"summit, and, when you shall have made yourselves mas"ters of it, set up a white standard there as a signal, and be "assured that I then will certainly disengage you from the enemy, and draw them upon myself, by making a diver"sion." At the same time that the king gave out this order he made them 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, cramp-irons, and thick ropes.

The king went round the mountain with them, and commanded them to begin their march a 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 then took provisions for two days, and, being armed with swords and javelins only, they began to ascend the mountain, walking some time on foot; afterwards, when it was necessary for them to climb, some forced their wedges into the stones which projected forwards and by that means raised themselves; others thrust their cramp-irons into the stones that were frozen, to keep themselves from falling in so slippery a way; while others, driving in their wedges with great strength made them serve as so many scaling-ladders. They spent the whole day in this manner, hanging against the rock and exposed to numerous dangers and difficulties, being obliged to struggle at the same time with snow, cold, and wind. Nevertheless, the hardest task was yet to come, and, the farther they advanced the higher the rock seemed to rise. But that which terrified them most was the sad spectacle of some of their comrades falling down precipices, whose unhappy fate was a warning to them of what they themselves might expect. Notwithstanding this, they still advanced forward, and exerted themselves so vigorously, that, in spite of all these difficulties, they at last got to the top of the rock. But they were all inexpressibly weary, and many of them had even lost the use of some of their limbs. Night and drowsiness came upon them at the same time, so that, dispersing themselves in such distant parts of the rock as were free from snows, they laid down in them and slept till daybreak. At last, waking from a deep sleep, and looking on all sides to discover the place where so many people could lie hid, they saw smoke below them, which showed them the haunt of the enemy. They then put up the signal, as had been agreed; and their whole company drawing up, 32 were found wanting, who had lost their lives in the as

cent.

a About nine or ten o'clock.

In the mean time the king equally fired with a desire of storming the fortress, and struck with the visible dangers to which those men were exposed, continued on foot the whole day, gazing upon the rock, and he himself did not retire to rest till dark night. The next morning, by peep of day he was the first who perceived the signal. Nevertheless he was still in doubt whether he might trust his eyes, because of the false splendour which takes place at day-break; but the light increasing, he was sure of what he saw. Sending therefore for Cophes, who before, by his command, had sounded the Barbarians, he despatched him a second time, with an exhortation to think better of the matter; and in case they should still depend upon the strength of the place, he then was ordered to show them the band of men behind their backs, who were got to the summit of the rock. Cophes employed all the arguments possible to engage Arimazes to capitulate; representing to him, that he would gain the king's favour, in case he did not interrupt the great designs he meditated, by obliging him to make some stay before that rock. Arimazes sent a haughtier and more insolent answer than before, and commanded him to retire. Then Cophes taking him by the hand, desired he would come out of the cave with him, which the Barbarian doing, he showed him the Macedonians posted over his head, and said, in an insulting tone of voice, "You see that Alexander's soldiers "have wings." In the mean time the trumpets were heard to sound in every part of the Macedonian camp, and the whole army shouted aloud, and cried, Victory! These things though of little consequence in themselves, did nevertheless as often happens, throw the Barbarians into so great a consternanation, that, without once reflecting how few were got to the summit, they thought themselves lost. Upon this, Cophes was recalled, and 30 of the chiefs among the Barbarians were sent back with him, who agreed to surrender up the place, upon condition that their lives might be spared. The king notwithstanding the strong opposition he might meet with, was however so exasperated at the haughtiness of Arimazes, that he refused to grant them any terms of capitulation. A blind and rash confidence in his own good fortune, which had never failed him, made him insensible to every danger. Arimazes, on the other side, blinded by fear, and concluding himself absolutely lost, came down, with his relations and the principal nobility of the country, into Alexander's camp. But this prince, who was not master of his anger, forgetting what the faith of treaties and humanity required on this occasion, caused them all to be scourged with rods, and afterwards be fixed to crosses, at the foot of the same rock. The mul titudes of people who surrendered with all the booty, were

given to the inhabitants of the cities which had been newly founded in those parts; and Artabazus was left governor of the rock, and the whole province round it.

SECT. XIV.

Death of Clitus. Expeditions of Alexander. He commands worship to be paid to himself.

a Alexander, having subdued the Massageta and the Daha, entered Bazaria. In this province are a great number of large parks stocked with deer. Here the king took the diversion of hunting, in which he was exposed to very great peril; for a lion of an enormous size advanced directly to him, but he killed him with a single thrust. Although Alexander came off victorious on this occasion, yet the Macedonians, alarmed at the danger he had run, and the whole army in his person, gave orders, pursuant to the custom of their country, that the king should go no more a hunting on foot, without being attended by some of his courtiers and officers. They were sensible, that a king is not born for his own sake, but for that of his subjects; that he ought to be careful of his own person for their sakes, and reserve his courage for other dangers; and that the being famous for killing beasts (a reputation unworthy of a great prince) ought not to be purchased so dear.

From hence he returned to Maracanda, where he quelled some tumults which had broken out in that country. Artabazus requesting to be discharged from the government of that province, by reason of his great age, he appointed Clitus his successor. He was an old officer, who had fought under Philip, and signalised himself on many occasions. At the battle of the Granicus, as Alexander was fighting bareheaded, and Rosaces had his arm raised, in order to strike him behind, he covered the king with his shield, and cut off the Barbarian's hand. Hellanice, his sister, had nursed Alexander; and he loved her with as much tenderness as if she had been his own mother. As the king, from these several considerations, had very great respect for Clitus, he entrusted him with the government of one of the most important provinces of his empire, and ordered him to set out the next day.

