alexander-第8部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


evere　and　inhuman　enemy？　For　how　is　it　possible　a　young　man　as　he　is　should　treat　the　wife　of　his　opponent　with　so　much　distinction；　were　it　not　from　some　motive　that　does　me　disgrace？〃　Whilst　he　was　yet　speaking；　Tireus　threw　himself　at　his　feet；　and　besought　him　neither　to　wrong　Alexander　so　much；　nor　his　dead　wife　and　sister；　as　to　give　utterance　to　any　such　thoughts；　which　deprived　him　of　the　greatest　consolation　left　him　in　his　adversity；　the　belief　that　he　was　overcome　by　a　man　whose　virtues　raised　him　above　human　nature；　that　he　ought　to　look　upon　Alexander　with　love　and　admiration；　who　had　given　no　less　proofs　of　his　continence　towards　the　Persian　women；　than　of　his　valour　among　the　men。　The　eunuch　confirmed　all　he　said　with　solemn　and　dreadful　oaths；　and　was　further　enlarging　upon　Alexander's　moderation　and　magnanimity　on　other　occasions；　when　Darius；　breaking　away　from　him　into　the　other　division　of　the　tent；　where　his　friends　and　courtiers　were；　lifted　up　his　hands　to　heaven　and　uttered　this　prayer；　〃Ye　gods；〃　said　he；　〃of　my　family；　and　of　my　kingdom；　if　it　be　possible；　I　beseech　you　to　restore　the　declining　affairs　of　Persia；　that　I　may　leave　them　in　as　flourishing　a　condition　as　I　found　them；　and　have　it　in　my　power　to　make　a　grateful　return　to　Alexander　for　the　kindness　which　in　my　adversity　he　has　shown　to　those　who　are　dearest　to　me。　But　if；　indeed；　the　fatal　time　be　come；　which　is　to　give　a　period　to　the　Persian　monarchy；　if　our　ruin　be　a　debt　that　must　be　paid　to　the　divine　jealousy　and　the　vicissitude　of　things；　then　I　beseech　you　grant　that　no　other　man　but　Alexander　may　sit　upon　the　throne　of　Cyrus。〃　Such　is　the　narrative　given　by　the　greater　number　of　the　historians。　　　But　to　return　to　Alexander。　After　he　had　reduced　all　Asia　on　this　side　the　Euphrates；　he　advanced　towards　Darius；　who　was　coming　down　against　him　with　a　million　of　men。　In　his　march　a　very　ridiculous　passage　happened。　The　servants　who　followed　the　camp　for　sport's　sake　divided　themselves　into　two　parties；　and　named　the　commander　of　one　of　them　Alexander；　and　the　other　Darius。　At　first　they　only　pelted　one　another　with　clods　of　earth；　but　presently　took　to　their　fists；　and　at　last；　heated　with　contention；　they　fought　in　good　earnest　with　stones　and　clubs；　so　that　they　had　much　ado　to　part　them；　till　Alexander；　upon　hearing　of　it；　ordered　the　two　captains　to　decide　the　quarrel　by　single　combat；　and　armed　him　who　bore　his　name　himself；　while　Philotas　did　the　same　to　him　who　represented　Darius。　The　whole　army　were　spectators　of　this　encounter；　willing　from　the　event　of　it　to　derive　an　omen　of　their　own　future　success。　After　they　had　fought　stoutly　a　pretty　long　while；　at　last　he　who　was　called　Alexander　had　the　better；　and　for　a　reward　of　his　prowess　had　twelve　villages　given　him；　with　leave　to　wear　the　Persian　dress。　So　we　are　told　by　Eratosthenes。　　　But　the　great　battle　of　all　that　was　fought　with　Darius　was　not；　as　most　writers　tell　us；　at　Arbela；　but　at　Gaugamela；　which；　in　their　language；　signifies　the　camel's　house；　forasmuch　as　one　of　their　ancient　kings　having　escaped　the　pursuit　of　his　enemies　on　a　swift　camel；　in　gratitude　to　his　beast；　settled　him　at　this　place；　with　an　allowance　of　certain　villages　and　rents　for　his　maintenance。　