retire; but as these were horse, the Macedonian foot could not follow them. Soon after, Parmenio himself was exposed to much greater peril. Mazeus, having rushed upon him with all his cavalry, charged the Macedonians in flank, and began to surround them. Immediately Parmenio sent Alexander advice of the danger he was in; declaring, that in case he were not immediately succoured, it would be impossible for him to keep his soldiers together. The prince was actually pursuing Darius, and fancying he was almost come up with him, rode with the utmost speed. He flattered himself that he should absolutely put an end to the war, in case he could but seize his person. But, upon this news, news, he turned about, in order to succour his left wing; shuddering with rage, to see his prey and victory torn in this manner from him; and complaining against fortune for having favoured Darius more in his flight, than himself in the pursuit of that monarch. Alexander, in his march, met the enemy's horse who had plundered the baggage; all which were returning in good order, and retiring back, not as soldiers who had been defeated, but almost as if they had gained the victory. And now the battle became more obstinate than before; for, the barbarians marching close in columns, not in order of battle, but that of a march, it was very difficult to break through them; and they did not amuse themselves with throwing javelins, nor with wheeling about, according to their usual custom; but man engaging against man, each did all that lay in his power to unhorse his enemy. Alexander lost sixty of his guards in this attack. Hephestion, Cenus, and Menidas, were wounded in it; however, he triumphed on this occasion, and all the barbarians were cut to pieces, except such as forced their way through his squadrons. During this, news had been brought Mazeus that Darius was defeated; upon which, being greatly alarmed and dejected by the ill success of that monarch, though the advantage was entirely on his side, he ceased to charge the enemy, who were now in disorder, so briskly as before. Parmenio could not conceive how it came to pass, that the battle, which before was carried on so warmly, should slacken on a sudden : however, like an able commander, who seizes every advantage, and who employs his utmost endeavours to inspire his soldiers with fresh vigor, he observed to them, that the terror which spread throughout the whole army, was the forerunner of their defeat; and fired them with the notion how glorious it would be for them, to put the last hand to the victory. Upon his exhortations, they recovered their former hopes and bravery; when transformed into other men, they gave their horses the rein, and charged the enemy with so much fury, as threw them into the greatest disorder, and obliged them to fly. Alexander came up that instant, and, overjoyed to find the scale turned in his favour, and the enemy entirely defeated, he renewed, in concert with Parmenio, the pursuit of Darius. He rode as far as Arbela, where he fancied he should come up with that monarch and all his baggage; but Darius had only just passed by it, and left his treasure a prey to the enemy, with his bow and shield. Such was the success of this famous battle, which gave empire to the conqueror. According to Arrian, the Persians lost three hundred thousand men, besides those who were taken prisoners; which, at least, is a proof that the loss was very great on their side. That of Alexander was very inconsiderable, he not loosing, according to the last mentioned author, twelve hundred men, most of whom were horse. * This engage ment was fought in the month of October, about the same time, two years before, that the battle of Issus was fought. As Gaugamela, in Assyria, the spot where the two armies engaged, was a small place of very little note, this was called the battle of Arbela, that city being nearest to the field of battle. SECTION IX. ALEXANDER TAKES ARBELA, BABYLON, SUSA, PERSEPOLIS; AND FINDS IMMENSE RICHES IN THOSE CITIES. ALEXANDER's first care, after his obtaining the victory, was to offer magnificent sacrifices to the gods by way of thanksgiving. He afterwards rewarded such as had signalized themselves remarkably in battle; bestowed riches upon them with a very liberal hand, and gave to each of them houses, employments, and governments. But, being desirous of expressing more * A. M. 3674. Ant. J. C. 330. ▾ The month called by the Greeks Boedromion, answers partly to our month of October. * Diod. I. xvii. p. 538-540. Arrian. l. iii. p. 127–133. Plut. in Ales. p. 685-688. Quint, Curt. I. v. c. 1-7. Justin. 1. xi. c. 14... a particularly his gratitude to the Greeks, for having appointed him generalissimo against the Persians, he gave orders for abolishing the several tyrannical institutions that had started up in Greece; that the cities should be restored to their liberties, and all their rights and privileges. He wrote particularly to the Plateans, declaring, that it was his desire their city should be rebuilt, to reward the zeal and bravery by which their ancestors had distinguished themselves, in defending the common liberties of Greece. He also sent part of the spoils to the people of Crotona in Italy; to honour, though so many years after, the good will and courage of Phayllus the champion, a native of their country, who, whilst war was carrying on between the Medes, and when all the rest of the Greeks that were settled in Italy had abandoned the true Grecians, imagining they were entirely undone, fitted out a galley at his own expense, and sailed to Salamis, to partake of the danger to which his countrymen were at that time exposed. So great a friend and encourager, says Plutarch, was Alexander, of every kind of virtue; considering himself, says the same author, obliged in a manner to perpetuate the remembrance of all great actions; to give immortality to merit, and propose them to posterity, as so many models for their imitation. Darius, after his defeat, having but very few attendants, had rode towards the river Lycus. After crossing it, several advised him to break down the bridges, because the enemy pursued him. But he made this • Herodotus relates this history in very few words, 1. viii. c. 47. a generous answer, "that life was not so dear to him, as to make him desire to preserve it, by the destruction of so many thousands of his subjects and faithful allies, who, by that means, would be delivered up to the mercy of the enemy; that they had as much right to pass over this bridge as their sovereign, and consequently that it ought to be as open to them." After riding a great number of leagues full speed, he arrived at midnight at Arbela. From thence he fled towards Media, over the Armenian mountains, followed by a great number of the nobility, and a few of his guards. The reason of his going that way was, his supposing that Alexander would proceed towards Babylon and Susa, there to enjoy the fruits of his victory; besides, a numerous army could not pursue him by this road; whereas, in the other, horses and chariots might advance with great ease; not to mention that the soil was very fruitful. A few days after Arbela surrendered to Alexander, who found in it a great quantity of furniture belonging to the crown, rich clothes, and other precious moveables, with four thousand talents, about seven hundred and seventy five thousand pounds, and all the riches of the army, which Darius had left there at his setting out against Alexander, as was before observed. But he was soon obliged to leave that place, because of the diseases that spread in his camp, occasioned by the infection of the dead bodies which covered all the field of battle. This prince advanced therefore over the plains towards › Non ita se saluti suæ velle consultum, ut tot millia sociorum hosti objiciat: debere et aliis fugæ viam patere, quæ patuerit sibi. Justin |