Arbela。　　His　chief　difficulties　were　the　geographical　difficulties　of　distance；　climate；　and　the　nature　of　the　ground　traversed。　　But　this　is　no　proof　that　he　was　incompetent　to　meet　a　foe　more　worthy　of　his　military　skill；　and　his　proceedings　in　Greece　before　his　departure　show　the　reverse。　　His　motive；　it　must　be　allowed；　seem　rather　to　have　sprung　from　the　love　of　personal　glory　and　the　excitement　of　conquest；　than　from　any　wish　to　benefit　his　subjects。　　Yet　on　the　whole　his　achievements；　though　they　undoubtedly　occasioned　great　partial　misery；　must　be　regarded　as　beneficial　to　the　human　race。　　By　his　conquests　the　two　continents　were　put　into　closer　communication　with　one　another；　and　both；　but　particularly　Asia；　were　the　gainers。　　The　language；　the　arts；　and　the　literature　of　Greece　were　introduced　into　the　East；　and　after　the　death　of　Alexander；　Greek　kingdoms　were　formed　in　the　western　parts　of　Asia；　which　continued　to　exist　for　many　generations。



CHAPTER　XXI。

FROM　THE　DEATH　OF　ALEXANDER　THE　GREAT　TO　THE　CONQUEST　OF　GREECE　BY　THE　ROMANS；　B。C。　323…146。

The　vast　empire　of　Alexander　the　Great　was　divided；　at　his　death；　among　his　generals；　but；　before　relating　their　history；　it　is　necessary