It　came　to　pass　that　in　the　month　Boedromion；　about　the　beginning　of　the　feast　of　Mysteries　at　Athens；　there　was　an　eclipse　of　the　moon；　the　eleventh　night　after　which；　the　two　armies　being　now　in　view　of　one　another；　Darius　kept　his　men　in　arms；　and　by　torchlight　took　a　general　review　of　them。　But　Alexander；　while　his　soldiers　slept；　spent　the　night　before　his　tent　with　his　diviner；　Aristander；　performing　certain　mysterious　ceremonies；　and　sacrificing　to　the　god　Fear。　In　the　meanwhile　the　oldest　of　his　commanders；　and　chiefly　Parmenio；　when　they　beheld　all　the　plain　between　Niphates　and　the　Gordyaean　mountains　shining　with　the　lights　and　fires　which　were　made　by　the　barbarians；　and　heard　the　uncertain　and　confused　sounds　of　voices　out　of　their　camp；　like　the　distant　roaring　of　a　vast　ocean；　were　so　amazed　at　the　thoughts　of　such　a　multitude；　that　after　some　conference　among　themselves；　they　concluded　it　an　enterprise　too　difficult　and　hazardous　for　them　to　engage　so　numerous　an　enemy　in　the　day；　and　therefore　meeting　the　king　as　he　came　from　sacrificing；　besought　him　to　attack　Darius　by　night；　that　the　darkness　might　conceal　the　danger　of　the　ensuing　battle。　To　this　he　gave　them　the　celebrated　answer；　〃I　will　not　steal　a　victory；〃　which　though　some　at　the　time　thought　a　boyish　and　inconsiderate　speech；　as　if　he　played　with　danger；　others；　however；　regarded　as　an　evidence　that　he　confided　in　his　present　condition；　and　acted　on　a　true　judgment　of　the　future；　not　wishing　to　leave　Darius；　in　case　he　were　worsted；　the　pretext　of　trying　his　fortune　again；　which　he　might　suppose　himself　to　have；　if　he　could　impute　his　overthrow　to　the　disadvantage　of　the　night；　as　he　did　before　to　the　mountains；　the　narrow　passages；　and　the　sea。　For　while　he　had　such　numerous　forces　and　large　dominions　still　remaining；　it　was　not　any　want　of　men　or　arms　that　could　induce　him　to　give　up　the　war；　but　only　the　loss　of　all　courage　and　hope　upon　the　conviction　of　an　undeniable　and　manifest　defeat。　　　After　they　were　gone　from　him　with　this　answer；　he　laid　himself　down　in　his　tent　and　slept　the　rest　of　the　night　more　soundly　than　was　usual　with　him；　to　the　astonishment　of　the　commanders；　who　came　to　him　early　in　the　morning；　and　were　fain　themselves　to　give　order　that　the　soldiers　should　breakfast。　But　at　last；　time　not　giving　them　leave　to　wait　any　longer；　Parmenio　went　to　his　bedside；　and　called　him　twice　or　thrice　by　his　name；　till　he　waked　him；　and　then　asked　him　how　it　was　possible；　when　he　was　to　fight　the　most　important　battle　of　all；　he　could　sleep　as　soundly　as　if　he　were　already　victorious。　〃And　are　we　not　so；　indeed；〃　replied　Alexander；　smiling；　〃since　we　are　at　last　relieved　from　the　trouble　of　wandering　in　pursuit　of　Darius　through　a　wide　and　wasted　country；　hoping　in　vain　that　he　would　fight　us？〃　And　not　only　before　the　battle；　but　in　the　height　of　the　danger；　he　showed　himself　great；　and　manifested　the　self…possession　of　a　just　foresight　and　confidence。　For　the　battle　for　some　time　fluctuated　and　was　dubious。　The　left　wing；　where　Parmenio　commanded；　was　so　impetuously　charged　by　the　Bactrian　horse　that　it　was　disordered　and　forced　to　give　ground；　at　the　same　time　that　Mazaeus　had　sent　a　detachment　round　about　to　fall　upon　those　who　guarded　the　baggage；　which　so　disturbed　Parmenio　that　he　sent　messengers　to　acquaint　Alexander　that　the　camp　and　baggage　would　be　all　lost　unless　he　immediately　relieved　the　rear　by　a　considerable　reinforcement　drawn　out　of　the　front。　