Before his departure, Clitus was invited in the evening to an entertainment, in which the king, after drinking immoderately, began to celebrate his own exploits: and was so

a Q Curt. I. viii. c. 1-8 Arrian. 1. iv. p. 161-171. Plut. in Alex. p 693 -696 Justin. 1. xii. c, 6, 7.

b In quo Rex, cum multo incaluisse mero, immodicus æstimator sui, celebrare quæ gesserat cœpit; gravis etiam eorum auribus, qui sentiebant vera memorari. Curt.

excessively lavish of self-commendation, that he even shocked those very persons who knew that he spoke truth. However, the oldest men in the company held their peace, till, beginning to depreciate the warlike acts of Philip, he boasted, "That the famous victory of Charonea was won by his means; and that the glory of that celebrated day had "been torn from him by the malice and jealousy of his father. "That, in the a insurrection which broke out between the "Macedonians and mercenary Greeks, Philip, fainting away "after the wounds he had received in that tumult, had laid himself on the ground, and could not think of a better " method to save himself than by lying along as dead: that 46 on this occasion he had covered him with his shield, and "killed with his own hands those who attempted to fall

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upon him; but that his father could never prevail upon "himself to confess this circumstance ingenuously, being "vexed that he owed his life to his own son. That, in the "war against the Illyrians, he was the only person who had "done any thing, Philip having had no manner of share in and hearing of the defeat of the enemy no otherwise "than by the letters he sent him. That the persons worthy "of praise were not such as initiated themselves in the

it;

mysteries of the Samothracians, when they ought to have "laid waste all Asia with fire and sword, but those who had "achieved such mighty exploits as surpassed all belief."

་་

These and the like discourses were very pleasing to the young men, but were very shocking to those advanced in years; especially for Philip's sake, under whom they had fought many years. Clitus, who also was intoxicated, turning about to those who sat below him at table, quoted to them a passage from Euripides, but in such a manner that the king could only hear his voice, and not the words distinctly. The sense of this passage was, "That the Greeks had done very wrong in ordaining, that, in the inscriptions engraved on trophies, the names of kings only should be mentioned; "because, by these means, brave men were robbed of the glory they had purchased with their blood." The king, suspecting Clitus had let drop some disobliging expressions, asked those who sat nearest him what he had said? As no one answered, Clitus, raising his voice by degrees, began to relate the actions of Philip, and his wars in Greece, preferring them to whatever was doing at that time; which created a great dispute between the young and old men. Though

a This sedition is not mentioned in any other place.

blt was usual for generals before they set out on their expeditions to cause themselves to be initiated in these mysteries, and offer sac ifices to the gods who presided over them. Possibly Philip, by observing this ceremony, had delayed Fome enterprise.

c In his Andromache.

Alieno enim sanguine partem gloriam intercipi. Q. Curt.

the king was prodigiously vexed in his mind, he nevertheless stifled his resentment, and seemed to listen very patiently to all Clitus spoke to his prejudice. It is probable he would have quite suppressed his passion, had Clitus stopped there; but the latter, growing more and more insolent, as if determined to exasperate and insult the king, went such lengths as to defend Parmenio publicly; and to assert, that the destroying of Thebes was but trifling in comparison of the victory which Philip had gained over the Athenians; and that the old Macedonians, though sometimes unsuccessful, were greatly superior to those who were so rash as to despise them.

Alexander telling him, that, in giving cowardice the name of ill success, he was pleading his own cause, Clitus rises up, with his eyes sparkling with wine and anger; "It is never"theless this hand (said he to him, extending it at the same "time) that saved your life at the battle of the Granicus. It "is the blood and wounds of these very Macedonians, who ་ are accused of cowardice, that raised you to this grandeur. "But the tragical end of Parmenio shows what reward they "and myself may expect for all our services." This last reproach stung Alexander: however, he still restrained his "He passion, and only commanded him to leave the table.

is in the right (says Clitus, as he rose up) not to bear "freeborn men at his table, who can only tell him truth. "He will do well to pass his life among Barbarians and "slaves, who will be proud to pay their adoration to his "Persian girdle and his white robe." But now the king, no longer able to suppress his rage, snatched a javelin from one of his guards, and would have killed Clitus on the spot, had not the courtiers withheld his arm, and Clitus been forced, but with great difficulty, out of the hall. However, he returned into it immediately by another door, singing, with an air of insolence, verses reflecting highly on the prince, who seeing the general near him, struck him with his javelin, and laid him dead at his feet, crying out at the same time, “Go now to Philip, to Parmenio, and to Attalus."

46

The king's anger being in a manner extinguished on a sudden in the blood of Clitus, his crime displayed itself to him in its blackest and most dreadful light. He had murdered a man, who indeed abused his patience, but then he had always served him with the utmost zeal and fidelity, and saved his life, though he was ashamed to own it. He had that instant performed the vile office of an executioner, in punishing, by a horrid murder, the uttering of some indiscreet words, which might be imputed to the fumes of wine. With what face could he appear before the sister of Clitus, his nurse, and offer her a hand imbrued in her brother's