This　message　being　brought　him　just　as　he　was　giving　the　signal　to　those　about　him　for　the　onset；　he　bade　them　tell　Parmenio　that　he　must　have　surely　lost　the　use　of　his　reason；　and　had　forgotten；　in　his　alarm；　that　soldiers；　if　victorious；　became　masters　of　their　enemies'　baggage；　and　if　defeated；　instead　of　taking　care　of　their　wealth　or　their　slaves；　have　nothing　more　to　do　but　to　fight　gallantly　and　die　with　honour。　When　he　had　said　this；　he　put　on　his　helmet；　having　the　rest　of　his　arms　on　before　he　came　out　of　his　tent；　which　were　a　coat　of　the　Sicilian　make；　girt　close　about　him；　and　over　that　a　breast…piece　of　thickly　quilted　linen；　which　was　taken　among　other　booty　at　the　battle　of　Issus。　The　helmet；　which　was　made　by　Theophilus；　though　of　iron；　was　so　well　wrought　and　polished　that　it　was　as　bright　as　the　most　refined　silver。　To　this　was　fitted　a　gorget　of　the　same　metal；　set　with　precious　stones。　His　sword；　which　was　the　weapon　he　most　used　in　fight；　was　given　him　by　the　King　of　the　Citieans；　and　was　of　an　admirable　temper　and　lightness。　The　belt　which　he　also　wore　in　all　engagements　was　of　much　richer　workmanship　than　the　rest　of　his　armour。　It　was　a　work　of　the　ancient　Helicon；　and　had　been　presented　to　him　by　the　Rhodians；　as　a　mark　of　their　respect　to　him。　So　long　as　he　was　engaged　in　drawing　up　his　men；　or　riding　about　to　give　orders　or　directions；　or　to　view　them；　he　spared　Bucephalus；　who　was　now　growing　old；　and　made　use　of　another　horse；　but　when　he　was　actually　to　fight；　he　sent　for　him　again；　and　as　soon　as　he　was　mounted；　commenced　the　attack。　　　He　made　the　longest　address　that　day　to　the　Thessalians　and　other　Greeks；　who　answered　him　with　loud　shouts；　desiring　him　to　lead　them　on　against　the　barbarians；　upon　which　he　shifted　his　javelin　into　his　left　hand；　and　with　his　right　lifted　up　towards　heaven；　besought　the　gods；　as　Callisthenes　tells　us；　that　if　he　was　of　a　truth　the　son　of　Jupiter；　they　would　be　pleased　to　assist　and　strengthen　the　Grecians。　At　the　same　time　the　augur　Aristander；　who　had　a　white　mantle　about　him；　and　a　crown　of　gold　on　his　head；　rode　by　and　showed　them　an　eagle　that　soared　just　over　Alexander；　and　directed　his　flight　towards　the　enemy；　which　so　animated　the　beholders；　that　after　mutual　encouragements　and　exhortations；　the　horse　charged　at　full　speed；　and　were　followed　in　a　mass　by　the　whole　phalanx　of　the　foot。　But　before　they　could　well　come　to　blows　with　the　first　ranks；　the　barbarians　shrunk　back；　and　were　hotly　pursued　by　Alexander；　who　drove　those　that　fled　before　him　into　the　middle　of　the　battle；　where　Darius　himself　was　in　person；　whom　he　saw　from　a　distance　over　the　foremost　ranks；　conspicuous　in　the　midst　of　his　life…guard；　a　tall　and　fine…looking　man；　drawn　in　a　lofty　chariot；　defended　by　an　abundance　of　the　best　horse；　who　stood　close　in　order　about　it　ready　to　receive　the　enemy。　But　Alexander's　approach　was　so　terrible；　forcing　those　who　gave　back　upon　those　who　yet　maintained　their　ground；　that　he　beat　down　and　dispersed　them　almost　all。　Only　a　few　of　the　bravest　and　valiantest　opposed　the　pursuit；　who　were　slain　in　their　king's　presence；　falling　in　heaps　upon　one　another；　and　in　the　very　pangs　of　death　striving　to　catch　hold　of　the　horses。　Darius　now　seeing　all　was　lost；　that　those　who　were　placed　in　front　to　defend　him　were　broken　and　beat　back　upon　him；　that　he　could　not　turn　or　disengage　his　chariot　without　great　difficulty；　the　wheels　being　clogged　and　entangled　among　the　dead　bodies；　which　lay　in　such　heaps　as　n